21 email copywriting tips to increase engagement and boost response rates
Let?s face it. Email is one of the most profitable sources of revenue online.
Don?t believe me? Here?s proof:
· 91% of consumers open their email daily. (Backlinko)
· 58% of consumers check their email before doing anything else. (Optin Monster)
· Brands get a return on investment 42 times the amount they invest in email marketing. (Oberlo)
That?s right. For every $1 they spend, they get $42 back. Equally as impressive is that:
76% of email subscribers have made purchases from an email marketing message. (Small Business Chron)
Email Marketing Continues to work well beyond the year 2023.
The average ROI on email marketing in 2023 was USD36 for every USD1 spent
In the retail, e-commerce, and consumer goods industry, the ROI is USD45 on the dollar
41% of email marketers count email marketing as their most effective channel
Summary: Beyond the year 2023
More than 90 percent of survey respondents say email marketing is essential to their company's success.
Email is considered one of the most effective marketing channels, with 79 percent of marketers placing it in their top three.
The global market for email marketing software was worth USD 7.5 billion in 2020. By the year 2027, it is estimated to reach USD 17.9 billion.
More than half of the world's population (over 4.2 billion people) were active email users globally in 2020. By the end of 2026, that figure will be over 4.7 billion.
55 per cent of consumers say email is their preferred digital channel for business communication.
Brands made USD36 for every U.S. dollar they spent on email marketing.
Source from Constant Contact ? Email Marketing Research and Statistics Year 2023
Is email marketing dead? Check out YouTube from Hubspot posted on May 23 2024
?I know,? you might say, ?but writing sales emails just doesn?t work for me.?
Persuasive, promotional emails.
They are written in your natural voice.
That promotes while providing value to the reader.
That?s why email copywriting is vital for sales conversion.
What is email copywriting?
Email copywriting refers to writing persuasive content for email marketing campaigns. It involves crafting engaging messages designed to grab the reader's attention, convey a message effectively, and drive the desired action or conversion.
Email copywriting encompasses various elements, including subject lines, body content, calls-to-action (CTAs), and overall messaging. The goal is to create emails that resonate with the target audience, communicate the value of a product, service, or offer, and motivate recipients to take action, such as purchasing, signing up for a webinar, or subscribing to a newsletter.
Effective email copywriting involves understanding the target audience, using persuasive language and storytelling techniques, highlighting the benefits and value of the offering, and creating a sense of urgency or exclusivity. It also requires careful consideration of the email's structure, formatting, and visual elements to ensure readability and engagement.
Email copywriting aims to drive conversions, whether generating sales, increasing website traffic, growing a subscriber base, or achieving other desired outcomes. Successful email copywriting balances engaging and informing the recipients while persuading them to take the desired action.
Top 21 Email Copywriting Tips
1 Set One Specific Goal
Your email copy should always work toward one goal (and one goal only).
Set a target objective for each email you write so you and your client know if it was successful. Focus on one key outcome per email so that you don?t confuse or overwhelm readers until they unsubscribe from your email list.
Sometimes, your desired action will be making the sale, but often, it will focus on building a relationship with the reader to move them through their buying journey. Here are a few examples:
· Download a resource.
· Read a blog post.
· Get a free trial.
· Open the following email
2. Write to a Specific Targeted One Person
You might be thinking,
How can I write to one person when I have hundreds or thousands of subscribers?
Here?s what you need to remember:
If you?re writing to everyone, then you?re converting no one.
Your reader wants to know that you understand their pain points and that you can help them overcome their challenges and achieve their desired outcome. You lose this connection when you generalise your message by writing to a group.
So, next time you write, imagine you?re conversing with one person. Your writing will be transformed from vague and empty to natural and effective.
3 Understand your readers
Who are you talking to?
If you want to write emails that connect with your audience, you need to get to know them. Otherwise, you risk writing to the wrong person and wasting your time and energy on email copywriting that goes unread.
Different subscribers will likely have distinct challenges and desires, and that?s okay! You can always segment your emails into separate groups of people.
Don?t worry?we'll go over how to do that below.
Targeted audience formula:
W+W+(K | B) Formula.
This formula stands for:
1. Who am I talking to? (W)
2. What action do I want this person to take? (W)
3. What does this person need to know or believe to take action?
(K | B)
Knowing who you?re talking to is, hands down, the most critical part of email marketing.
