The dreaded marketing email. They are always there, cluttering up your beautifully organised inbox. Whether you’re a fan or not, marketing emails are incredibly valuable for businesses and it’s no surprise we receive so many. In fact, 59% of surveyed B2B marketers identified email as the best channel for generating revenue.
A large proportion of people and businesses will ignore these emails; many will be automatically placed in spam. But there are also a number of people who do read these, resulting in a purchase or investment being made. The difference between a recipient ignoring and engaging with these emails, is good copywriting. It’s what makes an email stand-out – for the right and wrong reasons.
There is a fine balance to be had with email copywriting: too conversational and informal, you risk losing interest or missing the point; too marketing-heavy and sales-focused, you risk overwhelming the prospect. It’s a style that many businesses struggle to acquire and will, as a consequence, miss out on engagement and potential revenue. Email copywriting is complicated, but it can be mastered. Here’s how…
Nail the Subject Line
The subject line is the most important part of your email. It should grab attention and inspire that person to click, and continue reading. A failed headline, is a failed email. When writing subject lines, ask yourself: would I really be driven to open this? Go bold and think outside the box but be cautious, as they usually shape the first impressions of your brand.
Be punchy and to the point. Research has shown that subject lines consisting of six to ten words are the most effective in terms of engagement. People want to know exactly what you’re offering from that small snippet. A long, inexplicit headline will be lost among thousands of other emails. No matter how slick and well-crafted your email content, it risks never being opened if the subject line fails to attract.
Strong Headlines
Now you’ve got the prospect to open your email, the next few steps are so important. Your headline is a continuation of the subject line – it has to deliver on what you promised. It’s a way to welcome in the reader and set them on their way to the call-to-action (CTA). Again, a headline should be out there, but clearly outline what you want the prospect to do while they are here. Always ensure the headline is at the very top of the email. People will nearly always jump to the headline, meaning vital content before this is likely to go unseen and ignored.
It’s All About Them
Like most things when it comes to marketing, the content should be customer-centric. It should revolve around their needs and what they can get from your service. Focus on them and not yourself. Use language like ‘you’, not ‘we’ or ‘I.’ This is so simple but so effective, across all forms of marketing. It makes the recipient feel in control of what they are consuming. A conversational tone is also a great way to make people feel comfortable, and it will help your business appear credible and trustworthy. Being personal goes a long way so address the prospect by their name. Connect with them as a person and not as a potential profit opportunity.
Avoid Jargon
Again, this is all about making the prospect feel in control and comfortable. Jargon can be confusing and will cloud an email’s true message. People want to read stuff they can understand. They don’t need to know you’re on-trend with the industry. Buzzwords and fad phrases are unhelpful, and people can see through this use of language. Instead, be simple and brief. Remember: less is more.
Use the Best Call to Action Practices
A marketing email should always lead to a call to action (CTA). These should shape the flow, tone and direction of the entire email. It is, however, vital that you apply CTAs correctly. First of all, the majority of emails should only contain one CTA. This ensures that there is a sole focus, and narrows the final outcome: ignore or follow up on what you’re asking. They should also focus on what the prospect is getting, not doing. For example, a download button is fairly self-explanatory. But it does little to motivate or inspire the prospect. A CTA button like: ‘increase conversions by 10%’ is far more effective. This shows people exactly what they are going to get, and is much more likely to initiate a CTA.
Draft
Finally, don’t settle for your first version. Try and write three drafts per email and, from there, select the one that you feel will have the best impact. Marketing emails should have that ‘wow factor’ so, until you find it, keep on drafting. If you don’t think you would be interested or compelled to read the email, it’s likely your customer won’t either.
Hopefully, you’re now more confident writing emails you know will convert. How you appear in your email, will determine whether anything comes from it – so it is vital that you get your copywriting right.
If you have any questions regarding copywriting, email marketing or any of the other points above, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team at Mint Content – get in touch!
