How’s your email game going? Do you even have an email game?
You should. Look, we know a lot of us were around when email became a “thing” (we are ancient), and it’s now seen as more of a nuisance than anything else.
Insert “I hope this email never finds you. I hope you are free” viral tweet.
All this to say, it’s easy to write off emails as an antiquated form of communication in competition with shorter-form, more instantaneous social media options. You also don’t want to fall into the “one more thing to unsubscribe” category.
But it turns out, if you can tap into what makes an email campaign successful, it can be a beneficial tool to connect with your customers in a more personal way.
Here are a few tips on how to hook your customers, old and new, instead of sending you straight to the spam folder:
- Tailor your offer to your ideal audience member: Perhaps a bit on the nose, but if you’re a vegan lifestyle brand, maybe don’t go searching in hunting enthusiast Facebook groups for new contacts. This is your chance to appeal to your clients and literally tell them your story and why you’re a good fit in their lives.
- Highlight your usefulness: Your thesis here should be why you will give your reader ease, comfort, or convenience (ideally all three). Unlike TikTok or reels, you’ll have their attention for more than 3 seconds if you play your verbal cards right, so compel them to keep reading.
- Make the individual reader feel special: This is key, even if you’re mass emailing. Throw in 20% off with a code or a special little something if they hit a certain price point. Bonus points if you do this semi-regularly, as it will entice your readers to read through your entire email.
Let’s write an example together:
Subject: I am an SEO-focused, eye-catching tagline. Write me last. AI is useful here; take the body of your email and ask it to analyze for SEO subject lines.
I’m your intro, and I’m about to tell your reader exactly who I am and why I do what I do. If I’m cold emailing, I’ve done a bit of research on the audience I’m reaching out to so I can subtly relate to them and showcase my story as something that also appeals to them as consumers. (I.e., I have a female-focused lifestyle brand aimed at 20-30 somethings, so I can tap into struggles that I faced during those years that inspired me to start my company.)
This is the body of my email, and it exists to tell my customers what my offer is and why they need it. My offer is as good as my business, so I’m not shy here in talking about myself and my offer up a bit. It walks the line between bragging and showcasing, and I make sure to emphasize why my offer gives them something they need to make their lives better. I am confident in what I do, and this paragraph shows that.
Here’s where you seal the deal and give them a special offer code or little bonus gift with an order. Close out with an outro that emphasizes your gratefulness for their business and establishes your mission as a company. Wish them well. Tell them you’ll chat soon.
There, you did it.
Email sent.