Today, in my inbox, I had an email from an online bookseller with this subject line:

"Last day for FREE shipping in time for Christmas."

I also had an email from an online drugstore, with this subject line:

"NOW OR NEVER: get $5 dollars off your order and free shipping."

Although both emails have virtually the same message, the former is URGENT, the latter is THREATENING.

Threatening is telling me that unless I do something there will be consequences (in the drugstore's case, no more free shipping or something). Urgent is telling me that I should act now because time is running out.

It is more effective to <strong>show your customers <span style="text-decoration: underline;">why</span> they should act now</strong> instead of telling them that if they fail to act, they will suffer consequences. Don't you agree?

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