Small-biz marketing expert Zoe Goodhardt breaks down how (and why) you should add more “you” into your email marketing.
Employee-generated content (EGC) lets us see behind the curtain of the brands we know and love – not just what they sell, but who they are.
People buy from people, which is why EGC makes for a successful marketing tool.
As with everything in the digital space, EGC is evolving. It’s moving beyond TikTok day-in-the-life and ‘pack an order with me’ videos to email marketing.
You may have already seen it in action through founder-led emails.
Whether it’s “a warm welcome from our founder” or an even more conversational subject line, these types of emails feel much more personal compared with their generic counterparts.
Inserting yourself into your email marketing gives your brand a trusted voice and personality.
Here’s how you can get started.
Set up a strong welcome flow
This is your chance to introduce newcomers to your brand.
First impressions count, so be sure to include your ethos and a short message from the founder.
Bonus points for a founder photo, so that people know who they’re talking to and buying from.
Keep it conversational
Open your email with one person in mind – the reader. Unless you’re an academic, keep the tone conversational. Create connection with personal pronouns like “I” and “you”.
While it’s tempting to share all the details of your latest launch or update, short, sharp and simple is usually best.
Storytelling
Stories can make your message more engaging and relatable.
Let’s say you’re about to release a new clothing collection with Italian-inspired prints. Elaborate on how it came about. Did it stem from an Eat Pray Love moment three years ago? Or a long-time obsession with a local artist you’re finally collaborating with?
Narratives are powerful.
Employee-led email content
As a small business, you may wish to (and need to) lean on founder-led email marketing until you grow your team.
As you hire more hands however, the next evolution of EGC in email marketing will be from employees themselves.
Imagine receiving an email from Susan in accounts:
“Hey Zoe, we haven’t seen you shop in a while. I just ran the numbers and noticed your cart is looking a bit empty. Let’s change that.”
Or, from Ronnie the waiter at your favourite local restaurant:
“Hey Zoe, Chef Jeff has something new on the menu and thought of you. It’s got truffle. Enough said.”
It’s unexpected, personal and playful. Even better, it performs.
When we feel like we know the people inside a business, we stay connected to it. That includes employees at all levels.
EGC isn’t just a marketing play either, it forms a bigger part of your employer brand.
If customers love your team, potential hires will too. Remember that people want to work with brands that feel human.
Your staff showing up as themselves and enjoying the work they do is the best kind of recruitment collateral. You don’t need a million-dollar campaign – you need Susan from accounts and Ronnie from the restaurant floor!
As EGC evolves, smart brands will spread it across their entire digital ecosystem. From founder-led content to involving your wider team as it grows, brands that are the most human are the ones we’ll be talking about in five years from now.
