Email marketing has come a long way in just the past few years. But with all the fancy new functionality brands are utilizing, you know what’s kind of funny?
A well-written, plain-text email can perform just as well (if not better) than a highly designed email with tons of bells and whistles.
So, what copywriting techniques you should apply while writing for email marketing?
It all comes down to a few copywriting best practices that you should apply to both your subject line and content so that it grabs the attention of subscribers right away!
We'll begin with subject line copywriting suggestions for better subject lines and then move on to the body of email copywriting instructions.
Doesn't know how to find your prospects' email addresses? Read this: How To Find Your Prospects’ Email Addresses- 12 Easy Ways
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How to Make a Great Subject Line?
The subject line is an important component of effective email copy. The subject line, like the gatekeeper, is responsible for determining whether or not people will open your message.
It's the most essential portion of your email where they look for information (with the sender's name playing a role, too).
Here's an overview of everything you need to know to write a great subject line.
Use actionable words
I recently received an email with the subject line "Take Mother to Brunch." Although it's not essential, this is one way to use actionable language in email subject lines.
However, there are methods to employ actionable language without depending on verbs, allowing you to experiment with wording.
It all boils down to using language that makes it obvious to the recipient what she may do with the information in the email if they open it. In other words, keep your user's value front and center.
Make it personal
According to a study by Direct Marketing Association, emails that are highly segmented tend to perform better — for example, in terms of open rate and click-through rate.
According to the report, personalized and segmented emails drove 58% of all revenue for the marketers interviewed, while targeted and segmented emails produced 36 percent of revenue.
This isn't exactly a surprise. After all, the more segmented your email list is, the better you'll be at customizing the subject line and providing relevant information to each recipient.
Consider the following questions:
Is there a way to make your email subject line more personal?
I'm not talking about that fancy dynamic field where you can insert someone's [FIRSTNAME] anymore, as email recipients are no longer amazed by it.
Consider the following example: You're a real estate agent with a large client list...
- Some of them want to hire, while others want to acquire.
- They serve customers in several cities and zip codes.
- They all have different price ranges that they are comfortable with.
- Some are searching for a studio, while others seek a mansion.
- You also know that a certain number of them will only accept properties that have been remodeled in the last five years.
You wouldn't send a mass email to all of these various categories on your list, would you?
Your subject line wouldn't be the same, either. You could have one subject line that says, "Renovated 1BR Apartment for Rent in Cambridge: Schedule a Viewing," and another that says, "RSVP: Open House Sunday for Colonial House in Sudbury."
Each subject line appeals to distinct wants of two very distinct list segments.
Put the emphasis on clarity and only then consider "catchiness"
Your subject line should be simple and catchy. In email marketing copy, clarity must always come first.
If you can make your clear subject line both humorous, adorable, charming, or whimsical while also keeping it concise, go for it. However, never sacrifice clarity to gain entertainment.
Your subject line is your first opportunity to get your email opened, so make sure it's catchy as well! Try using statistics or facts about your product or service that will pique the reader's interest.
To give you an idea here's a subject line that got us great results for Alore - "97% of BPOs say this tool saves them time and money"
Align the subject line with the content of your email
You know how vital it is for your call-to-action to match the offer on your landing page. It's just as important when you're writing your email subject lines and messages for email marketing.
What your email subject line promises, the email message should fulfill. What's the point? More than just being ethical, you'll get a better response from your e-newsletter readers if you deliver what you promise in the subject line.
Writing an Email: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now that you've given your subject line some oomph, you can focus on the rest of your email's content. So, how do you make sure that people read what you have to say? Here are the fundamentals you need to know about them!
Establish relevance
The content of the email message should, just like the subject line, work to establish relevance through customization.
Again, it takes more than just a dynamic name tag to persuade recipients that what's inside is relevant to them. So explain how you know each other at the start of the email so that they understand why you're writing.
Use the second person
In conclusion, you are the most important customer or candidate for your company's product and service. As a result, you deserve to be respected and appreciated as the most valuable customer.
Add a nice mix of second-person language that keeps the attention on your customer, not the business. This is an under-the-radar technique that allows you to stay value-oriented while still making a point.
Also Read: How To Start A Cold Email In 8 Simple Steps
Instead of talking about features, talk about the advantages
You know the value of your email. But does your recipient? Not yet, not yet. It's also up to you to convey it.
The problem is that many emails merely describe the feature they provide, rather than the benefit. Take a look at two separate e-commerce emails I've received for comparison. Which one is touting the functionality and which one is talking about the advantage?
Make it as brief as possible
One of the most common blunders content writers in the email marketing space make is attempting to jam all of the information into the email message. Consider opening a marketing email in your inbox. Do you read every word in it? Probably not.
It's more likely that you skim for key insights so you can get the overall message, and determine whether you want to take any
If you're sending lots of words of copy in an email, it's much more difficult for recipients to determine whether they want to click through because they can't swiftly sift through all of the material.
Instead, find a way to condense the information for the reader in a compelling manner and then direct them to your website for further details.
If writing brief email content isn't enough of a push for you to narrow down your objectives, keep in mind that emails with only one primary call-to-action have higher clickthrough rates than emails with competing calls-to-action.
Be lovable
Emails may be a wonderful way to bring humor and delight into your communications.
In some situations, email can be an excellent method for showcasing the personality of your brand while also establishing a meaningful connection with those on your email list.
After all, it all starts and finishes with how you interact with customers.
In your call-to-action, use an actionable language
That's right: Emails also have calls to action. The good ones do, in fact. Your email call-to-action should be simple to spot, first and foremost.
Keep in mind that people skim through their emails. If there's anything you want your recipient to notice, it's your calls-to-action.
Finally, don't use a template. Google searches can just bombard you with 'cold email templates'. Even, I went through several.
Conclusion
Though some were excellent for mass emails and sales, none could fit my personalized email marketing requirements. Makes perfect sense, right? In fact, nothing personal can be produced from a common template.
That's exactly why we at Alore follow these principles and not any random scripts.