Uncategorized - Blog - Hustler Marketing eCommerce Email Marketing Mon, 30 Mar 2026 09:16:35 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-favicon-72px-2-32x32.png Uncategorized - Blog - Hustler Marketing 32 32 4 April Newsletter Ideas: Themes for Your Q2 Email Marketing (2026) https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/4-april-newsletter-ideas-fresh-themes-for-your-q2-email-marketing/ Sun, 29 Mar 2026 04:59:59 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=21729 Google’s current top spot for “April newsletter ideas” is an article that lists almost a hundred ideas.

As marketers, we know that sometimes more is actually less, especially for the average marketing manager who’s already juggling 27 tabs, a half-written campaign, and a Slack thread titled “URGENT…but not really” (maybe that’s you).

So we asked our expert email marketing account managers to cut the fluff and leave us with the April newsletter ideas that have actually worked in the past. We also wanted to know what they’re planning to do this year, and to throw in some tidbits of their strategy to make their April emails pop.

April: Who Cares?

April feels like just another month. It doesn’t have the pre-Black Friday excitement of October, or the breathing space of January.

But it’s actually a turning point in your email marketing strategy.

With Q1 behind us, now’s the time to refine your approach before the summer slowdown.

April is the month to:

  • Clean your list.
  • Re-engage cold subscribers.
  • Rest creative campaigns that push the boundaries of engagement. 

The good news is that April is full of unique opportunities to try all of this out: playful brand moments, deeply resonant social causes, the works. 

Here’s how to turn seasonal trends into inbox gold.

April Newsletter Ideas: Themes & Holidays to Leverage

1. April Fool’s Day (April 1): Think Beyond the Punchline.

Sure, April Fool’s is about pranks. But the real magic lies in how you play with expectations. Rather than the usual fake product gag, try:

  • Revering the shopping experience: A “mystery discount” that changes based on when customers open the email.
  • The “glitch” email: Purposefully messing with formatting, reversed text, or a ‘broken’ CTA that leads to a surprise. (This needs very careful execution or it can become a mess).
  • Bait and switch storytelling: A heartfelt story that suddenly pivots to a clever reversal.

April Fool’s is high-risk, high-reward. If you go for it, commit fully. Half-baked humor falls flat fast.

Off-beat email subject lines you can try for April Fool’s:

  • You know what day it is. We know you know.
  • BREAKING: This Email is Now an NFT.
  • We accidentally emailed you our business plan.
  • Is it a prank if you see it coming?

2. World Health Day (April 7): More Than Just Wellness Clichés

This day isn’t just for health and fitness brands. Even if you sell apparel, gadgets, or services, you can tap into the theme by:

  • Highlighting mental health in the workplace, especially if your audience includes remote workers or high-stress professionals.
  • Sharing an unconventional “health hack: “Something unexpected, like the psychological benefits of decluttering inboxes and saving only your favorite brands (hint, hint).
  • Running an “Email Detox Challenge”: Encourage subscribers to clearn up their inbox by starring emails from their favorite brands (i.e yours), or moving them to the primary inbox. Offer rewards for email subscribers who engage.

3. Earth Day (April 22): Get Real About Sustainability

Earth Day emails often feel cookie-cutter. “We love the planet, here’s a green product” isn’t enough for your savvy, eco-conscious audience. Instead, try:

  • Radical transparency: Show what your brand is actually doing about sustainability, warts and all. “We’re doing what we can, but we know there’s a way to go” is a compelling message.
  • Challenge-based engagement: Invite subscribers to take a small, tangible eco-action, with a discount or reward attached.
  • Spotlighting customer impact: Feature how your audience has contributed to sustainability through past purchases. Be transparent here, and make sure you can back it up.

Almost everyone can dig up some trite, self-congratulatory Earth Day email from some brand. You don’t want that. Instead, make your Earth Day messaging about participation, not just promotion.

Also, go ahead and pull out the stops to make these emails look beautiful. This day gives your email designers permission to be poetic. You can take this in many directions: think rich visuals and soothing palettes. You want these emails to feel like a breath of fresh air. When subscribers open them, they should get the sustainability vibe before they even read a word.

Earth day email

4. April email subject line ideas for Earth Day:

  1. {{name}}, we’re not as green as we want to be.
  2. We’re working on it, okay?
  3. Sustainability? We’re getting there. Here’s proof.
  4. Our carbon footprint? Still here. But shrinking.

National Pet Day (April 11): Tugging at Hearstrings

Few things engage an audience like pets. Whether you sell pet products or not, you can use this day to create highly shareable content:

  • Pet employee takeovers: Showcase pets from your team in a fun behind-the-scenes email.
  • Exclusive pet-parent discounts: A campaign tailored to dog and cat owners.
  • Community-driven content: Ask for pet photos and make a collage-style email featuring your subscribers’ furry friends. This works because people love their pets, and they love talking about them. So this day is a potential UGC goldmine.

You don’t need to overthink this one. Pets fit in almost anywhere. From the email banner below, you wouldn’t necessarily know that the brand sells stickers. But if you did know that, the cute animals wouldn’t strike you as weird, either.

The email doesn’t waste any time trying to make a logical connection between the product and the occasion: it’s just a feel-good vibe that makes the reader curious.

National Pet Day email

April: The Email Marketing Underdog

April doesn’t scream “marketing magic”. It’s not a flashy sales season. It doesn’t have a lot of sentimental holidays. Just pollen, taxes, and a vague sense that summer’s…looming.

And that’s why it’s perfect.

This is the month to experiment, reconnect, and actually do all the things you promised back in January. Clean that list. Stir the pot. Try a weird subject line just because you can. And if your team has any off-the-wall April newsletter ideas, give them a shot.

Or better yet: hand it over to the pros who do this stuff in their sleep.

Book a call with us. We’ll make April pop.

FAQs:

1. Why is April important for email marketing?

April is a key transition month in email marketing. With Q1 over, it’s the perfect time to refine strategies, clean email lists, re-engage inactive subscribers, and test creative campaigns before the slower summer months.

2. What are the best April newsletter ideas for engagement?

Some of the best April newsletter ideas include campaigns around April Fool’s Day, World Health Day, Earth Day, and National Pet Day. These themes allow brands to experiment with humor, social causes, and community-driven content.

3. How can brands use April Fool’s Day in email marketing?

Brands can go beyond basic pranks by using creative tactics like mystery discounts, “glitch” emails, or storytelling with a twist. The key is to fully commit to the concept for maximum engagement.

4. How can I make my Earth Day email campaign stand out?

Instead of generic messaging, focus on transparency and real impact. Share your sustainability efforts honestly, involve customers in eco-actions, and use visually appealing designs to create a meaningful connection.

5. What strategies help improve email performance in April?

Effective strategies include list cleaning, audience segmentation, re-engagement campaigns, and testing new creative ideas. April is ideal for experimenting with subject lines and content formats to boost engagement.

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Email List Hygiene Revisited: How to Improve Email Deliverability for Tariff Times https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/email-list-hygiene-revisited-how-to-improve-email-deliverability-for-tariff-times/ Sun, 11 May 2025 19:47:18 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=23417 Why is Email Deliverability Even More Vital During Tariff Times?

Part 3 of 6 in the Tariff Survival Guide for eCommerce Marketers

The question of how to improve email deliverability and email list hygiene is a staple in eCommerce circles, even in the best of times. But right now, with tariffs wreaking havoc pretty much everywhere, it needs to be at the top of your priority list.

