How to create great email copy and stay true to yourself

Jun 23, 2023

It doesn't take an email copywriter to create brilliant newsletters. This is how you can create amazing content without claiming to pretend to.

It's obvious that you must create a newsletter, however, writing the content can be a little difficult.

What can you do to grab the attention of your readers and make them want to open each time?

There's a good thing that you don't need to be an author to craft content that is sure to impress your audience.

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Your email should be framed around a clear goal

In order to begin a journey you must have a destination. The same is true for each and every newsletter you publish.

You can ask yourself "What's the result of this email?" and work your way backward. As an example, you might ask them to click on to check out your most recent blog, or to purchase something.

Once you know your outcome, work out how you can make that journey as easy as possible for the reader.

For example, Brooks wanted its customers to sign up for their online shoe finder.

The first email they sent out contained an intriguing photo of mismatched footwear. The picture is also accompanied by a graphic that reads "Let us match you with". The text beneath will continue to encourage your reader to the ultimate goal with a friendly conversational style.

Then they switch to a different color in the next paragraph to draw the attention of viewers. If a reader was skimming the email, that's the place they'll likely end up. This is where they introduce the"call to action" (CTA).

Placing your CTA farther down the text improves conversions by up to 304 percent compared to having it at the top. Even better is to have it stand out, as Brooks has done, using an attractive button.

Make sure to draw more interest to your CTA By using Moment  The approach of Moment. To advertise their book of photography tips, they created a dedicated newsletter.

Each of the five suggestions comes with a box along with a few tips and two pictures to illustrate the concept. A button leads the reader to the specific suggestion, but it's recommended to stay inside the email and read the entire list of recommendations.

After that, click through to see all blog posts.

The advantage of this strategy is that it guides you across the series of blogs and provides value in each summary. When you arrive to the CTA you'll be ready and excited to know more.

As with Moment You can provide multiple opportunities for your readers to click. They also use the lower section of their newsletters to advertise additional offers like the trip that they are planning to Iceland.

This works because the primary CTA as well as the reason for the newsletter are clear and set. The newsletter doesn't create distraction. However, this doesn't mean that it's a good idea to include each and every offer that you can in each newsletter.

If you're eager to begin planning your email journey, download the outline template . The template can be edited directly within your own Canva .

Once you've found an effective email structure and chosen your CTAs then the toughest task is over. The next step is to find the great email content to go along with it.

You might think that strong writing requires a lot of cleverness and glitz, but it's far better recognized. Who better understands your needs than a friend?

Write to your reader like they were your friend

If you've ever read some newsletter tips, chances are you've come across this gem: "personalize your emails".

Personalizing emails is a great idea, however, not the way you imagine. Do not bother to include the user's initials -- this is a possibility to fail easily , and it doesn't create a personalized email.

The thing that makes an email personal is the copy. The best email copy will feel as if that it was composed only to you by someone you know. It speaks to your desires, desires, or your sense of humor.

This is an excerpt of a recent email by Ann which shows how warm and personal her writing.

Notice the familiar opening "Hi, Sweet Cheeks" and how she swiftly engages her audience in "You may recognize him by".

Like Ann like Ann, you can make your way into readers' hearts through writing letters to them like they were acquaintance.

Use second-person pronouns ("you/your") and use the active voice whenever is possible.

Examples:

Instead of " Our cake recipes are loved by our members," say, "You enjoy our cakes recipes".

In place of "Readers were found to be struggling with semicolons,"" say, "I I know that you are averse to semicolons".

The latest versions have a more clear message and will grab the attention of your readers. Utilize this strategy to help readers be interested in the message you're making.

If you'd like to get an idea for your writing Here's a collection of email templates that are free:

Segment your email list

If you want to treat your subscriber as if they were a acquaintance, you must know them a little.

This is the point where segmentation comes into play.

Segmentation refers to the process of separating your mailing lists into distinct demographic categories. Then, you can send marketing campaigns that are most relevant to the particular segment.

You could, for instance, create a new segment subscribers, and use it to send emails which bring them up level with your activities.

Segmenting can be extremely effective. 82% of marketers have a better opening rate when they use segmented campaigns compared to non-segmented campaigns.

Segmentation is accompanied by some warnings.

For example, you might believe that splitting your data by gender or age is smart. However, it's not telling you anything useful about a person's preferences or worries.

It's more beneficial to segment through pain points and previous behaviors rather as opposed to based on demographics.

If, for instance, you are selling painting lessons the idea of separating your customers by gender isn't going to help sell your classes. Understanding what courses they've previously signed up for (watercolor for beginners, acrylic portraits, etc.) gives you much more helpful information.

If you haven't segmented your subscribers in any way when building your email list Don't be worried.

Here are two easy segmentation methods that you can implement at any stage of your email list. You can segment your customers based on the past purchase or behaviour.

