Those Damn Emails

Do you curse in your marketing emails?

Should you?

A few times in my career, I’ve been tempted to do so, but usually found some sort of a middle ground between professionalism and a night at the Improv.

One such occurrence was when I was promoting a new “mastermind course.” We decided to call the course a “BFD” (big fucking deal) in our opening email subject line.

Not only was it funny… it worked.

I’m a big fan of Dave Gerhardt, and like he says… write like you talk.

Well… when I talk, sometimes I curse.

I’m the guy that cursed in the presence of a friend’s infant son, and when told not to do so, replied, “Oh fuck… I’m sorry!”

I’ve always been a fan of the use of vulgarities in marketing messaging.

Why?

Because it grabs your attention.

We’ve been conditioned to expect such professionalism, especially in B2B marketing, that when you hear or read a curse word, you automatically stop in your tracks.

I think my liking of marketing vulgarities originated when I was a kid. There was a television ad for Major League Baseball featuring Ken Griffey Jr., arguably the biggest star of the sport at the time.

The ad started with a usual complaint about going to baseball games from fans: the lines at the concession stands are too long.

Cut to Ken Griffey Jr. clapping back, “You don’t need to be eating that crap anyway!”

As a 10-year-old boy, that caught my attention, and I’ve remembered that ad ever since.

So… should YOU use colorful language in YOUR marketing?

I can’t tell you that.

All I know is that in a world where everyone’s messaging sounds the same (thanks to AI), maybe there’s room for pushing the envelope.

Who knows?

It just might fucking work.