Use this guide to plug any holes in your sender reputation, and discover valuable tips on how to improve email deliverability even further.

Key takeaways

  • Good deliverability ensures your high-stakes emails (like pricing changes and inventory delays) end up in front of the right people, instead of tanking sender reputation.
  • Segmenting by engagement and behavior helps you to send smarter, not louder.
  • Avoid relying on discounts alone to re-engage. Focus more on relevance, value, and timing.
  • Use email deliverability tools and a reliable email list cleaner to proactively protect your sender reputation.

Why Email Deliverability & Email List Hygiene Are a BIG Deal Right Now

When the economy is shaky and prices are on the rise, every aspect of your email strategy comes under scrutiny. That includes the most overlooked, unglamorous, but mission-critical parts of the process: email deliverability and email list hygiene.

In part 1 and part 2 of this series, we spoke about email automation flows and email campaigns. But none of that matters if your emails don’t make it to the inbox.

If you’re planning to communicate sensitive updates like price increases or shipping delays (kind of important right now), you need to be absolutely sure your emails reach the right people. That starts (and ends) with good email list hygiene and strong email deliverability.

If Your Email Don’t Land, Nothing Else Matters

With overflowing inboxes and fragile customer trust, email deliverability has become a vital credibility checkpoint. If you’re sending tariff-related emails, you’re walking a fine line. you need to stay transparent without triggering unsubscribes or spam flags.

If your list is untidy, or your sender reputation is low, it’s more likely that subscribers will ignore your emails (if they land in primary inboxes at all).

Here are some email deliverability best practices that really matter when tariffs take a bite out of your margins.

Honing Your Strategy: How to Improve Email Deliverability Through Sharp Messaging

1: Prioritize Engagement Over Volume

When you’re sending high-sensitivity emails (like updates about rising prices, stock issues, or paused promos), you can’t afford to hit every single contact on your list. Sending to cold or unengaged subscribers weakens your open rates and risks more spam complaints.

Strategy

Before you send tariff-related or sensitive messaging:

  • Narrow your send list to users who have engaged in the last 90-120 days.
  • Suppress older, colder segments to protect open and click rates.
  • Focus on quality over quantity: you want responses, not reach (this is important).

This is also the perfect opportunity to explore an AI email cleaner or email deliverability checker if you haven’t used one before.

2: Clean Your List From Bounces Regularly

ISP filters (like Gmail or Yahoo) become even more sensitive when promotional content is flooding inboxes. That includes yours. One dip in sender score could cripple your reach for your most important campaigns.

Strategy

Every 30-45 days, run an email cleaning protocol:

  • Suppress any addresses with 3+ hard bounces.
  • Remove inactive users who haven’t opened an email in 210-365 days.
  • Filter out fake or malformed email addresses (use the best email cleaner tools available).
  • Watch for signs of spam traps or outdated domains.

A solid email deliverability and email list hygiene check should be part of your monthly routine, not just a “fix it when it’s broken” move.

3: Segment by Behavior Sensitivity

Not everyone reacts the same way to change. Some customers love a good deal. Others value exclusivity, brand mission, or consistency. If you send one message to all of them, you’re to turn someone off.

Strategy

Use micro-segmentation to tailor your messages:

  • Price-sensitive subscribers: Focus on bundles, loyalty perks, or “more value” messaging.
  • Loyalists and longtime buyers: Lean into storytelling, transparency, and produced quality.
  • Inactives or cold subscribers: Use slow-drip reintroduction flows before launching strong calls-to-action.

4: Go Easy On the Sale-Speak

It’s tempting to blast cold leads with a steep discount to wake them up. But that’s risky. It can devalue your brand during a time when you need to maintain trust. It can also establish behavior loops like waiting for the next discount.

Instead of going straight to a promo:

  • Send a “We Miss You” email with product education, mission reminders, or social proof.
  • Offer soft value like free shipping, early access, or content-only updates.
  • Build re-engagement into flows, not just standalone blasts.

Use email deliverability tools to identify which cold leads are worth saving and which ones you should suppress. Many email marketing services providers offer email list cleaner integrations to streamline this process.

Deliverability is About More Than Inbox Placement

It’s easy to think of email deliverability issues as a back-end problem. But in tariff-era eCommerce, it’s really about brand trust.

When you clean your list, segment intentionally, and protect your sender reputation, you’re doing more than following best practices. You’re actually showing your audience that you respect their time and attention. They’ll pick up on that, and reward you with loyalty.

Catch Up On the Tariff Survival Guide for eCommerce Marketers

In case you missed them, check out parts 1 and 2 here:

Part 1: Flows That Fight Friction

Part 2: Campaigns That Convert When Costs Go Up

What’s Next?

Next up in the Tariff Survival Guide, we’ll talk about How to Segment Smarter: Targeted Emails to Minimize Tariff Fallout. This article will include a close look at how segmentation can shape better outcomes and strengthen customer trust during pricing shifts and uncertainty.

In the meantime, if this feels like a lot to juggle, we’ve got your back.

We’ve helped eCommerce brands weather major market shifts and maintain performance through it all.

Let’s build a smart strategy that protects your deliverability and your revenue.

Email List Hygiene FAQs

Q: How do I check my email deliverability rate?

A: Use a trusted email deliverability checker or built-in tools within your email service provider (ESP). Look for signs like bounce rate, spam complaint rate, and inbox placement.

Q: What causes email deliverability issues?

A: Common causes include sending to contacts that are out of date, or not engaging. Other factors include IP reputation, or too many promotional emails without adequate engagement.

Q: How can I improve email deliverability quickly?

A: Start with sound email list hygiene: suppress bounces and inactive users, and only send to engaged contacts. Solutions like an AI email cleaner or a reputable email deliverability tool can accelerate this process.

Q: Is it worth using an email list cleaner if I have a small list?

A: Yes! Even small lists benefit from regular maintenance. It keeps your sender reputation high and ensures your messages reach the right people.

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Copy Hooks, Design Lands: Smarter Email Copywriting Services https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/copy-hooks-design-lands-smarter-email-copywriting-services/ Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:08:36 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=22116 Your inbox is full. And so is everyone else’s. The average person receives about 121 emails a day, and most of those are getting left on read, or deleted.

Email copywriting services are one of the must-have tools that brands use to build lasting connections with subscribers. And like all creative workflows, email copywriting services are now AI-augmented, but still human-led.

In this article, we’re breaking down exactly what professional email copywriters really do, why AI alone won’t cut it, and how great copywriting services work hand-in-hand with design to create high-converting emails.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • What an email copywriter’s role looks like in practice (and it’s not just writing subject lines).

  • Why leading brands keep investing in human-led copywriting, even in the AI era.

  • How your owned media channels (like email) deserve a human-first strategy.

  • The shift from siloed copy/design to integrated, real-time creative collaboration.

So What Do Email Copywriters Actually Do?

In most email marketing agencies, email copywriters are the first people to get the brief. Their day-to-day responsibilities include:

  • Writing performance-focused copy for various campaign types (newsletters, promos, flows, abandoned cart, etc.).

  • Optimize subject lines and preview text to increase open rates.

  • Map messaging to customer journey stages (awareness, consideration, conversion, retention).

  • Use A/B testing to validate hypotheses about tone, structure, or CTAs.

  • Collaborate with designers and strategists to align copy with visual assets and marketing goals.