The ?secret sauce? makes everything about email?engagement, sales, and personal satisfaction?a million times better.
You've got to know who you?re talking to.
Remember:
Every person on your list has anxieties, hopes, fears, and dreams that occupy her thoughts.
Maybe it?s her weight.
Or her finances.
Or her pets.
You must understand her fears, anxieties, hopes, and dreams to know who you're talking to.
Then, you talk with her about these fears, anxieties, hopes, and dreams using the same language your subscriber herself uses.
Doing this one thing, more than anything else, ensures the success of your email marketing.
Think about it.
If someone starts talking to you about your hopes, fears, dreams, or anxieties, describing them to you and how you tell them to yourself, what?s likely to happen?
That person would gain your attention.
They?d begin to earn your trust.
You?d feel like they ?get? you.
That?s what you want.
You want a subscriber to say, ?WOW, you get me!? as she reads your email.
That?s how you build the trust and empathy that get your emails eagerly anticipated, opened, and acted on.
You can?t do that unless you know your subscriber.
And I mean, I know her.
You need to know your subscribers as deeply and intimately as you know a good friend.
So how do you do that?
Well, how did you get to know your best friend? By talking with them, correct?
It's the same deal here.
The best way to get to know your subscribers is by talking with them.
Asking questions with a reply message
You can use surveys.
Request a reply message once you read your email.
4 Prioritize Subject Lines
Your subject line is the single most crucial aspect of your email. If your reader doesn?t open your email, then nothing else matters. Your glorious body copy and meticulously crafted offer will go unread ? and your subscriber certainly won?t move any closer to taking the desired action.
Think of your subject line as a headline. Your goal is to capture the reader?s attention so that they stop email-scrolling and keep reading.
Start by studying the subject lines of emails you receive. Which ones do you open and why? Keep a swipe file, a collection of subject lines, content, and sales letters that caught your attention or got you to act. Use them as inspiration for future email copywriting campaigns.
The bottom line is to test yourself to determine what works for your client?s list. Do an A/B test, send out an equal number of emails with personalized and non-personalized subject lines, and then compare open rates.
Give your reader a reason to open your email. Don't start your subject line with "Hello," "What's up?" or "Hi there." These words say nothing and give readers no reason to open your email.
Personalization:
"John, Your Exclusive Invitation Awaits."
"A Special Gift Just for You, Celine!"
"New Arrival Recommendations Based on Your Preferences"
Personalized subject lines create an individual connection and grab the recipient's attention. By including their name or referencing their previous interactions, you demonstrate that the email content is specifically tailored to them.
Curiosity and Intrigue:
"Guess what we have in store for you...."
"Unlock the Secret to Effortless Weight Loss"
"Are you making these common skincare mistakes?"
Subject lines that convey urgency and scarcity create a fear of missing out (FOMO) among recipients. Emphasizing limited-time offers, limited stock, or expiring promotions develops a sense of urgency that encourages immediate action.
Benefit-Oriented :
"Boost Your Productivity by 50% with These Tips"
"Get Glowing Skin with Our New Skincare Routine"
"Save Time and Money with Our Efficient Home Cleaning Kits"
Benefit-driven subject lines highlight the email's value or solution to the recipient. By focusing on the specific benefits, results, or solutions they can achieve, you appeal to their desires and motivations.
Personal Achievement or Recognition:
"Congratulations on Your Milestone Achievement!"
"You're a Top Performer: Claim Your Rewards"
"We're products of you! Here's a Special Discount."
Subject lines that acknowledge and celebrate the recipient's achievements or milestones help build a positive emotional connection. Recognizing their efforts or successes creates a sense of appreciation and loyalty.
Seasonal or Timely :
"Get Ready for Fall Fashion - New Collection Now Available"
"Your Ultimate Guide to Spring Cleaning"
"Stay Warm this Winter with Our Cozy Essentials"
Subject lines that align with specific seasons, holidays, or timely events resonate with recipients. They create a sense of relevance and timeliness, making the email content more appealing and engaging.
For example, Mother's Day email promotion, - Can you guess a "HOOK" of each subject line as per below?
5. Email Pre-Header
The email preheader texts can make all the difference! A well-crafted preheader can increase your open rate, engage your audience, and drive interest in your email content.
