Sometimes, marketing advice gets a little wild, and that’s what makes this episode a must-listen. Jay Schwedelson is on a mission to shake you out of boring subject lines with A/B tests that are completely opposite. Think “you don’t need this email” vs. “you absolutely need this email,” or "letting your inner guilt trip loose." You’ll pick up plenty of unexpected ideas (and maybe rethink what “we need to talk” really means), plus get a peek into Jay’s annual guys trip and his quest for the world’s most embarrassing gag gifts.

Best Moments:

(01:32) Reverse psychology wins with “you don’t need this email” pulling a 17 percent higher open rate

(02:20) Humanity trumps robots when “a human with three cups of coffee wrote this” beats out AI

(03:34) “Boom. Offer inside” vs. “Psst. Over here”—and the quiet approach steals the show

(04:15) “We need to talk” outperforms “you left us no choice” by 19 percent

(05:02) Passive-aggressive guilt pays off when “still ignoring us?” gets a 21 percent lift

(06:01) “Not mad. Just disappointed” nails the parent-text vibe with a 12 percent higher open rate

(06:32) “Fine. I’ll open it” (the inner monologue test) crushes with a 26 percent boost

(08:45) Jay’s pool party humiliation story and the legend of the “I pee in pools” shirt

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