What My Buddy Taught Me About Email Marketing Over Breakfast

Over breakfast, I mentioned to my buddy that I’m knee-deep in data-driven marketing —especially with email marketing. He looked up and said, “Like that shoe store that emails me every day? Are they hoping I’ll buy shoes daily?”

Sound familiar? It leads to an important marketing question: Does sending more emails really increase customer engagement, or does it just annoy your subscribers?

Email Marketing: How Much is Too Much?

Many digital marketers swear by the “Rule of Seven”—the belief that frequent exposure drives conversions. The reality? In today’s crowded inboxes, more emails can mean more frustration.
When messages lack relevance, it’s only a matter of time before your recipients shift from open and engage to unsubscribe or ignore.

Where the Shoe Brand Went Wrong

The shoe brand’s big mistake? Daily emails for a product people rarely buy more than a few times a year.
Over-messaging leads to:

• Higher unsubscribe rates
• Lower deliverability and open rates
• Damaged sender reputation (hello, spam folder!)

Bottom line? It’s not about sending more — it’s about sending smarter.

Smart Segmentation & Personalised Content

The winning approach in email marketing today is data-driven segmentation and dynamic content. Instead of a one-size-fits-all bombardment, personalise!

1. Personalise Through Data:
   Imagine a weekly email sharing styling tips for the exact pair of shoes your customer bought—not a generic sales blast. Platforms like HubSpot’s Smart Contentand Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagementmake this possible.
2. Balance Promotional and Value-Driven Content:
   Mix up content so it’s not always a sales pitch. Send weekly or bi-weekly style guides, tips, or recommendations tailored to each customer’s preferences and purchase history.

Customer Segmentation: The Real Game-Changer

Here’s how CRM-driven segmentation and automation make your email strategy work:

• VIP Customers: Get frequent, high-value offers and tailored recommendations.
• Seasonal Buyers: Receive product ideas and content timed to their peak buying seasons.
• Lapsed Customers: Trigger exclusive offers or motivation to re-engage.
• Inactive Subscribers: Move to social or display ad retargeting, not just repeated emails.

Tools like HubSpot Smart Lists and dynamic marketing automation help ensure every audience segment gets the best content and cadence for their needs.

Beyond the Inbox: Using First-Party Data & Retargeting

Don’t limit engagement to emails alone. Link your CRM with digital advertising for a full-funnel approach:

• Target unengaged subscribers on social media with display ads, not just more emails.
• Abandoned carts? Remind customers with ads or push notifications, keeping your brand visible across all channels.

Mobile Optimisation & Smart Frequency Controls

Don’t forget—most emails are opened on phones first! Use HubSpot’s mobile preview (or Salesforce Mobile Studio) to ensure every email, SMS, or push notification looks great and lands at the right frequency—never overwhelming your audience.

Email Marketing Should Serve — Not Spam

The takeaway:
Modern email marketing is about relationships, not just promotions. With data-driven automation, smart segmentation, and personalized content, you don’t have to choose between frequency and relevance.
Send fewer—but better—emails.

Ready to Transform Your Email Marketing?

If you’re tired of email strategies that feel more like spam than smart marketing, let’s talk!
Riophany Services can help you reimagine segmentation, boost engagement, and put your CRM data to work.
Contact us now for a consultation—and let’s make your next email one your customers actually want to open!