When e-mail marketing first became popular, it was seen as theultimate marketing tool–inexpensive, instantaneous and 100 percentmeasurable. Click-through rates were the only numbers thatmattered, and people were willing to open–and read–just aboutevery e-mail they received.
Nowadays, most of the talk is about spam, how e-mail marketingcan hurt your business, and why click-through rates are a fractionof what they used to be. Yet there are still companies that,despite all the pitfalls, manage to generate high profits everyyear using e-mail marketing.
That’s because e-mail marketing is still a very effective andefficient way to get the word out to your prospects. Mailings toopt-in lists yield higher results than direct mail–and at a lowercost. Everyone’s looking for that magic formula–the perfectmessage that will electrify opt-in campaigns. But the proliferationof e-mail makes it tough to stand out. Here are eight tips forwriting e-mails that produce top results:
1. Choose a great subject line. Steer clear of misleadingor mysterious subject lines. Nothing screams spam louder than “Howare you?” An effective subject line includes a benefit and relatesdirectly to your offer, such as “Save 60 percent on tapestock.”
2. Have a solid hook. The first few sentences containyour hook and are the most critical part of your e-mail. The hookis the central message of your mailing. It should be clear andintriguing. Be sure it focuses on what they’ll get, not on what youoffer.
3. Tell them what to do. Your e-mail should have two orthree paragraphs-no more. Total length should be less than 250words. The body should support your hook using benefits, then closewith a call to action. Tell readers what you want them to do andinclude hyperlinks such as “Click here to register.”
4. Use clear, direct language. A well-written messageuses the active voice and has short, concise sentences. This iscrucial because as many as half of your recipients will read justthe first few sentences before deciding to continue. If writingisn’t your strong suit, consider hiring an e-mail copywriter.
5. Focus on your offer. Your e-mail should have onesubject and one subject only. Resist the temptation to makemultiple offers, which may confuse your recipients and dilute yourmessage.
6. Don’t drop the ball. Some e-mail marketing messagesfall short because they fail to include all the informationcustomers need. Be sure to include vital data, such as pricing anddeadlines. It’s unreasonable to expect customers to visit your siteto get the information they need to evaluate your e-mail offer.
7. Include a P.S. While a postscript isn’t mandatory, itgrabs attention. Often, recipients will read the subject line andthe hook, scan key elements and go directly to the P.S. It shouldrestate your hook and highlight your offer. After the P.S., giverecipients a way to unsubscribe from your list. This is generallythe last link at the bottom of the e-mail.
8. Make it readable. Even the best copy can’t sell ifyour e-mail looks too dense. Keep paragraphs to three or four linesand double-spaced. Use bullets or stars to emphasize key points,but avoid text in all caps or multiple exclamation points. Set textwidth at 68 characters or less per line so it displays correctly ine-mail applications. Also, avoid breaking or wrapping URLs into twolines–it may cause technical problems. By eliminating thesebarriers, it’ll be easy for customers to take advantage of youroffer and dramatically boost your results.
