How to write perfect marketing emails

Introduction: Why You Want to Start E-mail Marketing

E-mail marketing can be the best friend of marketers.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, where new platforms and trends emerge constantly, email marketing remains a constant and reliable method of reaching your audience directly. Unlike other online marketing channels (Google ads, Meta ads, et cetera), where you don’t know who will see your marketing messages, email marketing gives you the advantage of a known audience. This aspect is crucial because it reduces the guesswork and enables you to tailor your message precisely. The uncertainty in broader advertising pressures marketers to create more generic messages that appeal to everyone. While this approach, epitomized by broad-reaching campaigns like Got Milk?🥛, has its place, it's not always the most effective way to engage your specific customers or potential customers (leads).

Email marketing allows you to know exactly who you are talking to. Whether it's for your existing customers or leads, you have a clearer understanding of their profiles, preferences, and needs. This valuable information can be leveraged to optimize your marketing messages and significantly increase the ROI of your email marketing campaigns. Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of email marketing is unparalleled. Sending marketing emails is almost free, especially when compared to the fees charged by online advertising platforms, contributing greatly to its high ROI.

If you are interested, keep reading. This article will help you make email marketing your best friend too.

Planning: Set the Right Goal for Your Campaign

Effective planning is crucial for any successful email marketing campaign and involves a two-step process: knowing your audience and setting the right objectives.

Know Your Audience

Building on what we discussed in the introduction, let's delve deeper into understanding your audience. When sending emails to your customers, consider their purchase history. What products or services have they bought from you? When did they make these purchases? This information is a goldmine for recommending other products they might be interested in or for tailoring future communications to their interests.

Similarly, when dealing with leads, you have insight into their initial points of contact or interest. What motivated them to sign up for your emails? Are they seeking information, discounts, or solutions? Understanding these aspects enables you to craft messages that resonate with their current needs and future aspirations.

Know Your Objectives

A well-defined objective is the backbone of any email campaign. Each email should serve a specific purpose - whether it's to drive sales, increase brand awareness, nurture leads, or provide valuable content. Without a clear objective, it's easy for an email to become just another forgettable message in your recipient's inbox. Consider what you want to achieve with each email: Are you aiming to boost engagement, encourage a purchase, or enhance your brand image? Setting these goals not only helps in crafting your message but also provides a metric to measure the success of your campaign.

Writing the Subject Line: Making It Irresistible

The subject line is your first impression, and as we all know, first impressions matter immensely. It needs to grab attention in an overflowing inbox, and it needs to be compelling enough to prompt a click. Think of the subject line as the headline of your email - it should be captivating, clear, and concise. According to experts like MailChimp, there are effective strategies to make your subject line stand out.

Numbers: Using numbers in the subject line creates clarity and sets specific expectations. For instance, "5 Proven Strategies to Boost Sales" is more compelling than a vague "How to Boost Sales". It promises organized and efficient information, which is often more enticing.

Emojis 😄: Emojis add a visual and emotional layer to your subject line. They can make your email stand out in a crowded inbox and add a touch of personality. However, it's crucial to choose emojis that align with your brand and the message of your email. Overusing emojis can detract from the professionalism of your message, so use them judiciously.

Email Body: Conciseness Wins Over Fanciness

Once your audience opens your email, the next challenge is to keep them engaged. The content of your email body is where you can make a real impact.

Keep It Short, Simple, and Easy

In today's fast-paced world, people value their time. Your email recipients are likely navigating through a cluttered inbox, and they will appreciate content that is straightforward and respectful of their time. The key to successful email content is delivering your message in a clear, concise manner. Avoid long-winded paragraphs and complex industry jargon. Instead, focus on simple language and short, impactful sentences that clearly convey your message. Remember, the goal is to communicate, not to overwhelm.

The Power of Bullet Points and Headings

Effective organization is critical in email communication. Organize your content with bullet points and headings to make it more digestible. Bullet points are excellent for listing benefits, features, or key takeaways. Headings, on the other hand, help categorize the content, allowing readers to quickly scan through and grasp the main points. This structured approach not only makes your email more reader-friendly but also more memorable.

Incorporating Visual Elements

Visual elements like images, infographics, and videos can significantly enhance the appeal of your email. They serve as a break from the text, making your email more engaging and easier to digest. Visuals are particularly effective in explaining complex information simply and memorably. However, it’s important to use visuals judiciously and ensure they are relevant to your message.

Crafting the Perfect Call-to-Action (CTA)

The CTA is a critical element of your email. It's what guides your readers to the next step, whether that's making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading a resource. A clear and compelling CTA can make all the difference in converting readers into customers or leads into clients.

Let's look at some examples of effective CTAs:

1. Netflix: "Start Your Free Month" - This CTA is clear, offers value, and encourages immediate action.
2. HubSpot: "Get Started - It's Free" - This CTA is straightforward and emphasizes the no-cost aspect, making it very appealing.
3. Amazon: "Shop Now" - Simple and direct, this CTA leaves no doubt about the action the reader should take.

When creating your own CTAs, focus on clarity and conciseness. The language should resonate with your audience and reflect your brand's tone. Instead of a generic "Click Here," opt for something more personalized and action-specific, like "Discover Your Exclusive Offer" or "Claim Your Free Trial."

Also, consider the placement of your CTAs. They should be strategically positioned within your email to flow naturally with the narrative and guide the reader toward the desired action seamlessly.

For more examples and best practices on crafting effective CTAs, you might find this article very helpful.

Conclusion

In conclusion, email marketing stands out as a potent tool in the realm of digital marketing. It allows for a level of personalization and direct communication that other channels struggle to match. Through well-planned objectives, engaging subject lines, concise content, and compelling CTAs, email marketing can significantly strengthen your relationship with both customers and leads.

Always remember that the ultimate goal of your email marketing efforts is to prompt action. Whether that's driving a purchase, encouraging sign-ups, or distributing content, your emails should be crafted to guide your audience toward these goals. With a well-thought-out strategy and a focus on continuous improvement based on audience feedback, your email marketing campaigns can achieve remarkable success.

Now, you're equipped to make email marketing a valuable ally in your marketing strategy. So go ahead, start crafting those emails, and watch as they open new avenues of engagement and growth for your brand.