4 Proven Email Copywriting Templates

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Email... is NOT dead. Here are four of the most profitable email templates you should be using as a copywriter.

Hey guys, it’s Alex. Thanks for being here. Every single week I release a new tutorial on copywriting tips and trends that are relevant TODAY! Be sure to subscribe to this newsletter The Right Phase Pays if you haven't already so you don’t miss any more articles from me.

Ok now first things first — I need to set the record straight. If you’re wondering if there is still a future for email marketing, the answer is YES. I mean, do you know anybody without an email address? Your 98-year-old gramma doesn’t count... 

In the US alone — 92% of adults use email, and 61% of them check and send emails daily. 

So while other marketing channels are indeed on the rise, like YouTube, push notifications, Facebook Messenger and SMS marketing, email is still one of the most effective and personalized ways for businesses to communicate with their audience. It helps them improve their reach and visibility, and convert more leads on a consistent basis. 

Now while email deliverability is getting harder, thanks to those douchey people who make the internet a filthy minefield of clickbait and phishing scams, tighter spam restrictions are not necessarily a bad thing.

It actually creates a huge opportunity for those of us who want to play by the rules and use email as a way to authentically market our products and services.

So yes — whether it’s a weekly newsletter, an autoresponder, a sales campaign, or an email update during an online course… email marketing is here to stay. Especially if you’re sending hyper-relevant behavior based emails in real time at the right time.

So, as a copywriter, your job is to write email messages that matter to the subscriber, and ultimately compel them to take action.

While there are dozens of different email marketing examples out there, I’ve narrowed down my list of favorites...

Here are my 4 go-to Email Copywriting Templates that engage and convert. 

Email #1 The Click Magnet

The first is what I like to call the “Click Magnet”. This type of email is short and sweet – sometimes no more than 10 words or so. It builds curiosity and opens a loop in the reader’s mind. Click Magnets are succinct, conversational messages that rely heavily on a call-to-action that piques your prospect's curiosity or triggers a micro-commitment, like answering a yes or no question.

Paired with a compelling subject line, these short emails can drive a massive amount of clicks, which make them fantastic for reviving dead leads or starting a dialogue with your prospects. 

One example of a click magnet email is Dean Jackon’s “9-word email” that goes something like this: 

Alex, are you still interested in __________. That’s it. The blank being whatever topic, niche or product you’re writing for. 

Or here’s another example used in Real Estate. “Joe, are you still looking to buy a house in Ohio?”

I’ve used this sort of email to re-engage cold leads and it works like crazy – if you don’t overdo it. 

Another click magnet style that I really like is a point-form template that my friend and copywriter Tellman Knudson pioneered when promoting Numerologist.com.

It says simply…

1. Don't believe me (just try)
2. This is completely nuts.
3. My jaw dropped when I read my report.
4. [Pop in your name and birthday and see for yourself]. (it’s free)
5. Seriously. I never believed in this stuff until I met this guy a few months ago…

He listed what sounded like a series of short text messages you’d send a friend. It built up massive curiosity around the single call to action, which was to get your free numerology reading.

Now, of course, like any technique or method, the Click Magnet has its pros and cons. 

As I mentioned before, short emails have the power to garner a bunch of clicks. They are quick to write and can pack a big punch in just a few words. They are also less of a commitment for those who don’t have the time or interest in reading novels in their inbox.

But, on the flip side, it’s difficult to develop trust with just a sentence or two. So, unless your audience knows your brand well, they might not take the bait. Short emails leave little room to address your customer’s objections or pre-frame a sale, so expect the bounce rate after your CTA to be higher than usual. 

The goal for this template is to START a conversation, which means the copy on your site post-click needs to work harder to continue the dialogue, communicate value and build trust, or you’ll risk having a much lower conversion rate. 

#2 The Objection Killer 

The second proven email template is worth its weight in gold. It’s heavy, but it works. I call it The Objection Killer. This is a long-form storytelling email that is practically the first half of your sales letter! 

This type of email feels personal, builds brand loyalty and provides endless opportunities for you to overcome your audience’s objections – right there in their inbox, while you have their trust and attention. 

So the key with any long email is to hook your reader’s attention right away and keep it by telling a story that’s believable, relatable, and valuable.  

One entrepreneur that pioneered this style of email copywriting is Matt Furey.

In his sales campaigns, Matt uses his own personal story to authentically share the benefits and potential results that his readers can achieve with his fitness products, and squashing any potential objections they might have in the process. 

