5 ways to use evergreen pop culture in your emails
You could have the most life-changing product or service in the world but it’s not going to matter if your audience doesn’t feel connected to you.
One of my favorite ways to make my emails more fun and inviting is to create a shared experience through pop culture. And no, I’m not talking about just digging into what’s trending on social media or using a gif of the hottest pop singer. I mean, that might be your thing but it sure as hell isn’t mine!
What I really want to focus on here is evergreen pop culture… the timeless classics. We’re talking movies like Star Wars or Toy Story, shows like Friends or The Simpsons, musical artists like Michael Jackson or Britney Spears (yes, she’s pop. But I’m talking the “Oops I did it again” era here)... books, comics, film scores, commercials, I could go on.
Using a pop culture reference is a great way to help your readers really feel where you’re coming from… as long as it’s “on brand” for you and it’s something they’ll know. For example, you probably wouldn’t include a gif from South Park if you serve a community of modest, Christian moms looking for wholesome, educational activities for their kids at home. You might ruffle a few feathers there.
So, why pop culture?
First off, it’s so damn accessible. It’s literally everywhere. Any feeling, any emotion, any situation… There's a meme, gif, image, or video clip for it and using one helps your reader really feel what you want them to feel. Emojis can help too, of course. But there’s something so satisfying about capturing the same “wtf” facial expression you want to convey with the help of a gif 😉
Pop culture makes your brand more relatable and more human. I mean, it should feel human - you’re not a bloodless, mindless robot (are you???).
It gives you common ground with your community - it shows you’re connected with their likes, dislikes, interests, passions, etc. It can help get your people thinking, “wow, she really gets me” or “this is so damn good, I can’t wait for her next email” when they read what you have to say.
And on that note, let’s get to the good stuff. Here are 5ways I love using pop culture in my emails that I think you should start trying like, yesterday.
One.
Share a specific sentiment or experience
One of the easiest ways to use a pop culture reference is sharing a specific moment that perfectly sums up what you’re going through.
Here’s an example from an email I wrote for a client:
While their email list had a wide range of subscribers, a lot of them were older women. And who doesn’t love I Love Lucy? (And if you haven’t seen it, please do yourself a favor. It’s good stuff!)
This email went on to share how I sometimes begin a task that I feel will be SO easy… only to quickly find out that I end up a bit overwhelmed and in over my head. (Like what had happened to Lucy in the chocolate factory.
Then… here’s a little gem from one of my own emails (which, if you’re not on my list, you’re missing out on some great shenanigans 😉):
I’m sure the gears are already turning in your head… just in time for the next idea.
Two.
Make a meme your own (literally)
You guys, this one is TOO fun. Sites like https://imgflip.com/memegenerator make it easy to actually create your own meme if you can’t find the perfect one.
The best part? You can tweak the line or the quote a little to make sure it’s relevant and exactly what you need.
Here are a few I created. Both are related to yarn because, well, the client was a crochet magazine.
Aaand this one…
Making your own meme is pretty self-explanatory so… MOVING ON!
Three.
Use it to amplify and emphasize
Using pop culture to help create urgency ended up being one of my favorite things to do. It was a fun way to hint at “hurry your ass up because this is going away” without having to actually use that “last chance!” language that just sounds so… salesy. Ick.
One time, I called on my ol’ friends Harry and Hagrid to help remind the readers that their last chance to get exclusive content was about to say goodbye forever.
And Harry delivered. He worked some straight-up wizardry with that email - it gave us the highest conversions we had seen in months.
A little cheesy? Maybe… but it fit right in with the brand’s tone and we liked to make fun and silly connections sometimes. And it worked!
Here’s another end-of-month example, just for good measure.
Four.
Make random connections that just work
The best part about having your own email list and growing your own community is you get to do what YOU want to do (like saying the most random things). Yes, there are some rules, but when you write like you talk and act like you do in real life, you’re going to stand out in that inbox with no problem.
One time, I wrote about how nice it would be to have our own little Minions to help us with tasks and mentioned how Minions look like a ball of yarn. I included these two images to make it even more fun.
People loved it.
Five.
Tie in unofficial holidays
No Pants Day
Clean up your Room Day
Be Late for Something Day ← hey, you can use that one as an excuse when you miss an email. You’re welcome. 😉
Plan ahead and you can use these to your advantage. They make for great stories and otherwise seemingly random things you want to talk about. Now is the time! Find a holiday and run with it!
Fair warning…
After seeing these examples, I’m sure you’re already coming up with a few ideas.
WRITE THEM DOWN RIGHT NOW.
Yes, I’m yelling at you. You WILL forget them!!!
This is why the very first tip in my FREE guide Make Your Emails Unforgettable talks about the importance of creating an idea bank.
So yes, you have homework. Get those ideas down asap. You’ll thank me later 😉
If you’re already using pop culture in your emails, what’s your favorite approach? If not, what are you most excited about trying?
