Writing an effective email newsletter can be overwhelming. If you’re planning your email marketing strategy, but you don’t know where to begin, here are six tips that are sure to get your reader to click “open.”
Subject Lines
When consumers open their email inboxes, they’re met with a plethora of emails subject lines to sort through. Those subject lines that are compelling, attention-grabbing and straight to the point will rise above the rest.
Email subject lines are the most important part of your email. They’re the first interaction between you and your audience and they let the reader know what they can look forward to before they ever open your email.
Personable
Email personalization is more than just strategy. While most consumers struggle to filter through generic emails each day, they’re more likely to click on the email that speaks directly to them. Email newsletters should reflect connection and making them personable creates a conversation between you and your reader. The more an email looks and feels like it’s coming from a real person, the more likely it will be opened.
Formatting
While email subject lines and personalization are major steps toward hooking a hot lead, formatting also is a critical piece of the puzzle. Formatting means the way the body of the email is laid out and the organization.
While getting your point across quickly and as concisely as possible can be challenging, long drawn-out paragraphs can prove to be the doom of any email marketing campaign. Limit your paragraphs to 100 words or less and break up your text into short paragraphs and sentences so that it’s easier on the eyes.
Make Emails Actionable
Whether you’re a retailer promoting a new line of products, a resort encouraging your audience to enter for a chance to win their dream vacation or a restaurant promoting a new dish, all marketing emails have one thing in common: you’re trying to persuade readers to act sooner rather than later. Three ways to make your emails actionable is through brevity and clarity.
Brevity: You only have your audiences’ attention for a moment, so it pays to make it count. When writing with brevity, make your point quickly and don’t waste time with fluff words. Think conciseness over cuteness.
Clarity: Clarity is critical when it comes to your email newsletter. You want your readers to understand your message and your call to action. Be direct and avoid using jargon and acronyms that leave your reader guessing.
Photos
People love visuals, especially when it comes to email marketing. Using effective and compelling imagery is another way to make your newsletter stand out. Whether you’re using photos of your staff, office space, community or clients, it shows that you are a real person that your reader can connect to. Infographics, maps and charts can also prove to be effective components of your newsletter, though, tread lightly. Having more pictures than words can result in your email being labeled as spam.
Incentives
Make your email newsletter meaningful for your reader. A great way to inspire your readers to take action is through offering them something in return. Are you looking to help your reader solve a problem? Are you wanting to make them aware of a limited time offer? The incentive could be early access to a product, a free e-book or a complimentary discovery call. No matter what, focus on the customer and give them a reason to get involved with your business.
We’ve given you the tools to building an effective email newsletter that pulls your readers in, but how do you get the most mileage out of your content? We have the ultimate guide to help you maximize content for long-term results.