The way he uses storytelling to strategically open loops is genius and creates highly committed and highly-engaged readers.

There’s no doubt that people who click on long emails are more committed, resulting in a much higher on-site conversion rate. 

BUT, it doesn’t always work. As a copywriter, you can’t half-ass your way into this one.

Long, emails like this take time to write well. If you’re too long-winded, or verbose, you will lose your reader’s attention FAST, drastically decreasing your email click-through-rate. Just like an effective sales letter, these emails need to be potent, engaging and skimmable. So no walls of text allowed… keep all paragraphs short and format your emails so they are narrower and easy to read. 

To learn more about Matt’s brilliant email methods, you can check out his Official Product Page and his Email Swipes.

#3 The Fire Sale

This next template is an email copywriting classic. The good ol’ fire sale. It’s basically “here’s what you’ll get and here’s why you need to buy now.” Plain and simple.

It’s not romantic, but it does the job.

The goal of this style of email is to make quick sales and it includes 3 main elements:

1. A Discount or Premium: So, throw in some limited-time bonuses or lower the price of your original offer to increase the value/price gap.
2. A Strong Reason Why: Make sure to give a good, but brief explanation on why you’re having this sale.
3. Scarcity: Give your reader a deadline or quantity limitation so they act right away. 

This simple email template allows any business with an email list to ramp up their sales for a limited period of time. You could use this for a holiday sale like Black Friday or Back to School, or use a personal reason for the discount, such as your anniversary or a day that is special to a cause or mission that your business supports. 

The best part is, this template can be used time and time again – just replace the information and you’re ready to rock. 

The bad news is, because these emails are quite salesy, and not exactly personal… they will not be well received by cold leads or a list where there is a low level of trust.

This style of email works best when used with an audience you contact regularly and who are very familiar with your brand. 

Also, a quick heads up – since these types of emails often include a lot of words that may be deemed “spammy” like “sale” “discount” “free” etc. you want to make sure you’re being careful with the language you’re using to avoid landing in the junk folder. Make sure to run your email through a spam tester before sending.

One of my favorite examples of this style of campaign comes from another marketing powerhouse, Frank Kern, who has created an incredibly effective, high-converting fire sale formula called the 4-Day Cash Machine. You can check out his Official Product Page and this 4-Day Cash Machine Review.

#4 The Soap Opera

The last email template is called the Soap Opera and it works exactly like, well, a Soap Opera. Soap Opera emails create open loops throughout an entire campaign by using the art of serialized storytelling. Imagine leaving a cliffhanger at the end of each email that continues into the next one, just like your favorite Netflix drama or Soap Opera.

This type of email was pioneered by my friend and brilliant copywriter Andre Chaperon in his Autoresponder Madness Course. His brilliant “soap opera sequences” tell a story throughout a series of carefully crafted emails, each one leaving his readers wanting more. The more they read, the more engaged they become and the more likely they are to buy.

Soap Opera emails create a series of valuable touch points that help you create a strong connection with your audience. They get your readers committed! Not just to your brand and your offer, but also your mission, your personality, and your story.

Now, because this type of email style requires a whole series, it is best used in autoresponder campaigns or evergreen funnels for a targeted list. But the emails do have their downside. They require thoughtful planning and storyboarding process, and are definitely not for people who are reluctant to write.

Some of Andre Chaperon’s sequences can stretch up to 25 emails! With that being said, if you get it right, this type of email campaign is a total game-changer for creating mad brand loyalty. Check out his Official Sales Page here.

And there you have it! My four go-to email templates whether you want high engagement, high conversions, a quick spike in cash flow or increased brand loyalty.

Make sure that whatever template you choose fits your brand voice and audience, and always nurture your list with lots of value and love so that these emails can continue to work effectively for you.

Tell me, which types of emails do you love to receive most and why. Comment below and let me know.

I’ll see you next week for my next article. Thanks for reading, Ciao guys!

Alex Cattoni is the Founder of the Copy Posse Agency and Academy. Since 2011, she has launched several successful brands and has proudly partnered with many of the hottest transformational brands and businesses on the planet, writing high-converting sales copy, scaling multi-million dollar brands, and crafting iconic promotional campaigns.

Today, she’s on a mission to mobilize the raddest, baddest crew of authentic copywriters with a passion for creating community, credibility and conversions with nothing but powerful and precise wording.

Through her weekly YouTube videos, Alex helps copywriters, aspiring copywriters and entrepreneurs learn, write and ignite their businesses with words that work.