7 Tips for writing emails that sell
Aaron Caister
I Build Growth Systems. I Ride Fast Bikes ???. I Make Marketing Pay For Itself.
Email marketing is still alive and kicking in 2022.
Email still gives the best return on investment over any other type of marketing.
Yet so many people struggle to make it work or don't even bother to utilise it.
If you want to get into email marketing here are 7 tips to writing emails that sell.
1. Know your audience
A massive part of writing good copy is research.
You need to know your audience.
Solving the above will mean your emails are talking directly to YOUR audience.
This will draw them in, they’ll hang on to your every word, and they’ll connect with you.
Having an audience that connects with you will drive trust and more sales.
2. Use great subject lines
We’re all bombarded with daily emails.
Some people receive 100s a day, so standing out from the crowd is an absolute must.
If your open rate is below 20% your subject lines are the first place to look.
A quick look at my emails and I’m hit with generic subject lines like:
Most of these go straight to the bin without being opened.
The whole point of a subject line is to create intrigue and draw people in to read your email.
Over the last few years I’ve had some cracking subject lines in emails sent from other people. These include:
See how they’re all different from the norm and even a little wacky.?
Don’t be afraid to get weird with subject lines, it’ll mean you stand out from the crowd and get an excellent open rate.
Do make sure the subject line gets woven into the email though!
If you want a guide to writing subject lines that increase open rates signup for my email newsletter below.
3. A banging first line
Now you have them reading your email, you need to keep them there.
I saw a report recently that identified that in the digital age modern man now has an attention span of 8 seconds.?
This is a second less than a goldfish.
If you start your email with some generic dross, people will switch off and probably close the email.
You need to start strong and draw them into what you’re going to tell them.
Whatever it is create intrigue, which means the reader has to continue reading.
4. Make the email easy to read
You're not writing a novel or completing an English exam.
Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
Use simple words and make it easy to read.
Your readers will appreciate it and so will your sales.
A quick tip is to paste what you've written into https://hemingwayapp.com/ and aim for a grade 5 or lower.
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5. Don't sell in every email
This is not a hard and fast rule, and some will disagree with me.
However, many of us are fed up with being sold to in every single email.
Instead of selling all the time, try giving your audience some value.
This will depend on what your niche is, but to provide a few examples:
This will build trust and further improve the relationship with your audience, so when you do come to sell, they’ll be more likely to buy.
6. Tell stories
Great copy is all about telling stories.
People love to read stories.
Stories are relatable and easy to read.
Much easier than a bunch of facts.
Tell them about you, your clients, the businesses you work with and your staff.
Have a quick read of the two fictional emails below:
EMAIL 1
With the new BMW S1000XR Motorbike you can:
Go 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds.
Feel at one with the road.
Turn into corners quicker and harder.
Cruise in comfort with better wind protection and electronic aids.
EMAIL 2
Let me tell you about our client James.
James is in his 30s and loves to go away on his motorbike with his mates.
Riding a sports bike on long trips was really starting to take its toll on his back, neck and wrists.
James came to us with the need to be able to travel long distances in comfort whilst at the same time wanting a bike that was just as quick as a sports bike on the road.
He arranged to have the new S1000XR over a weekend and took it on a 1000-mile round trip to Snowdonia.
He was sceptical of its high riding position that had him sitting more upright and thought it would be comfortable but dull compared to his sports bike.
When James returned to us, all he could talk about was the outright performance of the bike: the sports bike turn-in, how he was comfortable the whole trip, how being more upright meant he could see the road ahead better and most of all, how he wanted one.
He part exchanged his sports bike and is now the owner of what we think is the best all-around bike on the road.
Which one do you prefer?
They both tell the reader the same thing, but one of them is relatable. It stirs emotion, and the story sells the motorbike.
7. Tell your readers what you want them to do
In the copy world, this is called a ‘Call to Action’
If you’re selling, trying to get people to book appointments, click a link or want a reply, you NEED to tell them what you want them to do.
It could be as simple as ‘Book a Table here’.
But if you don’t put an action don’t expect people to do it!
Obviously, not every email needs a Call to Action, but if you are expecting your readers to do something, just make it easy on everyone and tell them.
Now email writing is a vast subject, and the best way to get good is to get stuck in and email your list.?
Look at stats like open rates and link clicks and figure out what works for your audience.
Making your physical products fly off your virtual shelves. Copywriting Consultant @ Build Grow Scale | Copywriting Consultant @ ESS | Freelance D2C Copy Strategist | Owner Of DB COPY LTD
2 年Pure quality, as always.