When you sit down to write your email
and
newsletter
campaigns, do you know if you're pleading to your customers' practical
or emotional sides? Is your writing voice passive or active? Are you
using basic marketing writing techniques that have survived the passage
of time because they're so effective?
If you can't answer any one of these questions, you could most likely
use the 4 tips below to make your email marketing writing the best it
can possibly be.
Write to your subscriber's desire
and emotional needs.
It's well documented: people make purchases based on emotion, not cold
facts or schematics. For instance: what's more likely to get someone to
buy an ice cream cone?
Lower
sugar, 100% real strawberries and less lactose makes this ice cream
cone sweet and easy on the stomach.
Or
On
a hot summer day, nothing soothes and pleases like the sweet, creamy
taste of strawberries and cool cream.
If you guessed the second one, you would be correct. Look for ways in
your email copy to enhance your recipients' lives. Don't bother listing
out a litany of boring facts and schematics, really show them how their
lives can be more enjoyable or easier by buying your product.
Use an active voice
Using an active voice means cutting out the words that tend to slow
down what you have to say and make your writing more passive. Active
voice is like going from point A to point B, rather than going from
point A to point B to point C. For instance:
Passive
voice
The token you purchase enables you to board the train. The
train will then transport you to Coney Island.
Active voice
Buy a token and ride the train to Coney Island
The second sentence cuts out the words that stretch out your
sentences, but don't make them better. Use active voice in your email
and newsletter campaigns because it keeps the customer interested. An
added bonus? It also saves space.
Define your subscriber and write
to who they are.
Not all subscribers are alike, but most subscribers to any given list
share some things in common. Make a list of these attributes and write
in a voice that caters to them. Here are some examples of possible
attributes:
| |
• Practical |
| |
•
Frugal |
| |
• Busy |
| |
• Smart |
| |
• Wise |
Your emails will grab more attention and make you more money if you
write to who your customers are in this respect. If you can harness
that skill, you will see an interest in sales, guaranteed.
Practice economy of language.
To practice economy of language, write your copy and look it over in
its entirety. Can you cut out certain words and still preserve the
meaning of certain sentences? Can you rearrange sentences to save time
and space? Are you getting to the point sooner rather than later?
Keep these questions handy when you're writing your HTML
email copy. Give your email copy a second pass with these
questions in mind. Change your copy to make it leaner and more focused
and you'll see your ROI and interest go up.
