Anyone hungry?
This week we are breaking down an email from the luxury cookie brand – Last Crumb.
As a side note, if you’re a fan of good emails or just a fan of cookies – you should be on Last Crumb’s email list.
As a reminder, every week I am going to pick a different email that I read and that “made me click.” I’ll break down the email from the subject line to CTA and share what I think they did really well.
Hopefully I can share some insights into what makes a really good email and how you can use these insights to improve your click through rates and email conversions.
If you have an email that “made you click” and you’d like me to break it down, shoot me an email at ben@henkenmarketing.com.
Now let’s get onto the good stuff…(my mouth is already watering)
A Subject Line With A List
Subject Line: 3 reasons you need the Platinum Collection
Preview Text: none
Not sure why Last Crumb doesn’t use preview text, but their subject line game is so strong, they don’t need it.
Now, to be honest, this subject line isn’t one of their favorites. But it’s still strong.
And when you’re comparing this subject line to the likes of…
>>Don’t Make it another Crumby Mother’s Day
>>Get caught with Last Crumb… you know you want o
AND
>>Hey… what’s your number?
It pales in comparison.
But this subject line “3 reasons you need the Platinum Collection” is a great curiosity inducing subject line.
The “Platinum Collection” is something new, so I wanted to see what that was all about.
And lists always make great content.
A Delicious Hero Image
The argument when it comes to ecommerce email marketing always revolves around copy vs design.
Well when done right… you can have both.
Last Crumb’s emails aren’t overly designed. But they are more than just a standard, text-based email. They balance design and copy really well. In my opinion.
Just goes to show, you can have your cookies and eat them too.
This email starts off right away with the three reasons mentioned in the subject line and follows up with a GIF showing the 12 different cookies. (I think I happened to land on “Stiffler’s Mom.” Any American Pie fans out there?)
The first time I read through this email I didn’t realize that the three lines of copy here are the “3 reasons” mentioned in the subject line. But it works.
A big part of a good email is cutting out as much fluff as possible. And Last Crumb does a great job of that here. They get right to the good stuff.
The Main Character’s Story
One of the reasons that I love Last Crumb’s emails is that most of them revolve around the exploits of their Head Baker.
They make it feel that you are buying cookies from one individual person who’s up to his elbows in flour back in the kitchen. It adds to the perceived value of these cookies.
Did I mention that a dozen cookies from Last Crumb typically costs $140?
Almost every email references the Head Baker and something that he’s doing or not doing.
In this case he’s jetted off to the Greek Isles again. This is the first of a few connections to the Ideal Customer Avatar.
What we can learn here…
No matter what you are selling, people prefer to buy from an individual. So the more that you can develop characters in your emails and connect them with your readers, the better.
It could be a lead designer, head of marketing, or the warehouse guy (or gal.) And better yet, this person can be totally fictional!
We all strive for connection. And in a world with less and less actual connection, customers are more likely to buy from a brand or company where they feel like they know someone “behind the scenes.”
Talking Directly to the Ideal Customer Avatar
“The Godfather” was released in 1972
Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” was released in 1987
Ernest Hemingway published “The Old Man & The Sea” in 1952
Can you guess the age range for Last Crumb’s ICA?
It’s not the 18-29 demographic.
They are focused on the 45-65 demographic.
The customers that actually have money and can afford to buy a dozen cookies for $140.
What we can learn…
Speak to one person, your ideal customer avatar. Don’t try to include references from a 50-year span trying to include something that EVERYONE will like.
Focus specifically on that one person who represents your ICA. What movies do they watch, books do they read, songs do they listen to?
How Much “Value” Can Cookies Provide?
When selling a luxury item, you have to appeal to the value that the customer gets from buying that product over a cheaper option.
Whether it’s a $200 pair of boots, $250K car, or a $12 cookie… the buyer needs to see the value.
That’s what Last Crumb is doing here with the penultimate part of copy in their email.
For these cookies, the value is less about the ingredients that are going into the cookie and more about the experience and the status of the cookies.
The Ultimate Psychological Levers – Urgency and Scarcity
Fear of missing out on something is usually more powerful than the desire to obtain something.
So finishing this email with this final line of copy, “He didn’t leave many boxes behind, so don’t miss out.” is a great move. Pairing it with a countdown clock to the release is brilliant.
This email was sent on the 16th, the cookies dropped on the 17th, and as I write this up on the morning of the 19th… the cookies are sold out.
I would say this technique worked.
Big Take-A-Ways
Create a character or characters for your emails. Makes them more personal and helps your readers build connections.
Know your ICA and write directly to them.
Value doesn’t have to mean better ingredients or materials. It can mean an elevated experience or increased status. Understand why your ICA is buying your product and use that motivation when writing your copy.
Urgency and scarcity always works. People hate to miss out on something.
Preview for next week
An apology is in order here. I mentioned last week that I was going to break down a recipe email this week. With the nature of this email from last crumb and how quick the collection sold out, I wanted to go ahead and break it down this week.
So for next week’s breakdown… I’m going to break down a recipe email that had me at hello. (promise)
If you’ve got an email that “Made You Click” send it my way so that I can include it in my weekly breakdown. You can forward emails to ben@henkenmarketing.com
Next Steps
- Leave a comment below – what did you think of this email? What did you like or dislike?
- Share this breakdown with someone you know – know anyone with a DTC ecom store? Share this breakdown with them and they’ll thank you for it.
Follow me on LinkedIn for more content – and connect with me if you are an email marketer, ecommerce business owner, or course creator.
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