Let’s Talk About Strategy and Results, Not Proof of Execution
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 6
There is an increasingly common ask from hiring managers and small business owners when vetting email marketing experts: “Please provide examples of past flows (automated customer journeys) you’ve created.” Another growing request is for marketers to complete a strategic case study using the company’s real data. This not only devalues the marketer’s time but can also create significant data privacy risks for your business.
I understand why this is being asked. You want to know that the person you’re hiring can use your CRM (Customer Relationship Management, where your customer data is stored) or ESP (Email Service Provider, the email-sending platform) and can execute the day-to-day work required.
These requests are problematic for email marketers for several reasons, and I’ll talk through those. I want to start this conversation by assuming the hiring teams or business owners are genuinely seeking the best person for the role.
3 Reasons Marketers Can’t (or Won’t) Show Past User Flows
Email marketers generally cannot show past user flows for three main reasons.
Client Intellectual Property Protection: The entire flow (the automated logic and structure) is the company’s Intellectual Property, and the marketer may be in breach of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) by sharing it. (Note: This differs from sharing one-off email designs, which are often allowed in portfolios as they only demonstrate technical and creative skill, not the proprietary strategy.)
It Doesn’t Demonstrate Strategy (The WHY): Showing a previous flow shows how to execute it (i.e., the technical build and setup), but it fails to explain why it was created.
Avoiding Uncompensated Tests: Sharing previous work risks the flow being handed off to someone else without compensating the marketer for their unique strategy. In many European jurisdictions, including the Netherlands, requiring an applicant to perform “productive work,” work that provides direct value to your company, without pay, is a legal risk. A “test” should demonstrate a skill; a “project” that solves a real business problem is a billable engagement. Plus, by compensating the marketer, you ensure that the insights and strategy developed during that process are yours to keep and use legally.
Better Ways to Choose the Right Email Marketer
Of course, you still need to make sure you’re hiring the best person for the role. Let’s assume you’re hiring someone to plan, execute, and monitor your email marketing efforts.
Ask about previous successes or failures, focusing on the overall strategy rather than execution specifics. The best marketers can diagnose a business problem and articulate the reasoning behind their solution.
Find out which systems and tools they’ve used. Most CRMs and ESPs have the same basic functionality; what makes them different is nuanced and often very technical.
If a test campaign or project is part of the interview process, compensate the marketer fairly. Ask them what they charge. This isn’t a free trial; it’s real work that benefits your business.
How to Assess Capability Without Asking for Free Work
I’m not an HR expert or employment lawyer, but I understand the concern: you need to know this person can do the work. Here are some practical approaches:
Have them walk through their process using a hypothetical scenario. Example: How would you determine the success of a welcome series?
To gauge tool-specific experience, ask how long they’ve used your platform or whether they’ve worked with similar systems.
Request case studies with anonymized results. Professional marketers can explain their approach and outcomes without violating client confidentiality.
For additional insights into working with freelancers, check out Malt’s Freelancing in Europe 2024 report, which surveyed over 5,000 freelancers across six countries about successful collaborations.
A Little Nudge: EU regulations can vary by member state, so speak to an expert if you are unsure about legal requirements in your country.
Final Thoughts
Screenshots of past work won’t demonstrate the value an email marketer can bring to your team. What matters is their ability to understand your goals and build a strategy to support your efforts. Creating flows is a technical skill (like coding or setting up triggers). Diagnosing problems, campaign optimization, and identifying new opportunities are strategies.
Focus on the why, not just the what and how. Hire the marketer who understands that project success depends on the quality of the plan that happens before the first email is ever built.
Ready to get started?
Schedule your free 30-minute consultation to learn how I can help with your email marketing, or find me on Malt!