Without a well-crafted preheader, your messages can end up in inbox limbo. Grabbing the recipient's interest before they open the email is a challenge!
Here are 4 powerful tips to explore in the preheader of your following email:
Be clear and objective: in a nutshell, convey the essence of your email and pique the recipient's curiosity to open and read your entire message.
Capture attention with a question to offer: ask a thought-provoking question or offer something irresistible to encourage the reader to click and capture their attention.
Use relevant keywords: Use terms pertinent to your email content and pique the interest of your target audience.
Try different approaches and see what works best for your audience. Don't be afraid to experiment! Try different combinations of words, styles, and calls to action to find out what generates the best results for your specific audience.
6 Know Your Client's Brand
Emails are a fun opportunity to show off your brand?s personality. But before you start using emojis in your subject line or GIFs in your body copy, it?s crucial to understand the brand you?re writing for.
Some clients want a playful tone in their email copywriting, and others require a more serious or formal voice and style.
Ask your clients for a style guide or examples of email copywriting they would like to emulate. You?ll quickly understand if they want to sound friendly and conversational or buttoned up and corporate. Most importantly, you?ll avoid sending emails that miss the mark.
7 Consider a P.S.
"PS" is an abbreviation for "postscript."
"PS" adds extra information at the end of your email message.
"The P.S. is the most charming part of a letter. It's the wink you give as you walk away." - Shaun Usher, author of Letters of Note.
Most subscribers won't read your email word-for-word. However, over 90% of people read the P.S. - and they read it before the rest of the email.
Use your P.S. to capture your reader's attention, summarize your email message, and create urgency. Don't think of it as an afterthought but rather as proven way to pack a punch at the end of your emails.
8 Always include a Call to Action (CTA)
Your CTA invites your subscribers to take action; it provides a simple and straightforward direction so that readers know what to do next.
Go back to the target objective of your email and use this to guide your CTA. Here are a few email copywriting examples:
Click here to read more
Keep an eye out for my following email tomorrow
Get 50% off today
A good CTA improves conversion rates and makes the reader's life easier. Your reader doesn't want to guess what they should do next.
They want you to guide them, and CTA's help you do that.
5 compelling phrases for CTA turn your readers into buyers (conversion)
(I) Limited Time Offer
Creating a sense of urgency is a tried-and-true strategy to drive immediate action.
By highlighting a limited-time offer, you encourage readers to act quickly, fearing they might miss out on a valuable opportunity.
Example :
Get 50% off on our exclusive limited-time offer for the next 24 hours only
(II) Imagine if ...
Starting your copy with the phrase "imagine if" helps tap into the power of visualization, allowing readers to imagine your product's benefits.
Example :
Imagine if you could wake up every morning feeling energized, ready to conquer the day.
Our revolutionary sleep supplement can make it a reality.
(III) Results Guaranteed
By assuring potential buyers of guaranteed results, you instil confidence in your product's effectiveness.
Results Guaranteed
By assuring potential buyers of guaranteed results, you instil confidence in your product?s effectiveness.
Example :
Transform your body in just 30 days, or get your money back.
(IV) Risk-Free Trial
By offering a risk-free trial, you can remove the barrier and allow potential customers to experience the value of your offering firsthand.
Example :
?Try our software free for 14 days. No credit card required..?
(V) Join the Exclusive Club or Community
We all want to belong to something special.
By positioning your product as an exclusive club, you tap into the desire for exclusivity and make readers feel part of an elite group.
Example :
Join the elite circle of successful entrepreneurs.
9 Keep Your Emails Short and Concise
How many emails do you receive each day? Probably dozens.
Your readers are also inundated with email notifications, and they don't have time or attention to read thousand-word emails.
According to Hubspot, the ideal length of a sales email is between 50 and 125 words. So, keep your emails concise. Get to the point and avoid wasting valuable email real estate on unimportant, flowery language.
10 Tell a Story
Keep your emails brief, but don't make them dry and dull. Story-telling email marketing is the best way. Our brains are hardwired to listen to stories. Plus, a well-told tale takes readers on an emotional adventure?it pulls them in on a sensory level.
The best writers know this and use good stories to inspire readers to action. Your emails are an opportunity to do the same.