  • Apply behavioral psychology principles (urgency, FOMO, social proof) to boost conversions.

  • Adapt brand voice across different audience segments and lifecycle stages.

That’s all well and good, but why are email copywriting services even necessary in 2025? Can’t AI do all the heavy lifting here?

Short answer: not quite. All of the email copywriting tasks we outlined above have been augmented by AI, and copywriters rely on it to brainstorm, edit and accelerate production (ours included).

But there’s a reason leading brands prefer to keep a human in the loop, especially for email: this channel is actually the one place where sounding (and being) genuine matters the most.

Email is a Channel You OWN. Treat it Like One.

While brands keep pouring budget into Google ads and influencers (even as UGC creators are starting to elbow influencers out of social media relevance), they often forget the power sitting right under their nose: their email list.

Unlike paid social or search, email is an owned channel. No algo chess, no rising CPCs. It’s a direct line to the most purchase-ready subscribers in your audience. And those subscribers want you to speak to them like humans. They notice when a brand feels like it’s talking from a script, or speaking to them through a chatbot. When that happens, around half of them will simply start to leave your brand on read.

Here’s how professional email copywriting services can make all the difference (and why enterprise eCommerce brands aren’t gutting theirs):

  • Great copy keeps your list alive. Pro copywriters know how to maintain engagement and prevent list fatigue.
  • Owned media compounds. The better your emails, them faster your audience grows. And “better” means more relatable, not just prettier.
  • Email is about relationship-building. Balancing nurturing and selling is not easy. It takes real expertise to get the words just right.

In short: your email is an asset list that compounds. But like any investment, it performs best when you give it expert care, not just AI-generated copy-and-paste.

Like this.

ai generated copy
You get emails like this from brands you used to love. We know.

Want your subscribers to feel seen, not spammed? That’s what we do best.

In 2025, Email Copywriting Services Are About More Than Just Words

This one has nothing to do with AI, and everything to with email fatigue. Email copywriting services used to be about driving the sale. AIDA. The Law of One. Long newsletters, short sale announcements. Rinse and repeat.

This was all pretty formulaic and templated. So you could get by with a freelancer jambalaya: someone writes the copy, someone else gets the GDoc and turns it into a Figma. Finally, the person handling your ESP loads it up, schedules, and hits the send button.

That used to be enough (in say, the 2010’s), because having the tech infrastructure to send beautiful, glossy (and wordy) emails was the flex.

  • Brands were just starting to master email marketing design tools.

  • Mobile readership wasn’t dominant yet, and desktop inboxes made up the majority.

  • HTML email builders were becoming more powerful, allowing for glossy, editorial-style layouts.

  • eCommerce brands wanted to look premium, professional, and polished.

Copy mattered, but there was usually a lot of it, and it didn’t need to be amazing.

But times changed.

As mobile became dominant, attention spans shortened, and inboxes filled with noise, long-form design-heavy emails started to feel slow, overproduced, less personal.

What works now is the balance between:

  • Well-crafted design that feels effortless.

  • Deliberately native-feeling choices (like lo-fi UGC elements or inbox-friendly layouts).

  • Snappy copy that meshes with or even reinforces a smart design hierarchy.

  • Personal, quick-reading experiences that respect the reader’s time.

It’s no longer enough for email copywriters to write copy on a plain white sheet – even if it’s great copy. Instead, high-converting email copy increasingly happens before, alongside and even after the design process.

The general trend is towards fewer words, and fewer scrolls. That means every word has occupies space on an email template for a reason, and copywriters have to think harder about those reasons.

Being “On Brand” Starts With Being on the Same Figma Page

At Hustler Marketing, we have developed this integrated copy-and-design approach into a unique methodology for creative production at scale.

Our copywriters and designers work hand-in-hand to create emails that feel cohesive, intentional, and conversion-focused. Instead of just writing copy and hope it fits the design later, we build the email together, in real time, in regular creative collab sessions.

Our teams meet frequently to:

  • Brainstorm concepts as a team, combining copy ideas with visual treatments.

  • Design and write in tandem to ensure that headlines, body copy, and calls to action flow naturally within the layout.

  • Refine hierarchy and flow so the reader’s eye moves effortlessly from image to text to click.

  • Stress-test campaigns live: we catch clunky line breaks, awkward image placements, and mobile issues before they ever hit an inbox.

Our creatives take this training back into their day-to-day email workflow. Copywriters work with an awareness of design, and vice versa.

The result is emails that feel put together and intentional, not like a last-minute puzzle of disconnected parts. Because while freelancers work in silos, we work as a team, and your customers can feel the difference.

Invest in Email Copywriting Services, Reap the Compounding Returns

If you take one thing away, let it be this: good emails are not born in isolation. They’re the result of thoughtful collaboration between copy and design, shaped by human insights that algorithms alone can’t replicate. When you treat your email list like the valuable asset it is, you’ll start to see real, compounding returns. And it starts with smart, integrated creative work.

Ready to see what high-converting email copywriting services can do for your brand? Book a call with our team, and let’s build better emails, together.

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Mastering UGC Video Ads: The Importance of UGC Usage Rights https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/mastering-ugc-video-ads-the-importance-of-ugc-usage-rights/ Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:53:06 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=20674 User-generated content (UGC) is like the Swiss Army knife of eCommerce marketing. You can use it to target multiple platforms, and virtually any stage of the funnel. And it brings serious results in terms of revenue and customer acquisition. But if you don’t nail down the usage rights, things can get messy real quick. 

Why?

Because, as an eCommerce brand (or any brand, for that matter), you’re going to want to work with experienced UGC creators to create your UGC video ads. And because they are the ones creating the content, they have certain rights, which you generally need to buy from them in order to use the content freely. 

Here’s everything you need to know about negotiating UGC rights the right way.

What Are UGC Usage Rights?

Usage rights define how, where, and for how long a brand can use content created by a UGC creator. It’s best to agree on these (in writing) before production begins. This agreement should spell out specific details like:

  • Platform permissions: Which channels (e.g., Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) the content you (the brand) can use the content on.
  • Duration: How long this permission lasts (e.g., six months, one year, indefinitely).
  • Geography: Whether you can distribute the content globally or within a specific region.
  • Type of use: Whether the content can only be used organically, in paid advertising, or repurposed for other campaigns.

Why Are UGC Usage Rights Important?

For eCommerce brands, clarity on usage rights offers the following benefits:

They protect you from legal complications

If you don’t nail down usage rights, creators could claim copyright infringement later on. Proper agreements prevent misunderstandings and potential lawsuits.

A precise agreement can save you money

Knowing the exact scope of usage helps avoid overpaying for rights you don’t need. On the flipside, failing to secure comprehensive rights can lead to additional costs later. 

Clear usage rights agreements also allow you to repurpose and adapt content for different campaigns, maximizing ROI from each creator’s work.

Types of Usage Rights for UGC Video Ads

1. Exclusive vs. non-exclusive rights

Exclusive rights give you sole access to the content. The creator cannot share or sell it to others. This is ideal for branded campaigns, can be more expensive. Non-exclusive rights entitle the creator to retain the ability to use or sell the content elsewhere. 

2. Organic vs. paid media usage

  • Organic use: Content can be shared on your social media profiles or website without additional advertising spend.
  • Paid use: Includes rights to promote the content through ads, which often requires an extended agreement due to the broader reach.

