CRM is a crucial tool to connect with consumers, giving marketers a direct line to communicate and track activity effectively among millions of people. A solid CRM strategy offers a treasure trove of data and insights for achieving business objectives. 

Yet, with too many programs focused solely on discounts in a world full of more entertaining content, email is often labeled as the less exciting side of marketing.

Well, if you think email is boring, that’s on you.

There are infinite ways to inject attention-grabbing and needle-moving creative into your emails, as long as you approach it strategically and creatively. At GALE, we’ve earned our spot as a leader by breaking away from standard formulas and developing innovative content that makes this channel a must-watch space.

Here are 5 reasons why your email creative isn’t working. 
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1. Thinking of email as “just email.” For starters, change the meaning of CRM. Instead of viewing email as merely a tool for customer relationship management, shift your mindset to community relationship management. Today’s consumers can tell brands what they want immediately – it’s time to stop talking at them and start talking with them. It’s easy to forget that you’re having a 1:1 conversation. I’m often asked, “How do I make email as compelling as social?” My answer is, “Just do it.” Context matters. People have a low bar for email, so it’s a fantastic place to surprise your customers. Usually, a good indicator of whether your 1:1 creative will resonate is putting it at the front of campaign presentations and seeing if it packs the same punch. Think about the user experience and develop something to drive a conversation in this unique space. In short, if you keep seeing this channel as ‘just’ email, your campaigns will never be as exciting as they should be.
   
   
2. Content that lacks exclusivity. Why would anyone open your email if they know they’ve already seen everything in it? An overwhelming number of emails hit personal and professional inboxes daily, so you must give people a reason to want yours in the mix. This doesn’t mean coupon codes – let your imagination run wild to develop personalized, funny, or entertaining content they can’t get anywhere else. Give them a reason to sign up for the conversation. Have a brand spot with a celeb? A 5-minute behind-the-scenes Q&A can give your consumers a direct line to their favorite people through CRM. Sweetgreen’s athlete email takeovers are a great way to let influencers celebrate the brand directly with fans. Glossier often sends straightforward “take a breather” emails with a single image to make their customers smile. Offering exclusive benefits not only keeps your current community engaged, but it’s also a great driver of advocacy, as your members are more likely to tell friends and family about the experience they get by opting in.
   
   
3. Following a predictable (coupon-based) marketing calendar. Look, there’s a time and place for celebrating holidays – we’re just not convinced it’s with a 5% off coupon in an overcrowded inbox. Discounts are great, but this approach not only lacks creativity but will also likely miss the mark on building brand love during the moments in between. Instead, build your own calendar focused on brand and cultural moments. If consumers know a coupon is coming for a holiday, they will only ever interact with your brand for a discount, which is the opposite of any business objective. Stop building coupon culture and start building loyalty culture.
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4. ‍Not creating real entertainment. Don’t fall into the false belief that integrating true entertainment into your CRM requires heavy tech or development times. Gamification is a great example. With the resurgence of classic arcade games, coupled with a community that needs to kill three minutes while waiting <insert anywhere> and the advancement of interactive tech, CRM is the perfect place to engage your audience with a custom game. The travel company AWAY, for example, once transformed the mundane task of choosing luggage color into a personalized, in-email experience based on zodiac signs. Alternatively, you could direct people to a fun landing page, such as Chipotle’s GO GO Boorito arcade game, which offered loyalty members an opportunity to earn more points. The possibilities are endless, and even the simplest executions can have a big payoff. A truly entertaining email can turn into a positive brand discussion.
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5. Not thinking broadly enough about data. Don’t let the tonnage of open, click, tap, and view open rates stop you from finding ‘data’ and ‘insights’ in other places like Reddit threads, social comments, and more. You can use data to develop executions that foster community while tapping into culture. Brands need to think deeper into consumer data to find these insights. It’s an overused example, but Spotify Wrapped started as an email. Now, it’s a cultural moment that brands in any category try to replicate. Data should be used to have a conversation at any cultural moment. Don’t stop digging and being curious about these insights waiting to be explored. 

If the idea of developing an email campaign doesn’t excite you, it’s time to reframe your thinking. Just care about it. The brands who do it right easily stand out in a crowded space. Embracing creativity, exclusivity, and unique approaches to engagement can transform your campaigns into a powerful tool for building lasting relationships with your audience. Don’t sleep on the power of CRM creative – the platform is ripe with possibilities for those who dare to stand out. Your agency partners will love you, the work will improve, and I promise the results will follow.