It’s always fun to create value-first email messages for my consulting clients. They don’t have a CTA to “Buy now” or “Schedule a call” or even “Download the thing.”
They just show up in the inbox with a smile, a little value, and an encouraging nudge: Hey, we’re still here — and still worth opening.
That’s the magic of value-without-a-purchase. And lately, I’ve been leaning hard into it.
Let me show you how it’s working in the real world, with two client case studies.
Case #1: The MBA Journey That’s More Snackable Than Sales-y
This project for a well-known university’s MBA program had a clear goal: use a value-first email strategy to stay in touch with admitted-but-not-yet-enrolled students when registration isn’t open, and avoid getting archived or unsubscribed in the process.
The fix? Tie each monthly touchpoint to a “silly” holiday. Give them something delightful. Light. Slightly unexpected. Then quietly remind them when registration would open again.
The tone was warm, aspirational, and just a little offbeat, which gave us permission to show up even when we weren’t selling anything.
Some of the value-first email crowd-pleasers:
- National Puppy Day (March): paired with a link to a puppy video (“They’re learning how to dog. You’ll learn how to business.”)
- Watermelon Day (August): served with a watermelon and feta salad recipe and a soft reminder to mark their calendars for fall registration
- I Love Lucy Day (October): complete with a curated list of 10 classic Lucy clips and a nudge to keep the MBA dream alive
Here’s an example:
None of these emails shouted, “Enroll now!” Because it wasn’t time. Instead, they whispered, “We’re still here. We’re still fun. And we’re still your people.”
And guess what? Open rates stayed healthy. Complaints stayed low. These value-first messages kept the inbox relationship healthy until it was time to register.
Case #2: The Financial Services’ Check-In Series That Actually Gets Opened
The periodic “Checking In” journey for a B2B financial services firm was underperforming.
Unsubscribes were ticking up. Engagement was nearly non-existent. Prospects weren’t quite ghosting, but they weren’t exactly glad to see us in their inboxes, either.
So we swapped out the sales-first messaging and rebuilt the whole series based on a value-first email strategy. This involved quarterly emails timed to quirky holidays. Each one offered a little treat, a little relevance, and just enough branding to remind them who we are.
A few value-first email standouts:
- International Coffee Day (October): full of trivia, caffeine-fueled goodwill, and a CTA to “grab a cup and give us a call”
- National Cheesecake Day (July): shared cheesecake variations (like adding cooked and crumbled bacon to the crust for a salty-smokey twist) and why the sender’s payroll funding is the secret ingredient for business growth
- International Panic Day (June): offered reassurance (and breathing exercises) for business owners feeling overwhelmed
Here’s an example:
Every email led with a “sweetener” — literally or figuratively — and layered in the brand message second. Think popcorn recipes, LEGO facts, or a guide to folding paper airplanes.
And it worked.
The value-first email creative reversed the trend. Open rates rebounded, unsubscribes normalized, and the client stayed top-of-inbox without triggering eye rolls.
The kicker? The series still included a CTA to schedule a call. But because the content didn’t need a conversion to be worth opening, more recipients stuck around long enough to read it.
Why A Value-first Email Strategy Works and When You Should Steal It
This value-first email strategy isn’t just cute. It’s calculated.
When you give people a reason to open that’s about them, not you, you build:
- Consistency. Because they’re excited to see what’s next (puppies! recipes! LEGOs!)
- Trust. Because they know you’re not always pushing for the sale
- Deliverability. Because those opens and clicks tell the inbox gods you’re worthy of space
And when the time does come to make the ask — for the enrollment, the call, the download — your audience is still with you. Still listening. Still opening.
It’s not a new funnel. It’s a new way of thinking about inbox real estate.
The Value-First Email Takeaway
If your emails only offer value when there’s something to buy, you’re leaving a lot of goodwill on the table.
Delight first. Sell later.
Sometimes, an International Chocolate Fondue Day message is what keeps your unsubscribe rate below 0.5%, and your brand top-of-mind until they’re ready to talk.
And hey, if there’s cheesecake involved, even better.
Until next time,
jj
Jeanne Jennings is the Founder and Chief Strategist at Email Optimization Shop, a boutique consultancy and training organization where she helps clients craft more effective and more profitable email programs.
Learn more at www.EmailOpShop.com
Photo by Monika Borys on Unsplash