Use short, compelling stories to entertain and inform readers. You?ll grab their attention, make your message more relatable, and improve conversions.
11 Write with emotion
Matt Furey is an email marketing legend.
Matt once said the secret to writing great emails is your ability to be emotionally free.
You must be willing and able to express yourself without resistance.
Don't hold back when you craft your emails. Make your subscribers laugh, cry or point their fists at the desk. Push her emotional hot buttons.
I try to get myself into a peak emotional state before I write an email.
I want to be Excited....or Pissed...or Curious.
12 Engage your subscriber's 5 senses
One of the best ways to get your reader emotionally invested in your emails is by stimulating her five senses.
For example:
Sight: ?Do you see a bright future blooming with technicolour possibilities?
Or are the weeks and months ahead dim, grey, and uncertain??
Sound: ?Haven?t you been silenced by your fears and insecurities long
enough? It?s time for you to speak from your heart and tell the world how
you really feel!?
Smell: ?Is the rotten stench of corruption oozing out of Washington
enough to make you gag??
Touch: ?Do you feel buried beneath the weight of your countless
obligations? How would it feel to seize control of your life and race towards
the future YOU desire??
Taste: ?Tired of choking down one failure after the next? Dig into sweet
success with our brand new executive coaching program!?
Emotions are PHYSICAL experiences.
You can make your emails more emotionally compelling and more
engaging by writing to your subscriber?s senses.
Emotions are PHYSICAL experiences.
You can make your emails more emotionally compelling and more
engaging by writing to your subscribers' senses.
13 Write in an active voice
The end goal of every email you write is to compel subscribers to do SOMETHING:
Click on a link, read a blog post, and reply to your email?you want him to take action!
To prime your subscribers for action, write in an active voice.
Here?s an example of active voice versus passive voice to show you what I mean:
? It was noted that hardly any of the population was satisfied with the president?s performance. (passive)
? A mob of furious people flooded the streets to shout and protest the president?s incompetence. (active)
In the active voice, something actively happens. You show an event rather than simply talking about it. Speaking of showing..
14 Bring your emails to life with word pictures.
When you?re writing emails, it?s better to show than tell.
You want to bring your emails to life with word pictures.
Or, as Mark Twain puts it: ?Don?t say: ?the old lady screamed?; bring her on and let her scream?.
You can picture a woman screaming on stage, right?
That?s a word picture.
Here are a few more examples:
? I have a red Lamborghini. (telling)
? I whipped my candy apple red Lamborghini into the hairpin turn at 90 mph and left the cop choking on my dust and cursing my name! (word picture)
? Micah is a talented bass player. (telling)
? When Micah slaps and pops his bass guitar, it sounds like his right hand is possessed by the spirit of a 70?s funk band. (word picture)
The word picture is compelling, right?
They?re definitely more engaging than just telling how something is.
An easy way to create word pictures is by asking yourself:
?If I were watching a movie of this thing I?m trying to describe, what would that movie look like??
15 Master Persuasive Writing
Persuasive writing is the ability to influence your reader to think or feel a certain way. Inspire your readers to take action, and you'll never worry about email copywriting success again.
Here's the secret to persuasive writing success :
Don't just tell readers what to think. Instead, successfully close the sale using
Persuasive writing is the ability to influence your reader to think or feel a certain way. Inspire your readers to take action, and you?ll never worry about email copywriting success again.
Here?s the secret to persuasive writing success:
Don?t just tell readers what to think. Instead, successfully close the sale using the subtle art of persuasion
Here are a few extra tips to give your email copy a persuasion boost:
· Ask, Why does my reader care?
· Solve a problem.
· Be specific.
· Use social proof, examples, and evidence.
16 Avoid Spam Filters
Spam trigger words are a quick way to get your emails blocked and sent straight to the recipient?s spam folder.
Luckily, the key to landing in your subscriber?s inbox is simple: Choose your words carefully.
When in doubt, consult a list of spam trigger words and phrases to avoid. 188 spam words and phrases to avoid in your email marketing. Source: Activecampaign Spam words
If you focus on providing value to your reader, your emails are unlikely to land in spam. That means avoiding gimmicks, over-promising, or sensationalising with all caps or multiple exclamation points.
