Josh Carlyle — December 24, 2018 — December 24, 2018
Emails are still the prevalent form of communication for salespeople. As much as 50% of customers also prefer to receive offers via email.
A recent survey by Edison Software revealed, however, that 74% of customers find themselves overwhelmed by the email overload. These people also stress that they will miss an important email because of the overload.
The problem for a marketer arises when you want your recipient actually to read your email.
To prevent your email from ending up in the spam folder or remaining simply unread in the inbox, you must learn the most effective techniques for making people read what you have to say.
If you want to learn more about how to write successful emails, you can read our earlier post about writing cold emails for sales prospecting and outreach.
Here are 12 techniques you may want to consider to see if they generate the desired results for you:
1 Create attractive subject lines
Improve your chances of having your email read by creating a subject line that leaves the recipient craving for more.
People these days have a knack for detecting sales promotions. So formulate your subject line so that it promises them some real value.
Try to keep it short, too. If your subject line is 8 words long or more, it will be cut short on mobile devices with smaller screens.
2 Make it concise and easy to read
Since you already drafted a killer subject line, you passed the first stage of making your recipient open the email.
Now you need to be concise to deliver the message effortlessly to your busy recipient who’s on the verge of dismissing the rest of the email if things get boring.
Remember to stick with your topic. Don’t cover other topics in the same email. If you have more topics, save them for another separate email.
At times, there are cases where you simply cannot avoid writing longer emails. In these situations, focus on making your email at least easy to read. This means:
- Using headlines and short paragraphs
- Creating bulleted lists
- Highlighting important parts in bold
- Avoiding jargon and using simple terms
This makes it easier to scan through your text. In fact, when we read a text such as email, we spend only 20% of the time on processing the content and 80% on moving our eyes around to scan the text.
3 Pay attention to your first sentence
Your readers will make the critical decision whether to continue reading or not after the subject line and the first sentence of your text. To persuade them to continue, your first sentence needs to be captivating and engaging.
Many phones will show you not only the subject line of your emails but also a preview of the first few words of the text before you even open anything.
A recent survey reported that 55% of people opened their emails on mobile devices.
This makes your first sentence all the more important.
4 Be honest – no hard sell
We already established the fact that most people suffer from email overload. So forget about the hard sell and direct promotion. Explain why you’re contacting them, what you have to offer, and how they could benefit from it.
Remember that you’re offering a solution to a problem. Be honest about your intentions and convince them that they need your help.
5 Get personal
Generic emails are the ones that will forever remain unread. Try to connect with your potential client to gain insight into who they are and use this information in your email.
When we receive something personal and meaningful, it has more potential to strike a chord with us. People want to know that you’re speaking specifically to them.
Add value to your email by approaching your recipient with relevant information that shows you know what you’re talking about and to whom.
Being personal can include using your recipient’s first name in the subject line, which is generally a good practice.
6 Provide motivation
Let’s face it. Most people are not excited to receive email promotions, no matter how much they stand out. That’s why sometimes you need to offer motivation.
Motivation can take the form of a free trial or discount on your products or services to those who subscribe to your newsletters. This gives a reason for your recipient to read further.
7 Optimize your signature
Most people don’t put much thought into their signature. That makes it an undervalued tool in email marketing.
A generic signature that includes the sender’s name, title, company logo, and contact information isn’t doing much at all. Instead of being like everyone else, try to sell in your signature.
Here’s what you can do: include links to relevant articles and videos and pitch your social media and products or services that you’re offering.
8 Optimize your postscript
Similar to the signature, the P.S. section is another undervalued tool in email marketing. A good postscript has the potential of increasing click-throughs and conversions.
The P.S. allows you to promote something not directly related to the rest of the email. It can catch your readers’ attention and serve the function of encouraging them to give another glance at your email.
For example, you can add a personal touch by mentioning something about the recipient if you have the information. Or you can share news about the achievements of your company.
9 Polish your text
We all know how easily bad grammar and spelling mistakes can put us off. Spam emails are notorious for their grammatical errors. You don’t want your email to end up in the same folder with them.
In case you aren’t confident about editing your own content, there are many tools and services that can help you polish your writing. Proofreading and editing tools such as Grammarly and Handmadewritings help you avoid some of the common mistakes.
First impressions matter. So make sure to proofread your email before sending it.
10 Forget about emojis
You want to convey an expression of warmth by finishing off your email with a smiley face? Think twice.
While smileys can work well for internal communication within your company, reaching out to potential clients is a whole new ball game.
A recent study published in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal about the impact of smiley use in work-related situations concluded that smileys don’t increase perceptions of warmth and actually decrease perceptions of competence.
This is in contrast with actual smiles when people meet in person. Don’t let emojis give your recipient the wrong impression that you’re not a competent communicator, skip the smileys.
11 Enhance your design
Your goal is to engage your reader, and as we know, text is not always enough. Consider embedding images in the overall layout if it makes your email easier on the eyes.
Keep in mind, however, that images should only complement your otherwise valuable content. Exploit your visual skills to get the desired response. Your reader wants to feel engaged from the start to the end.
You can make your visual elements clickable so they will direct your reader to your product or service pages.
12 Use email-tracking software
Thanks to recent technological innovations, it has become possible to install tracking software that tells you when a recipient opens your email.
You will receive a notification when the recipient opens the email or clicks one of your links. As a follow-up, you can increase your chances of selling by contacting the person directly by phone. Test it out and see if it generates more sales.
Remember that your email is only the first point of contact. You’re not trying to close a sale. If successful, your email should lead to further communication, for example a phone conversation or face-to-face meeting.
It’s a good practice to end your email with a question that’s easy for your reader to answer and doesn’t require too much time. Be sure not to overwhelm your reader with too many questions. One is enough.
Be also careful that you remain consistent in your communication.
If you represent a brand, people have expectations about you. Make sure that your email is in line with these expectations. You want to portray your company in the best possible light.
Conclusion
All of these techniques mentioned above do not require any special technical skills and are easy to implement.
We hope that these 12 steps will help your emails stand out from the bulk of emails that go unnoticed and never the see the light of day.
Now it’s your turn to try these email writing tips in practice. Engage your readers and get the desired responses.
We are always excited to hear any suggestions from our readers. Don’t hesitate to share your ideas with us. You can leave your comment below.
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