UGC organic use rights

3. Full buyout vs. time-limited licensing 

A full buyout grants you perpetual rights to use the content in any form, on any platform, forever. On the other hand, time-limited licenses give brands rights for a set period. This is common for one-off campaigns.

Negotiating Usage Rights with UGC Creators

Start with transparency: Be upfront about your content plans. Share details like the platforms you plan to use, the campaign duration, and whether you’ll be running paid ads.

Tailor the agreement to your needs: Only pay for the rights you need. For example, if your campaign is platform-specific (e.g., TikTok), there’s no need to negotiate for global or multi-channel rights.

Use buyouts strategically: Use buyouts for evergreen content like product how-tos or lifestyle videos. This is more cost effective than renewing licenses repeatedly.

Understand creator expectations: Many creators are protective of their work. Offering fair compensation for extended or exclusive rights fosters goodwill and builds long-term partnerships.

Be flexible during negotiations: If a creator’s pricing for exclusive rights is too high, consider non-exclusive rights or limiting the scope of use.

Our Advice: Test Creators for Performance Before You Buy

When you work with a creator for the first time, ad performance may vary. For example, many videos only deliver strong results for 2–3 months. Then performance drops off.

So sometimes it makes sense to go for a limited usage rights agreement. That will see you through the initial period, without draining your budget. For example, a three-month license provides enough time to test the creative while keeping costs manageable.

If the content shows potential as a top performer during testing, you can negotiate a new agreement with perpetual rights for scaling. This approach allows you to:

  • Test a new video with refined scripts.
  • Leverage the proven creator for additional campaigns.
  • Scale content across multiple platforms, knowing it resonates with your audience.

Remember, perpetual rights for high-performing creators come at a premium. So this phased strategy ensures you’re investing in content that delivers results, making the higher fees a safer and more calculated expense.

How NOT to Manage UGC Usage Rights With Your Creators

Skipping written agreements: Always document usage rights in a formal contract. Relying on informal agreements (e.g., DMs or emails) can lead to disputes.

Underestimating paid media needs: If you plan to run ads, make sure the agreement explicitly includes paid usage rights. Organic-only agreements are a common source of misunderstanding.

Ignoring renewal terms: For time-limited rights, set reminders to renegotiate before the license expires. Using expired content could result in copyright claims. Remember, creators often retain ownership of their content if there isn’t an explicit agreement. If you want to skip this part, you’ll need to go for perpetual rights – and they come at a premium.

Best Practices for Managing UGC Usage Rights

  1. Standardize Contracts: Work with a lawyer to create a template agreement that covers all usage rights scenarios. This streamlines negotiations and protects your brand legally.
  2. Track Rights Internally: Use a content management system or spreadsheet to document each creator’s content, associated rights, and expiration dates. This ensures compliance and avoids unintentional misuse.
  3. Build Long-Term Relationships: Establishing trust with UGC creators can lead to better deals and a steady flow of high-quality content. Long-term collaborations often come with flexible usage rights.
  4. Plan for Scaling Campaigns: If you anticipate scaling a campaign to new platforms or regions, negotiate those rights upfront to save time and money later.
  5. Audit Existing Content: Regularly review your content library to ensure compliance with existing agreements. Remove or renegotiate expired assets.

Don’t Forget GDPR: Stay Compliant in the EU

If your UGC campaigns target audiences in the European Union, GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a must-know. This regulation applies to any brand marketing ads in the EU, even if your business is based elsewhere.

Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

  • Consent is Key: If the UGC features identifiable individuals (e.g., creators, models, or customers in the content), you’ll need explicit consent from them to use the content in your ads.
  • Be Transparent: Let creators and featured individuals know exactly how, where, and for how long their content will be used. This aligns with GDPR’s emphasis on transparency.
  • Respect Usage Agreements: If your license for UGC is time-limited, ensure you stop using it once the agreement expires—or renegotiate. Using expired content could violate both GDPR and copyright law.
  • Handle Personal Data Responsibly: If you’re collecting personal data as part of your campaigns, like a creator’s contact details, make sure you comply with GDPR’s strict data handling requirements.

For brands marketing in the EU, keeping GDPR top of mind not only avoids hefty fines but also builds trust with your creators and audience. It’s all about playing it safe – and smart.

Keep It Legal, Keep It Lit

UGC is pure marketing gold. Until it’s not. Without the right UGC usage rights in place, you’re one DM away from a legal disaster.

At Hustler Marketing, we’re here to make UGC easy, breezy, and drama-free. From sorting contracts to scaling your best-performing content, we’ve got the tools, the talent, and the receipts to help you crush your goals.

Whether you need epic evergreen content, a fire campaign, or some UGC magic that makes your competitors jealous, we’re ready to help you build a killer UGC funnel that propels your brand into a whole new season of growth.

Let’s do this.

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E-Commerce Burnout: Here’s How to Get Through Black Friday Stress-Free https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/how-to-avoid-e-commerce-burnout-this-black-friday/ Thu, 10 Oct 2024 06:04:56 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=20528 World Mental Health Day 2024 is exactly 50 days before Black Friday. As we get closer to the Black Friday season, many of us marketing folks are feeling the pressure. Whether you’re an e-commerce founder, entrepreneur, or marketing manager, this is the time when stakes are high, and your to-do list keeps growing. But the relentless pace and never-ending responsibilities can easily lead to that infamous E-commerce burnout.

Why does it happen? From ramping up marketing to managing inventory and planning promotions, there’s a lot to juggle. It’s no surprise that 23% of entrepreneurs report feeling burned out, especially during peak shopping seasons. Long hours, sacrificing personal time, and lack of rest will leave you exhausted by the time Christmas rolls around. But it doesn’t have to be this way!

We’re publishing this article on October 10th, because  World Mental Health Day is an ideal time to prioritize your mental well-being. Sure, May is the official month for mental health awareness … But for those of us in e-commerce, October is when things get very real as we gear up for the holiday rush.

So, let’s take a deep dive on e-commerce burnout — what it is, why it matters, and a few practical tips from our team to help you get through the sale season.

What is e-commerce burnout?

An image of matches burning out in various stages to represent burnout.

The simple answer?  It’s that feeling of “I’m tired. I can’t take this anymore.” If that sounds familiar, then you might also recognize a few of these warning signs

  • Feeling drained and defeated
  • High levels of stress and anxiety
  • Loss of motivation and work satisfaction
  • Feeling tired and detached from your loved ones
  • Struggling to sleep or eat like you usually do
  • Frequent headaches or stomach troubles
  • Being more irritable, angry, or short-tempered
  • Feeling flat or numb

Burnout is more than just exhaustion — it’s a mix of emotional, mental, and physical fatigue caused by prolonged stress, particularly when the demands keep piling up without any relief in sight. For those of us in e-commerce, the constant pressure to stay competitive and profitable during the busy shopping season makes burnout even more likely to happen.

But here’s the thing: Burnout doesn’t just happen overnight. It builds up over time! The continuous hustle, handling countless tasks, and pushing yourself to do more without a break — it all adds up. 

Over time, this wears down your motivation, productivity, and mental well-being, leaving you feeling drained and unable to focus. You might find yourself feeling less inspired, disconnected from your goals, more cynical with the people around you, or struggling to keep up with your usual pace. Eventually, you can also lose your sense of achievement and success — even if your business is doing well.

The worst part? The harder you push through it, the more likely you are to hit a wall. And the longer you suffer from burnout, the more damage your business is going to take.

