Supplier BulletinJul 03, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
IndependentsFeb 21, 2017
The Single Biggest Key to Email Marketing Success
It’s the subject line and Jim Ackerman has some tips for writing a good one.
Jim Ackerman is a retail jewelry marketing expert who has spoken to jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, The Smart Jewelry Show and others. He can be reached at 800-584-7585, ext. 3 or by email at mail@ascendmarketing.com.
Wouldn’t it be nice if email marketing could really do what we hoped it would do all along? That is, replace all that expensive direct mail, print and broadcast marketing that drives us crazy.
Trouble is, so far, email hasn’t successfully been that magic pill or silver bullet. But some of that is your own fault because, the truth is, you’re probably doing it wrong.
I can’t tell you the number of times clients ask me to evaluate email blasts that look like print ads except they’re on a computer screen.
Of course they do, as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp and the others all make it easy to do just that and because they make it easy, we tend to think that’s the best way to do it.
But is it? Not necessarily, according to the research, which shows that text emails are more likely to produce a response than fancy, graphic emails in many--in fact perhaps most--cases.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. If you really want better results from your email marketing, you have to begin by getting it opened. And that comes down to one thing and one thing only … SUBJECT LINES!
Look, email is the only advertising medium on the planet where the playing field starts out absolutely level. Any and every advertiser has exactly the same real estate. You can be General Motors, Budweiser, Apple or you can be the corner jeweler, and you get exactly the same amount of space with which to compete.
Furthermore, we all deal with our email the same way. First, we scan all the new, unopened emails since our last check for who sent it. We immediately eliminate many or most of them based on the “who” alone without even reading the subject line.
For those who make this first cut, it comes down to the subject lines, and like I said, everybody has exactly the same amount of space to work with.
I believe subject line writing is the single toughest type of advertising writing ever encountered by man.
You have nothing to work with other than your words. You don’t have color, images or anything else to make your appeal stand out from all the others. It’s a sea of black words with nothing visually pulling the eye to one subject line or another.
You must also understand that when people read your subject lines they are not looking for a reason to open
the email. They are looking to a reason to discard it. So not only are you in danger of telling them too little, you can also tell them too much.
If you fail to convey a compelling benefit in your subject line, into the email trash bin you go.
But if you convey a benefit plus the delivery mechanism for that benefit, the reader might feel that she knows all she needs to know and into the trash bin you go too.
For example, if your subject line reads: “50% Off Diamond Stud Earrings for Valentine’s Day,” you’ve conveyed a clear benefit, but also told them all they need to know about your offer, and they make a snap decision.
“Oh, I don’t think I want to give diamond studs this year.” And into the trash bin you go.
If, on the other hand, you say something like: “You Have to Give a Valentine’s Day Gift Anyway, You Might As Well SAVE 50% While You’re At It … ” you have conveyed the 50 percent off benefit but preserved enough curiosity that the reader has to ask the question, “Hmmm. How do I get that 50 percent off, and on what?”
No other kind of advertising writing--headline writing, in particular--is so thoroughly dependent on the perpetual, delicate balance between delivering benefit and maintaining intrigue. Every single subject line you create has to consider this balance.
We’ll talk about the other elements of email marketing in the future. But for now, remember that subject line writing is a skill, a skill that takes cultivation.
And it’s another reason why it’s no longer good enough to merely “be a jeweler” and let the rest of business take care of itself. You must cultivate the know-how and do-how, the skills of a marketer, if you’re going to not just survive but thrive in the new world of marketing.
Jim Ackerman has teamed up with Shane Decker again for the Ultimate Jewelry Sales & Marketing Boot Camp, coming this August. Find out more at UltimateJewelrySalesBootCamp.com. Ackerman also is providing National Jeweler readers with a free email marketing evaluation and consultation through Feb 28. Send an email request including name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
If you fail to convey a compelling benefit in your subject line, into the email trash bin you go.
But if you convey a benefit plus the delivery mechanism for that benefit, the reader might feel that she knows all she needs to know and into the trash bin you go too.
For example, if your subject line reads: “50% Off Diamond Stud Earrings for Valentine’s Day,” you’ve conveyed a clear benefit, but also told them all they need to know about your offer, and they make a snap decision.
“Oh, I don’t think I want to give diamond studs this year.” And into the trash bin you go.
If, on the other hand, you say something like: “You Have to Give a Valentine’s Day Gift Anyway, You Might As Well SAVE 50% While You’re At It … ” you have conveyed the 50 percent off benefit but preserved enough curiosity that the reader has to ask the question, “Hmmm. How do I get that 50 percent off, and on what?”
No other kind of advertising writing--headline writing, in particular--is so thoroughly dependent on the perpetual, delicate balance between delivering benefit and maintaining intrigue. Every single subject line you create has to consider this balance.
We’ll talk about the other elements of email marketing in the future. But for now, remember that subject line writing is a skill, a skill that takes cultivation.
And it’s another reason why it’s no longer good enough to merely “be a jeweler” and let the rest of business take care of itself. You must cultivate the know-how and do-how, the skills of a marketer, if you’re going to not just survive but thrive in the new world of marketing.
Jim Ackerman has teamed up with Shane Decker again for the Ultimate Jewelry Sales & Marketing Boot Camp, coming this August. Find out more at UltimateJewelrySalesBootCamp.com. Ackerman also is providing National Jeweler readers with a free email marketing evaluation and consultation through Feb 28. Send an email request including name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Brilliant Earth Names Tennis Star Madison Keys as Its New AmbassadorThe 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.
MajorsJul 03, 2025
Muse Sets Up Shop in Nordstrom’s New Jewelry HallThe West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
SourcingJul 03, 2025
SRK Announces Its Natural Diamonds Are Now Carbon-NegativeThis past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.
Weekly QuizJul 02, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJul 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: A Firework of Diamonds From YepremThe brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.
CrimeJul 03, 2025
JSA Shares Holiday Weekend Security Tips Amid Spike in BurglariesJSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Boucheron Looks to LA for First West Coast FlagshipLocated on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.
MajorsJul 02, 2025
Marco Bicego Opens Milan FlagshipThe new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.
WatchesJul 02, 2025
Chrono24 Revamps Brand, Launches New CampaignThe online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.
SourcingJul 02, 2025
Bernadette Mack Joins Gem Legacy as Executive DirectorShe will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.
CrimeJul 02, 2025
Pandora, Amazon Partner to Uncover Counterfeit Jewelry NetworkWorking with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Cast Closes Business, Plans for RelaunchThe jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.
Events & AwardsJul 01, 2025
William Goldberg Diamonds, FIT Partner for Apprenticeship ProgramThe company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.
MajorsJul 01, 2025
Claire’s Is Looking for a Buyer, Report SaysThe jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.
TrendsJul 01, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Red Hot RubiesWelcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.
CollectionsJun 30, 2025
State Property’s New Jewelry Tells ‘The Story of Everything’Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.
ColumnistsJun 30, 2025
The Smart Lab: Why Q3 Is the Secret Weapon For Holiday Jewelry SalesThe best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.
Events & AwardsJun 30, 2025
AGA Names Recipient of 2025 Gemological Education ScholarshipThis year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech PlatformThe company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.
IndependentsJun 27, 2025
David Webb Announces New Hires, PromotionsFollowing its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap RingThe 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers DownsizesRocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.
IndependentsJun 26, 2025
Penny Ruston Dies at 80 The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.
SurveysJun 26, 2025
After Recovering in May, Consumer Confidence Dips in June The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.
