Email Copywriting: Write a High-Converting Copy

In this digital age, email is critical for businesses and organizations to communicate with their audience to drive good results. Crafting a high-quality copy in an email, however, can be a challenge. With an inbox cluttered with countless messages, it’s crucial to stand out. 

In 2021, the average campaign email open rate was 14.73% across all industries. You want your email copywriting rates to go above that average. Our tips will help!

What is Good Copywriting in Email Marketing?

When you check out email copy templates, you’ll notice the key characteristics of their texts: it’s compelling, engaging, and persuasive. These emails clearly communicate the message, build trust and credibility with the recipient, and motivate them to take the desired action. But most of all, they are easy to read.  

If you’re wondering “what is email copy and how do I write it?” you should pay attention to these factors:

• Subject line;
• Personalization;
• The tone of voice;
• Call-to-action.

However, a copy isn’t the only thing you need for effective email marketing. Ensure that your design looks great, receivers are properly segmented, and you have an excellent automation setup.

Let’s see how you can achieve the effect of greatness in email marketing!

Essential Elements of Great Email Copies

The key to success is to start with clean messages and gradually change a few elements. Experimentation will lead you to the best results. Don’t forget that you have to measure the results, so you’ll see what changes contributed to higher conversions. 

It will take some time and practice to find a solution that works. But once you figure out the best practices for email content, the process of creating messages will become easier. 

You can start by perfecting these main elements of the copy on the email:

Catchy Subject Line and Preview Text

The catchy subject line and preheader text (preview text) of an email copy can make all the difference in getting your message opened and read. These are the features of a compelling subject line and preview text:

• Clear and Specific

The subject line should clearly state the purpose of the email and the benefit the recipient will receive. Avoid vague or misleading language that may result in the email being marked as spam! It’s a good idea to use an email copy spam checker just to be sure you’re on the right track. 

• Short

Aim for a subject line that’s to the point! Avoid lengthy phrases in the preview since they may get cut off. 

• Tested and Refined

Test different subject lines and preview texts to determine what works best for your target audience! Then, you can refine your approach based on the results. 

Here are two good newsletter copy examples with effective subject lines and preview text:

Persuasive Email Copywriting in the Message’s Body

Your promotional emails must be designed to convince the recipient to take a specific action. This can include purchasing, signing up for a service, or taking any other desired action to the sender. You can use various writing techniques to make the body of your message persuasive:

• Emotional appeal;
• Social proof;
• Clear and compelling offer.

Here’s a good example of a persuasive holiday email copy that will encourage your prospects to click the links:

Clear and Actionable CTA

The call-to-action is the final step in the email’s persuasive process. It provides the recipient with a specific next step, whether it be making a purchase, signing up for a service, downloading a resource, or opt-in for another action. 

A well-designed CTA will build trust and clarify the desired outcome. It has excellent potential to improve email metrics and increase conversions. 

As an example of a compelling CTA, check out this Black Friday email copy: 

Best Practices and Email Marketing Copy Examples

If you’re creating an email campaign from scratch, it’s best to implement tested and proven strategies that work. You can never go wrong with these tips:

Use Personalization

Personalized emails have a higher open rate than generic ones. On average, marketers see a 20% increase in sales revenue when they personalize the messages. Remember that it’s not OK to use an email copy generator without adjusting the text to include the recipient’s name, location, or other details that make the email more relevant and engaging. 

Here’s a good email copy that shows how personalization works in messages:

Be Relevant

Relevance is crucial in email marketing because it determines the level of engagement and interest, builds trust, improves targeting, and essentially increases open rates. 

A good email will offer solutions for specific problems and discuss the recipient’s pain points. For example, a software company targets users who downloaded the macOS version of their product, but some of its features fail to work correctly after the latest update. It would be great for the team to send instructions on how to solve specific issues that the users face. This would justify the recipient’s decision to sign up for our newsletter copy.

Pinterest is also a great example of how a brand addresses the recipient’s needs via email:

Show Them Why They Need Your Product

When the sales email copy highlights the benefits and unique value proposition that your product offers, the recipients will understand why they need to get it. You shouldn’t focus on the “what” and limit the message to the product’s features. Instead, you should focus on the “why” and explain the exact solutions it would provide. 

Here’s an example of a well-known brand – The Ordinary – that does it well:

Rely on the 4 Ps Formula

The 4 Ps stand for:

• Promise: Make a unique value proposition that your product or service will offer. This is what sets you apart from competitors.
• Preview: Give a sneak peek of what the recipient can expect. This can be a brief description, an image, or a video that showcases the features and benefits of your offer. 
• Proof: Offer evidence that your product or service can deliver the promise made. 
• Push: Make a strong call-to-action to encourage the recipient’s next step. 

This method is mostly used by B2C brands, but it also works when writing email copy for B2B companies. 

Here’s how Alo Yoga uses the 4 Ps in its emails:

Appeal to Emotions

Emotions drive human behavior and influence purchasing decisions. By evoking positive emotions such as excitement, joy, or aspiration, marketers can create a solid emotional connection with their audience and increase the chances of engagement. Emotional appeals also help differentiate a brand from its competitors, and they are especially effective when you outreach for a cause.

Here’s a good example of an email that appeals to the recipient’s emotions:

Use Psychology-Based Tactics

Urgency and scarcity are the most commonly used psychology-based tactics in email copywriting examples. Creating a sense of urgency by offering limited-time deals will encourage faster action from your recipients. Mentioning scarcity is important, too. It makes the recipients aware of the limited supply, so they should quickly act if they want to get the product or service. 

Social proof is also used as a psychology-based strategy in email samples. When you leverage the influence of others through customer reviews and testimonials, you show that many others have already taken advantage of the offer. 

This is an excellent example of a brand urging its subscribers to make a quick decision: 

Also read: 6 Best Email Marketing Examples, Campaign Types & Templates