writing killer email copy

10 Best Practices:Writing Killer Email Copy

Roberta RosenbergThe Copywriting Maven

MGP Direct, Inc.

Today’s AgendaYou’ll learn:

• How to get your email opened• How to get your email read• How to get your email acted on• How to distill your message to its core essence

Today’s AgendaYou’ll learn:

• How to determine the right tone and voice for your emails

• How to dig beyond the features to the core benefits of your products/services

• When to use short copy vs. long

Today’s AgendaYou’ll also learn:

• How to use graphics to support your message, not overwhelm it

• How to incorporate social media sharing• And more!

Move The Needle

Even in the age of social media, traditional email marketing remains a key, if not THE core component of effective B2B lead generation and B2C sales promotion.

10 Best Practices to Writing Killer Email Copy

Move The Needle

But could you be doing it smarter for better results - higher open and click-through rates which ultimately lead to more quality leads and higher revenues?


Move The Needle

Yes, you can!


Move The Needle

Here are 10 best practice copywriting tips that will help you:

• Get your email opened more • Get your email read more deeply• Get your email clicked!


Get Your Email Opened

#1 – Keep subject lines short; personalize the “From” line

• You don’t know where your reader is retrieving their email – desktop, cell, tablet.

• Shorter lines produce higher opens, CTRs• If writing to customers, use brand identity in

“from” … to prospects, consider name/title

Get Your Email Opened - Examples

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#2 – Tease; Match content and voice to brand and reader expectation

• Don’t “give it all away” – entice reader interest to the actual open

• Don’t “bait and switch” – it only confuses, disappoints your reader when they open

• Be what your reader expects you to be

Get Your Email Opened - Examples

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#3 – Ask a question or add a sense of urgency to pop interest

• “How-to” questions are a fave technique• Don’t ask Yes or No questions unless you

want readers to self-select before open• Use specific rather than general deadlines

Get Your Email Opened – Examples

• Email-aholic? This is how the pros cut down on their email time

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• Did Romney just give away the election?• $4,800 for a "long article"?

Get Your Email Opened – Bonus Tips

• Offer a quick, easy way to do something• Use a strong benefit to talk to the reader’s

self-interest• Share newsworthy, good news• Arouse curiosity, ideally related to the

previous bullets

Get Your Email Read

#4 – Write to the reader’s self-interest

• Emphasize “you”, downplay “I” or “we”• Reader cares about you/your company in

context of their needs/wants and desires• Be the “aspirin” to their “headache”

Get Your Email Read

Get Your Email Read

#5 – Share a compelling, relevant story

• Stories cut through reader apathy and mistrust, keep them engaged

• Reader cares about you/your company in context of their needs/wants and desires

Get Your Email Read

Get Your Email Read

#6 – Features tell; Benefits sell

• Features are the “physical” detail of your product/service – they are the “what” is

• Benefits reflect the “how and why” of the reader’s mindset – product use, emotions engaged, desires met, fears diminished

• We “buy” from the heart, rationalize the want from the head

Get Your Email Read

#7 – Long vs. Short Copy

• When writing to customers about familiar products/services, short is more effective.

• When writing to customers about new products/services, test short and long

• When writing to prospects, test long

Get Your Email Read

Get Your Email Read

#8 – Design to enhance, not impede

• Design and layout must enhance reader’s ability to engage with the message

• Add social media icons/links at the bottom of the email – don’t give readers a reason to click away too early!

Get Your Email Read

Get Your Email Read – Bonus Tip

“So what?“ turns features into benefits:

• Product: standard #2 pencil• Features: yellow, is lightweight, made of

wood and graphite, includes a pink rubber eraser, and is cheap and low-tech.

• Benefits: Wood is easy to hold, no fatigue, sustainable. Works anywhere. Eraser makes it easy for me to get a do-over.

Pencils are the key to POSSIBILITIES!

Get Your Email Acted On

#9 - “Frontload” CTA with finesse

• Cue your reader to what’s coming, but don’t try to close too early

• Be clear over clever - always• Rephrase the CTA a few different ways


#10 - Replace “Click here” with a richer, benefit-centric call to action:

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More Bonus Tips

• No “tricks” in the subject line• Test subject headlines, email headlines,

and calls to action text and graphics• Think scannable, easy to read: shorter

paragraphs, subheads, and bullets• Write with nouns and verbs, use adjectives

and adverbs sparingly

1. Choose clear over clever

2. Write to motivate, not entertain

3. Respect your reader and get to the point

4. Write to your reader’s self-interest

5. Design to enhance, not impede the message

6. Show and tell the reader what to do next

7. Test all assumptions

7 Key Killer Email Copy Takeaways

Roberta Rosenberg is Director of Marketing & E-Commerce for the American Council of Engineering Companies. She’s also Chief Strategist of MGP Direct, Inc., a direct marketing consultancy. She has 25+ years of B2B/B2C marketing expertise in publishing, IT, medical, association, professional services, and e-commerce.

Roberta writes and speaks extensively about landing page copywriting and design. She developed the popular Landing Page Maven Makeover series at Copyblogger.com, and is a copywriting instructor for MarketingProfs, OMI, and AWAI.

About Roberta

To reach Roberta Rosenberg:•[email protected]•@Copywritermaven•http://www.linkedin.com/in/RobertaRosenbergMaven

www.onlinemarketinginstitute.org

Thank You