Hearing about “leaks” has become commonplace. Leaked emails, leaked text messages, leaked photos, leaked videos, you name it.
They have an allure to them because, well, we’re not supposed to see what’s in them.
Even if we’re disgusted by the contents of the leaked material, many of us look anyway.
We just can’t help ourselves.
Teachable seized on the “leaked information” phenomenon by crafting perhaps the most creative email I’ve ever seen.
Let’s get into it.
About Teachable
Teachable is an online course platform. You can create an account, buy a subscription, then put together and host an online course right on the website.
Teachable’s founder once said, “In the future, entrepreneurs will sell knowledge over products.” That’s basically what Teachable aims to facilitate. Information and knowledge, not physical products.
Personally, I know several copywriters and other similar professionals who use or have used Teachable to build their online courses. It’s among the more well-known platforms out there.
The Email: “Accidentally” Leaking an Internal Email?
(I know it’s hard to read. But you’ll see everything a bit better later in this article).
Let’s talk about what I’ll dub “the Eavesdropping Effect.”
You know — people may say one thing to your face, but you never know what they say when you’re not around.
Eavesdropping lets you hear what people really think.
Plus, there’s a certain thrill to hearing or seeing what you’re not supposed to.
In this instance, you get to spy on what appear to be confidential communications within the company.
You almost feel wrong reading it, but you have to.
The Subject Line: ??? (My Reaction)
Right away, the [FWD:] gets my attention. Here’s why:
I, like many these days, am in constant correspondence via the Internet. Getting a forward makes me think this is relevant to some conversation with a friend, client, or colleague.
It’s personable and different from most other subject lines.
Now, these apply to any niche. FWD’s catch attention because your brain instantly tells you this must be relevant to you in some way. Someone wanted you to see this information.
But this is especially powerful for Teachable’s audience.
They are business owners, by definition, since they have an online course. This subject line could be Teachable directly asking the reader their thoughts on having a Black Friday discount in their own businesses…
Or, maybe, forwarding a relevant conversation about the subject to the reader.
Overall, this subject line sounds like Teachable is offering helpful information directly and personally to the reader. That’s a great way to get an open.
Letting the Reader in on an Upcoming Promo… Without Telling Them About It
Preselling a promotional campaign can drastically improve sales. You build up hype and anticipation to a boiling point before the sale even starts…
And then a surge of customers visit your store when the cart opens to get those items they’ve been waiting for.
The presale campaign on its own is a whole marketing topic…
But Teachable takes it a step further with the “leaked email” approach. You’re being let in on a future sale you’re not supposed to know about, so you have to keep reading.
What’s more:
This is their first ever Black Friday Cyber Monday sale, per the email. That means you get to make Teachable history — there’s the exclusivity factor.
Oh, and there’s some scarcity in here. Teachable makes it known that they have never given a discount. So this could be a rare shot at a discounted subscription.
The framing here is really clever. Teachable managed to create a compelling imitation of an internal company conversation that also implements effective copy techniques.
The Cleverest CTA I’ve Ever Seen
First, we have the lines about being terrified to run this promo. It shows vulnerability and humanity again — it’s people with emotions, not a cold and faceless brand..
The “eavesdropping” effect is strong here. Teachable’s internal discussion implies their drive to help the customer, not just see them as $$$ signs.
It raises the reader’s trust. They don’t feel like a walking wallet. This little tidbit makes them feel like Teachable wants you to get MASSIVE value out of your investment in the platform.
But how about that CTA? That’s the cleverest CTA I’ve ever seen.
It’s portrayed as Ankur (the founder) just trying to link the built-out page (that’s not yet live) so he can show the rest of the company and get their feedback.
Yet it draws the reader even more effectively than a regular CTA, given the framing of this email.
The reader’s interest is off the charts because there’s a link there… and they’re not supposed to see it.
Masterful.
Making it Seem More Realistic
The email so far would’ve been pretty interesting to the average reader, but it may have lost some readers due to confusion. Or, a few may have thought it was some weird spam.
That’s why Teachable was smart to include a reply from another high-level person.
That last sentence makes it look like this sale was on its way to going live. It gives this sale more legitimacy without losing the “accidental leak” feel.
Also, the language around keeping secrets adds some spice. You’re clued into a little secret. This is your chance to look cool and feel like you got away with something.
Takeaways
I love this email. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I don’t have access to Teachable’s analytics…
But I bet it got insane opens and clicks. Maybe a lot of sales, too.
Obviously, this wouldn’t work if you used it all the time. The novelty and thrill would wear out… and your subscribers would catch on anyways.
But every once in a while? That makes it unexpected… and gets the reader’s curiosity churning.
The meta point here is be creative. You don’t have to do the same old boring stuff your niche always does.
Once you master the fundamentals of good copy and good email, it’s ok to break away from the norm and experiment.
In fact, email is the perfect proving ground for new ideas. It’s easy to split test with segmenting, and you get feedback fast.
The worst that happens is you make few or no sales on one email. Or maybe you lose a couple subscribers if you say something especially egregious.
Regardless, you know that idea doesn’t work, so you toss it and try something else.
But on the upside, you could invent the next great email marketing format/template by accident.
Or, more realistically, you find a new format that rakes in buckets of cash for yourself.
One other thing: If you want to try this “leaked email” on your own list, you should have a team of employees or even contractors in your business. That way, you can stage an actual email conversation.
After all, you can’t exactly “leak” a conversation with yourself…
Or can you?
Like I said — never hurts to experiment.
What to Do Next
- Get on my email list.
- Reach out to me if you want help writing emails like this one.
- Check out Teachable if you want to monetize your knowledge by creating and selling an online course.