Email marketing stands out as a primary revenue generator in the realm of digital marketing. Numerous companies have leveraged it to establish connections with customers and showcase their expertise, ultimately boosting sales. Its effectiveness is undeniable, making it a crucial marketing channel that should not be overlooked. In fact, email marketing is up to 40 times more effective than social media, according to a study done by McKinsey & Company.
However, the popularity of this strategy is no secret, with many brands intensifying their focus on email marketing. To stand out in the crowded inbox and capture the attention of your subscribers, your emails need to be distinctive.
Crafting an email that converts is both an art and a science, demanding a combination of persuasive writing, strategic formatting, and psychological insight. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the process, offering valuable insights into creating emails that converts. With the proven effectiveness of email marketing, these insights could be the key to unlocking significant growth for your business.
Understand Your Audience
Research is the foundation of successful email marketing. Thoroughly research your target audience, considering their mindset, interests, and preferences. A one-size-fits-all approach won't work for a diverse audience with unique characteristics. Delve into their pain points, language, and motivations.
Segment your audience into buyer personas based on this data and tailor your emails accordingly. This personalised approach ensures your messages resonate with your ideal audience. Effective email personalization goes beyond understanding behavioural patterns. Incorporate the recipient’s name, offer discounts for special occasions, and recommend items based on their shopping history.
Craft a Compelling Subject Line
Your subject line is the first impression you make. It should be intriguing enough to prompt an open but relevant to the content inside. To stand out, craft clear subject lines that hint at the value of the email. Experiment with different compelling variations through A/B testing on a small group of recipients.
Given that 33% of recipients open emails based on the subject line alone, writing enticing subject lines is paramount for email that converts. Incorporate elements like urgency, curiosity, special offers, personalised content, relevance, and timeliness to entice subscribers to open your emails. Consider what would capture your interest and use that as inspiration when creating subject lines. This approach ensures your subject lines compel readers to open your emails. Personalization, such as including the recipient’s name, can also boost open rates.
Get to the Point Quickly
Email recipients are often busy. Make sure your email is concise and gets to the main point quickly. People with busy schedules usually remember the beginning and end of an email. So, when you’re writing an email, make sure the first thing they see is interesting. It could be a catchy title with a great deal or a genuine opening line.
Keep your emails short and sweet for those who are always on the go. Aim for 2-5 sentences per email, with each sentence containing 50-125 words and the total not going over 200 words. Use bullet points to make your information more digestible. This way, you can effectively communicate your message without taking up too much of their time.
Offer a Discount or Freebies
If your customers have shown interest in your business by signing up for your newsletter, it’s a good idea to further engage them by providing special offers and discounts.
People are always attracted to a good bargain. Including a discount or freebie in your email can make your offer more appealing and increase the chances of a sale. By offering a discount, you’re essentially providing an incentive for customers to purchase your product, which can boost sales and customer engagement.
Use Engaging Visuals
One way to make your sales emails more engaging is by incorporating visuals. This can help capture the reader’s attention. These visuals could be images, GIFs, user-generated content (UGC), videos, cinemagraphs, infographics, and so on. As long as they’re relevant, they can enhance the appeal of your email.
It’s also crucial to ensure that these visuals, along with the rest of your email, are optimised for mobile devices, as most recipients are likely to view your email on their smartphones.
Include a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
Your CTA is perhaps the most critical part of your email. It should be clear, compelling, and easy to find. To ensure effectiveness, each email should contain a single, clickable call to action (CTA). Even if your aim is to educate, you should always encourage the next step. A CTA can be as simple as “reply to this message” or “download your PDF.”
Remember, every piece of communication should have a purpose and bring you closer to your goal. Avoid sending aimless emails as they are likely to be ignored given the limited attention span of your audience. Stick to one strong CTA per email, backed by a hyperlink.
The CTA tells the reader exactly what to do next and can be a button or a direct question. Examples of CTAs include “Are you free tomorrow at [blank times] to chat more?” or “Set up a consultation now.” These direct instructions or questions increase the likelihood that the reader will respond to your request
Test, Test, Test
Finally, always test different versions of your email to see what works best. Before you send a sales email to your entire list, it’s a good idea to test it on a smaller group first. This allows you to ensure that everything is functioning as it should and that the email will be received by your intended recipients. You can also check the formatting of your email to make sure it displays correctly and identify any potential issues that could arise when the email is sent.
Previewing the email in your own inbox lets you see how it looks to the recipient. This process helps you focus on the most important aspect: writing emails that convert people into customers. Remember, testing is crucial in an email marketing campaign due to its complexity. A/B testing can help you figure out what resonates best with your customers and leads to the most conversions. If you encounter any issues in your campaign, testing can help identify and resolve them. If you see positive results, you can then focus on scaling the campaign.
Final Thought
While some may view email as a bit “outdated,” it remains a powerful tool because of its effectiveness and proven results. Email marketing allows businesses to save time and connect with billions of individuals globally each day. No matter your company’s area of expertise, adhering to the aforementioned email writing guidelines can enhance your campaign’s performance and ultimately boost your profits.
By following these steps and continually refining your strategy based on feedback and data, you can create emails that not only capture attention but also convert readers into customers. Remember, the key is to provide value and make it easy for the reader to take the next step.
Feel free to get in touch with me if you're interested in mastering the art of crafting compelling emails that drive results. I'm here to assist with your business requirements at any time. Let's enhance your email game together!
