One thing many brands have in common is the assumption that email marketing is a ‘less fun’ form of marketing, especially when compared to social media. And with April Fool’s Day rolling around, that assumption tends to pop up even more. But honestly? That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Email marketing is one of your strongest tools for building personable relationships with your customers. Showing your personality and your spirit through your emails, for this reason, is a powerful way to boost sales, improve metrics and take your emails to new levels.
If you love humour and having a laugh, but you’re not sure how to bring this into your email marketing, the looming April Fool’s Day is the perfect opportunity. So, we’ve detailed some fun, harmless prank ideas below.
The Fake Product Launch
This one is popular amongst brands nowadays as a way to laugh without taking things too seriously. Essentially, your brand pretends to launch a product that customers definitely have no need for (and think is utterly ridiculous). Think about funny-scented candles, strange-tasting lip balms and even hilariously designed handbags.
These products never need to become real. They’re intended to make people chuckle, and to, more importantly, get them talking about your brand. They can increase word of mouth, help you generate more email sign-ups and get more sets of eyes on your website.
You can send a follow-up email a few days later with products customers can actually purchase!
Who knows? Perhaps your April Fool’s product may be such a hit that it becomes a real part of your range?
The Misleading Subject Line
Subject lines are high attention grabbers. Using them to your advantage on April Fool’s Day can help you grab the attention of your database quickly. Subject lines such as ‘We’re closing down', or even ' Your order has been received' can stir incredibly high open rates as customers flock to find out what is happening.
It’s critical that you know your audience well if you use this strategy, however. The wrong message to the wrong crowd can stir up fear, anxiety and even a negative reaction.
We also recommend a large banner reading, ‘Just Kidding’ or 'April Fools’ to dispel any negativity as soon as possible.
You can then offer a discount, special or bundle deal as an apology to help drive purchases quickly. Paired with higher-than-normal open rates, you’re likely to see some strong growth this way.
The Email Glitch
Design an email that feels off-brand, broken, upside-down or even unfinished. Even while skimming, these emails can make customers attentive and even protective of your brand, as they all want to be the first to diagnose that there is a problem.
Consider a reward for those who reply or point out the issue as a way to thank them for their support!
Those who open, but don’t reply, will still be more attentive to future emails, as they will likely want to check for errors, issues or strange messages again. This is a great time to capitalise on higher open and click rates by throwing in a ‘Just Kidding’ email, followed by a gift, prize or deal.
Ready To Elevate Your Emails?
At Email By Design, we are passionate about using different tactics, including humour, to help businesses grow in email marketing. Ready to see how a simple change, such as an April Fool’s Day campaign, can elevate your results? Click here to book a free 15-minute consultation.
