How to Write Emails That Will Get Read

Want to write the perfect email for your list?

There is no such thing of course, and the ideal message is going to vary from person to person and brand to brand. That said though, there are certainly some ‘best practices’ to keep in mind when you are coming up with your emails and that can help you to get a better response. Let’s take a look at some of them…

Write a Story

I once heard the expression that ‘storytelling is SEO for the human mind’. This is incredibly true and the fact is that the human psyche loves stories. We have evolved over thousands of years with a culture of storytelling and we find it very engaging and very persuasive.

So instead of writing about how X technique is highly effective generally, instead frame this discussion as your own personal account. How has it helped you? Or how has it helped someone you know? How did you feel during that process? Set the scene and get people engaged – this is far less dry than simply talking in facts and figures.

Be Personal

It’s important that the tone of your messages match the tone and the nature of your business. However, it should also match the medium – which in this case is the email of course.

Emails are inherently more personal and less formal than other forms of marketing because they’re being read in a personal inbox. At the same time, by writing a more personal message (using the recipient’s name, making sure to use a regular letter structure), you’ll be more likely to reach the primary inbox and therefore to actually get read!

Try not to put any distance between yourself and your audience; make them feel as though you are speaking with them directly.

Provide Value

The objective of any good email should be to provide value. That might be in the form of a tip, or it might mean that you are providing entertainment. Either way, you need to make sure that your audience feel glad that they took the time to open your message and read it. That way, they’ll be more likely to do the same again next time!

As well as providing value though, you should also seek to make sure you are providing value in the shortest space of time. In other words, your messages should be efficient and to the point – you don’t want to take up your audience’s time!