Planning an email campaign? What is the most daunting task for you, as a marketer? Most often, the answer is email copywriting. Yes, drafting an engaging copy and winning audiences can make most marketers steer away from crafting an email campaign.

It is not just about using the right words or avoiding certain phrases. You also need to know how to captivate the audience by packaging it right. Often, marketers focus on creating a custom email template design and the best responsive HTML email template but overlook the importance of email copy. 

Here, we will take you through all the steps that will help you deliver a powerful and engaging copy.

Write for the Segmented Audience

The email campaign you are planning will not be for the entire email list that is in your possession. You will segment the list and define the niche audience for whom you are launching the product or service or delivering the campaign.

When writing the copy, take into consideration this segmented list. You should write for them specifically. 

Let’s say you want to talk about an upgrade to a particular product. Your email will be sent to those who already have the product and would be willing to upgrade it.

The copy should have a headline hinting at the upgrade and show the new features that the existing users will be able to enjoy with it. 

A Single Conversion Goal

When you are writing a copy, you should have a conversion goal in mind. When you dedicate the copy towards this goal, you are bound to get more engagement. 

The copy should be focused, simple and effective. The goal is to make skimming easy and prompt the subscribers to click on the call-to-action button. 

Here’s an example from Intuit in which they have shared the new look of Mint and encouraged the recipients to “get the new Mint”.

https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/people-are-loving-the-new-mint/

 

Whether you want the users to click on the button to enter a landing page or people to register for the event, mention it in your content. The goal should be clear.

Catchy Subject Lines

An email’s first entry point happens to be the subject line. The subject line should set the stage for the email content. Here are a few tips to draft catchy subject lines.

  • It should be in line with your email. Don’t use clickbait subject lines, as eventually it will put the subscriber off your email list.
  • The length of the subject line is very crucial. In case your subscribers open the email on their phones, a long subject line may get clipped off. Anywhere between 6-10 words is good for the email.
  • You should use the pre-header text effectively if you want to increase the open rates. The pre-header text elaborates the subject line and provides insight into the content. Keep it short and simple. You should know the total number of words that go into the pre-header text, before moving ahead with it.
  • Don’t spam your subscriber’s inbox with meaningless words and phrases in the subject line.
  • You should generate a sense of urgency with your subject line

Converse with your Audience

The tone is very important in an email content. Your tone should be conversational, and should be more about the audience, and less about you. Even when you are introducing a new feature or a product, you should talk about how it will be useful to the audience. 

Obviously, you should talk about the benefits and features of the product but, make sure you do it while referring to your target audience. For instance, you don’t want to say how good the product is; instead, you should say how the product will be useful to the subscriber. This tone will be heard, and people will read the email and convert.

Keep it Simple and Scannable

How often have you heard people complain about the length of the email? It is not just the long email, but also the complexity and information overload that gets the people to repel from it. However, you can help reduce email withdrawal by keeping the whole content specific and simple.

If you have too many things to say, break it down into small paragraphs and give it a suitable heading. Use engaging words, but don’t write everything in the email. You just need to give a gist and allow the users to find the rest of it like Uber has done. A straightforward email will always keep the audience intrigued and engaged.


https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/your-safety-is-always-a-top-priority/

Refrain from Using Jargons

As tempting as it may sound, you should refrain from using any sort of jargon that might sound alien to the user. Technical terms are not very comforting to the layman, which is why you should use simple and easily comprehensible words in your email. 

The idea is to focus on the pain area and offer a solution via the email.

If you are into finance solutions writing an email to someone who has no idea about financial terms, using words like amortization may put them off. They will neither understand nor connect with your content. 

The word may sound in sync with the email content you are drafting but, it may not help win over the audience’s interest. 

Personalize the Emails

When you are crafting the content, make sure you refer to the person individually. You don’t want to make it sound very generic.

At the same time, you want to make sure that your personality is reflected through the email. The image should be striking and connect with the audience. 

https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/did-you-know-we-ve-made-big-changes-in-the-last-year/

Test Before Hitting Send

It is important that you test all your emails and then send the content that you believe will work with the target audience. Always craft two different versions of the email copy and use the available online tools to test these variants. The test results will help understand which version will work with the target audience.

Bonus Tip

As important as it is to create responsive HTML email templates that render well on every device and email client, you should always consider the buyer’s journey and their mindset before drafting your email copy. For example: According to Chet Holmes Pyramid, only 3% of your prospects are ready to buy. 

You should also take into account whether the prospect is in the awareness, consideration or decision stage. 

Another tenet suggests the usage of nine-word email template for re-engagement emails that asks the subscriber is they are still interested in the concerned subject. This formula can be successfully used to revive dormant customers. For instance, Are you still interested in the trip to Paris? would work as a great subject line to win back a dead lead. 

Wrap up

Powerful copy results in captivating the audience, engaging them and helping you attain your conversion goals. You should ideally write for a single segment with a single conversion goal in mind. Think of how you can include all the information without complicating the copy or increasing the length of the email.

The key to increasing open rates is personalization and simplicity.

Author Bio

Kevin is the Head of Marketing at EmailMonks – one of the fastest growing Email design and coding companies, specializes in crafting templates, PSD to HTML email conversion and provides free email templates. He loves gadgets, bikes, jazz, and breathes ‘email marketing.’ Get the latest updates on email marketing trends at his EmailMonks blog.