Whether it’s for ABM, lead nurturing, or sales outreach, email is still the workhorse of modern B2B demand generation. And no matter how sophisticated your tech stack, how finely tuned your list, or how compelling your content, email creative still matters. What’s working today in email creative? Hear practical tips and proven strategies for email success, leveraging examples of real-world email campaigns: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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The Straight Scoop
on Email Creative that Converts
Howard J. Sewell
Spear Marketing Group

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§ Introduction
§ Key Principles of B2B Email Creative
§ 15 Emails in 15 Minutes
§ Key Takeaways
§ Additional Resources
§ Q&A
Agenda

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§ 30 years in B2B marketing and demand generation
§ President, Spear Marketing Group
§ Full-service B2B agency specializing in
demand generation and lead management
§ Headquartered in Bay Area with 40+ clients nationwide
§ Named to list of Top US Agencies - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Introduction: Spear Marketing Group

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§ What, Why, How
§ Sell the Offer, Not the Product
§ Shorter is Better: Avoid Redundancy
§ FOCUS: 1 Offer, 1 Message, 1 Call to Action
§ Drive Action, Don’t Just Relate Facts
§ Grab the Reader Early (Visuals, Benefits, No Long “Set Ups”)
§ Call to Action: Early & Often
Key Principles of B2B Email Creative

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15 Emails in 15 Minutes

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INS IG H T P O O L
§ Pre-header copy
§ Headline as fact
§ Set-up paragraph: why do I
need to know this?
§ No Offer
§ “Read More” of what?
§ Social buttons distract

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INS IGH T P O O L ( IM AGES O F F )

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T IM ET R A DE
§ 3 different headlines - what’s
the offer?
§ 4 different CTAs
§ Schedule a demo
§ Schedule a time to talk
§ Download (what?)
§ Social buttons

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EQ U INIX
§ Not clear what offer is
§ Distracting CTA (“Contact
Us”) at top right
§ Headline as fact
§ 3 text links, but one to non-
CTA content
§ Bulleted benefits need to be
shorter, stronger
§ Everything from “Discover
insights …” onward is non-
essential

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ACQ U IA
§ Headline is topic vs.
benefit
§ Offer & CTA up front
§ Needs offer image
§ Short set-up paragraph
§ Bulleted benefits
§ Good button copy
§ Footer introduces competing
CTA

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LO CA LY T ICS
§ Offer front & center,
including offer image
§ Starburst!
§ Opening paragraph is a
recitation of facts
§ “This report covers …”
should be “In this report,
learn how …”
§ Unneeded copy above the
CTA button (redundancy)

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LO O KBO O K
§ Creative header space
§ “20 minutes”
§ What, Why, How
§ “7 things you need …”
delivers concrete benefit
§ Offer image
§ Creative button copy
§ Lower section too busy,
difficult to read
§ “See you soon” + name of
sender is unnecessary

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We bRoot
§ Generic headline has no offer
or benefit
§ No offer listed except for
button copy
§ Leads with “Yes/No” question
§ Sell the Offer, Not the
Product

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Bounc e X
§ What, Why How
§ “Designed for Ecommerce”
§ Image of the Offer
§ Bulleted offer benefits: what
you’ll learn
§ Creative button copy
(“unlock” a distraction?)
§ Only 53 words

15. #B2BMX
IBM
§ Not clear what the offer is
§ No visuals to grab the reader
§ Headline is topic, not a
benefit
§ 3 long paragraphs of facts
§ No CTA until the very end of
the email
§ No text links

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O ra c l e
§ No idea what the offer is
§ Headline is a product pitch
§ 1st person vs. 2nd (“we’ll
discuss how …” vs. “you’ll
learn how …”)
§ Register Now – for what?
§ Sell the offer, even if it’s a
product demo

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Bl ue je a ns
§ What’s the offer?
§ “As an IT leader, you want …”
tells me what I already know
§ “Download Now”: download
what, exactly?
§ Competing CTA: “Speak to an
expert”

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Ce r t i f y
§ Great pre-header copy:
“Compare and find out …”
§ What, Why, How all in the
header
§ Image of the offer
§ Salutation: don’t bother
§ No text link in body copy
§ “See why Certify is #1”
diminishes offer value
§ Button copy should be
consistent (View, Get)

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Ja nra i n
§ Pre-header copy needs to be
more specific
§ Headline is topic, not a
benefit; sub-head could do
more to communicate value
§ First paragraph is long
recitation of facts
§ Bulleted benefits
§ Text link + button CTAs

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O pt i m i ze l y
§ Graphic at top right disguises
what the offer is
§ Date, time at the very
bottom of the email
§ Header and salutation push
copy down the page
§ Use title of Webinar in first
paragraph for text link
§ Strong bullets should come
earlier in the copy vs.
description of topics

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M a r i n
§ Strong visual image
§ Offer front and center
§ Title of Webinar implies
benefit (what I’ll learn)
§ Short intro paragraph
§ Bulleted benefits
§ Text and button links
§ Needs second CTA button
earlier in the email
§ Remove salutation and
sender name

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§ Make your offer clear, specific, and tangible
§ Copy no longer than absolutely necessary (avoid redundancy)
§ Think mobile friendly (pre-header copy, CTA buttons)
§ Repeat CTA multiple times in button and text (link) form
§ Keep paragraphs short & scannable (1-2 sentences max)
§ Don’t take too much time to “set up” the offer
§ Don’t tell the reader what he/she already knows
§ Always sell the offer, not the product
§ Avoid distraction: 1 message, 1 offer, 1 call to action
Key Takeaways

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§ Slide deck: email me at howard@spearmarketing.com
§ Spear blog: www.spearmarketing.com/blog
§ Spear resource center: www.spearmarketing.com
§ Infographic: 29 Tips to Improve B2B Email Campaign Performance
§ White Paper: Top 10 B2B Email Mistakes
§ White Paper: Effective Lead Generation Offers for High-Tech Marketers
Additional Resources

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Q&A
howard@spearmarketing.com
Twitter: @hjsewell