In only the last few years, marketing email has advanced significantly. But you know what’s sort of amusing with all the fancy new functionality brands are using? An email that is well-written and in plain text can perform just as well—if not better—than one that is elaborately designed and packed with features.

How to Write A Marketing Email

Use actionable language

Employing actionable language in email subject lines doesn’t always mean using verbs, but it certainly helps. For instance, OpenTable sent me with the subject line “Take Mom to Brunch.” One approach to effectively employ actionable language in email subject lines is to include a verb (such as “take,” “download,” “reserve,” “ask,” or “purchase”) so that the reader is aware of what they can do as soon as they open the email.

Personalize when possible

Highly segmented emails typically perform better than non-personalized emails in terms of open and clickthrough rates, for example. According to Direct Marketing Association research, segmented and targeted emails earned 58% of all income for the marketers polled, and emails delivered to certain target selections were responsible for 36% of sales.

Prioritize clarity, and only then think about “catchiness.”

Create a subject line that is both clear and appealing.

Clarity should always, always, always come first in marketing text. If you can make your subject line snappy, humorous, cute, whimsical, or anything else after you’ve written a clear subject line, go for it. Never, however, compromise clarity for amusement.

Align your subject line copy and email copy

You may already be aware of how important it is for the offer on your landing page and the wording in your call to action to match. Making your email subject line and the email message is no different.

Determine relevance

The language of the email message should aim to build relevance through personalization, just like the subject line should.

Again, convincing readers that what’s inside your email message is relevant to them requires more than just a dynamic name tag. Use the email’s opening to introduce yourself and how you know each other.

Write in the second person

When writing in the second person, the pronouns “you,” “your,” and “yours” must be used. For example, “Before you leave in the morning, remember to bring your jacket.” It implies that you write with the reader—not yourself—in mind.

Be concise

Trying to fit the entire story into the email is one of the worst blunders email copywriters can do. Consider the last time you opened a marketing email from your inbox. Did you read every word there? Most likely not. It’s more likely that you quickly skim the text for key ideas so you can understand the main points and determine whether you want to take any further action.

Use actionable language in your call-to-action

There are also calls to action in emails. The good ones, that is. Your email’s call to action should, first and foremost, be very simple to recognize. Remember: Emails are frequently skimmed. Your call to action is the one thing you want the reader to focus on.

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