Popcorn, Pop-ups, and Patience: A Snack Lover’s Email Odyssey
As Marketers, we all know how important email marketing is for our business. Whether we are trying to sell a service, product, or what-have-you, email marketing is vital for educating customers on the latest offers, launches, and updates. In class, we have been discussing the importance of email marketing and, specifically, the importance of a subscription option on a company’s website. The easier the subscription process, the more likely a user will subscribe to a company’s email marketing.
As per the discussion, I went to Lesser Evils’ website ( a healthy snack brand) to see how easy it would be to subscribe to their email newsletter. Before I get into the details, let me just say that it didn’t go well. I’ve tried their snacks before, and I very much enjoy them, but this subscription hassle threw me off.
The first thing that happened when I clicked on the website was this:
Here was my moment to subscribe to Lesser Evil’s newsletter, but instead, I wanted to scope out the website before committing to anything. This is where things went south. I could not find a single subscribe button to save my life. I even tried to purchase a product to see if it would allow me to subscribe anywhere, but it did not. I scoured the website, corner to corner, and nothing.
Then, to make the process even more fun, this happened:
Okay, Lesser Evil, what’s going on here? Get a grip. This experience has been anything but pleasant so far. I decided to try again in a few hours to see if the problem would resolve.
A few hours later…
Okay, we’re back. Now that the website actually worked, the subscription process went waaaay smoother. I clicked “Join! The Guru Guild!” in the pink banner. Not to digress, but I love a good fan group name. Guru Guild—how cute? It’s like being a Swiftie or part of the Bey Hive, just in snacking form.
Anyway, once I clicked on the pink banner, the website brought me here:
Now we’re talking. Subscribing to their email marketing was a piece of cake from here on out. Not only did I receive a welcome email calling me an inspired snacker, showing me discount deals and point options, but I also received a 15% off email on my first purchase and a third email welcoming me to the Guru Guild. Well done, Lesser Evil. This is what we like to see.
Now that I’ve explained my step-by-step process for signing up for Lesser Evil’s email marketing let’s discuss some key takeaways.
Takeaway # 1: Keep it simple.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: keep it simple. Customers aren’t ordering through the website because it’s less convenient; they go to the website for maximum efficiency. Let’s ensure the experience is as easy and quick as possible. So do not hide the subscribe button somewhere in the corner of the screen, in size 8-point font, blended into the background. Also, if a customer clicks away at the first promotion that pops up, make sure the subscribe button is still bright and clear when they search for it again. Just because they exit out at first doesn’t mean they won’t come back.
Takeaway # 2: Be on top of your S#%$
By this, I mean make sure your website works. I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but what I experienced was neither easy nor efficient. The fact that it took hours for the website to work correctly would be a repellent for most customers. Thankfully, I was doing some research, so I wasn’t actually desperate for a bag of popcorn. But come on, this is probably the only thing that matters if you sell products online: Having a fully functioning website.
Takeaway #3: Be cool
While I do appreciate the 3 emails in a row, brands should be careful about sending too many marketing emails to customers right off the bat. In the case of Lesser Evil, it felt like they were trying to overcompensate for the unpleasant sign-up process by sending me discounts, deals, invites, nicknames, etc. I think it’s a smart move to hook a new consumer on a good deal immediately, but too many emails can also deter customers and ultimately cause them to unsubscribe. Brands should try to exude a cool, calm, and collected nature, giving you just enough to keep you wanting more. Waking up in the morning and seeing 10 unread emails from the same brand is simply annoying.
Final Thoughts…
Now that we’ve reached the end of this segment, here are my final thoughts: Lesser Evil didn’t do a great job. Once they solved their website mishap, things started looking up, but bombarding me with three emails after signing up made me lose hope again. If the process had run as smoothly as it did on the second try, this onslaught would have been a lot tamer, but first impressions matter, and this experience has not made me want to spend a ton of time on their website. However, I also want to acknowledge their content, which I did think was good, but maybe they are offering a little too much at once? Who knows how I will feel about their email marking tactics in a couple of days, but for now, I can only say that the process could have been much smoother. But don’t worry, Lesser Evil, I’m still rooting for you!
