Recently in B2B Category

From: Dropbox
Subject Line: Start using Dropbox!
Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011

While I appreciate a cute illustration as much as the next aspiringartist, and while I respect an automated message as much as the next digital marketer, I felt slightly violated when I received Dropbox's "Start using Dropbox!" email message. While I did download the software, I wasn't aware that I gave the company explicit permission to look inside my machine to see whether or not I'd actually installed it. 

I believe they could have done right here by changing up the messaging. This message would have been better positioned as implicit rather than explicit. Less "we noticed you don't have the software installed," more "check out our installation tutorials!"

Tone is super-critical to data-informed automated messaging. Don't overlook the importance of your copy when it comes to these types of delicate messages.

Website: American Express
Subject Line: Your August Business Newsletter
Date: Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I'm interested in three things Amex did with their Business Newsletter:

(1) The preheader: "How to be ready when recovery comes." I think it's interesting that they chose to lead with such a powerful hook.
(2) The single-column format: Some older smart phones break two-column HTML.
(3) The preview pane message: I like that they used a large type size and a strong call-to-action on a field of generous white space to bring their statement of purpose and call for feedback to the fore.

Have you seen any good B2B newsletters lately?