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How to Write Email Copy That Resonates With Your Readers

How to Write Email Copy That Resonates With Your Readers

by | Sep 3, 2019 | Email Marketing

Your email is only as good as the words inside it.

It doesn’t matter how many fancy graphics or photos you have, whether your words are carefully branded with colors that match your logo, or how many emojis you used in the subject line.

Well-written email copy speaks for itself – it doesn’t need bells and whistles (although they ARE nice to have – they’re just not essential).

Email marketing, in general, has the potential to be 40x more effective than social media, according to a McKinsey & Company study.

But.

That’s only if the words in your email do their job.

I’m here with your back-to-basics guide on how to write email copy that is not only engaging and relevant to your readers, but actually gets results.

Sometimes, solid words and great flow is all you need. ✍

Ready to roll up your sleeves?

how to write email copy guide

9 Steps on How How to Write Engaging Email Copy That Resonates with Your Audience: Table of Contents

1. Learn How to Write a Compelling Email Subject Line

2. Keep the Voice, Tone, and Style in Your Emails Consistent with Your Content (Be Uniquely You)

3. Don’t Worry Too Much About Length…

4. …But Don’t Blather – Get to the Point

5. Be Direct and Encourage Action Whenever Possible

6. Imagine Writing to One Person

7. Step into Their Shoes – Learn How to Write Relatable Email Copy

8. Always Write with a Goal in Mind for Your Email Copy

9. Include at Least ONE Call-to-Action

[bctt tweet=”How do you write #email copy that doesn’t need a crutch? (Read: Slick graphics, smooth design, flashy colors, or so many emojis it looks like hieroglyphics. ‍♀️ ) Find out in @JuliaEMcCoy’s guide. ” username=”ExpWriters”]

How to Write Email Copy That Works Without Any Gimmicks: 9 Steps

How do you write email copy that doesn’t need a crutch? (Read: Slick graphics, smooth design, flashy colors, or so many emojis it looks like hieroglyphics. ‍♀️ )

Answer:

Like this! Read on.

1. Learn How to Write a Compelling Email Subject Line

Your subject line is the key that unlocks your reader’s curiosity, interest, or excitement to read what you have to say. If you can evoke one of these emotions from your reader at this crucial point (and deliver within the actual email message itself), that’s a recipe for a winner.

Granted, that’s not saying it’s easy to write this kind of email subject line. It’s really hard.

But not impossible.

Use Commands or Questions

Since the aim of the subject line is both to inform your reader what the email is about and entice them to open it, why not just tell them what to do?

Commands use the power of suggestion to make your reader want to click.

For example, the subject line “Take the night off from cooking” in an email from a restaurant is more effective than “New seasonal menu!”

The first is a command. If you say that to most people, they’ll respond with “Okay, how?” Meanwhile, the second subject line will earn a “So what?” more often than not.

A question posed to your reader as your subject line works similarly, because it ignites curiosity, like in this subject line from Digital Marketer:

“Is this the hottest career in marketing?”

[bctt tweet=”A question posed to your reader as your subject line works well, because it ignites curiosity. #emailmarketingtips ” username=”ExpWriters”]

Plumb Your Vocabulary

A few strong, solid verbs and adjectives (and a couple of intriguing nouns) may mean the difference between your reader hitting “delete” or opening your message.

The right words encourage an emotional response and make your subject line stand out among the dozens of others crowding the average inbox.

For instance, in this to-the-point subject line, Sips by (a tea subscription box) uses two positively-associated words and the power of alliteration to make you want to click:

“Hacks for Happy Camping”

Simple, yet sweet. All it took were two strong words: “hacks” and “happy.”

Use an Email Subject Line Scoring Tool

If this all sounds like mumbo-jumbo to you, good news: Tools exist to help you create effective email subject lines.

I particularly love CoSchedule’s Email Subject Line Tester. It not only scores your subject line, but also explains exactly why it works and the components that make it strong. The more you use this tool, the more you’ll improve your subject line writing skills!

2. Keep the Voice, Tone, and Style in Your Emails Consistent with Your Content (Be Uniquely You)

Brand consistency across platforms is important for building trust and a good reputation with readers. That applies to your email copy, too.

