Being funny is one of those traits everyone thinks they have, but few people actually possess.
So when marketers across the world sit down to write humorous sales emails, some hit the mark, and some really, really don’t.
Here’s the good news
We read a bunch of funny emails and broke down the common traits of the best ones.
There are a few tactics you can use in your own campaigns:
- Break character. People have preconceived notions about marketing emails and tactics. Most of those notions include the word “boring.” Breaking character and being self-referential in classically “boring” marketing tactics is often entertaining.
- Make a casual topic serious. One of our favorite emails is a sales email from the olive oil brand Graza titled “We Take Olive Oil Very Seriously.” It works because most people don’t give a second thought to their olive oil, so it’s attention-grabbing and mildly funny.
- Put a twist on a classic phrase. One email used the line “We came. We launched. We conquered.” It’s not hilarious, but it’s fun, and it works.
One thing we’ve noticed: The funniest emails don’t try too hard.
You’ll notice the tactics above are fairly simple—nothing fancy. That’s because marketers aren’t comedians, and pulling off a complex joke is difficult.
Instead of trying to make your email laugh-out-loud funny, focus on making it entertaining. Your goal is a purchase, not a laugh.