Are you wasting money on expensive copywriters?
As an agency, we frequently get asked if we provide copywriting services for our clients. Whilst it’s true that crafting compelling, attention-grabbing copy is an art form, if your emails contain so much copy that you need an expert to write it, you’re probably using too much copy!
We are talking specifically about email copy here, nothing else (after all that’s what PAASE is all about). Copywriting is one of those things that can strike fear into the heart of those without experience. But we are not talking about writing a novel here – it’s really just a couple of sentences that are needed for an email.
A Litmus survey in 2022 found that on average, people spend just 9 seconds looking at an email. That’s 9 seconds for you to make an impact with your audience, and they sure as hell are not going to be reading paragraphs of copy in that time. In fact, 30% of emails are looked at for less than 2 seconds.
These days, attention spans are short, and communication is swift. So, there are only 3 pieces of copy that you should really be spending most of your time on:
1. Your subject line. If they don’t open it, you won’t even get the 9 seconds of their attention.
2. Your headline. Make it strong and to the point. Make them want to see more of your amazing email.
3.Your call to action. Give them a good reason to click through to your website.
So, what do you need to know?
Understand your audience:
Before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) it’s essential to have a deep understanding of your target audience. What are their pain points, desires, and preferences? Tailoring your email copy to resonate with your audience’s needs will significantly increase the chances of capturing their attention and driving action. How can your product solve their problem?
Write attention-grabbing subject lines:
The first hurdle in email marketing is getting recipients to open your message. A compelling subject line is your ticket to standing out in a crowded inbox. Keep it concise, intriguing, and relevant to the content of your email. Consider using personalisation, urgency, or curiosity to entice recipients to click and explore further.
Headlines that can’t be ignored
They’ve read your subject line, and they like what they’ve seen so much that they have chosen to open your email above all the others in their inbox. So, now you need to make sure that your headline keeps them engaged. A poor headline could mean that they don’t read on, and worse still, they don’t bother opening your emails next time. Your headline should relate to your subject line, so that they can trust that you haven’t just tricked them. It should summarise what the content of your email is, draw them in by developing curiosity, intrigue, highlight a relatable problem or fulfil a desire.
Create engaging content:
Show your customer that you know them – use their name, personalise the content to based on what you know about their preferences and previous interactions. Share relevant and valuable information and consider using storytelling to create an emotional connection with your audience. A conversational tone often works wonders, making your emails feel like a friendly chat rather than a formal message, but it’s important to keep within your brand tone of voice for consistency. Use power words such as:
Words to trigger emotions: Beautiful, Empower, Fearless, Happy, Love
Words to trigger actions: Deal, Expiring, Limited, Running low, Save
Compelling Call-to-Action (CTA):
Every email should have a clear and compelling call-to-action (CTA). Whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or downloading a resource, the CTA should be prominently displayed and aligned with the email’s objective. Use action verbs, create a sense of urgency, and assure your audience that taking the next step will bring them tangible benefits.
In conclusion
Email copywriting shouldn’t be complicated. It needs to be short, to the point and drive an action. It’s not something to be feared. Your emails should be the vehicle to drive engaged people to your website, so keep it punchy and brief and let your website do the selling. Don’t go out and spend loads of money on getting email copy written for you – the team at PAASE can help you understand how to get this right.
Need a bit more help or advice with these changes, or your email marketing in general? Get in touch.