Ideally, your email copy should reflect the brand voice you have established elsewhere. Any differences will jar your readers, not to mention make you seem less authentic and real.

Real-world example: Way back in 2016, when I ventured into building my first courses, I hired a “marketing expert” team (read: ad funnel experts — oops).

One of their services was writing all my emails for the sequences to test for better conversion rates. I bit my lip reading phrases like, “I’m a leading influential expert, and I know what I’m doing.” A few of their copy segments ran in an A/B test, and my readers immediately saw a difference and pointed it out (one reader even said, “This is WAY too salesy, and not like you!”).

Yeah, chalk that up as just one of my many marketing lessons learned.

I strayed from my style, differentiation factor, and tone of voice in my content, which is usually zero B.S., zero fluff, direct, and practical. The new stuff wasn’t me, and the readers just knew.

Lesson learned. If you outsource some of your content and copy, don’t hire too many writers. Your style will get watered down. Instead, stick to one or two writers who know your voice inside-out, or ask the agency you hire to dedicate one writer to your content/copy, no matter where or how it appears online. This is a big factor for consistency.

A clear, distinct brand voice everywhere matters.

This example from email-writing master Ramit Sethi proves my point. His voice pops right away, and you feel connected to it because it’s consistent with the style of his written content everywhere else:

3. Don’t Worry Too Much About Length…

Unlike a clear and consistent brand voice across your emails, the length of your messages doesn’t matter that much when you’re learning how to write email copy.

I have seen bite-sized email copy and novel-length copy both perform well. It’s not the number of words you use – it’s the quality and content of those words that matter.

Take, for instance, one of my most successful emails that did amazingly well with my list. I wrote this after getting inspired listening to someone in my industry share how “DIY” content marketing didn’t work for them:

If you think that looks like a lot of text for one email, you’re not entirely wrong. This email is almost 800 words, and there are no bells or whistles.

BUT. There is a TON of value packed in there:

  • I tell a personal story relevant to my audience’s interests.
  • I include facts, stats, and data.
  • I use bullet points, bold text, and short paragraphs so it’s easy to read.
  • I provide both “how” and “why” this topic matters to the reader.

That leads us to my next point. Length doesn’t necessarily matter…

4. …But Don’t Blather – Get to the Point

Again, there is no fluff in that successful email. No useless details, no beating around the bush, no B.S.-ing.

If this email went off-topic or into irrelevant details (like unrelated stats or repetitive wording), it wouldn’t have worked.

Need a clear example of fluffy writing? Look at this introduction. The two paragraphs below say the exact same thing, just worded in different ways.

Notice how your eyes start to glaze over when you hit that second sentence?

We get it: Americans eat a lot of junk. You could easily combine these two paragraphs and keep that main idea intact. This is the epitome of fluffy, useless writing.

Bottom line: Get to the point, and don’t repeat yourself uselessly in your email copy. Make every word count. (If you need a little help with that, check out our guide to writing clear sentences.)

5. Be Direct and Encourage Action Whenever Possible

Getting to the point isn’t just about zero fluff. It’s also about being direct with your readers and encouraging them to act on what you’re saying at every chance.

For a great example, let’s return to that Sips by email. I’ve underlined all the places where they used actionable, direct language to inspire you to check out their blog:

Have you noticed a trend? Most of these sentences begin with a command: “Remind yourself,” “try out this recipe,” “you’ll be wanting s’more” – the language is both punny and direct for maximum impact.

Here’s the end of the email, where we see more of the same:

They’re directly talking to you, the reader. They address you, use commands, and include plenty of opportunities for you to complete the desired action (clicking the links to check out their blog).

6. Imagine Writing to One Person

Here’s a trick for how to write email copy that’s more direct:

Imagine writing your message to a single person. Imagine them sitting in the room with you and what you would say – then write it.

This works particularly well if you already have an audience persona nailed down. Pull it out, examine the traits that define your ideal target reader, and write directly to that person, empathizing with their pain points, fears, goals, and triumphs.

7. Step into Their Shoes – Learn How to Write Relatable Email Copy

Writing relatable, relevant emails isn’t that hard if you know how to step into your persona’s shoes.

Take it one step further – don’t just imagine writing to that person, pretend you ARE that person.

As that consumer, what do you need to hear from a brand to pique your interest, pull you in, and make you care?

