5 precious tips to writing the perfect email
The emails you send reflect the level of your professionalism and attention to detail. Any mistakes might jeopardise a business opportunity, so the ability to compose efficient and effective emails is super useful for any type of business. So, how do you write the perfect marketing email? Well, it all comes down to a few email marketing best practices that will help you ensure your emails get the results want.
1. Set a clear goal
Setting a goal might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the effectiveness of email marketing. It is a fact though that defined goals are as important as the content of the email because they can help you guide its direction. For example, if your goal is to get more people to open your email campaign, you need to focus on writing better subject lines. How would your email even achieve its objective if you don’t know the reason you are writing it?
2. Strong subject line
According to HubSpot, 47% of recipients decide whether to open or not an email based on just the subject line. After all, the subject line is the first impression that your message makes and as in real life, first impressions really do count. So, make sure your subject lines are eye-catching, creative and informative. Consider this: Would you rather open an email saying ‘Great opportunity inside’ or ‘Idea for [topic the recipient cares about]?
3. Email opening matters
Let’s assume that you managed to get the reader open your email. The second most important element is the opening line of your email and by having only 20 seconds to engage your recipient to your email content, is imperative to captivate interest early and keep the attention all the way through the end. How do you do that? Pay extra attention to the greeting and the opening sentence.
The variations of ‘I hope you are well’ are a no-no as they are in almost every other email we read. Consider alternatives such as ‘How are things at [company name]’, ‘Anything exciting happening in your world?’ and ‘Are you excited for [upcoming holiday or event]. Don’t forget that sometimes you just need to cut to the chase or write something personal to show you know the reader.
4. Keep it short and to the point
You know yourself that when an email is brief, you are more likely to take the required action, i.e. respond, download attachment, click the link, etc. Long emails can look intimidating, so write as much as is necessary using easy-to-read sentences. The rule is the shorter, the better, but when you do have a lot to write, use bullet points.
5. Edit, proofread… and proofread!
Proofreading is a must if you want to send a professional-looking email! Mistakes happen in the form of missing words, typos, mixed-up sentences so you need to make sure you read it at least two or three times and check that is grammatically correct, accurate and makes sense. The tip here is to take a break, clear your mind and approach it from a fresh perspective when you get back at it.
