Email marketing scares some small business owners. Writing an individual email is scary enough if you’re not a writer. Sending an email to an entire mailing list can be terrifying!
Fortunately, writing the perfect email isn’t enough. Even those of us who aren’t natural writers can excel once they’ve figured out the essential components.
Here’s how to write the perfect email.
1. Begin with a Catchy Headline
The average office worker receives 121 emails per day. That’s a lot of activity in one inbox, so you need to grab their attention right away.
The subject line is crucial. There are several ways to make your subject line stand out.
A catchy subject line may also include an emoji. Emojis aren’t appropriate for all businesses, but for some, it’s a fun way to stand out in a text-heavy inbox.
2. Copywriting Tips
Keep sentences short, avoid jargon and technical speak, and make your email offer clear. No one has time to read a thousand word email because we all get so many every day. Keep it to 250-500 words, and highlight the most important keywords. For example, bolding relevant text or including an image that draws the viewer’s eye to the message’s core.
This list of dos and don’ts will help you improve your copywriting skills.
3. Add Elements Other Than Text
Making a great email is all about standing out. Add elements beyond text are a great way to do that. Add a stunning photo, an informative infographic, or a quick video to your messaging.
If you go this route, set it up with a sentence or two and let the media do the rest. Include captions on images if needed to provide context. Subtitles should be included in videos so that people who can’t turn up the volume can still understand the content.
4. Adapt the Message
Personalizing email takes a few steps. Start by segmenting your lists. You can target different subsets of your population with messaging that is most relevant to them by categorizing your customers and prospects based on demographics (like age, location, or gender).
This doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel for each group, but you can tweak the messaging to best appeal to them. Say you own a landscaping company. You have a big summer promotion: anyone who schedules regular yard work appointments gets 10% off each session.
This is great news for all of your customers, but you can segment your list to target specific groups. Assume you’ve segmented your list by current service types. For those who use your gardening services emphasize how you will keep their flowers blooming all season long at a fraction of the cost. “The only thing better than the smell of fresh-cut grass is saving 10% off your lawn care services this summer,” you can write in the email.
Rather than a generic “Hello there,” use merge tags to personalize the messages even more.
5. Close with a CTA
It’s time to wow your readers with relevant, personalized content and eye-catching visuals. One simple, clear call to action that ties in with the rest of the email will do.
If your email was about a current sale, include a link to your e-commerce site. If you’re offering a free ebook, include a “Get the book” link. Regardless, make sure the call to action is visually distinct from the rest of the email content.
6. Remember to make unsubscribe option available
Last but not least, allow readers to unsubscribe. It’s not only legal, but it can help you keep a clean email list. Your ISP may penalize you if your emails go to spam folders or are deleted without being opened. A clean email list ensures that your messages reach your most engaged subscribers.
Keep creating compelling marketing emails once you get the hang of it! Keeping in touch with your subscribers on a regular basis is the best way to stay top-of-mind.