Writing the Subject Line
The subject line is the first thing your subscribers will see, and you’ll want to make sure it’s not the only thing they see. It won’t matter how well written your email copy is if you can’t get people to open it first.
1. Use Actionable Language
The easiest way to incorporate actionable language is to use verbs that direct your subscribers to take action, for example to buy, download, try, sign-up, or register. This makes it clear to the reader what they will be able to do if they read your message.
2. Get Personal
Subscribers aren’t drawn in anymore with simple tricks like using their first name. To personalize emails today and get the best open rates you’ll want to use highly targeted subject lines based on all available information in your database, like demographics and past sales.
3. Be Clear
While using humor and other tricks may catch your subscriber’s eyes, make sure it’s secondary to writing a subject line that makes it clear what your message will be about.
4. Match the Subject to the Body
Just because you can draw people in with your subject line doesn’t mean you’ll have a good click through rate. If your copy doesn’t deliver on what the subject suggests you’ll see poor results and your subscribers will soon start ignoring your emails altogether.
Writing the Message Body
Now that you’ve crossed the first major hurdle and gotten your subscriber to open your message, how do you get them to take action?
5. Be Relevant
You’ve personalized the subject of your email, you’ll want to do the same to the body. Open your message by letting the subscriber know how you’re connected, reminding them of past dealings to jog their memory and make them more likely to click on what you currently have on offer.
6. From the Second Person
Instead of sayings “we” or “I” in your message, write from the second person using words like “you” and “your” instead. This puts the focus on the reader, not on your company, and gives your message a friendlier and more personal feel.
7. Focus on Benefits
Your message should focus on the benefits of your offer, like explaining how they can use it and why they’ll find it valuable. Many marketers fall into the trap of trying to sell a feature, for example a storewide 10% discount coupon, without any context.
8. Be Concise
Most people typically won’t spend a lot of time reading through marketing emails. They’ll just skim them over for key points, so resist the urge to write a short story. Keep your message concise so readers can quickly decide if they’re interested in your offer and then click for more details.
9. Be Human
Let your personality come through in your messages so your readers feel like they’re talking to another human being and not a faceless corporation. This can help develop a much more personal connection with subscribers.
10. Your Call to Action
Your message should include a call to action, be sure to make it as obvious as possible as it’s the key thing you want your readers to see. You can do this with good design and use of color, but also consider that some readers may not be seeing your images or fancy HTML, so your plain text version should also have a clear call to action.
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