Create Emails that Engage Your Users!

Follow these guidelines for emails that convert

We’ve talked about the different types of emails that go into email marketing before. But diving a little deeper, how do we craft those emails? What draws a customer into digging past the subject line, or what pushes them over the decision point to click a button? How do you keep readers engaged down the entire length of the email? These are the types of questions we’ll be answering in this blog post, with some tips on how to craft emails that convert! These are more general guidelines, since each company and audience will naturally have different specifics and considerations that go into the final product. But keeping these tips in mind will help you connect with that audience more effectively.

Craft a Solid Subject Line

The first thing your audience sees when they receive your email is the subject line. And if that subject line isn’t compelling, it’ll be all they ever see. No matter how much effort your pour into your email body, if your subject line isn’t solid, then your audience probably won’t even open the email to see your hard work. The subject line is the first impression, and nowhere are first impressions more important than in email marketing.

One of the biggest tips we can give is this: don’t hide the lead. Let your audience know exactly why they should click to read your email. Whether it’s a limited time discount, premium information, or just an order receipt, let them know up front. If they don’t know what they’re getting by clicking onto your email, they may just decide it’s not worth it to find out. Or they may decide to unsubscribe so they stop receiving cryptic emails. In that same vein, don’t lie in your subject line, either. Be upfront and honest, and don’t try any sales tactics that require a big fine print section, or else your audience may have a different reason to unsubscribe.

So the goal can be summarized as follows: be upfront, but exciting! Just because your subject line needs to be true doesn’t mean it has to be boring and strictly factual. Use exciting and emotional words to describe the benefits of opening your email, and tease what they’ll be getting enough that they can’t resist opening your email to read more.

Add a Personal Touch

Many studies have shown that adding personalization to an email has a material effect on the conversion rate. Most email service providers worth their salt have at least some basic personalization features. One of the most basic, and still most effective, is to include the customer’s name. Start your email content with a greeting that includes the customer’s name, and you’re well on your way to building a genuine connection. You could even put their name into your subject line if it’s a natural fit.

Beyond the customer’s name, including information about their history with you lets them know that the email is directed to them in particular. If you’re sending an abandoned cart, include the contents of said cart. If you’re sending an update about their subscription, include a ‘thank you’ referencing how long they’ve been subscribed. If you’re sending an upsell email, say your recommendations are based on their previous purchase history, and include the actual item name.

If you want to go further, you may need to actually collect more information. But the more personalized you can make your content, the more the customer will feel like you’re talking directly to them instead of just sending out an email blast. And the deeper that connection, the more likely your customers are to engage and convert.

Have One Goal per Email

Much like crafting a successful landing page, it’s important to have one straightforward goal in mind. Focus on one action that you want your customers to take, and make it abundantly clear to them what that action is. The more options or choices somebody has, the more and more likely it is that decision paralysis may set in. If your goal is to get your users to read a blog post, every call to action and button should have to do with that blog post. Every button that does something else is just a potential point of confusion. If you want your customers to upgrade their subscription, leave out the information about a whole other product option. There’s certainly a time and a place, but it’s not in the email focused on upgrading.

Beyond just the buttons, take an overarching look at your email content and the story it’s telling. Crafting a cohesive experience will also help avoid confusion points, and ensure that your customer has one clear option before them, which gives the best chance of converting.

Make Your Call to Action Strong

Speaking of calls to action, make sure you give those some attention as well. On the opposite end from the subject line, the call to action is the last thing your customer sees before deciding to click or not. It needs to be compelling enough to close the deal, or else your audience might decide they can live without clicking the button. Wording like “Buy Now” and “Learn More” is the default, but usually isn’t the best choice because it’s not very exciting. Instead, try to craft something more specific to your product, and try incorporating stronger action words. Instead of “Buy Now,” try “Start Your Journey.” Instead of “Learn More,” try “Explore Your Options.” These stronger words convey emotion and visual images, and are more likely to push your users over the edge to convert.

Need some help putting the finishing touches or your marketing, email or otherwise? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Mr. WPress! Online marketing is one of the services we offer, and we’ve had years of experience creating websites and emails that convert. Reach out for a free quote today to see how we can work together!