Let’s look at an example. Take this rather “blah” email subject line from The Container Store:

“25% OFF All Elfa, Shelving & More!”

The discount is front and center, but other than that, there’s nothing here to entice me as the consumer. I don’t know what “Elfa” is, and as far as shelving – what kind of shelving? Closets? Kitchen? Bathroom?

Why should I care?

This email fails because it doesn’t relate the subject of the message to me and my interests or problems. I don’t care about a discount unless it helps me save on something I need or want.

What if the subject, instead, read:

25% off closet shelving to organize your life

Nixing just a few words and substituting others completely changes this subject. It relates the point of the email (alerting me to a discount in-store) to a real problem I want to solve.

That’s a HUGE difference.

8. Always Write with a Goal in Mind for Your Email Copy

What do you hope to gain with the email marketing you’re about to send?

What is the goal, the purpose?

Are you:

  • Trying to get more eyes on your latest blog?
  • Building brand awareness?
  • Sharing brand updates or important info?
  • Encouraging a lead to buy?

Whatever your goal, have it firmly in mind before you compose your email copy. This gives your writing purpose and can even help you avoid fluff and filler.

Plus, outlining a goal helps you track and measure the success of your email copy. For instance, did that email promoting your new blog lead to lots of clicks and traffic? Have lots of leads converted on that sales email?

Once you see how you’re doing, you can change tactics, improve, and test new email techniques to find your sweet spot.

9. Include at Least ONE Call-to-Action

Once you’ve nailed tricks and techniques for how to write email copy that performs, you need to capitalize on it all.

Your readers are ready to act on the information you provided in your email. Do they have the means to do that?

The call-to-action (CTA) gives them the chance. If you don’t include at least one in your email copy, you’re wasting your time.

The CTA is the command that tells the reader what to do next after they have ingested the information in your email. E.g., If you want them to check out your blog, use that as your CTA and include a blog link. If you want them to buy something, link the product and tell them to “buy now!”

Let’s return to Ramit Sethi for a fantastic example of this in action. In this email selling his Zero to Launch course, he includes not one, not two, not three, but FOUR CTAs sprinkled throughout the text.

Each is a clickable link that takes you straight to what you need to act on the information in the email.

The CTA is essential to seeing results from your email marketing. Don’t leave home without at least one somewhere noticeable in the copy.

[bctt tweet=”Don’t leave home without at least one solid CTA noticeable in your email copy. #emailcopywriting ” username=”ExpWriters”]

You’ve Got This “How to Write Email Copy” Thing

Email marketing is a powerful tool just about anyone can use to build their brand. Don’t be fooled, though – the most compelling aspect of your emails needs to be the copy, not the flashy images or design.

The words you use WILL make or break your success. Learn how to write email copy, wield those words wisely, and the ROI will flow in. Promise.

CTA email copy

How to Write Email Copy That Resonates, Wins Clicks & Loyal Followers

How to Write Email Copy That Resonates, Wins Clicks & Loyal Followers

by | Aug 23, 2017 | Email Marketing

It’s a technology even older than dial-up internet.

Despite its age (it was invented almost half a century ago), email is still going strong.

It’s like that aunt of yours who has seemingly been old for decades, but she keeps on rolling, as energetic as ever. She’s a standby at family gatherings and never seems to wear out.


In much the same way, email marketing has been a cornerstone for all kinds of businesses for years.

The proof is probably within your inbox right now. Most likely, you get inundated with an avalanche of promotional emails daily from various companies.

However, there’s a problem, especially if you want to take advantage of email for your own business.

how to write email copy

What’s the Problem with Email Marketing?

Think about what you do with the emails you receive. Do you open every single one? Do you read all the messages you do open? Narrowing down the pool further, which ones make you want to click-through?

If the answers are “no,” “absolutely not,” and “not many,” in that order, you’re like most people.

With that, we’ve come to the problem.

Via Business.com, this survey shows that the most common complaint of mobile email subscribers is that they get way too many messages.

There’s so much inbox competition, standing out is hard.

So, as a marketer, how do you not only make people want to open your emails, but also read them and click your CTAs?

In short, how do you write email copy that wins the day?

The Solution: Learn How to Write Email Copy That’s Outstanding

You have to write exceptional email copy to get results.

