An e-newsletter is one of the most effective ways to share content, connect with customers and engage with new leads.
The challenge is in compelling your subscribers open, read and take action. Their inboxes are being flooded with emails, but you can get above the noise by continually delivering well-written interesting e-newsletters.
All you need to do is follow a few email copywriting best practises.
4 Tips for Remarkable Email Copy
1. Prioritize the Subject Line
It’s the shortest piece of content you’ll have to write, but a crucial component. If your subscribers aren’t persuaded by your subject line, your email content won’t be read.
It’s worthwhile spending some time to craft a click-worthy subject line.
A great subject line:
- Includes action-oriented words – inspire people to click by introducing a sense of urgency or excitement.
- Tells them what’s inside – your subject line should align with your email copy and set an expectation of what’s inside. Clarity is key.
- Short and Sweet – shorter subject lines perform better. It is recommended to stick to around 50 characters or 5-7 words.
- Personalized – if you’ve segmented your email lists, you have the opportunity to personalize your subject lines to that targeted audience, to better share the content they’re looking for.
“When it comes to email marketing, the best subject lines tell what’s inside, and the worst subject lines sell what’s inside.”
2. Blend Educational Copy with Promotional Copy
Subscribers don’t want to hear about you 100% of the time.
If all you’re doing through your e-newsletter is sharing company news, product information or a sales pitch, it’s only a matter of time before you get tuned out and removed from their inbox completely.
To build relationships and keep connected with customers and prospects, be sure to include educational and relevant information. This could be anything, from highlighting a new blog post to curating relevant industry trends to providing exclusive content.
By delivering valuable and useful content, your subscribers will look forward to your next e-newsletter and keep your organization top of mind.
There’s a place for promotional content within your e-newsletter, but it should not be the main focus. Try writing copy that is 80% educational and 20% promotional.
3. Write for the Skimmers
Very few people are reading your messages word for word. When formatting your copy, write for those who scan.
- Sentences should be short, paragraphs limited to a single-point.
- Use boldface and bullets to identify main points.
- Use subheadings to break up content.
- Make use of whitespace for a manageable appearance.
Your readers should be able to easily and quickly understand your message when scanning through your email copy. If they can understand after a few seconds of scanning, they’ll be able to take the desired action.
4. Include a Clear Call-to-Action
Ask your readers to do something.
Each e-newsletter you craft should have one goal clearly defined, and that should be: What is it you want your readers to do after opening and reading your email copy?
If you want a reader to take action, you must specifically ask them to do it and tell them how to do it. Don’t assume your readers know what you want or how to go about it.
Your call-to-action copy should be clear and action-oriented, with limited effort required to act.
It should be written in a way that tells the reader what to expect and reinforces that it will be fast and easy. And, it amplifies the value of taking action.
The call-to-action is your end-game, so make it strong and unmistakable.