Email Breakdown #74: Edge Fitness Performance

Let me tell you a copywriting trade secret:

We all keep “swipe files” of brands in different industries. 

Some are for our clients’ industries. We can see what other people are talking about. It gives us a hint about where the market’s at.

However, we also follow brands in unrelated industries (that’s how I’ve produced 74 Email Breakdowns so far lol).

Not so much for market research…

But to study the frameworks those industries are using. 

Some of us then see what we can “swipe” from those to apply to our clients’ niches.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, I found a brand that offers us a neat example of taking a “recipe” email from the food niche and using it for their supplements.

So, as usual, I broke down this email in detail below. Keep on reading!

Table of Contents

About Edge Fitness Performance The Email: A Recipe Email, But With Supplements The Subject Line: Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Dough Bites?! The Body Copy Takeaways What to Do Next

About Edge Fitness Performance

Edge Fitness Performance is an online fitness/sports supplements brand. It sells supplements themed around pre-workout, protein/recovery, and general health/wellness. The company also sells apparel and sells supplements wholesale to businesses that need them in bulk.

Edge was founded by Jacob Westerhouse, also CEO at the time of writing.

The idea for Edge was born out of almost getting banned from college sports by accident.

See, Jacob played baseball for the University of North Alabama. 

He had been using a pre-workout that, unbeknownst to him, contained a “banned substance” — something that could disqualify you from collegiate athletics.

He wasn’t trying to take PEDs or anything. His regular old pre-workout almost ruined his dreams… and could’ve harmed his health, too.

Jacob decided to try making his own pre-workout that was legal in the eyes of the law and college athletics. It spread to his friends, then their friends, and lots of them loved it…

And so Jacob committed to building what would become Edge Fitness Performance.

Now, Edge aims to provide the best supplements on the market.

(Full story here.)

Great origin story. The best businesses are born out of a burning problem the owner faced.

The Email: A Recipe Email, But With Supplements

A recipe email in the food niche, well, gives the reader a recipe. One of the recipe items is the brand’s product.

Edge sells protein powders, and those can make for delicious “protein treat” ingredients.

So that’s what they did — a short recipe email:

At first glance, it looks like Edge evenly balanced copy and visuals. The structure is appealing enough to look at.

Now, for the copy…

The Subject Line: Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Dough Bites?!

The subject line is straightforward:

Edge could have said “How to make” or something at the beginning… but that subject line would’ve been too long.

Same with adding “recipe” at the end.

Wouldn’t weaken curiosity. Just sending “Peanut Butter Protein Cookie Dough Bites?!” Is enough for readers to go, “What are they on about? I have to open.” It also hints at what’s inside, though.

The Body Copy

First, we have the Hero section:

The name of the recipe plus a good image of the finished product. 

Great way to grab interest. Showing the image first makes the reader see the delicious and nutritious treat…

Boosting the chance they actually read and apply the recipe.

I like how Edge put “EFP” in the name. They’ve branded it. It’s their “special recipe”, even if, as you’ll see, it’s a fairly basic recipe + their product.

Next is the first line:

Agreeable statement. It sounds generic, but I know that eating enough protein to gain muscle (or maintain muscle while burning fat) can be tough.

Nice little reminder of why the reader is on Edge’s email list.

That brings us to the recipe. First, about the recipe:

Edge primes the reader, once again, to follow through and take action. In just one line, they show how quick and easy these are.

I mean, anyone who already bakes cookies or cookie dough bites can make these with little extra thinking!

Now, the recipe itself:

True to their word, the recipe is short and sweet (pun partially intended). 

Notice how Edge never pushes its product. They instead include it as an ingredient. So the reader now knows that to get the cookie dough bites RIGHT, they need Edge’s protein powder.

I mean, they could. I usually recommend an explicit call to action, even if you imply your product is necessary. Doesn’t have to be a hard “BUY NOW BUY NOW.” But I’m sure this worked just fine.

Speaking of CTA, the button copy is there for readers to click through and buy. Interesting choice of copy — but again, I think it works fine. It implies that the reader can get their plant-based protein ingredient through that button.

Copy’s done, but we have one more quick block:

In general, it’s a good idea for eCom brands with multiple products to throw a product block at the bottom. 

You can personalize it to recommend products based on customer purchases for the best results. However, top sellers ain’t a bad choice, either. There’s a reason they’re the top sellers!

Takeaways

Here are some big takeaways:

1. The Copy Mechanics

Mechanically, this email is straightforward:

First, Edge uses a nice, big, readable font. Shorter copy helps them get away with that.

Notice how they use numerals for numbers instead of spelling them out. Four is 4. One is 1. 

This may be a style thing, but for recipes and measurements in particular, numerals tend to enhance readability. 

I like the use of the action phrase “Mix together” rather than “Here’s the recipe.” It feels less generic…

And it also shortens the copy. If they said, “Here’s the recipe”, they’d still have to say, “Mix these together” afterward.

2. The Email Structure

The structure is as follows:

1. Top menu bar
2. Headline + Hero Image
3. Hook
4. Objection-defusal
5. Body (the recipe)
6. CTA
7. Recommended product block

I like how Edge doesn’t take 5 paragraphs to get to the recipe.

That’s kind of a meme around recipe-style content — usually, blog posts — where the writer will dally on about half their life before getting to the recipe.

The blog will drone on about half the reader’s life and how they found the recipe before getting to it. 

3. The Overall Strategy

This is a one-off broadcast email. From what I understand, it is not part of a flow or longer campaign. 

The primary purpose of this email, then, is just to get some customer engagement, position the brand as a helpful resource, and make a few sales.

Here’s a way Edge could spin this email into a more regular thing that builds a bond and makes sales:

A “challenge.”

For example, challenge the readers to make a new fitness-focused recipe every week. Make it about working toward fitness goals without having to sacrifice enjoyment or the joy of baking. Maybe tie particular fitness goals into it, such as bodyweight, strength, etc.

Each recipe, of course, involves a product Edge wants to sell. This maximizes recipe variety and novelty for the reader.

Or, every recipe could include the same product. Focus efforts on one product to show how versatile it is. Could work better if you want to get a particular product moving. Adds a bit more of a “challenge” aspect — you and the readers try to see how many ways you can use the same product.

(Marketing person at Edge, if you’re reading this, steal these ideas. I won’t be offended. I’d actually be flattered!)

One thing I’d add:

Urge the reader to bookmark the recipe. Maybe even print it. 

That extra bit of interaction grows your relationship with the customer ever so slightly. It also shows you’re helpful — and that’s what matters to customers at the end of the day.

What to Do Next

1. Get on my email list using the signup form below for more Email Breakdowns and other helpful marketing content.
2. Share this with someone who might find it helpful (or entertaining).
3. Reach out to me if you want help writing emails like this one.
4. Check out Edge Fitness Performance for great workout supplements (and some fitness apparel)!