For example, imagine you could offer a free "social media 101" checklist" along with an "advanced blogger automation" course. Based on their purchases, these audiences have different capabilities.

In that case, it'd make sense to send them diverse newsletters. As an example, one would include more beginner-level resources.

The behavior of your subscribers is dependent on the behavior of your subscriber. Send an email to those who've left items out of checkout in order for them to be reengaged or new subscribers, to say hello.

In this case, Birdie sends the follow-up message to subscribers who have joined her. She introduces herself as well as her work, so they feel comfortable in her environment.

As with Birdie Like Birdie, you can provide some information regarding yourself and your business. This will make your new subscribers feel welcome and engaged.

Another strategy to market your business is one that is asking your viewers which category they belong to. Here's how Vassilena Valchanova does it.

The email allows her to segment her audience based on their roles (freelancers or in-house marketers etc.) and their interests.

After they've completed the short questionnaire, Vassilena ensures they only get the kind of content they want in their inbox. The result is win-win for both the both the newsletter's creator and subscriber.

The gist of it:

Get personal with your email message and send it to your readers as if know them personally. Be sure to break up your list if it helps you be more precise with the content of your emails.

Make sure you grab the attention of your readers before they even open your email

Making your email content more appealing is just one part of the equation. To get your newsletter to the next level, you must improve the content that you put in it, including your subject line, preview text and recipient's name.

These might feel secondary to the email you sent, however they all play an important role in determining whether an individual decides to open it or not. 47percent of recipients open emails based on their subject lines alone. However, 42% of those check the sender's name prior to opening the email.

One of the best emails copywriting tips I could give is do nottreat them as an afterthought.

Select the name of your recipient

Your sender's name is the visible name. For example, here are some names of senders in my inbox, coupled with their subject line.

There's a variety of names available, from business names (Netflix, EFS, BrowserStack) Personal names (Allison Ashleigh and Allison Ashleigh) in addition to the middle choice (Will at Mailjet). The three options listed above are the most popular names used by senders.

Which is the best option for your personal needs and small business?

There are several checks your sender's name must pass to pass in order to stay out of the junk mail folder.

It is essential that it:

It appears real. Don't use an email address for a fake name.

Be recognizableby the reader. A person's name is generally just a good choice if it's the name of your business or is it is accompanied by the name of your brand (e.g., Will at Mailjet).

Be short,or it might get removed. Like, for instance in my Gmail inbox cuts names off within 20 characters.

Although small, you are mighty. Your name is the first thing people receive in their inbox. Here's the second.

Think of a subject phrase

Here are a few you can inspire yourself from:

Answer a question, e.g., "Wouldn't you like to have in a 3-day work week?"

Create a sense of the urgency of your situation,e.g., "Spring discount will end at midnight tonight".

Upload the "how to",e.g., "How to cut your cat's claws without loss of the arm".

Include a statistic or number,e.g., "57% of sailors are more enthralled by oranges than bacon".

Display a list of options,e.g., "17 methods of making tables without any the use of tools".

It is important to know exactly the contents,e.g., "[PodcastMeet our founder".

You're unsure which you should pick? If you're in doubt, it's best to be clear than intelligent.

Your customers need to understand quickly what's in it for them. Don't be afraid to tell me. Nobody will ever complain that the subject matter is straightforward to grasp.

It is also possible to combine the formulas above. This headline from Jimmy Daly's Superpath newsletter is a great way to be transparent while using this "how to" approach. Prior to opening the newsletter you're aware of what it's about and how useful it'll be for you.

The subject line is only part of the equation; it needs to work alongside your preview text to be powerful. Preview text also referred to as pre-header, is the text that appears after your subject line in your email inbox.

Check out this subject line as well as the preview texts from the Newsette . The subject line is intriguing, but the preview text is what is what makes it truly stand out with its humorous tone.

Click here to determine if ketchup masks are absurd or not. (Spoiler: they are).

It is also possible to develop intriguing subject lines similar to the one in the newspaper. Just make sure your content follows through, or it could trigger a wave of unsubscribes.

Subject lines don't need to be witty or elaborate for them to be effective. It's all they need is to keep your target audience's thoughts in their minds.

You've worked out what your email will look like and even written the copy. The display names, the preview text as well as subject lines provide the last push that will convince the recipients to read the email.

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Create a copywriting plan for your email

You don't need to be a professional writer or know any information about marketing content for newsletters that your customers will appreciate.

These are the steps you must follow to create your next email:

Start with the goal to build an outline for your email.

Then, you must decide on what the journey of your reader will take them on. That includes deciding on your main call to action.

Personalize your email by talking to your reader directly and segmenting your list to reflect their interests.

Choose a sender's name that's well-known, like your company's name.

Write a strong headline and preview text to encourage your readers to open your newsletter.

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