How to keep your emails out of spam and in your inbox
1. Build your own email list.
2. Provide a double opt-in.
3. Authenticate your email.
4. Clean up your email list regularly.
5. Avoid denying lists and monitor your reputation.
6. Be compliant with Internet privacy laws.
7. Provide an email preference centre.
8. Monitor your email engagement metrics.
Source: SendGrid's 12 tips to stop your emails from going to Spam
17 Segment Your Lists
Your email subscribers are at different stages of their buyer?s journey. Segment your subscribers into smaller lists to ensure you send the right content to the right people.
Each email marketing platform is unique, but most allow you to group your audience using tags and filters.
List segmentation ensures your emails hit the right people at the right time, which means more accurate email open rates and click-throughs (and fewer unsubscribes). Although by no means an exclusive roundup, here are a few ways you could segment your email list:
New Subscribers
Type of Purchase
Campaign A
Lead Magnet
Abandoned Shopping Cart
18 Don't Underestimate Email Marketing Newsletters
Email newsletters drive traffic to your website.
Promotional emails and sales funnels are crucial to any successful email marketing copywriting campaign. However, don?t forget to add the humble yet mighty email newsletter to your strategy.
Email newsletters are a potent tool to keep your business at the top of readers' minds and inboxes.
Remember, readers will quickly unsubscribe if your email newsletters are always promotional. Send exciting and educational content and let your subscribers get to know you.
Finally, commit to a regular publishing schedule to send your email newsletters consistently.
Monthly e-magazines (Online magazines), digital magazines, or Magazine Plume for B2B will enhance customer engagement and relationships and educate potential customers. The online magazine Plume tool is available for better communication.
19 Personalize the content and tone
Marketers worldwide agree that personalization is the shortcut to gaining more conversions. This works because you send emails that are relevant to the subscriber.
Instead of making a generic offer, you are directly speaking to the subscriber's needs and preferences.
In fact, this has been backed up by studies that have shown that personalized emails have a 25% higher open rate than non-personalized ones.
Personalization is a simple way to cut through the clutter and capture your reader?s attention.
Consider your list segments, too. How can you create content that is more relevant and personalized to each group?
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20 Get Comfortable with Marketing Metrics & A/B Test
There?s no way around it: If you want to measure conversion rates (and create compelling client reports that tie your emails to sales), you?ve got to get comfortable with a few email marketing metrics.
A few key performance indicators (KPIs) will ensure you craft high-converting emails that demand big bucks from your ideal clients.
There are 8 key KPI for measuring email copywriting :
Here are a few to get you started:
Click-through Rate: the percentage of email readers who click on a link
Email Open Rate: the percentage of email readers who open your email
Conversion Rate: the percentage of email readers who take a desired action
Unsubscribe Rate: the percentage of readers who unsubscribe from your list
Bounce Rate: the percentage of total emails sent that could not be successfully delivered to the recipient?s inbox
List Growth Rate: the rate at which your email list grows.
Email Sharing / Forwarding Rate: The percentage of email recipients who clicked on a ?share this? button to post email content to a social network and/ or clicked on a forward a friend button.
Overall ROI: The overall return on investment for your email campaigns. In other words, total revenue is divided by real spend
Source : Hubspot ? 8 Email Marketing Metrics
21 Always Edit Your Email Copywriting
You already know that all copywriting requires editing. But when it comes to email copywriting, giving your copy a second (or third) look pays big dividends.
That?s because, unlike a blog post or a web page, you can?t easily edit an email blast. There?s no Undo button ? no simple way to fix a typo or correct a mistake.
So, take the time to polish your email copy. Step away and come back with fresh eyes. Read it out loud and double-check all dates, prices, and links. You?ll avoid embarrassment and the extra work required to send a follow-up email righting your wrongs.
Conclusion
Email copywriting is a unique blend of method and art. But no two businesses are the same, and the same applies to copywriting.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to navigating the marketing ecosystem.
Instead, it may take time and experience to understand what captivates your audience and how to approach them effectively.
When in doubt, always remember :
Keep subject lines short - the language should be simple and easy to understand.
Maintain consistency - This will help ensure your brand reputation stays on top.
Maintain relevance - This will make it easier for your audience to relate to your brand.
Final Thoughts :
(A) We are providing email copywriting and email newsletter services - kindly find out here
(B) Email Marketing Mastery course (self-learning) - kindly find out here