How to Write an Outstanding E-mail Marketing Message

Posted on May 24, 2011 in Blog | 0 comments

Writing an outstanding email marketing message is mostly a matter of making the message intriguing enough for people to want to open the e-mail. If your subject line isn’t interesting or captivating enough to make them want to open the e-mail, then it’s not worth the time to send it out. When a marketing message captures your target market’s attention immediately, they’ll take the time to click “open” and continue reading the message.

Here are 9 principles to consider as you craft your next e-mail marketing message:

• Answer the question, “What is the advantage to the reader?” – One thing that captures the attention of a reader is a good “what’s in it for me” message. It must hit upon a need that the person reading the message wants fulfilled or information that will benefit that individual. Know your audience.
  
• Use social proof – People may not care who the founders of the company are or who the CEO and upper management is, but they do care about the reputation of the company and the reliability of the products or services they provide. Testimonials from real satisfied customers are great for marketing messages.
• Keep to the truth – Don’t exaggerate the abilities of the product or service, be truthful because false marketing declarations are obviously phony. Support the information with facts and make sure it is valued information for your targeted customers.
• Cut to the chase – Remember that your potential customers are busy; don’t ramble or lose track of the message. Keep the message clear and to the point. Don’t lose them in a lot of irrelevant fluff, and make sure your message is timely and appropriate.
• Actively engage the reader – Try not to use passive language; make the message active and motivating so that the reader is engaged and want to learn more about the service or products offered.
• Use appropriate wording – If the product is targeted for 18 to 26 year olds, it would not be worded the same for a product targeted to 45 to 55 year olds. Don’t cast your net too wide in an attempt to cover everyone; instead segment your mailing list and send targeted messages to each group.
  
• Research your audience – It’s important to effectively research the needs of the audience and prepare  a message targeted to that audience. Learn what the targeted customers want to know about a service or product and use your marketing material to ensure that their needs are met effectively. Furthermore, put the messages in a format that the targeted audience will likely see and open.
• Employ creative variety – Mix it up! Tell the story of your product or service in a variety of ways; be creative even as you remain focused on your goal and target audience.
  
• Proofread, proofread, and proofread again – Yes, two heads are better than one. Get your co-worker to proof your copy! You don’t have to be perfect all the time, but take time to make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors.

Looking for help in crafting your email marketing messages? Contact Calvert Creative today and see how we can help you get your email messages crafted and deployed.