Amy Porterfield found her newsletters with the highest open rates and clicks were those sharing personal stories, not just promoting content. This human connection, she argues, is the most powerful business strategy available to a creator.

Before publishing, ask: "If I described this story to someone at a party, would they be interested?" If the answer is no, the core concept isn't compelling enough. This simple filter ensures your content is inherently engaging for a general audience, forcing you to find a better story or angle.

Don't use the same formula (e.g., personalization-problem-solution) for every email in a sequence. Mix in different structures, such as a short value-add email, a two-sentence direct ask, or a problem-social proof format, to keep the prospect engaged and avoid predictability.

Focusing on email open rates can lead to clickbait subject lines and weak copy. Instead, orient your entire outreach strategy around getting a reply. This forces you to write more personalized, engaging content that addresses the recipient's specific pain points, leading to actual conversations, not just vanity metrics.

Engage sophisticated audiences by telling them an email is *not* for them. Subject lines like "not for advanced marketers" or "ignore this if your conversions are strong" subconsciously challenge their expertise and ego, compelling them to open the email to prove the statement wrong.

Incorporate simple, conversational questions into emails to encourage replies. This engagement signals to email service providers that your content is valuable, improving deliverability. It also helps build a stronger relationship with your audience by starting a two-way conversation.

Many marketers mistakenly reveal the entire value of an email in the subject line, killing any reason to open it. To maximize opens, provide a compelling hint or create a curiosity gap rather than giving away the full story.

Instead of sending less email to combat poor engagement, marketers should focus on making their content better. Jay Schwedelson argues that audiences get annoyed by boring, irrelevant emails, not frequent ones. A valuable, exciting email can be sent daily and will still be welcomed by subscribers.

Challenge your target audience's identity to provoke an open. A subject line like "Not for advanced marketers" piques the curiosity of that exact group, who open the email to prove the statement wrong or see why they are being excluded.