Email copywriting is a skill you need to master if you want your campaigns to be successful. If your goal is to convert as many leads as possible, you need to know how to write great email copy and follow the best marketing tips.

Email marketing is one of the best strategies for businesses of all niches and sizes. Email generates $38 for every $1 spent, which makes it a great tool for growing your business and converting leads into customers… That’s why we’ve created this guide for writing email copy that converts.

Let’s get right to it.

Segment Your List

You may think that segmenting your subscribers has nothing to do with the email copy itself… However, your copy can’t be good enough if you write the same email to each of your subscribers.

It’s important to remember that every subscriber on your list is a unique person with their own characteristics and interests. Following that logic, you can’t expect the same message to appeal to all of them – and that’s exactly why you need to segment your list. 

You can use surveys to collect information about your subscribers, then segment your list into different interest categories and/or tag them based on where they are in the buyer’s journey

Make a Good Impression with Your Subject Line

Email is the direct descendant of direct mail, and while both are great marketing strategies, email has many advantages – like giving you the perfect opportunity to make a good first impression with your subject line.

A big part of good email copy is a carefully crafted, attention-drawing subject. This is an element you shouldn’t take for granted.

There are a few things to keep in mind when writing your subject line:

• Keep it short and concise – You will use the body to convince the recipient to act on your CTA and convert. For now, your main focus is getting them to open your email, and you won’t do that if your subject line is too long. Try to keep it between 1 and 3 words.
  
• Personalize – Personalization can significantly increase your open rate. As much as 62% of emails are opened thanks to a personalized subject line. For B2B, adding the company name also boosts conversion.
  
• Reference what will be in the body – Your email should offer something of value to the recipient. If you make that clear to them in the subject line, they are more likely to open the email in the first place.
  
• Don’t be afraid of using FOMO – FOMO, or “fear of missing out,” is used by marketers as a means of getting people to act on a CTA. If you write subject lines that use FOMO such as “last chance” and “special offer,” you will create a sense of urgency and increase your open rates.

Don’t Neglect Preview Text

Aside from seeing the subject line, your recipients will also see the preview text, which is the additional text box that’s right next to the subject line. Some email providers don’t show the preview text, but the most frequently used ones (such as Gmail and Yahoo) do.

Most of the time, the preview text is the first line of the body, and can be anywhere from 35 to 140 characters long. All of this extra space gives you the opportunity to keep the subject line short and concise while still providing additional information that will entice the recipient to open the email.

However, keep in mind that multiple factors – such as the email app the recipient is using, the browser size, and the length of your subject line – all affect how much preview text is displayed. So, before you start composing your preview text, make sure to find out how many people from your list can actually see it.

Consider the preview text as the second subject line. It’s there to help you improve your campaign, and it should contain useful information that adds value to the subject line.

Work Hard on the Email Body

Once you entice your recipients with the perfect subject line and preview text, it’s time to make a sale and get them to click on your CTA with the perfect email body. Through well thought out and carefully executed email copy, you can establish effective marketing communication.

Take a look at the characteristics of a good email body:

Personalization is Always Key

If you go through the best email copywriting examples, you’ll notice almost all of them are personalized and relevant. This goes much further than just using first and last names in the body copy.

It comes back to segmentation. If you use the information from your segmented list, you will be able to create relevant messages that draw in each recipient. Remember that each segment needs something different from you, and it’s your job to cater to those needs.

Remember, You’re Writing for Humans

It helps to remind yourself that you’re writing your email copy for real people. You don’t have to use marketing terms and always sound like you’re trying to sell something, as this type of language can make the tone of the message too dry and boring.

Just because you’re writing as a business doesn’t mean you have to be formal. Instead, use a conversational tone and act as if you’re talking to someone sitting right across from you. Don’t make any false promises or over-blown statements. Instead, write as you would talk to a friend.

Be Brief

Nobody wants to read a long-winded message about your company, brand, what you stand for, and what you’re trying to sell. If your customers want to know that information, they will find it on your website. Your emails serve a different purpose.

When writing your copy, use language to tease the recipient with your offer and leave them wanting more with a concise message. If you manage to entice them enough with just a few sentences, they will probably click your CTA or visit your website.

Choose the Right Words

If you want to connect with your audience and compel them to act on your CTA, you need to use the right words. Create copy that’s engaging and easy to understand.

And since you shouldn’t use too many words, it’s important that you find language that is just right.

This is where segmentation comes into play again, allowing you to create copy based on user data. While you’re writing, make sure to also include power words that invoke emotion in your subscribers.

Whatever you do, though, avoid words that would make your email seem spammy and send it to the spam folder. Research words that usually trigger spam filters and avoid writing in all caps, as that will also make your copy seem untrustworthy.

Make Sure to Communicate Value

Nowadays, people get contacted by multiple businesses advertising special deals, discounts, and limited-time offers. While these types of messages may intrigue the recipient, they aren’t as compelling as they should be because they don’t demonstrate the true value of the offer.

Instead of saying something like “Get 15% off your purchase,” instead demonstrate the value of the offer by saying something like “Our new product will help increase your sales by 120%.”

This offer appears much more compelling, and will help you increase your conversions and click-through rates.

Finish with the Perfect CTA

Any type of email copy would be incomplete without a good call to action that asks the reader to complete a certain step and convert into a customer.

Your CTA can be a word, a phrase, or a sentence, and it’s usually in the form of a button that is prominently placed at the bottom of the email.

Keep in mind that, if done right, all elements of your email are a part of your CTA. The button is nothing more than a single element in your content, specially made to get people clicking the CTA.

Here are a couple of tips to help you write an unforgettable CTA:

• Start off with a strong command verb such as “Buy,” “Subscribe,” “Download,” or “Find out”
• Provoke emotion by using enthusiastic words/phrases and adding an exclamation point at the end of the CTA
• Tell the customers what’s in it for them if they click on your CTA, and entice them with your unique selling proposition
• Take advantage of FOMO if you’re mentioning a sale or a promotion that’s time sensitive
• Make sure your CTA button is a different color from the rest of the body so it sticks out

Keep Looking for Inspiration

Every copywriter knows there is no such thing as perfection, and that you always need to learn and improve your skills. This is why it’s important to practice your email copywriting skills and look at different examples to find new ideas for improving your marketing strategy.

Keep an eye on your competitors’ newsletters to see how they’re attracting audiences and piquing interest. 

We’re not saying that you should steal or copy their ideas. Instead, try to find inspiration in their email copy, add your own personal touch, and create material that will suit your own marketing strategy.

Final Thoughts

Writing the perfect email copy that converts isn’t as easy of a task as some people believe. Unless you follow a blueprint that tells you all the dos and don’ts of email copywriting, your marketing campaign will probably suffer and you won’t see the ROI you’re expecting.

A lot of people make the mistake of only focusing on the body of the email. While that is an essential part of an email marketing campaign, don’t underestimate the importance of the subject line and preview text as well.

At the end of the day, if you know the best practices of writing the perfect email copy and take inspiration from the best email copywriting examples, you can’t go wrong.