Your emails aren't the problem (this might sting)

Hey, Michael from AdSumo Digital here and we're back with another edition of The DTC Letters.

I've been biting my tongue on this one for months.

But after watching brands obsess over email "optimization" while completely ignoring the real problem, I can't stay quiet anymore.

Look, I'll just say it:

Your email marketing isn't failing because of your emails.

It's failing because your product sucks.

The harsh truth is that some brands are screwed from the start.

The reality? Great products are easy to market and if you are having a hard time selling yours…

Well, it’s just not as great as you think boss.

Some will never have a high LTV due to the nature of their product.
Some will never retain customers because their product experience is garbage.
Some will never succeed because they're solving a problem no one actually has.

I see this all the time. Brands that are fundamentally broken at the product level but think the right email sequence will save them.

It won't.

Meanwhile, I'm watching brands with basic, vanilla email programs absolutely crush it because their fundamentals are rock solid.

The truth? Your email marketing starts LONG before you hit send.

It starts with:

• How your product makes customers feel

• How quickly you get it to their door

• How you handle problems when they arise

• How much delight you create after purchase

I saw this play out in real-time last month.

A potential client came to us complaining about poor click rates and conversion. They'd tried everything - changing their send times, redesigning templates, testing dozens of subject lines.

Nothing worked.

When I asked to see their customer feedback, they reluctantly shared it.

The pattern was clear as day: customers loved the brand's mission but hated the actual product. It broke easily. It didn't deliver on promises. It felt cheap.

No amount of email wizardry can fix that.

Think about it this way:

An email is a PROMISE.

You're saying "click here and something good will happen."

If that promise is broken when they land on your site or receive your product... your email program is doomed.

Your open rates will tank.
Your clicks will evaporate.
Your unsubscribes will skyrocket.
Your deliverability will collapse.

Game over.

This might sound harsh, but I've seen it too many times to sugarcoat it.

So what should you focus on instead of obsessing over subject lines and send times?

Here's what I've observed working with dozens of brands:

The best-performing email programs belong to brands that sell products people actually love.

Simple as that. When customers genuinely value what you're selling, they open your emails. When they feel ripped off, they don't.

I've watched brands with basic email programs crush it simply because customers can't wait to buy more of their stuff.

Meanwhile, brands with the fanciest automations and segmentation fail because nobody wants a second serving of disappointment.

Let me break down what I'm seeing with the brands that are winning:

1. Their products solve a real problem, not an imaginary one. Customers experience a genuine "before and after" they can feel.

2. Their products work BETTER than advertised. Yes, better. Under-promise, over-deliver is still the golden rule.

3. Their products create moments worth talking about. When someone uses your product, do they immediately think, "I need to tell my friend about this"?

4. Their products naturally drive repeat purchases. Not because of fancy email sequences, but because customers genuinely want more.

5. Their products make people feel something. Pride. Relief. Joy. Confidence. The emotional connection matters more than features.

Ask yourself these brutally honest questions:

• Do people rave about your product once they get it?

• Is it something they'll purchase again without being prompted?

• Do they buy more products from you after the first purchase?

• Would they recommend it to a friend without being incentivized?

• Does it actually change something in your customer's life?

If you're not getting an enthusiastic "HELL YES" to these questions, that's your problem – not your email strategy.

All that other stuff – shipping, customer service, unboxing experience – only matters when your product is already excellent.

They're multipliers, not foundations.

Fix your product first, and suddenly your "basic" email program will start performing like magic.

1. When a brand improves their product quality, their win-back flows start working again.

2. When they speed up shipping, their post-purchase flows drive more reviews and UGC.

3. When they enhance customer service, their campaigns generate more sales.

The cold, hard truth?

Great email marketing doesn't fix mediocre products. Great email marketing AMPLIFIES great products.

So yes, optimize your subject lines. Test your send times. Design beautiful templates.

But remember - these are multipliers of your foundation, not replacements for it.

Build something worth emailing about first.

Talk soon,
Michael

P.S. If you've nailed your product fundamentals and are ready to build an email program that amplifies them, book a call here and I'll share more about our approach.