Today features our penultimate guest for 2025, and her advice is one for the books!

Liz Seymour has spent over 20 years in digital marketing and still thinks email is the bit that matters most.

She’s Queen Chimp of Marketing at Chimp Answers, where she spends her days wrangling Mailchimp accounts, writing emails that sound like real people, and helping brands stop sending for the sake of it.

Her style is practical, human, and refreshingly jargon-free. You’ll also find her writing over on the Chimp Answers blog, breaking down everything from segmentation and automation to why your subject line probably needs a rethink.

You’re in for a treat!

Be first to the feast and get stuck into today’s piece of learning with Liz!

We’ve all been there.

Eyes glued to the dashboard, watching opens and clicks bounce around like they’ve got something profound to say.

And for a moment, it feels like progress. I get it, I really do… …Because I used to chase those numbers too.

But let’s not fool ourselves. A click isn’t a commitment. It’s just curiosity with a pulse.

Ever clicked on something purely because you wanted a nose behind the button?

Yep. Same. Curiosity might get the click. But it doesn’t build trust. It doesn’t create loyalty. And it definitely doesn’t pay the bills.

What does?

Three things that no metric on your dashboard can truly measure:

Relevance. Connection. Trust.

No one opens their inbox hoping for a company update.

They’re looking for something useful. A shortcut. A small win. A reason to care.

That’s why relevance matters.

Look at the difference…

The corporate way: “We’re excited to share our latest updates, packed with new features for all our customers.” That one’s all about the sender.

The helpful way: “Struggling with admin? Here are three quick tweaks to claw back an hour this week.” This one’s all about the reader. And in a crowded inbox, people will always choose themselves.

Relevance doesn’t just happen. It comes from actually knowing who you’re talking to, and sending them something that makes sense for where they are.

That’s not advanced segmentation. It’s just good email manners. And yes, the numbers support this.

Forbes Email Marketing Statistics show that 79% of consumers say they will only engage with an offer email if it has been personalised to reflect previous interactions.

So no, relevance isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the cost of getting noticed.

Once you’ve got their attention, the next job is to keep it. That’s where connection comes in.

We’ve all obsessed over call to actions.

Swapped “Learn more” for “Find out more”. Moved the button left, right, orange, and blue. But let’s be honest. Nobody clicks because the button looks good. They click because the message meant something.

And no, that doesn’t mean longer emails.

It means clearer ones. Subject lines that hit a nerve. Copy that feels like it’s written for one person, not a list. Calls to action that feel like the next step, not a sales pitch.

You don’t build a connection by shouting offers or cramming in five links. You build it by sounding like a human. Because people skim. Quickly. And when they do, they’re silently asking: Is this for me? Do I trust this sender? Is this worth my time?

If the answer is no, your call to action doesn’t stand a chance.

Check out these two examples…

The pushy way: “Shop the full collection now.” This pushes them away.

The inviting way: “Which of these would actually make your week easier? Take a look. You’ll see what I mean.” This invites them in.

Connection isn't about being clever; it's about being clear, personal, and human.

I worked with a brand once that was totally stuck in that corporate mode. Every subject line started with "We’re excited to announce..." and every email was a total flop. So, we totally stripped one campaign down to just two simple sentences and a single question. More people clicked, but the amazing thing was, people actually replied!

That one change shaped their campaigns for the next six months.

That's what real connection feels like.

Trust is what turns a one-time reader into someone who sticks around.

Would you keep opening emails from a brand that shouts Final warning every other day? Maybe once.

But after that? Eye roll. Delete. Now think about the emails you do open. They’re either consistent, useful or honest (or all three at once).

They don’t overpromise. They just show up and deliver.

That’s what earns attention. And what gets the sale when the timing is right. Trust isn’t complicated. It’s doing what you said you’d do. It’s showing up regularly. It’s sounding like you every time. Familiarity builds confidence. And confidence is what keeps people coming back.

Look at the tone difference here:

The panicky way: “FINAL WARNING! Buy now before time runs out!” This pressures them.

The respectful way: “If this feels like the right fit for you, here’s where to find it.” This respects them.

And respect is what builds trust, the kind that lasts.

Want better emails? Start here.

Segment smarter (Relevance)

Pick one group in your list, like people who clicked but didn’t buy. Send something just for them.

Make calls to action an invitation (Connection)

Swap “Buy now” for something that shows the real-life benefit. Make the next step feel natural.

Stay consistent (Trust)

Show up. Keep your tone steady. Deliver what you said you would.

There’s a bigger picture at play here.

Metrics matter. Of course they do. But they’re not the full story.

The real job of email isn’t just to chase clicks. It’s to make your message land. Properly.

So ask yourself: Does this feel useful? Is it turning up at the right time? Does it actually belong in their day?

Because when you build on relevance, connection, and trust, something shifts.

Clicks stop being vanity stats. They start showing intent. They’re no longer just signs that someone noticed you. They’re signals that you’re nudging them forward.

That’s when email starts to do its real job.

It moves from campaigns to conversations. From updates to relationships. From curiosity to commitment. Because here’s the truth. It’s not clicks that grow a business. It’s relationships.

And email done properly is still the most direct, personal, and powerful way to build relationships.

For any of this to work, your email needs to pass four simple tests.

Delivered – Does it reach the inbox?

Opened – Does it earn attention?

Read – Does it make sense, quickly?

Clicked – Does it feel trustworthy enough for the next step?

These four steps form a framework that we call, here at Chimp Answers, DORC: Deliverability. Openability. Readability. Clickability.

You can have the slickest design and the cleverest copy. But if your email doesn’t land or get opened, none of it matters.

DORC isn’t just a checklist. It’s the bit that quietly powers every great email. Miss a step and your results wobble.

Nail all four and suddenly those numbers start to mean something real.

If you take one thing away from this email, let it be this.

Relevance earns attention. Connection makes them care. Trust keeps them coming back.

And behind it all: Delivered. Opened. Read. Clicked.

Get those right, and you’ll have something no metric can measure: subscribers who actually want you in their inbox, again and again.

Liz

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the brilliant Chimp Answers newsletter, along with a dedicated resource the Chimp Answers team have put together!

Rate My Mailchimp is a free, fast quiz that gives you a breakdown of how well your Mailchimp account is really set up.

Take three minutes and try Rate My Chimp. No fluff. Just a straight-up review of what you’re doing well and where to focus next.

Some insightful stuff to take back to your emails, ain’t it?

If you have any feedback or knowledge to share, click here! Oh, and please share this email with your friends and colleagues if you think they’ll find value over here.

Your feedback only makes us better.

Your friend in email,

Des

(PS: Hit this link for a good time - because you seriously read this far)