5 Keys To Emails That Convert
99% of people miss the boat when it comes to writing emails that convert.
Having written emails for clients in pretty much every market has given me a broad overview and insight into how people are approaching email marketing campaigns and also what works and what doesn’t.
Here are 5 areas you should look at when setting out to write emails, if you are going to do it yourself.
1. Subject lines – should invoke curiosity, be clear and deliver a benefit.
If your emails are even getting delivered, as many ISP’S are blacklisting ips and deciding for you whether you should get them or not. But if your emails are getting delivered, the next hurdle you face is getting them seen and opened.
Subject lines are critical!
They are in email what headlines are in newspapers, magazines, sales pages, direct mail etc.
Now having rewritten thousands for clients, I have seen my fair share of ineffective subject lines.
Your task is to get them to open it when your email is sitting next to a pile of spam and a pile of email from their friends and family.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to create curiosity but at the same time be clear with a strong benefit that is targeted at them.
The benefit is what is does for them, not what it does for you or even what the product or service feature is. It’s how it will solve their pain and problem
2. Write a winning opening line – In many email programs the very first line is shown in the preview window. This means you need to pick your words carefully. That line might be the difference between them opening or moving on. Think about this as your sub-headline or line that conveys the problem and the solution. Keep it short.
3. Keep it short and sweet – I don’t know how many times I have had to share this point with clients who want to send out some lengthy 700 word email. PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO READ IT! Trust me on this one. People are inundated with emails all day long, and even though your message may save their life it really doesn’t mean jack to them! It’s no different than asking them to stop what they are doing and do 10 jumping jacks. You better have a good reason for why you are mailing. If you MUST send out 700 words or some long ass article. Post it on your website and use the email to tease them over to the main content. Don’t shoot them an email and expect them to sit there and read it. Keep your emails to around 350 words and no more than 450. We live in a mobile world and people just don’t have the time.
4. Get to the point – Stick to the simple format of what is going through your readers mind. ( What is it about, How will i benefit? and What do you want me to do? ) Honestly no one cares about your bio, or your companies great collection of accolades, unless it’s benefiting them. All they want to know is why are you infringing on my time and how can I get back to what I was doing. So you need to get to the point FAST! Have a good reason for mailing or don’t mail at all. There have been times I have told clients, that I won’t take on their email campaign job simply because they didn’t have a strong enough reason for mailing.
I’ve heard all the excuses under the sun:
Well, I want to touch base with them ( and my reply is, OK great about what? )
Well, I want to let them know I care ( really? I think getting an email from an insurance company saying we care doesn’t even register with people. It had better be related to a policy change or an incredible discount otherwise I don’t want to hear from you. ) I know that sounds harsh but seriously that is how many people think. They just DON’T HAVE TIME. We are living in an age where people are busy, busy, busy. There is lots vying for your readers attention. You had better have a good reason to mail.
And the list goes on…
5. Don’t force feed them multiple offers – Keep your emails focused on ONE major call to action ( email back, phone or go over to a website url ) Don’t try giving them 3 different urls, 2 phone numbers and 5 web pages. It’s too much. It’s confusing and people will just click away. Streamline that email, have one goal in mind and one URL. You can show that URL several times in the email but don’t give them multiple different URLS.