How does e-commerce burnout actually affect my business?

An image of a women holding dollar bills that are getting burned.

When you’re exhausted and overwhelmed, it’s nearly impossible to perform at your best. Decision-making becomes harder, and creativity dries up. You become constantly distracted, making mistakes, and dropping the ball on important tasks.

Your productivity can also take a serious hit. E-commerce burnout reduces your ability to focus, which means it will take you longer to get things done, and the quality of your work will suffer. Worse still, the passion you once had for your business might start to fade, leaving you less motivated to push forward.

On top of all this, feeling burned out will create a tense work environment for you and your team. This leads to lower morale and decreased performance across the board. Plus, as deadlines get missed or work quality dips, your customers will start to notice, and your sales will slow down

Burnout won’t just drain you — it drains the success of your business, too!

Luckily, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Burnout is 100% avoidable, and the best way to get out of this slump is to rest, look after yourself, and recharge your battery.

 

5 Simple strategies to avoid dealing with burnout

At Hustler Marketing, we get the pressures that come with high-demand seasons like Black Friday. We’re a global team of 60+ marketing professionals (including copywriters, designers, and account managers) working remotely and across different time zones. 

So, yeah — we understand how you’re feeling! That’s why we want to share what our team does to protect their mental well-being while staying at the top of their game.

Here are a few tips straight from our team of Hustlers:

1 — A healthy company culture is essential

At Hustler Marketing, we encourage open communication and taking time off when you need it. We offer generous leave time and even call-free days to make it easier for our people to keep their work-life balance. We also regularly ask our people for their feedback on how we can improve. On top of that, we also make it a point to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and even the smallest wins. All of this (and more) leads to a work environment where everyone feels supported and comfortable asking for help.

2 — Organize meet-ups for your team

Even though our team loves their virtual coffee dates, we make sure to regularly get everyone together for a big meet-up. Our most recent meetup was in Prague, and we’re heading out on another trip early next year. These gatherings allow us to connect on a more personal level, making it easier to collaborate during high-pressure times.

3 — Keep your workload healthy

At Hustler Marketing, we’ve managed to hire and retain the top account managers and creatives in the industry. How? By keeping their workloads manageable! We’re proud of our strong internal processes, and our account managers only work with 2-3 clients at a time. That means our clients get the best service at all times, and our Hustlers stay happy, motivated, relaxed, and on top of things.

4 — Make your schedule flexible

Working across different time zones means flexibility is crucial. We encourage our team to create a work schedule that suits their productivity patterns, making it easier to manage high workloads without feeling overwhelmed. And when things like last-minute tasks, strategy changes, or unforeseen stuff happen … We feel much more relaxed and ready to solve any problem that comes our way!

5 — Take regular breaks

Just switch your status to offline, pause your work, and take a few minutes to have some “you” time. A quick walk, a 10-minute meditation, or even just stepping away from the screen can do wonders for resetting your focus and boosting your energy levels.

By improving your internal systems and following these tips, you can lighten the load as you grow and scale your business. This way, both you and your team can stay strong and focused during busy times like Black Friday and avoid the pitfalls of getting burned out.

But if you’re looking for an easier way to relieve stress right now, then keep reading!

Why outsourcing can be the perfect solution for you

An image of a happy man working remotely from his home on his laptop.

Imagine if someone took away the stress of managing your email campaigns, creating user-generated content, and handling your brand’s marketing for you.

By outsourcing these tasks, you can focus on what really matters: Growing your business and reconnecting with your passion.

Outsourcing gives you the freedom to step back and focus on the bigger picture. That’s exactly what a busy online retailer needs to avoid e-commerce burnout during the sale season. When you’re an e-commerce founder or entrepreneur, your business will become more complex as it gets bigger and bigger. While you’re focusing on your products and services, you can outsource other tasks to specialized teams that bring valuable expertise and efficiency.

That freelancer you hired on Fiverr may have been good enough when you only had 500 subscribers, but now that your business is growing … It’s time to let other people take some of the work. Because doing everything yourself will lead to e-commerce burnout and costly mistakes!

The business case for outsourcing

Did you know that outsourcing can save businesses up to 70% on costs in the long run? On top of helping to cut costs, outsourcing also frees up your internal resources for other work. That means more time for you and your team to focus on business development.

Here are the specialized and business-critical areas that brands typically outsource:

  • email marketing services for retention
  • UGC ads and ad creatives for acquisition
  • CRM implementation and optimization to enhance sales efforts

At Hustler Marketing, we support with e-commerce brands in almost every niche with email marketing services, UGC ads and more. Whether you’re selling health supplements, luxury jewelry, clothing, kitchen knives, or anything else … We tailor our strategies to make you money, connect with your customers, and keep your business thriving.

Let our team at Hustler Marketing take the stress off your shoulders

An image of three cardboard smiley faces ranging from angry to normal to happy, with a hand lifting the happy one.

At Hustler Marketing, we’re committed to supporting our team’s mental well-being through initiatives like our #MoveForMentalHealth campaign. We believe that happy people do their best work, and that’s why we put so much effort into fostering a healthy work environment and avoiding e-commerce burnout. By prioritizing mental health, we make sure our Hustlers can focus on what they do best.

If you’re looking to lighten your load this busy season, consider partnering with us. We’re here to help you and your business thrive without all the stress.

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Black Friday 2024: Debunking Email Marketing Myths https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/black-friday-email-marketing-myths-debunked/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 20:54:34 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=20513 If you’re reading this, you already know the deal: Black Friday 2024 is just around the corner, and it’s time to get ready.

So we won’t bore you with “top Black Friday statistics”. Instead, we’re going to help you to take a hard look at your Black Friday/Cyber Monday (BFCM) email marketing strategy to find potential flaws that could end up costing you in retention revenue. 

Black Friday 2024 is going to be the biggest one ever. And it’s not our first rodeo. It’s more like our fifth as an agency, and for some of our experts, that number is embarrassingly high…but so is the revenue we’ve helped our clients to achieve. For BFCM 2023, that figure topped $12.5 million. If there’s one thing we know how to do right, it’s BFCM. 

So we’ve come up with a list of misconceptions about this once-in-a-year opportunity. Under each one, you’ll find some practical steps you can ask your marketing team to take to course-correct. 

Black Friday Email Myth #1: Send Big, or Go Home

Black Friday is stressful. For everyone. 

Black Friday 2024
Barely an exaggeration.

And you don’t have to be squaring up with your neighbor for a TV to feel it. As marketers, we all get that feeling around late August…

So it’s understandable that many email marketing managers want to throw all caution to the wind and blast their list.

This may generate a spike in sales. But it’s like a sugar high: it will wear off. When it does, you may be in a worse position, because your deliverability will tank. You may also burn relationships with VIPs: they’ll know if you add them to a generic blast, and they will not like it.

You need to take risks, but they have to be calculated. Every move you make needs to preserve your email deliverability. So you need to be tactical about this (keep reading for details in myth #3).

Black Friday Email Myth #2: People Don’t Want to Hear About Black Friday Until October (at the earliest)

Like all myths, this one contains more than a grain of truth. Nobody loves opening LinkedIn in September to see clickbaity posts about some influencer’s “Black Friday blueprint that earned $20 million”.

Now for the Nuance

Here comes the “but”. You don’t need to be in-your-face to start warming up your subscribers. And in fact, if you don’t warm them up, big-ticket discounts may not be enough to motivate them. 

