Swift's take on email marketing and why your brand shouldn't leave it dead in the water
We spoke with local marketing agency Swift Cheshire on email marketing and how they are pushing for businesses to bring emails back to life.
Sam Tidd, copywriter at Swift, gave us her top 5 tips for what to focus on if your business is stuck in the mud and lacking in conversions.
1. Ditch the Corporate Drivel
People don’t want robotic, lifeless copy filled with jargon. Speak to your audience as if you were speaking to a mate over a pint (or a flat white if that’s more their style). Tell stories, be witty, and let your brand’s personality shine.
2. Craft Killer Subject Lines
There’s no need for clickbait nonsense here. Be intriguing, be clear, and be brief. Subject lines under 50 characters perform better. Tease them a bit, make them curious. A good rule of thumb? Imagine you’re texting a friend something exciting in as few words as possible. “Don’t Miss Out on This Deal” is tired. Instead, try “Limited Offer Just Landed (Get in Quick!)”
3. Go Beyond Selling – Add Real Value
If you’re constantly shouting, “BUY THIS NOW,” they’re going to tune out fast. Balance sales emails with genuinely valuable content: tips, hacks, insights, resources, or even a little humour. This is especially true in B2B email marketing, where value beats volume every time. Make your audience feel like they’d miss out on something worthwhile if they skipped your emails. If they feel they’re gaining something, they’re far more likely to engage.
4. Design: Make It a Feast for the Eyes
Modern design isn’t about fancy fonts or glitter graphics. It’s about sleek, easy-to-read layouts, mobile optimisation, and a clear call-to-action. Remember that around half of emails are opened on mobile, so if your design doesn’t look great on a phone screen, you’re toast. Keep it clean, keep it visual, and make your CTA button big enough for any thumb to tap.
Emails aren’t essays. Keep them short, to the point, and easy to scan. People are scrolling through 100 emails a day – they’re not settling in for a novel. Break up text with headlines, bullet points, and short paragraphs. Think punchy not thesis-length.
5. Automate Smartly – Don’t Just Blast Out
Think beyond just “welcome” emails and confirmation messages. Set up automated sequences that follow customer behaviours. Someone visited a product page? Trigger a follow-up email with a discount. They signed up for your newsletter? Send a sequence that introduces your brand and delivers useful content before hitting them with any hard sell. Use automation to make each message feel relevant, timely, and on-point.
Sam added: “Social media might seem like the ‘big thing’ within the marketing mix, but email marketing still offers a massive return on investment, with an average of around £36 for every £1 spent!
“If you feel like you don’t know where to start, whether it’s branded templates or segmenting audiences, Swift can help you get going. Don’t miss out on a huge marketing opportunity for fear of where to begin or how to improve, it’s what we’re here for!”
To reach out to Swift Cheshire for their marketing services, contact them here.