Struggling to spark participation in your email marketing community? Community challenges are a proven way to break the ice, motivate members, and build shared momentum. These ready-to-use templates make running fun, effective challenges simple and rewarding.
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Community challenges tap into our natural desire for friendly competition and achievement. They encourage members to step out of their comfort zones, try new strategies, and learn from each other in a supportive environment. Challenges also create shared experiences, fostering a sense of camaraderie and belonging among members.
By making participation fun and rewarding, challenges can activate even your quietest members and help habitual contributors shine. The anticipation of recognition or rewards keeps engagement high, while achievable tasks lower the barrier to entry. Over time, regular challenges establish a vibrant, collaborative community culture.
Inbox Zero Challenge. Clear out your email list of inactive subscribers this week and share your before and after stats.
💡 Example: "Inbox Zero Challenge. Clear out your email list of inactive subscribers this week and share your before and after stats."
Subject Line Showdown. Write your most creative subject line for a welcome email. Post it below for feedback.
💡 Example: "Subject Line Showdown. Write your most creative subject line for a welcome email. Post it below for feedback."
A/B Test Sprint. Run an A/B test on your next campaign and share which version won.
💡 Example: "A/B Test Sprint. Run an A/B test on your next campaign and share which version won."
Emoji Experiment! Add an emoji to your next subject line and report if it boosted your open rates.
💡 Example: "Emoji Experiment! Add an emoji to your next subject line and report if it boosted your open rates."
One-Click Unsubscribe Challenge. Improve your unsubscribe experience and share a screenshot or description.
💡 Example: "One-Click Unsubscribe Challenge. Improve your unsubscribe experience and share a screenshot or description."
Automation Adventure. Build a new automation workflow and share the steps you used.
💡 Example: "Automation Adventure. Build a new automation workflow and share the steps you used."
List Building Blitz. Try a new list building tactic this week and tell us your results.
💡 Example: "List Building Blitz. Try a new list building tactic this week and tell us your results."
Quick Win: Clean up your email template design and post a before and after screenshot.
💡 Example: "Quick Win: Clean up your email template design and post a before and after screenshot."
CTA Makeover. Update a call-to-action in your next email and share both versions.
💡 Example: "CTA Makeover. Update a call-to-action in your next email and share both versions."
Open Rates Race. Share your last campaign's open rate and one thing you did differently.
💡 Example: "Open Rates Race. Share your last campaign's open rate and one thing you did differently."
GIF Challenge! Add a GIF to your next newsletter and tell us if it affected engagement.
💡 Example: "GIF Challenge! Add a GIF to your next newsletter and tell us if it affected engagement."
Welcome Sequence Sprint. Improve the first email in your sequence and share your new copy.
💡 Example: "Welcome Sequence Sprint. Improve the first email in your sequence and share your new copy."
Referral Rally. Start a referral program and post how you announced it to your list.
💡 Example: "Referral Rally. Start a referral program and post how you announced it to your list."
Personalization Pro. Add a dynamic field to your next campaign and share your results.
💡 Example: "Personalization Pro. Add a dynamic field to your next campaign and share your results."
Resend Challenge. Resend a campaign to non-openers and let us know if it improved performance.
💡 Example: "Resend Challenge. Resend a campaign to non-openers and let us know if it improved performance."
Segmentation Sprint. Create a new segment and share what criteria you used.
💡 Example: "Segmentation Sprint. Create a new segment and share what criteria you used."
Copy Swap! Revise a headline in your last email and post both versions for feedback.
💡 Example: "Copy Swap! Revise a headline in your last email and post both versions for feedback."
Testimonial Hunt. Add a customer testimonial to your next email and share the impact.
💡 Example: "Testimonial Hunt. Add a customer testimonial to your next email and share the impact."
Split Send Challenge. Test sending on two different days and report which performed better.
💡 Example: "Split Send Challenge. Test sending on two different days and report which performed better."
Dark Mode Ready? Update your template for dark mode and share a screenshot.
💡 Example: "Dark Mode Ready? Update your template for dark mode and share a screenshot."
Tiny Tweak Challenge. Make one small change to your email footer and share what you did.
💡 Example: "Tiny Tweak Challenge. Make one small change to your email footer and share what you did."
Preheader Play. Craft a catchy preheader and post it here for ideas or votes.
💡 Example: "Preheader Play. Craft a catchy preheader and post it here for ideas or votes."
Accessibility Audit. Check your latest email for accessibility and share one improvement.
💡 Example: "Accessibility Audit. Check your latest email for accessibility and share one improvement."
Image Impact! Swap your hero image and tell us if it changed your click rate.
💡 Example: "Image Impact! Swap your hero image and tell us if it changed your click rate."
One Link Wonder. Limit your next email to one link and report how it performed.
💡 Example: "One Link Wonder. Limit your next email to one link and report how it performed."
Forward to a Friend. Encourage your list to forward your email and share your strategy.