This is why re-engagement is absolutely critical for BFCM success, and it has to start way before the sale itself. We always encourage the Account Managers in our team at Hustler Marketing to start in September, and definitely prioritize it through October. There are of course exceptions: if re-engagement is cost your deliverability too much, you may need to do this differently.

Get that re-engagement flow in ship shape, and start rekindling cold profiles, whatever you have to do. If your re-engagement segment is big (yay!), break it into smaller ones to protect deliverability and avoid hurting your main KPIs while you increase send volumes. 

Also: Focus on Acquisition

September is also the time to start aggressively building your list through paid ads – especially UGC. Subscribers who come in through that door are great, because UGC raises credibility and increases the likelihood of conversio like almost nothing else can.

Black Friday Email Myth #3: Size is All That Matters

Yes, your offer needs to be good.

No, it’s not all about the percentage.

Discerning buyers know that this probably isn’t really their only chance to save. They also want value for money – and they’re savvy about what those deals look like. Many are skeptical about how much they’re actually saving.

If you’re thinking “70% OFF” first, and “what do customers want?” second, you will lose out to a more strategic competitor who’s offering a smart bundle, or some other deal that really does stand out. 

You don’t need to rely exclusively on huge discounts if you’re getting people excited well in advance.

Warm-up Tips & Strategies

Here are some of our Account Managers’ favorites: 

  • Early bird lists (with genuinely good offers to reward your VIPs)
  • Mystery gift every week in october
  • A gift card with in-store credit (we call this the “Willy Wonka”)

Pro Tip: Once the sale starts, exclude recent buyers. If you don’t, you might see a spike in returns as people return their recent purchases to get the discount.

You’re welcome.

Black Friday Email Myth #4: Design is All That Matters – People Aren’t Reading Your Emails, So Don’t Sweat the Copy

How often have you heard things like this in the past week?

  • People have short attention spans. 
  • They want their Black Friday email offers to get to the point. 
  • A CTA must be visible at all times, in every scroll.

They’re all true. But like all generalizations, they don’t always hold up. Sometimes the things people actually do pay attention to aren’t the flashy or bite-sized things, but the stuff that speaks directly to them.

Enter: World Class Copywriters (we have a bunch of them)

That’s why you have great copywriters writing your emails (or if you don’t, you need to talk to us about ours – seriously). We’ve seen simple, but well written and personalized plain text emails skyrocket sales in this period – and at other surprising times of the year.

Plain text emails do 3 things at once:

  • Give readers a break from sale fatigue.
  • Tell your subscribers that you know who they are – and you care.
  • Set you apart from your competitors, who are probably too scared to try this.

My advice: keep these fun, even sassy. If you’re doing the “letter from the CEO”, get the CEO (whether that’s you or your boss) to actually read.

People have a spidey sense for authenticity – and they’re craving it in their inbox.

Related Myth: Black Friday Email Design is all Black and Red

It’s almost always a mistake to drown your brand’s own visual language in “sale” colors. 

You need to strike a balance between pushing the sale with a strong palette, and preserving what makes your brand unique.

If you’re not sure what I mean, this gorgeously on-brand email sums it up:

Black Friday Email Design

 

Myth #5: Cyber Monday is Black Friday’s Forgotten Stepchild

Last year, Cyber Monday hit record-breaking sales, pulling in over $12 billion in online purchases. That makes it the biggest online shopping day in U.S. history. 

Unlike Black Friday, which often goes with a physical store presence or hybrid approaches, Cyber Monday is all about digital. If you’re an ecommerce brand, that gives you an open field to compete with top-tier retailers – and WIN. 

And it’s not just for tech brands either: check out our Cyber Monday email design guide to learn more about how non-cyber brands can actually make this day all about them.

The Black Friday 2024 Hustle Starts Now

I hope you’ve found these myths useful. There’s a lot more I could say about the biggest event in the eCommerce calendar, but I’ve kept you long enough (thanks for reading).

At Hustler Marketing, we really want to help you to make the most of your Black Friday 2024. But what we want even more is to be in the trenches with you, working alongside your team to explode your email revenue. 

How about that?

 

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5 Landing Page Best Practices That Drive Conversions https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/5-landing-page-best-practices-that-drive-conversions/ Mon, 03 Jun 2024 12:41:59 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=17892 Your landing page stands as one of the most pivotal moments in your business’s online journey. Think of it as a digital handshake that determines the future of the connection with your users. Put in marketing terms, effective landing pages are a powerful conversion tool:

But crafting converting landing pages isn’t just about clever copy or aesthetics—it’s about making customers trust you. That’s why creating the perfect landing page can get intimidating. It could be that your landing page design is too complicated or that your CTA or copy isn’t optimized.

Whatever the case, you ‘re not alone. This guide serves as your roadmap to crafting landing pages that transform casual browsers to loyal advocates. So, join us as we share the landing page best practices that have proved to compel action.

1. Save Time with  Landing Page Templates

Building a landing page that ticks all the boxes is challenging, especially if you’re just starting out or don’t have dedicated developers and designers. Pre-made landing page templates are a great starting point to create beautiful landing pages in no time. First,  select the template that matches your specific objective and customize it to fit your branding.

Where can you find professionally designed landing page templates? There are standalone landing page builders that allow you to use ready-made templates and tweak them to your needs. However, having a dedicated tool just to build landing pages might not be the best option. Not when you can hit two birds with one stone at least. How? By using affordable email marketing software to create not only targeted emails but also conversion-focused landing pages.

For instance, you might have an online course coming up and want to promote it through a dedicated email or email series. You should use your  And you get to design both with one tool.

All you need to do is browse built-in landing page templates that span industries and pick the one that aligns with your objectives and style. These templates help  you maintain a consistent brand identity since you can add branding elements like logos, colors, and fonts, and tweak them to match your landing page design.

Plus, you avoid writer’s block by providing pre-written copy and prompts for customization, ensuring effective landing page content. Additionally, the templates provided by popular email marketing services are mobile-optimized—and you can always preview how your design looks on all devices. That way, you ensure a seamless experience for all users.

2. Keep Essential Content Above the Fold

When it comes to webpages , the term “above the fold” refers to the upper part of the product. In other words, what users see first on their screens before starting to scroll down. Here’s how above and below the fold content looks like in different devices:

Above the fold meaning
(Source: https://www.semrush.com/blog/above-the-fold/)

Online visitors’ attention spans are decreasing due to information overload. But if you keep essential content above the fold, it’s highly likely they’ll read every component they’ll find there.

That’s why you need to prioritize the most important information or actions and keep them at the top of your page.

By placing key landing page elements first, you help visitors understand what you do and why they should care without scrolling through the entire page. These elements include your key message, headline, value proposition, and your CTA.

Also, people using small screens are less likely to scroll through your whole page. So, ensuring key content is visible from the get-go is crucial for improving your users’ mobile experience.

3. Don’t Just Build, But Also Optimize Your Pages

The purpose of your landing pages is to drive conversions. So, when building a CRO plan, you need to analyze and optimize your pages. Start by scrutinizing user behavior.

Tools like Google Analytics or HotJar could be your trusted ally to dive into metrics like bounce rate, time spent on page, and website traffic sources.

You can visualize where users are clicking on your landing page through heatmaps. Also, consider leveraging session recordings to check how visitors navigate through your pages and pinpoint potential issues, such as slow loading times.

