MajorsOct 23, 2026
PGI USA Set to Close at Year’s EndThe closure is part of a global restructuring that also includes PGI winding down its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
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
SourcingOct 23, 2026
Rachel Chalchinsky’s ‘Survivor Tribute’ RingThe ring, our Piece of the Week, was designed by eight-year breast cancer survivor Rachel Chalchinsky of Color Source Gems.
TechnologyOct 23, 2026
JA Unveils New Website, LogoThe website offers enhanced member benefit access, industry directories, educational resources, a job board, and access to the MJSA Journal.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
FinancialsOct 23, 2026
Kering’s Jewelry Sales Up Double Digits in Q3Boucheron and Pomellato had a strong third quarter, with Kering looking at jewelry as an increasingly important part of its portfolio.
Weekly QuizOct 22, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
PodcastsOct 21, 2026
Episode 10: This Episode Is Haunted Diana Singer shared the stories of two “cursed” diamonds on this month’s podcast, which was inexplicably riddled with technical issues.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Venetia Mines Final Carats Ahead of 2-Year ShutdownThe De Beers-owned diamond mine in South Africa is being put on ice as part of a round of previously announced cost-cutting measures.
CollectionsOct 21, 2026
Helzberg, Nordstrom Carrying New Jewelry Collection From Off-WhiteThe collection centers designs with clean geometric lines, chunky sculptural pieces, and recognizable details from the luxury fashion brand.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Gemfields’ Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Earns $52MThe miner said it saw particularly strong prices for larger, fine-quality rubies at the sale.
CrimeOct 20, 2026
Security Guard Charged With Murder in Shooting at Texas MallThe guard opened fire on a man who was smashing a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth last week, police said.
SourcingOct 20, 2026
The $50M Victoria’s Secret ‘Fantasy Bra’ By The NumbersJacob & Co.'s diamond masterpiece is the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever worn on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
CollectionsOct 20, 2026
Mignon Faget’s Collection Chooses Handmade Over AIThe “Atelier” collection was inspired by the tools, rituals, and objects in an artist’s studio as a quiet rebuttal to an automated world.
MajorsOct 19, 2026
The Knot to Acquire Rival Wedding Planning Platform ZolaThe pending acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” for wedding vendors to grow their business, said The Knot Worldwide’s CEO.
SourcingOct 19, 2026
Jewelry Design Competition Show Airs in Thailand"The Secret Gems" features eight Thai jewelry brands paired with a team of young craftspeople who create jewelry together to win challenges.
CollectionsOct 19, 2026
John Hardy Enters the Medallion Chat With Talisman Collection The brand’s “Modern Talisman” capsule collection introduces pendants inspired by the mythology, natural world, and spiritual ethos of Bali.
IndependentsOct 19, 2026
The Stories of 5 Jewelers Celebrating Their Centennials in 2026Independent jewelers from New Mexico to New Jersey answer the question: What has kept your store in business for 100 years?
SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
