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    Email Innovations World 2025: From strategy pitfalls to AI workflows

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    Email Innovations World 2025 served up a powerhouse mix of practical insights, future-facing tech, and some good old-fashioned truth bombs. If you’re navigating the fast-moving world of email marketing, this recap to the events of Day 1 is your cheat sheet to doing it smarter, not just faster.

    AI, yes. But make it strategic.

    Jeanne Jennings set the scene at Email Innovations World 2025

    Jeanne Jennings of Email OpShop set the scene of the two day event by focusing on strategic thinking: “Marketing foundations outlast marketing fads,” she warned, pointing out that many brands miss basics like clearly defining audience benefits. Her call to action? “Focus on impact, not inbox metrics. Opens and clicks aren’t KPIs.”

    Two standout points from Jeanne’s 20+ year industry advice:

    • “Curiosity is a career strategy.”
    • “The long game is the only game.”

    Email strategy SOS: Top 5 pitfalls to avoid

    Jenna Tiffany of Let’sTalk Strategy a highly valued lifetime emailexpert member, shared five common pitfalls that sabotage email success—even with the best tools. Her core message: strategy first, tech second.

    • Underused Automation: If your emails feel like spam, your automation lacks context.
    • No Human Touch: Don’t let AI erase empathy from your messaging.
    • Off-Brand Tactics: Stay aligned with your brand’s core vision.
    • Too Complex: Simplify. Complexity confuses, clarity converts.
    • Strategy-free strategy: “Strategy is the map; tactics are the vehicles.” Know your direction before you hit send.

    Jenna’s STRATEGY framework helps brands get back on course, no guesswork, just smart planning.

    GPT workflows: The email production gamechanger

    Tony Wagner gave us the most buzzed-about walkthrough of the day, a full AI-powered email production pipeline using custom GPTs. From building customer personas to writing subject lines and creating campaign reports, his 10-step workflow slashed production time by up to 75%.

    Key takeaway: AI is a force multiplier, not a magic bullet. “Everything generated by AI has to be reviewed by a human for sign-off.”

    Designing for dark mode (and humans)

    Bob Sybdlo highlighted a key stat: 82% of users are in dark mode. That creates serious design challenges, solved by modular, flexible frameworks that adapt across display settings. A reminder that UX still matters.

    Platform priorities over flashy tech

    Christopher Marriott of Email Connect dropped survey data showing that while generative AI is hot, brands are way more interested in platform value, simplicity, and integration. When asked why ESPs are prioritising AI anyway? Chalk it up to trend pressure.

    Final Takeaways

    • Get your strategy sorted before adding more tools
    • Don’t sacrifice empathy for automation
    • AI is your intern, not your replacement
    • Complexity kills clarity
    • Focus on real customer needs, not hype metrics

    As Jenna Tiffany summed it up:

    “Machines and technology can only do so much. As humans, we still need to steer it in the right direction.”

    Image Credits: Jenna Tiffany and Jeanne Jennings

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