Let’s Talk About Email: Simon Harper of SRH Design

Let’s Talk About Email: Simon Harper

Simon Harper of SRH Design knows how to build a strong online presence—whether it’s through sleek WordPress websites, successful WooCommerce stores, or engaging email campaigns. 

As a Mailchimp Partner and email expert, Simon’s UK-based company SRH Design has generated over £3 million in online sales. Simon values tools that help him connect with people. We’re thrilled to welcome him for our Let’s Talk About Email series.

Some communicators articulate ideas with clarity and depth — part of what makes them great. Whether through voice or the written word, their main objective is understanding. Another kind of communicator excels at sharing information while expressing something distinctly human. We call it personality. 

To quote a famous line from the blockbuster “Pulp Fiction” — personality goes a long way. As Simon Harper demonstrates, personality goes a long way in creating effective communication. 

Read on and meet Simon Harper.

Let’s talk about email with Simon Harper from SRH Design

The best email you received today: 

Action Rocket’s 500th Weekly email is an incredible achievement after 10 years. It’s a beautiful email full of Easter eggs and cool features, as usual.

The most intriguing subject line you’ve ever seen: 

Great question; I’ve seen so many, but I’ve probably forgotten the best ones. I love anything from Surreal, Innocent Drinks or Lego.

I’m a massive Lego fan and get multiple newsletters from them, but this subject line stands out; “Let’s Braille together!”

Your biggest email pet peeve: 

Phishing scams and cold spam emails.

The word or phrase you most use in your emails: 

Probably “the” embarrased smiling face emoji or my sign-off, “that’s it for this week,” from my weekly newsletters.

The best thing about sending a newsletter:

Getting replies and feedback from my readers allows me to improve the newsletters.

If you could email any famous person, who would it be – and why?

This famous person would require a time machine and some creative irony, but Johannes Gutenberg. The why? I’d love to know his thought process and failed attempts at creating his printing press, which revolutionized the written word.

The newsletters you look forward to the most:

There are so many newsletters I sign up for (primarily for work), but I think some of the newsletters I’ve signed up for personally are some of my absolute favorites:

• Lego Insiders
• Grand Opera House Belfast
• Base Arcade

Work Related:

• Inbox Collective
• Action Rocket
• It Depends… (by Megan Boshuyzen)
• 9 Things Sunday

An email you’d be happy to get: 

A happy birthday discount email for Disney, Lego and my free coffee at Starbucks.

To inbox zero or to not inbox zero?

Inbox zero every day of the week! Otherwise, seeing that notification bubble’s number get higher causes me anxiety.

No. 1 reason why you unsubscribe: 

Unsolicited (usually cold) emails that I never subscribed to in the first instance.

The best way to grow your email list:

That’s a tough one. Dan Oshinsky has a fantastic article, “52 Ways To Grow Your Email List”, which I expanded upon and turned into a six-month email series.

If I had to pick one, it would be finding your niche. That can be hard, but identifying that first makes everything easier.

One thing that should change about email:

Universal Dark Mode.

That will never happen, but it would be better for everyone (readers and senders) if every app and mailbox provider had a standard Dark Mode for which we could code and design.

What do you most love about email?

The community. No community is perfect, but most of the email community supports each other and wants to improve email for everyone.

I have made many good friends through email these last few years.
Are you getting Simon’s “All About Email” newsletter? If you haven’t subscribed already, sign up here! You can also follow Simon on X.