How To Crush Email Marketing Without Using Discounts

So you want to generate more revenue each month with email…

But you don’t want to run massive discounts that mess with your margins?

I got you.

Here are a few ideas for crushing it with email without doing 30-40% off every week:

There are two types of businesses that are discount-averse.

1) Businesses with low margins, and 2) Businesses who are worried about how discounts will affect their branding.

One is easier to solve than the other.

If you run a business that has low margins, there’s an easy solution for this.

Make your audience spend money before they get a discount.

Bring the barrier to entry up, and offer them something in return for spending more money. Make sure it’s worth their time.

For example, you can do something like this:

  • Spend $50 and get a free X

  • Spend $30 and get 15% off

  • Or a tiered discount

  • Spend X get 10% off

  • Spend X get 15% off

  • Spend X get 20% off

Despite what you may think, these still convert very well.

A straight 30% off discount will convert better than some of the above, but do the math.

If you get 50 buyers ordering a product @ 30% off, you might only make $5 per purchase.

If you get 25 buyers spending $50 before a discount, you may still make more than you would’ve.

Now, let’s say you’re a high-end brand that doesn’t like doing discounts out of principle.

The strategy here changes.

You have to play the email marketing long-game.

You need to warm up your audience more than the average brand.

You probably need to have 8-10 welcome emails instead of the average 4-5.

You need to have really good copy and design to show people they want your product at full price.

Some brands can get away with a whole email that just says “20% off site-wide” and then a CTA.

You need to really lean into your benefits and sound as professional and cool as possible.

Spend more time on copy, and really drive the point home of the value they’re getting.

I work with a brand that executes this perfectly.

They NEVER do discounts. But their product is so good that they consistently get a 30%+ open rate and do 5 figures every time they hit send.

I should add, their product is so good that people feel like paying full price is still a steal.

When they do discounts, they NEVER use the word “discount”. They say “promo”, “deal”, or “special offer”.

Positioning matters. Use this type of language.

Another way to get around using discounts is by incentivising a purchase through other means.

Giveaways and shoutouts work especially well for brands that have taken the time to build a huge platform.

People love saving money, but they also love attention.

Fitness brands can offer a shoutout to a random person who spends $X.

You might have an aspiring personal trainer on your email list who could grow THEIR business with a huge shoutout from you.

Here’s a creative one:

Collab with other brands. This is a perfect example that landed in my inbox the other day. Offering insane value with another brand (not a competitor).

REAL EXAMPLE HERE

Not only will this drive a ton of sales, but it might grow the email list of BOTH brands.

This next one is the last one. It requires a ton of honesty on your part, but this shouldn’t be difficult for a good brand.

Charitable causes.

Frame it like this:

A percentage of our sales will go to X charity. Help out someone in need, but also get rewarded by receiving our product.

These campaign examples are all good for your margins, and also raises the esteem of your brand.

Do any of these, and you’ll watch your sales skyrocket without having to offer your products at a massive discount!