Ready for Q4?!

Hi you!

The universe brought me a new idea (brace yourself, because I’ve got lots of ideas, and I throw them in public.) No shame. I’m a do’er, I wont overthink it. Sometimes you will say to me: that’s a really really bad idea, Ingrid. And that’s ok. Maybe I’ll listen, maybe I will not hahaha.

➡️ Content : Your “Newsletter Subject Line” asks for attention

But first. I was helping out a client with some newsletter issues this week. Because you know, it’s always nice to have a lot of subscribers and some great content to share. But if no one is actually reading it, what’s the point, really? You want to have a good open rate, right? (Oh, did I mention this particular newsletter has a 70% open rate!? Not bad, right?!)

A good open rate often comes down to a good, well-thought-out subject line. That’s what we sometimes forget. We put so much effort into crafting the perfect content—the newsletter is absolutely brilliant ✨—but then nobody opens it because you didn’t take an extra 10 minutes to really think about the subject line. It’s a small detail, but it makes a huge difference.

So, what’s the trick? You need to focus on how your customers experience your product or service. Are you looking at things from their perspective?

For example, instead of saying, “We’re innovative!”, try something like, “This feature will make your life a lot easier.” Do you see the difference? It’s about showing them what they’ll gain, not just what you want to tell them.

Another one? Instead of saying, “Check out our latest update!”, try, “Here’s how our latest update saves you time.” Again, it's all about framing it in terms of the benefit to the reader, not just announcing the news. You want them to instantly see why it matters to them.

Anyway, email marketing works. In most cases, its success only depends on email copywriting. Either you open the emails or you delete them. You’ll open the email if a subject line offers sufficient intrigue to convince you to click. If the body copy grabs your attention, you’ll read. And if the CTA offers enough incentive, you’ll click.

I found these examples online. On which one you would click?

➡️ Tech: There is an AI for that

Finding good headlines when you're not a writer can be a real struggle—I get it. Normally, I’d suggest using the right prompt on ChatGPT to make life a bit easier.

Here’s what I’d say:

"Hello, ChatGPT!" (I always keep it friendly—you know, we're training a machine, and we want it to be polite too 😅).

“We’re looking to craft a subject line for our newsletter. It needs to grab attention, spark curiosity, and make the value to our readers immediately clear. Could you provide 10 examples of subject lines that people would want to open, focusing on the benefits to the reader and using a friendly, engaging tone? Here's the context….”

BUT, a big ‘but’ here, last week I told you about a website called: ThereisanAIforthat and I immediately received a mail from Herman Maes, currently Privacy Officer at Loop Earplugs. He said: these websites are my worst nightmare. Employees often start experimenting with AI tools on their own, which isn't always safe, reliable, or privacy-compliant. Especially in recruitment, some tools are downright illegal and a big NOGO.

So, the general message to all non-solopreneurs: Start setting up an AI policy now—make it clear what employees can and can't do. And before they jump into using a new AI tool, they should check in first!

➡️ Are you ready for Q4?

For those who haven’t noticed yet: Q4 is here. So, here’s an important reminder for anyone in a business where Q4 is crucial for your numbers. The holiday season is fast approaching (Felt the cold?! It was 2 degrees this weekend?!!), which means now is the time to raise your spending limits on Meta and Google. Also, take a quick look at your Business Manager—remove anyone who doesn’t need access, and make sure you’ve got backup people added to your ad account! Just a free reminder here.

➡️ I’m getting ready for Q1

Unlike many businesses, I don’t stress about Q4. In fact, I see it as a time to put some extra energy into growing this newsletter, focusing on my personal brand, and diving deeper into what I have to offer. After working with multiple businesses, one thing is crystal clear: my passion and talent lie in communication in business and a good branding strategy. Because, let’s face it, good communication is at the heart of everything—whether it's driving sales, building strong teams, creating impactful brands, or, let’s not forget, shaping great leaders. Also, clear branding gives your product or service a human touch, making it easier for people to connect with and trust your brand.

Yes, you little curious soul, you made it all the way down here to hear about my new idea, didn’t you? 😉 Ready for it? How does Mocktails and Masterplans sound?! Or, to give you the full picture, a Brand Accelerator Program.

The goal? To build a supportive community (or trajectory) where I help you fine-tune your business and branding strategies with input from peers, expert insights, and fresh perspectives—all in a laid-back, supportive atmosphere. With my experience in building communities (I miss this!), I promise it’ll be fun, highly effective, and packed with premium, intellectually stimulating discussions. Think: Playful Strategies, Serious Results. What do you think?

To make my plans as clear as possible, I’d love to hear your insights. That’s why I’ve put together a short questionnaire, and it would be great if you could share your thoughts and answers! Thank you so much already!! 🙏

(My head in the meantime 👇)

➡️ Brandlove : A fully recyclable running shoe

Enough about my brand, let’s switch back to some beautiful examples out there—like Cyclon Shoes. Their tagline? “The shoe you will never own.”

Why? Well, just watch their video about the product (I get the feeling I’ve already talked enough for one day 😅). ON is the first brand to offer a subscription model for shoes. What?! Yes, it’s as genius as it sounds.

➡️ To read

I'm still reading Talk Like TED, and I’ve also got my hands on a book that’s maybe to be published—someone asked me to read it and put in a good word for them at the publisher.

Always curious and onto new adventures here!
Don’t forget to fill in my Google Form—I can’t thank you enough 🙏

See you next week!

x Ingrid