The other day, I was running through the news when something caught my eye.
The title:
“Love just got more expensive.”
Turns out, approximately 90% of the world’s bling-bling… also known as diamonds… originated from Surat, India.
But guess what?
Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on imports from India.
🤣🤣🤣
For all the unmarried women who voted for Trump… time to make a new wish.
Anyways.
This news caught my attention because I currently have an e-commerce client in India that sells tea.
A product grown, crafted, and shipped from India to the US.
In fact…
The reason they have so many loyal customers is because they are authentically “Made In India” with ZERO possibility to “manufacture” in the US.
So, when Trump announced a 25% tariff on Aug 1st… and an additional 25%, adding up to 50%, on Aug 6th
Not great.
What did I do?
I immediately drafted 11 different campaigns leveraging this new hook.
~ Tariff update
~ What will happen after Aug 27
~ What’s ONE good thing about this new 50% tariff
~ How to avoid tariffs
etc
The result?
A 67% increase in average revenue per email.
This is one of the best ways to leverage email marketing to turn setbacks into comebacks.
You find the hottest topic.
You leverage what’s already on the prospects’ minds.
You test different angles to entertain, implant beliefs, presell, and increase urgency. I even got replies from many customers declaring their loyalty:
“A 50% increase in cost of your teas will not stop me from buying. I have a feeling it won’t stop most people from buying… keep your chins up.”
AND
“Tariffs or no tariffs, we will ALWAYS buy our tea from XXX. The extra cost is worth it.”
AND
“Soooo sorry about the tariffs.”
AND
“I believe that tariffs on tea are unfair to both the seller and the buyer. When I need more tea, I will pay more, just so your business isn’t harmed.”
Now, I still think a tariff on tea is dumb.
However, at least I’ve helped my client sell as many units as possible before the tariff takes effect.
And this is what happens when you relentlessly build raving fans with story-based emails. The question is…
Why haven’t you started yet?
To your success,
– WYH