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#B2BMX
The Straight Scoop
on Email Creative that Converts
Howard J. Sewell
Spear Marketing Group

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#B2BMX
§ Introduction
§ Key Principles of B2B Email Creative
§ 15 Emails in 15 Minutes
§ Key Takeaways
§ Additional Resources
§ Q&A
Agenda

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#B2BMX
§ 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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#B2BMX
§ 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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#B2BMX
15 Emails in 15 Minutes

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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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

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#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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
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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#B2BMX
§ 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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#B2BMX
§ 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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#B2BMX
Q&A
howard@spearmarketing.com
Twitter: @hjsewell