Tips On E-Mail Copywriting
The Subject Line
In a typical subject line for an e-mail message you have about 45 characters to make an impact, and in a BlackBerry message you only have 15 characters to work with. So, it’s obviously of huge importance to get your message across using the least amount of words as possible. Make each word count. Try to have your sender line clearly distinguish your company and brand so that you will not have to waste any characters in the subject line to do so.
Make sure to include all the essential information in the subject line. This will depend on the information you are sending. For example, if you are sending an e-mail concerning a date-sensitive matter, it follows that you should include the name and date of the matter in the subject line. This will usually take up most of the characters you have to work with, so be as pithy as possible.
To get a good idea of what your recipients will see, practice by coming up with a list of ideas for the subject line and bold the first 45 characters. This will allow you to see what a typical recipient will see in the subject line. Then, italicize the first 15 characters to see what BlackBerry users will see. This should tell you whether or not you need to put the more important information closer to the front of the subject line or not.
Be Familiar With the Template
Clients will usually already have an e-mail template with specific placements for banners and menus. Get yourself familiar with these so that you can get a better idea of how to formulate your e-mail. Look at their Web site as well. This will allow you to see what landing pages you can link to so that you will not have to waste e-mail space with repetitive information.
Appeal To the Buying Impulse
Two-thirds of all purchases are made on impulse. This means that you should not assume that readers will spend a great length of time reading or even considering a purchase. What the reader looks to see is a motivation, a clear and convincing reason to act.
Tout this stimulus in the headline, first line, or first photo. You can also place this in a hotbox, callout, or starburst. Once you have done this, you have greatly increased the chances of a positive response.
Once the reader passes your e-mail in his/her inbox it is highly unlikely that she will go back to it again later. This should spur you on to make the biggest impact in as little time as possible.
Prioritize the Pieces
An e-mail copy is not just a blank page. There are a number of pieces to it and they all must fit as perfectly as you can get them to fit. The three or four most important messages should be placed at the top of the e-mail, and don’t be afraid to unleash a full assault with all the tools you have at hand: banners, the space above the banner, hotboxes, sidebars, menu bars, and links, among others.
In Ending…
Do not feel pressured to take e-mails lightly. They may not seem complex or that demanding, but to make an effective e-mail campaign you must take into account a number of factors and possibilities. Use your creativity, feel free to experiment with new ideas, and study other successful e-mail promotions.
Source:
http://www.clickz.com/experts/em_
mkt/b2b_em_mkt/article.php/3579341
