Email Marketing: How to Write High-Converting Emails for Your Next Campaign

How to Write High-Converting Emails for Your Next Campaign

Email marketing stands out as a unique marketing channel that offers you a direct line to individual leads and customers. 

Currently, more than 4 billion people worldwide have email accounts and more than 300 emails are sent and received daily. Moreover, with an average of 121 daily emails, most users don't click through every message they receive. 

So, how do you create an email sequence that practically compels customers to open it? To keep your emails from going largely unnoticed or worse, purposefully deleted, you must create a robust email campaign.

You will need high-converting email marketing templates, stellar copy, and strong calls to action to engage your audience and drive conversions. Let’s dive deeper into how you can create high-converting emails.

     

Email Marketing Tips for Crafting High-Converting Emails

When shaping your email marketing strategy, it's crucial to establish a solid foundation right from the start:

• Prioritize segmentation - your audience can likely be divided in a number of ways, allowing you to address different groups of contacts based on their interests, relationship with the brand, product/service experience, and other relevant categories.
• Start with an enticing offer - always keep in mind what matters most to your audience. This doesn't always mean offering discounts; align your audience's expectations with your brand's unique attributes.
• Consider using emojis in the subject line and content to make your emails more attention grabbing, but ensure it aligns with your brand and industry.
• Utilize a visually appealing template that guides your readers through the information in a logical flow. Ensure it closely follows your brand guidelines to create a seamless experience across your website, email, social media, ads, and other channels.
• Create a sense of exclusivity or urgency by incorporating words like 'limited' or 'exclusive' to make your audience feel special.

How to Write High-Converting Emails

Let’s explore the best email marketing tips you can use to craft high-converting emails in your next campaign:

Craft Your Emails for Segmented Campaigns

Email marketing is all about building a personal connection with each user. Don't waste this opportunity by sending generic emails to everyone on your list. 

Effective email campaigns focus on each recipient's unique needs, and that's why segmentation is crucial. Segmented campaigns let you send relevant messages based on user data and actions. 

So, when it comes to email design, you need to create emails specifically for segmented campaigns. Understand what each audience segment wants and create focused messages that engage them.

Avoid sending one-size-fits-all emails. Use a reliable tool to automate email sending and move users between lists based on their interactions with your emails and website. 

This way, you can send highly targeted messages at every stage of your sales funnel, guiding users toward the next conversion.

Choose a Highly Attractive & Focused Subject Line

Writing an effective email involves delivering a clear and focused message. When you segment your campaigns, you can target specific user interests. So, let's maximize this opportunity.

To ensure your email's messaging is focused, we suggest beginning with your subject line. 

You don't have to nail the perfect subject line immediately, but try to condense your message into 61-70 characters. This exercise will help you pinpoint your key selling point.

Additionally, try writing your preheader text, which appears in message previews in notifications and inboxes. Once again, perfection isn't the goal right now, but refining your preheader text is a beneficial exercise for summarizing the core message you want to convey.

Cuisinart used a creative subject line ("Pssst...we have a question for you.") for their automated unsubscribe email. They also used simple, guilt-free copy and gave the subscribers a choice to customize their preferences or unsubscribe:

Create Personalized Emails - But Don’t Go Overboard

People want personalized experiences. According to research, 71% of consumers believe personalization would influence their decision to interact with emails. 

It suggests that when employed correctly, personalization can be highly effective in email marketing. It can help you boost your email open rates, engagement, and conversion rates.

That said, marketers and businesses tend to make either of these two mistakes regarding email personalization:

• Not personalizing the content at all.
• Going overboard with the personalization.

For effective email personalization, use people's names, send birthday gifts, and reward loyal customers. It’s best to avoid overusing personal details. Instead, your email should cater to their interests/ 

Spotify employs personalization brilliantly in this custom email to Olivia Rodrigo fans:

Here are some tips for better personalization:

• Include the recipient's name in the subject line and email copy.
• Change your email visuals to appeal to different audience segments.
• Tailor your content based on the subscribers’ gender, past purchases, and content engagements.

Netflix is great at sending brand-oriented, personalized emails with great CTAs like this one:

Ultimately, send emails that enhance the recipient’s experience and offer value, such as personal Netflix recommendations, reports on using your software or promoting relevant products on sale. 

The key is to use customer data to personalize content, which is more valuable than emphasizing that you know their address.

Offer Irresistible Incentives in Your Emails

When it comes to converting users, your primary aim is to offer compelling incentives. This begins by understanding the desires of your target audiences and then crafting messages that highlight your ability to fulfill those desires.

Uncommon Goods offers a great incentive with a compelling CTA in this email to create a sense of urgency:

Instead of saying, "Order your holiday gifts NOW!", this email says, "Now’s your chance to grab this year’s gifts before they’re gone for good." It caters to most customers’ pain point - forgetting to buy holiday gifts for their loved ones before it’s too late!

To further enhance your messages, consider these tried and tested email marketing persuasion techniques:

• Urgency: Put deadlines on special offers to motivate people to act promptly to avoid missing out.
• Freebies: Include bonuses like 2-for-1 deals or even free items to make customers feel they're getting a great value.
• Free Trials: Provide a taste of your product or service to showcase its value.
• Scarcity: Highlight limited availability to create a fear of missing out and encourage immediate conversion.
• Money-Back Guarantees: Offer assurance that there's no risk involved.
• Exclusivity: Offer VIP memberships or special perks for higher-priced options.

Incentives are the cornerstone of high-converting emails. Prioritize this in your copy and A/B testing efforts.

Add Images That Immerse Recipients in the Customer Experience

Let’s talk about why compelling images in your emails matter. The best visuals, whether images or videos, should help users envision using your products or services.

