By now we all know email marketing is “where it’s at.”
Meaning, when it comes to digital marketing, email marketing efforts reign supreme for conversion, lead generation, and so much more!
When speaking with other digital marketers (like me!), I’m often asked about best tips/practices for email marketing copy. And it makes sense — we often think of copy when it comes to landing pages, social media, printed advertisements, etc.
But email marketing copy is a whole other beast (and one that I personally love)!
So today I’m breaking down 5 of my favorite tips when it comes to writing fabulous email marketing copy that’s guaranteed to convert.
Tip #1: Don’t ignore that preview text
At a previous job, I remember a coworker telling me I should, “stop focusing on the preview text so much.” After all, in their words, “no one even reads it. Just work on the subject line.”
*Ahem*
At the time, I was too young to know any better. But as a seasoned digital marketer, I can now say that this individual was straight up WRONG.
Yes, subject lines are definitely important, don’t get me wrong.
In fact, we love subject lines here at Net-Results. So much so, we even wrote a handy little blog post titled, “Subject Lines: 5 Ways to Make Them Shine in 2021.” Give it a read, eh?
But that preview text has to be on point, too. It tells your subscriber more about the content of the email and it makes all the difference between opening & not opening your email.
Most digital marketers are fine with the preview text simply being the first line of their email. Sure, that “works,” but not always.
I challenge you to think about your preview text JUST as much (if not more) than your subject line. It really has the potential to make all the difference for your open rates.
Tip #2: Beware of all-caps & exclamation points
I’m going to get personal here…
When I receive an email with several exclamation points and/or all-caps text, I promptly unsubscribe and delete everything from that contact.
Am I alone in this? Absolutely not. Is it a bit “judgy”? Sure, but honestly even if these emails were offering me a trip to the Caribbean, I’d still delete it.
I have absolutely no time for strangers “yelling” at me in my inbox. Even if that’s not the intention, the excessive use of caps and/or exclamation points reads as shouting or yelling.
At the same time, it also appears “spammy.”
In fact, email marketing copy behaviors like these are one of the ways your emails could be ending up in the spam box (yikes!)
This blog post has a lot of great information on the various reasons why your emails are going to spam — I hadn’t even thought of a few of these!
When in doubt, keep the exclamation points to a minimum and all-caps, at the most (and if you must), ONE word of an email.
Make it count.
Tip #3: Tap in to some basic marketing psychology
When I find myself experiencing copy “writer’s block,” I often ask myself:
“How do I want the reader to feel?”
Without a doubt, whenever I’ve asked this question before writing, I typically write a high-converting email.
But, I don’t want you to stop at this question. Here are other psychology-based tips that can help spice up your copy:
- Consider using scarcity/urgency tactics — but be mindful and thoughtful! This will only work every once and awhile. If it becomes a pattern, readers will catch on and you’ll look shady.
- Think about the colors and design of your email. Certain colors ellicit different responses (but you already knew that!). For a quick refresher on design color theory, check this out.
- Use data and “social proof” whenever you can. Our brains are constantly looking to validate and support their decisions/beliefs. Data, stats, and social proof help us feel better about our choices to “buy” (literally or figuratively) something.
- Get personal. People love hearing their name, seeing their name, and reading of experiences that resonate with them. Make your email marketing copy personal to each reader.
Tip #4: When in doubt, test it out
It’s always a good idea to brainstorm new, creative copy ideas.
That being said, it’s an even better idea to A/B test those ideas in order to make data-driven choices and decisions.
A few months back, we were so obsessed with A/B testing, we wrote a blog post all about their digital marketing *magic* — check it out here!
A/B testing is a great way to challenge your ideas and prove (or even disprove) your assumptions. The numbers don’t lie. If you want to ensure your new copy tactics and strategy are headed in the right direction, A/B test as often as you can.
Tip #5: Align your message and voice
This one’s easier said than done.
One of the biggest problems I see with email marketing copy comes down to a lack of cohesion with the brand’s overall message and voice.
There’s a dissonance that’s easily perceptible to the reader.
Even when it comes to big brands, I can get a piece of email marketing that has a completely different tone and feel compared to their website, social media, etc.
This is a huge red flag and it happens all too often.
It may seem obvious, but when it comes to your email marketing efforts, be sure to match the message and voice to the rest of your brand.
Sure, a different employee (or group of employees) may be in charge of email marketing copy, website copy, social media copy, etc., but there must be a sense of cohesion across all written content.
I hope these tips help with your future email marketing efforts! If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally (arobbins@net-results.com).
Always happy to help 😊
Cheers to your success!
Lexie Robbins
Digital Marketing Specialist
