10 Ways to Improve Your E-mail Copy

 

By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, May 22, 2010-One of the quickest and easiest ways to stay in front of your sphere of influence is through e-mail. While it may seem simple enough, sending an e-mail goes beyond hitting the ‘send' button. If you are looking for simple ways to increase the chances that your e-mail is read and creates the results you're after, paying attention to your e-mail copy will help you achieve these results.

The experts at Business Know-How offer the following tips to improve your email copy in order to get the best possible response from your next e-mail campaign.

1. Subject line - Your e-mail subject line will determine whether or not the rest of the message is ever read. Remember to keep it straightforward. Be sure to start your subject line with a call-to-action, include the name of your company, include any savings message at the front of the sentence and make it short for quick scanning.

2. Opening sentence - All the qualities that apply to a good subject line apply to your opening line. In fact, many successful e-mails use their subject line as the opening line, with a slight variation. It's not redundant; it sets the tone for the message and can act as a header.

3. Action words - Don't let the passive voice creep into your message. For effective messages, you need to grab attention. Usability studies have shown time and again that including a direct call to action can significantly improve response rates.

4. Set the right tone - Your e-mail tone depends on two factors: your audience and business. Keep your e-mail tone consistent with your website. The last thing you want is a customer to click through your e-mail and land on your site feeling surprised or confused.

5. Know your reader - If you have no idea who will be reading your e-mail, you'll have a tough time writing a compelling, persuasive message. Only when you clearly identify your target market can you determine the best way to reach them.

6. Repeat the offer - Repeat your offer throughout the message. At a minimum, it should be in the opening and closing lines of your e-mail.

7. Be brief - The truth is that the average person doesn't really read e-mail. When confronted with a big block of text, most people's eyes will automatically skip over it. To encourage readers to take notice, keep your paragraphs short and easy to scan. Separate the message into subsections, so someone can get the main points without having to read every word, vary your paragraph structure with bulleted lists, and eliminate any unnecessary details.

8. Create urgency - A sense of urgency in your e-mail will encourage readers to click through right then, rather than waiting.

9. Keep it simple - Clear writing with a direct message will always get a better response than overly-detailed copy with too much information. Don't overwhelm your readers with a long list of products and services. Give them a taste that encourages them to click through to your website.

10. In closing - End your e-mail on a familiar note and choose the closing that's right for your business. Also, be sure to repeat your offer and call to action so that your reader knows what to do next.