People aren't just buying the product itself; they're buying the idea of what it's like to use it and the lifestyle it represents. Consider luxury bath products – they might not clean you better than cheaper ones; the difference often lies in the packaging. 

Similarly, even though there might not be much difference in mobile phone technology, people still go for high-end devices or brand names because they convey a sense of luxury. 

Your images should capture the perception you want to convey. Software and service products are slightly challenging, but apply the same principle when adding images to your emails.

Venmo has aced the use of branded imagery and engaging graphics in this email:

Understand What Truly Counts With CTAs

If you want your subscribers to take action through email marketing, convince them to do so with relevant email CTAs. The golden rule is to use simple but compelling CTAs and start with an action verb. 

Words like “Start,” “Register,” “Order,” and “Buy” are standard as they tell the email recipient what they need to do. Alternatively, instead of “Sign up” you can use the less generic “Give us a try!”

If you want to drive engagement and foster communication between you and your subscribers, don’t use general CTAs, like “Reply”, “Comment”, or “Post”. Instead, use something more impactful, encouraging, and personal, like “Talk to Us.”

Here's a quick overview of CTA best practices to ensure you're on the right path:

• Copy: Craft compelling and actionable CTA text.
• Width: Place your CTAs in a full-width section with center-aligned text to ensure they're noticeable as users scroll down.
• Contrast: Use ample contrast to make your text and CTA button stand out.
• Size: Ensure your text and buttons are large enough for easy reading and tapping on touchscreen devices.
• Secondary CTA: Include a secondary CTA further down your email for users who don't convert with the first one.

When it comes to A/B testing CTAs, it is recommended focusing your efforts on improving CTA copy and determining the best placement for optimal conversions. 

The most effective CTAs deliver a truly compelling message that motivates people to click, which can be more important than background colors, fonts, or button shapes.

Use User-Generated Content as Social Proof

User-generated content (UGC) is any type of brand-related content (like posts, pictures, videos, reviews, testimonials, etc.) created by your customers/viewers.

UGC is an incredibly effective form of social proof; sharing it via email is an incredible way to build social proof, establish your credibility, grow customer trust, and encourage more prospects to convert. 

So, you can use other channels, like social media, to collect UGC and share it in your email sequence. 

Stick to a Responsive Layout 

When it comes to email layouts, your objective is to present your content in an effective and compelling manner. Ideally, you should choose single-column layouts, center-aligned text, and stack divs one on top of the other.

Visually, your emails will resemble landing pages with a hero section, and your content arranged in vertically stacked divisions. This ensures your emails maintain a consistent look on both mobile and desktop devices.

To enhance readability, create contrast by making text and buttons stand out. Select a background color that compliments white text. Conversely, use divisions with black text on white backgrounds. It will create an eye-catching design. 

Similarly, maintain consistency by employing the same background color for your call-to-action (CTA) buttons with white text, balancing the high-contrast layout.

Lastly, employ ample white space to break up text sections and consider varying font sizes, styles, and weights to group and distinguish different pieces of information.

Put Thought into the Timing & Messaging of Your Emails

Achieving a conversion in email marketing involves getting subscribers to read your emails and click on the call-to-action. To make this happen, you must time your emails right and tailor your messaging to where the customer is in their journey.

For instance, the right time for most people in North America to engage with a retailer’s email and follow through with a transaction is after dinner:

The key to delivering the right message at the right moment lies in understanding the relevant triggers and what information interests your audience. 

Launch email campaigns to your customers and prospects based on predefined triggers, such as:

• Recipient's location
• Average order value
• Past open and click-through rates
• Time elapsed since a subscriber joined your mailing list
• Time passed since their last purchase

For instance, the trigger for welcome emails is the time since a subscriber signed up.

Remember, avoid excessive emailing at all costs, as this can make your campaign seem spammy.

A/B Test Your Emails

A/B testing, also known as split testing, assesses user experiences by comparing two versions of content. Send different versions of your email to separate groups of email subscribers. Then, you analyze the results to determine which elements resonate better with your audience.

Start by testing the most significant aspects of your email before delving into finer details, and only test one element at a time. 

Here's a recommended A/B testing sequence: 

• Email Subject: Test two or more subject lines to assess their impact on deliverability and open rates.
• Email Copy: Test entirely different message content, styles, and key selling points rather than minor wording changes.
• Visual Elements: Try different images to evaluate their impact on engagement and conversions.
• Calls to Action (CTAs): Now, it's time to test various aspects of your CTAs, including the copy, conversion goal, placement, and the number of CTAs.

Above all, ensure that people are opening your emails before you start optimizing their content. Once people open your emails, it's the content inside that primarily influences whether they take action or not. 

The Bottom Line

Email is the ideal medium for driving customer engagement and conversions at different stages of the sales funnel. It’s why an optimized email campaign is crucial to unlock your email marketing goals.

• Create segmented email campaigns.
• Craft attractive subject lines.
• Send relevant, personalized emails.
• Use irresistible, value-driving persuasion techniques in your copy.
• Consider the time and message when sending your emails.
• Choose a responsive email layout.
• Add images that immerse the recipient in your brand’s user experience. 
• Use compelling CTAs to drive conversions.
• Employ user-generated content to offer social proof and build trust.
• Don’t forget to A/B test your emails.

Use these tips to create high-converting emails and maximize your campaign conversions. 

CDP - Custom Email Writing for Your Business!

At CDP, we offer custom email writing service to clients from all types of industries. Our writers can craft:

• Autoresponder emails
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• Email campaigns
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Our emails will help you improve your conversion rates and keep your recipients engaged.