What does this copy look like?

To figure it out, think about the emails you love to read. Think about the messages you look forward to opening.

What do they have in common? Probably one or more of these 12 factors, features, and qualities.

First off…

1. Start with a Surprising, Inspiring, Emotion-Tugging, or Eye-Catching Subject Line

In an email message, the subject line is your headline.

It’s how you initially grab a reader and hang on tight. Before any other component, the subject line has to snag their attention if you expect them to actually open it.

This means you need to cultivate intrigue or curiosity. You have to appeal to some emotion that makes your reader want to learn more.

It’s a tall order. To do it, you need to give your subject line the same care and attention you give your email body copy. To accomplish this feat, try these tips:

  • Only promise what you’re going to actually deliver – Don’t lure readers into opening your email with an enticing subject line, then completely fail to deliver. If you promise something or inspire action in your subject, make sure you follow up.
  • Be specific – Don’t be vague in the subject line if you want results. Want proof? Copyblogger tested out two subject lines for the same email. Guess which one was more successful and led to a higher click-through rate? That’s right – the specific one.
  • Use language that encourages action – Don’t hedge, and don’t be shy about your subject lines. Use actionable language that’s urgent and motivating. For instance, instead of saying “Tickets for X Events Are on Sale Now!” say “Grab Your Tickets for X Event Before They Sell Out!”

Here are a few great examples of effective subject lines that do it right. It’s not surprising that all of them use direct, active language that speaks straight to the reader:
Greetabl grabs the eye in a crowded email inbox because they make a bold proclamation: You’re in the squad.
World Market wrote an urgent subject line that cleverly makes you want to act.

Madewell crafted a subject line too tempting and curiosity-inducing to pass up.

And the king of email, Ramit Sethi, intrigues his readers with an offer.

2. Draw Them in with a Warm, Friendly, Engaging Tone

Some businesses think that making their emails personal means inserting the recipient’s name in the copy a few times. Nope.

In fact, if you use the above strategy, it’s overkill. You’ll sound like a robot.

Instead, make your tone personal. Talk to the reader as if they’re a friend. Unsurprisingly, this inspires friendliness reciprocated back toward your brand. This could inspire them to click your CTA, in turn.

This leads us to our next point…

3. Talk to Your Readers, Don’t Address Them

Sure, your email is going out to a faceless group of people. That doesn’t mean you should address them as such, though.

In fact, you shouldn’t address them at all.

Instead, talk to them. Don’t write as if you’re preparing a speech for an audience; write like you’re penning a missive to a good friend.

To this end, make sure you use second person voice. This means you talk to the reader directly through your writing, using the term “you.” Need an example? You’re reading it right now!

For a good example, check out this “thanks for signing up” email from Papa Murphy’s. They talk to the customer directly with brief but effective copy:

4. Err on the Short Side

Nobody has time to read a novel in your marketing emails. Respect the reader and keep it short, yet informative and useful. Edit your email copy rigorously and ruthlessly if you need to whittle it down.
More specifically:

  • Stick to the point – Don’t meander in your marketing emails. This is not the place to share deep thoughts, discussion, or something similar. Stay on topic.
  • Get to the point – For that matter, don’t take forever to get to the point of the email. Get there and give the reader satisfaction.
  • Stay relevant – Keep your email relevant to the reader. It’s about them, not you. Copywriting guru Ann Handley of Marketing Profs goes a step further with this – she says to make it “relentlessly” about the reader. Be empathetic and place yourself in their shoes.
  • Keep the email to one topic – You don’t have time to address multiple topics with multiple calls-to-action. You’ll lose your reader. One topic, max, is all you can reasonably address without boring anybody.

5. Be Yourself (Hint: This Is How to Write Unique Email Copy)

How do you add that human element to your email marketing?
Be you. You’re the human element.
Don’t sanitize your writing. Try to write the way you speak, with your idiosyncrasies, unique turns-of-phrase, and vocabulary.
Are you a sarcastic person? Do you make lame jokes? Are you a punster? Or, do you tell it like it is?
Don’t be afraid to insert your unique personality in your writing. Don’t keep yourself out your email copy. People will respond more positively if they can find you, a human voice, present in the message.

