There’s this weird lull that happens in email marketing, a point where you know just enough to coast, but not enough to grow. You send out campaigns, schedule a few automations, maybe tweak a headline here and there. Things don’t break, so you assume it’s working. Or at least, not not working.
But then a month passes. Two. Engagement dips. Your list starts to feel… cold. And yet, you keep doing the same thing. Why? Because it’s safe. It’s familiar. It doesn’t feel risky, and that’s exactly the problem.
Discomfort is a compass. And if everything feels too easy, too routine? You might be headed in circles.
Sticking to the Same Subject Lines (Because They Once Worked)
There was this one email I sent a while back, simple subject, short copy, nothing flashy. It blew up. Open rates through the roof. Replies like confetti. So naturally, I kept using versions of it.
Again. And again.
But slowly, results dulled. That magic spark faded. People stopped clicking. I told myself it was the algorithm, or the holidays, or bad timing. Maybe Mercury in retrograde? (Kidding. Sort of.)
What I didn’t want to admit was this: I was scared to try something new and fall flat. That one subject line had become my safety blanket.
Here’s the thing, your audience evolves. What excited them six months ago? Might bore them today. Growth means risking a flop now and then.
Try something strange. Say what you really want to say. Stir the pot.
Writing “Professional” Instead of Human
This trap sneaks up on you, especially if you’ve ever written a formal email at a 9–5. You start thinking your marketing messages need polish. That they should sound impressive, articulate, airtight.
But “airtight” often feels airless.
The best emails I’ve ever received (or sent) read like a friend typed them while waiting for coffee to brew. They’re messy. They breathe. They don’t ask for attention, they earn it by being real.
You don’t have to be sloppy, but maybe loosen your tie. Use contractions. Say “weird” instead of “unusual.”
Be a human.
Even if, especially if, you’re marketing something.
Avoiding List Pruning (Because Bigger Feels Better)
There’s this strange pride we attach to list size. Like, “I’ve got 10,000 subscribers!”
Cool.
But how many of them actually read your stuff? Or even remember who you are?
Deleting inactive subscribers feels like cutting off your own limb. I get it. But dead weight drags your performance stats, hurts your deliverability, and, let’s be honest, messes with your head.
A smaller list of engaged humans? Outperforms a zombie list every time.
So go ahead. Let the ghosts go.
You’re not shrinking your business, you’re sharpening it.
Waiting to “Feel Inspired” Before Writing
There’s this romantic myth that great email copy comes from inspiration. Like, you sit under a tree, sip a matcha, and BAM, subject line gold.
Nope.
Most good emails come from showing up when you’d rather binge-watch something or go to the beach.
Inspiration isn’t a prerequisite, it’s a side effect of doing the thing. Of typing terrible first drafts. Of starting.
Comfort says, “Wait until it feels right.” Growth says, “Write now. Edit later.”
Guess which one builds a business.
Relying on Templates Like They’re Gospel
Templates are great, until they become cages.
There’s a moment when copying someone else’s proven formula turns into a crutch. You stop thinking. Stop experimenting. You just swap in your words like mad libs and hit send.
But your voice? It’s what makes you different. It’s what people remember.
So steal structure if you need to, we all do sometimes. But don’t lose your weirdness. The quirks. The quiet truths that only you can say.
That’s the stuff that cuts through the noise.
Truth is, your comfort zone isn’t the enemy. It’s just not where growth happens.
Every bold move you avoid? Probably hiding a lesson you need.
Every risk you dodge? Could be the story you tell later, the one that changes everything.
So here’s the dare: pick one place where you’ve been playing it safe. Just one.
Change something. Anything. Make it uncomfortable on purpose.
That feeling in your gut? The flutter, the pinch of doubt?
That’s your edge. That’s where progress starts.
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