Once you’ve identified specific pain points in the user’s journey, it’s time to streamline your landing page design and messaging. Start by simplifying your layout and eliminating any unnecessary distractions that keep visitors from converting. Craft compelling and benefit-driven headlines that clearly communicate your value proposition.

One of the most important elements for boosting conversions is your landing page CTA. So, make it stand out by using contrasting colors and placing it prominently. Also, write actionable and precise CTA copy to encourage users to take the next step.

A/B testing is an integral part of optimizing your landing pages for conversions. Marketers should experiment with variations in headlines, CTAs, layouts, visual components, and forms. It’s key to test one element at a time to identify which change made a significant difference. Analyze your test results and implement the winning elements into your landing page creation.

And don’t leave out mobile optimization. With the increasing number of users accessing websites through mobile devices, you should optimize your landing pages for seamless interaction across different screen types. Test them on various devices to ensure they load quickly, and every component is properly displayed.

4. Include Credibility Elements

Most of your visitors have visited so many websites that they’ve become weary of typical marketing promotions. For this reason, they tend to distrust messages from the business itself. So, you’ll have to find a way to make a difference and get them to trust you. The best way to do so is by spicing things up with some social proof elements. Here’s why:

landing pages and social proof
(Source: https://taggbox.com/blog/social-proof-examples/)

Adding the stories of satisfied customers offers authenticity to your claims. Credibility elements build trust while minimizing concerns for visitors that aren’t familiar with your brand. People trust online reviews almost as much as recommendations from friends and family.

So, including trust factors throughout your landing page paves the way for customer loyalty. Here are some credibility elements to include in your landing page:

  • Customer testimonials: Testimonials are effective when they highlight the pain points your customers faced and how your offering addressed them. Even more so if the customer involved is someone they can identify with, and their story evokes emotions.
  • Case studies: This type of social proof shows how your products or services helped consumers navigate through challenges and achieve business results. Case studies work great for B2B companies, especially if the real-world success story is backed up with data that prove the outcome.
  • Trust badges: Trust badges, such as security seals or compliance certifications, signal your brand’s commitment to offering a reliable value proposition. To maximize their impact, ensure they are relevant to your users’ concerns. Also, it’s a good idea to place them strategically near your CTAs.
  • Customer logos: Adding customer logos to your landing page is a bulletproof way to win trust. It shows visitors that reputable companies have put their trust in your products or services. Again, this is a great tactic for B2B marketers, as long as the logos you include are recognizable by your audience.

5. Match Your Message to Your Ads

It’s not uncommon to use multiple ads on different social media platforms. And it’s only natural to target different audiences with each ad campaign. But if you neglect to match your landing page message and design with your ad, it could turn users off, harming the effectiveness of your ad.

Let’s say a travel website creates an ad to promote a memorable vacation experience featuring images of luxurious villas. But when users click on the ad, they are directed to a generic homepage that offers a wide range of vacation options, including hostels or camping sites. This mismatch could lead to user frustration since they were expecting options matching the luxurious getaway they were promised.

Therefore, it’s crucial to create a consistent user experience by aligning your landing page message with the ads that drive traffic to it. Consider customizing your landing page value proposition, copy, and design for each ad. There should be a smooth transition from the core message conveyed in your ads to your landing page content. Whether it’s introducing a new feature or promoting a limited-time offer, your message should be prominent and consistent throughout the user journey.

It’s essential to include the keywords used in your ads in your landing page content, too. That way, you reinforce the connection between the user’s search intent and your offering.

For a cohesive user experience, your landing page visual components, such as images, videos, colors, and overall design should reflect the branding of your ad campaign. Also, your ad call-to-action must correspond to the action you want users to take on your landing page.

Last but not least, tailor your landing page content to match the audience segment you target with your ads. It’s important to incorporate language and benefits that resonate with their preferences and pain points to show them you know what they need and boost engagement.

Optimize Your Landing Pages for Conversions

Landing pages drive traffic, generate leads, and convert them into customers. So, it’s only natural that they deserve your utmost attention. A well-built landing page can skyrocket your conversion rates and find your way to your users’ hearts.

You should keep in mind that your work doesn’t end there, though. Keep researching your audience and A/B testing different components of your landing page to monitor what drives better results. By following the landing page best practices shared and keep optimizing, you’ll drive your audience to take the desired action–and watch your conversions skyrocket.

About the Author

Maria Fintanidou

Maria Fintanidou works as a copywriter for email marketing automation software Moosend, having created the Help Articles (FAQs) and overseen the platform’s translations in Greek and Spanish. She loves exploring new cultures and ways of thinking through traveling, reading, and language learning.

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Prague 2024: Hustler Becomes a Full-Service Marketing Agency https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/prague-2024-hustler-becomes-a-full-service-marketing-agency/ Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:02:42 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=16414 At Hustler Marketing, we’ve been remote since long before it was cool. As a fully remote email marketing agency from the beginning, we have had more time than most to perfect remote, asynchronous collaboration. We’re also proud of the work our HR team does to keep our 70-strong team feeling connected and engaged. Our exceptionally high ENPS scores are a testament to that.

But we also know how important it is to meet in person whenever possible. So in January, our management team gathered in Prague for several days of strategy meetings. The purpose of our time together was to plan for the upcoming year. The result was an intense yet highly productive series of discussions and brainstorming sessions.

Hustler Marketing Heads to Prague

Once all 19 members of our management team had made their way to Prague, the meetings began. Each of these sessions had a distinct focus and objective.

First on the list was optimizing our email & SMS marketing services for eCommerce. 2023 was a year of revolutionary changes in digital marketing: generative AI, tighter privacy standards, and intense competition for top talent. Our team spent a large part of our time together strategizing around what we need to do to help our clients navigate these new challenges and keep winning.
We also took a deep dive into the way our departments work, and brainstormed ways for them to collaborate more deeply. Refining our internal structure and processes is key to attracting and retaining the highly skilled marketing and creative talent we’re known for.

Finally, a major focus of the meetup was developing our new services as we grow into a full-service marketing agency.

Hustler Goes Beyond Retention: Full-Service Marketing Solutions for B2C and B2B 

Retention marketing (email & SMS) will continue to be at the heart of what we do at Hustler Marketing. But through 2023, we launched a range of exciting new offerings. These new in-house teams offer brands a full-service marketing solution. For several of our current clients, Hustler Marketing has already become a strategic partner across multiple marketing channels.

Ad Creatives and User-Generated Content (UGC) 

This team includes experienced strategists, video editors and copywriters who come together to create scroll-stopping content for social media ads. The service includes sourcing, briefing and management of UGC creators, editing and ad management across multiple platforms.

Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

As an email marketing agency for eCommerce, the Hustler Marketing has an in-depth understanding of customer behavior. Creating a CRO team was a logical next step that enables us to take a more hands-on approach to helping our clients make their sites and landing pages easier to use and more likely to convert.

B2B Marketing & Hubspot Integration

For most of our time as an email marketing agency, we have focused on B2C eCommerce brands. Now, for the first time, we are expanding our services to include support for B2B companies using Hubspot CRM. B2B companies can leverage this service to get the maximum value from their CRM, and close critical marketing and sales funnel gaps.

For Ákos Doleschall, Managing Director of Hustler Marketing, the meet-up was an opportunity to reconnect with team mates from around the world and launch an exciting new phase in the company’s trajectory. In his words: “it was great to see all of the new teams and services taking shape and syncing together – especially because we’ve been able to in-source most of the required talent and expertise.”