6. Focus on Value (Benefits vs. Features)

Along with your human voice, you also need to focus on the value factor in your email marketing.

This goes along with staying reader-focused. What are the benefits you’re offering that help them in their daily lives?

Don’t just list features – instead, think about what positive outcomes the features bring to the table.

For a good example, look at this promotional email from Sephora. They’re promoting “Flash,” their two-day shipping service, but they stay benefits-focused:


They tell you what you get with this service, but it also says exactly how you’ll benefit. Staying value-focused like this is how you appeal to your readers.
Once you’ve outlined the benefits, it’s time for your CTA.

7. Include a Call-to-Action, But…

Keep it crystal-clear. Your call-to-action at the end of your promotional email should give the reader an exact idea of what they need to do next.
The key word, here, is “need.” Your reader should feel a sense of need or urgency from your call-to-action: They’ve got to do X because they’ll get X as a result.
Make sure they understand the benefit of taking action – the “why” along with the “what.”

8. Get a Second (or Third) Opinion

After you self-edit your copy, but before you hit “send,” you need to pass it along to another set of eyes.
This person should have sharp attention to detail and a sense of what good email copy looks like. They’ll catch silly mistakes you might have missed, including tiny punctuation errors and the like. They’ll also see where you’re too wordy, where your tone is off, or where you’re not clear enough.

9. Test Your Copy’s Effectiveness

It’s often hard to know what will work for your particular audience unless you test it out. The same goes for your promotional emails.
For instance, write two versions of the same email and send them out to different, distinct groups. Then measure the response to each. A slightly different tone of voice or a reworded call-to-action might be the key to more email conversions. You’ll never know unless you test it out.

10. Don’t Keep Using a Formula That Doesn’t Work

If one road map for how to write your email copy isn’t working, you can’t expect to see any difference in results if you keep going in that direction.
To use a cliché, don’t beat a dead horse.
To find success with email campaigns, you can’t be afraid to reinvent, revise, and experiment with your approach. That has to include the way you’re writing to your audience.

11. Focus on Copy First, Design Second

The writing is the foundation of your email marketing. It’s your message. The other stuff, including the layout and design, is just the vehicle.

If your emails don’t work without the fancy graphics and pretty visuals, you need to take a step back.

Your email copy, the content and structure of your message, comes first. If you can’t send it as plain-text and get good results, you’re focusing on the fluff, not the substance. It needs to be the other way around.

Take a look at this promotional email from Boden, a British clothing retailer:


It showcases a sleek, styled image of fashionable people. However, take away that image, and the copy still works by itself. These are classic, beautiful, durable clothes for everyone in your family. The brand got that across, without sounding salesy, in one sentence.

12. Find Ways to Delight Your Readers

One of the purposes of your email marketing is to continue to cultivate trust with your audience.
You managed to give them enough reason to hand over their email addresses – now you need to build on that.
A great way to do it? Delight them.
The great part of this is, if you genuinely want to delight your audience, it will come through in your email copy naturally.
“Delight” can mean a lot of different things, too. It can mean positive surprise, joy, humor, glee, and pleasure. It can come from a simple moment of genuine warmth, a surprise special offer to say “thanks,” or some heart-to-heart talk.
In general, it means getting personal for a moment, stepping off your soapbox, and being real. The best part? It won’t just increase trust – it will also humanize your brand, making you seem more relatable.

For an example, look at this email from Poncho. HubSpot loves this company’s email marketing precisely because it’s so delightful:


From their happy, poncho-wearing cat logo to their humor in the copy, it’s an exercise in all-around delight. In a world of bad news, how refreshing! Now that’s good email.

Learn How to Write Email Copy and Start Resonating with Readers

If your email marketing isn’t resonating with your readers, maybe you need to get your copy in gear.

The words, after all, are the foundation of the whole shebang. Without exceptional email copy, you’re left with nothing but a bunch of fluff. And, let’s face it – fluff never convinced anyone to do anything.

When your emails are just one more needle in the haystack, you need more than fluff to stand out. You need more to convince people to open your messages, actually read them, and click on your CTAs.

Follow our tips for exceptional email copy, and see if they don’t make a difference. You might be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Need more “oomph” for your email copy? We can handle that. Express Writers has the chops to give your emails all the “write” stuff. See for yourself!cta great copy