💡 Example: "Forward to a Friend. Encourage your list to forward your email and share your strategy."
Feedback Friday. Ask your subscribers for feedback and share your favorite reply.
💡 Example: "Feedback Friday. Ask your subscribers for feedback and share your favorite reply."
Emoji Free Day. Send an email with no emojis and see if your open rate changes.
💡 Example: "Emoji Free Day. Send an email with no emojis and see if your open rate changes."
Storytelling Challenge! Add a personal story to your next campaign and post your draft here.
💡 Example: "Storytelling Challenge! Add a personal story to your next campaign and post your draft here."
Referral CTA Test. Try two different referral CTAs and report which one got more clicks.
💡 Example: "Referral CTA Test. Try two different referral CTAs and report which one got more clicks."
Poll Power. Add a poll to your newsletter and share your poll question here.
💡 Example: "Poll Power. Add a poll to your newsletter and share your poll question here."
Template Swap. Share your favorite email template and tell us why you love it.
💡 Example: "Template Swap. Share your favorite email template and tell us why you love it."
Welcome Email Redesign. Give your welcome email a facelift and post the new version.
💡 Example: "Welcome Email Redesign. Give your welcome email a facelift and post the new version."
Copy Cut Challenge. Shorten a long paragraph in your email and share the before and after.
💡 Example: "Copy Cut Challenge. Shorten a long paragraph in your email and share the before and after."
Mobile Ready? Test your latest email on mobile and share any issues you found.
💡 Example: "Mobile Ready? Test your latest email on mobile and share any issues you found."
One Question Challenge. Ask one question in your next email and share the replies you get.
💡 Example: "One Question Challenge. Ask one question in your next email and share the replies you get."
CTA Location Test. Try moving your CTA button to a new spot and report the results.
💡 Example: "CTA Location Test. Try moving your CTA button to a new spot and report the results."
Font Fun. Change your email font for one campaign and tell us if it changed readability.
💡 Example: "Font Fun. Change your email font for one campaign and tell us if it changed readability."
Signature Swap. Update your email signature and share your new sign-off.
💡 Example: "Signature Swap. Update your email signature and share your new sign-off."
Re-engagement Race. Send a re-engagement email to inactive users and share your open rate.
💡 Example: "Re-engagement Race. Send a re-engagement email to inactive users and share your open rate."
Unsubscribe Survey. Add a one-question survey to your unsubscribe page and share the feedback.
💡 Example: "Unsubscribe Survey. Add a one-question survey to your unsubscribe page and share the feedback."
One Color Challenge! Use only one color in your next email and post a screenshot.
💡 Example: "One Color Challenge! Use only one color in your next email and post a screenshot."
To use these templates, simply copy and paste your chosen challenge into your community platform. Announce the challenge clearly, set a deadline, and explain how members can participate. Encourage them to share their progress, tips, or results in the comments. Recognize standout contributions with badges, shoutouts, or small prizes to keep energy high. Rotate challenge topics to keep things fresh and relevant.
These templates are designed to work across all platforms, including forums, Facebook groups, Slack, Discord, and email lists. Adapt formatting as needed to fit your platform's style. Use tags or threads to keep challenge discussions organized and easy to follow. Pin or highlight active challenges so members can find them quickly.
Consider creating a multi-day challenge focused on subject line experimentation, A/B testing, and sharing results. Provide templates where members report their open rates before and after implementing new subject line strategies. Encourage the use of industry benchmarks and group discussion on what worked best, helping the community learn effective tactics in real time.
Design challenge templates that ask members to try new segmentation approaches, such as segmenting by subscriber engagement or purchase behavior. Include prompts for sharing segmentation logic, testing different content for each segment, and reporting back on improvements in click-through or conversion rates. This fosters knowledge exchange around advanced list management techniques.
Incorporate template prompts encouraging members to share their email deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates and sender scores. Facilitate threads where members discuss authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list hygiene practices, and engagement-based sending. Ensure guidelines are in place so members troubleshoot respectfully and avoid sharing sensitive data publicly.
Use templates that prompt members to walk through a specific automation sequence, such as a welcome series or cart abandonment flow. Ask for details like trigger events, email timing, personalization tactics, and performance metrics (e.g., completion rates, revenue generated). Encourage discussion of tools used (like Mailchimp, HubSpot) for platform-specific insights.
Structure a challenge where members share before-and-after email designs focused on CTA placement, button color, and copy. Use templates for participants to describe their design changes, A/B test results, and observed impact on CTRs. Encourage feedback and peer review, so members can learn best practices for email design directly applicable to campaign performance.
In your challenge prompts, remind members to avoid sharing actual subscriber data and to anonymize examples. Include checklist items for compliance topics, such as proper consent, unsubscribe options, and clear sender identification. Encourage sharing of compliance-friendly strategies, so all members are reminded of industry legal standards while participating in challenges.
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