Convincing people to take notice of an eDM is difficult. It must cut through the email clutter. It must entice people to open it, read the content and, most importantly, do something. You want them to act, visit a website or register to attend an event.
An effective eDM needs an enticing subject line. It needs strong, personalised copy that propels the reader to the end offering a clear, simple call to action. You’ve got to create the eDM your customers want to receive, not the eDM you want to send.
Your subject line will make or break you. A good subject line creates excitement or interest in your message, succinctly conveys its purpose, reflects your brand’s personality and compels the reader to learn more.
The tricks to an effective subject line include:
- describe a benefit the recipient will get
- offer to solve a problem
- avoid spam triggers, such as ‘win’, ‘free’, ‘discount’, ‘winner’ and ‘amazing’.
The call to action is the second most important part of your eDM. Make it clear what you want readers to do. If you are ambiguous, they won’t spend time guessing.
Whether you are writing an eDM that promotes an event, offers a whitepaper or case study or announces a new product, the writing style remains the same.
Here are our four tips:
- don’t say too much. Set a single objective for each eDM. Stick to it. Have a call to action that’s presented in a clear and direct tone. For example, if you’re introducing a new service, explain how it will help the customer and then link them to your website for more details or directly to sales team for a personal call. Don’t include your company history or information on other services. Offer links described in two words or less if you really must share this content, that’s the purpose of an “about us” link.
- personalise it. Make it clear why the eDM is of value to your customer. For example, focus on how your service will help them save time or money, rather than listing its specifications. The more you personalise the better.
- make it easy to read. Write short, punchy copy, with subheads and bullet points. Keep paragraphs short and the total length below 300 words. You want to sound like a trusted partner rather than a pushy salesperson. Use an educational and conversational tone. Avoid abbreviations and slang.
- outsmart the smartphone. People viewing your eDM on a smartphone may only see the top line. Put your most important message or call to action first.
An eDM can be a powerful, engaging way to reach people. But for your customers, it can be just another email to delete. To avoid the latter, write copy that is clear, concise and engaging – and most importantly, that addresses your customers’ needs.