Mostly Work, with a Little Play

Despite the packed agenda, we managed to carve out moments of fun (this is Hustler Marketing, after all!), including a memorable team dinner and a fun-filled team building exercise against the backdrop of Prague’s beautiful sights.

Needless to say, the whole team left Prague with great memories and a new vision for Hustler Marketing. We’ve already hit the ground running, and we’d love to tell you all about it. Get in touch to learn more about what partnering with Hustler Marketing could do for your brand in 2024 and beyond.

hustler marketing prague team building
hustler marketing prague team building
hustler marketing prague team building
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Creative AI Tools for Marketing: a Guide for eCommerce Brands https://www.hustlermarketing.com/blog/creative-ai-tools-for-marketing-a-guide-for-ecommerce-brands/ Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:46:11 +0000 https://www.hustlermarketing.com/?p=16311 As a marketer, you’re always under pressure to do more with less. Before the generative AI revolution, that was a headache. But now, there is a whole world of AI tools for marketing to choose from. Email marketing AI, customer service chatbots, AI product photo generators – the list grows every day.

We asked our creative team leads at Hustler Marketing to give us the rundown on some of the best AI marketing tools available for email copywriting, email design and ad creatives.

Keep reading to learn more about:

  • How to use ChatGPT as a free AI copywriting assistant
  • Generating product photos instantly with FinalTouch
  • Adding natural AI voiceovers to ad creatives with Elevenlabs

ChatGPT: Multi-Use AI for Copywriting

No list of AI tools for marketing would be complete without a mention of ChatGPT copywriting. After all, around 44% of marketers are using ChatGPT to write emails and other copy.

Among its many uses, ChatGPT can:

  • Quickly condense complex product information
  • Generate large amounts of copy as a starting point for a human writer
  • Proofread and check emails for consistency

To get an idea of its potential as an email copy generator, we asked Carrie Linder, Hustler Marketing’s Head of Copy, to describe how this tool fits into her team’s workflow.

Crafting Peripheral Copy Elements

ChatGPT excels at generating small but important elements of copy: subject lines, calls to action (CTAs) and banner copy. Provide your main text, and ask for options that align with the style and tone. This ‘pick and choose’ approach can save a lot of time.

Evaluating Clarity and Message Delivery

ChatGPT is good at rating copy. It’s like having a second pair of eyes, ensuring our message hits the mark. In a busy email marketing agency like ours, it’s not always easy to get another pair of eyes, so ChatGPT has been a welcome help.

It’s also a great tool for finding repetition. It’s quicker and more efficient than manually searching for overused words. All in all, this makes editing smoother and more accurate.

Summarizing Information

A major strength of AI in email marketing is assimilating information on webpages. ChatGPT can quickly summarize info for writing product blocks in email campaigns. But outputs aren’t always 100% accurate, so you need to verify everything before you publish.

It’s a helpful tool, but not infallible.

Human in the Loop: the Limitations of ChatGPT as an Email Copy Generator

According to Carrie, capturing a brand’s tone of voice requires the oversight of a skilled, 10-fingered copywriter. ChatGPT struggles with replicating specific brand tones, especially those that are conversational, humorous, or cheeky. It’s an area where the human touch still reigns supreme.

Another consideration is time. Although ChatGPT is designed to save time, there’s a fair amount of effort involved in fine-tuning prompts, sifting through responses, and editing. Ironically, sometimes the traditional way of writing is quicker.

chatgpt copywriting quote

 

FinalTouch: an AI Marketing Tool for Designers 

FinalTouch is an exciting AI product photo generator from Cloudinary. There are many AI photo tools that help with certain aspects of a product image, like background removal or resizing. But FinalTouch takes it to the next level: you simply upload a product photo, select a setting/style, and the AI does the rest.

In the hands of an expert designer, this is a powerful tool that can:

  • Generate beautiful product scenes without any AI skills or text prompting
  • Automate product photo generation without expensive shoots
  • Instantly provide multiple options for A/B testing

Hustler Marketing’s Design Lead Daniela López gave us her opinion on this tool and why it made it onto this list.

Instant Variety Without AI Skills

FinalTouch can really level the playing field for brands who don’t have a large library of product photos or design assets. Instead of having to wait (and pay) for expensive, time-consuming shoots, you can digital product catalogs with ease. 

And best of all, you don’t need to become experts in AI to do this. You just upload a product photo, select the vibe you want, and you have multiple scenes to choose from.

The importance of AI lies in the speed it provides for some essential processes within a project, especially as in our field we’re no strangers to last minute requests and rushed projects which could be impossible to finalize on time if it weren’t for tools like this.

As creatives we believe human touch remains essential to deliver high quality, innovative and original work for our clients and the implementation of AI into the marketing world has made the designer’s duties change into something more interesting, making AI play the role of a “creative assistant” and not a replacement for human work.

finaltouch ai product photo design

Quicker Than Legacy Photo Editing Tools

As email designers we often have to edit product photos to get the perspective and lighting right (among many other factors). FinalTouch is a welcome addition to your toolkit, because it can handle this for you. Of course, it’s crucial for a designer to perform quality assurance on any AI-generated image. But FinalTouch can save time on each task.

AI Voiceover for Ad Creatives: Elevenlabs Gets the Last Word

Hustler Marketing’s dedicated Ad Creatives Team is obsessive about exploring cutting-edge AI tools for marketing. One tool that has made a huge impact on their workflow is Elevenlabs. Using ElevenLabs, eCommerce brands can:

  • Easily produce and test more ads easily
  • Avoid audio quality issues with regular voiceovers
  • Effortlessly convert, cut and edit voice scripts

We asked designer and video editor Jessica Contreras to share her insights on exactly what makes this tool such a game changer for busy teams like hers.

Diverse Voice Options

Elevenlabs boasts an impressive library of voices that actually sound realistic. All we do is select the ones that match our customer avatar and demographics, to ensure the ads resonate with the target audience. 

Customizability and Easy Filtering

Even better, Elevenlabs lets you customize the voices. You can decide how exaggerated you want the accent or tone to be. Maybe you want a little bit of Valley Girl, but not too much. Simply tweak the settings and listen to the output until you have what you need. 

The filter function and voice samples with descriptions make the decision process much easier. It’s like having a sneak peek at how the voice will perform in our ads.

elevenlabs ai voiceover

Realism in Longer Scripts

Longer voice overs are where most AI voiceover tools break down. They may start strong, but become more robotic later on. That’s a problem, because some ads need slightly longer scripts. But Elevenlabs really shines here. Their voices maintain a natural flow, so the audience stays engaged for longer.

Efficiency and Scalability

For a busy team like ours at Hustler Marketing, efficiency is key. We test large volumes of ads across multiple platforms: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Elevenlabs lets us produce more ads without increasing our headcount. The interface also shows the character count for each voiceover, helping us manage our budget. It’s perfect for scaling up our ad creative output, with a range of pricing options to suit any team’s needs.

Leveraging AI Marketing Tools for eCommerce Success 

As a global team of marketers, creatives and innovators, Hustlers Marketing is committed to finding new ways to help our clients win. By getting to grips with the latest AI tools for marketing, we continually improve the services we offer in email copywriting, email design and ad creatives.

Book a chat with our team to find out how Hustler Marketing could future proof your eCommerce brand and help you to reach a whole new world of customers. 

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