Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Friday, December 25, 2020
Campaigner Email Verification is here!
If you’re looking for a Campaigner email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our Campaigner integration. Email verification for Campaigner is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
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Campaigner email verification options using mailfloss
If you’re using mailfloss for Campaigner email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected Campaigner to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected Campaigner account. Here’s a screenshot of […]
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How To Clean Email Lists With Campaigner
Getting started cleaning your email lists with Campaigner is easy with mailfloss. Once Campaigner is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with Campaigner going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
The post How To Clean Email Lists With Campaigner appeared first on mailfloss.
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Monday, December 21, 2020
MailUp Email Verification is here!
If you’re looking for a MailUp email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our MailUp integration. Email verification for MailUp is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
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MailUp email verification options using mailfloss
If you’re using mailfloss for MailUp email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected MailUp to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected MailUp account. Here’s a screenshot of […]
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How To Clean Email Lists With MailUp
Getting started cleaning your email lists with MailUp is easy with mailfloss. Once MailUp is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with MailUp going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
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Friday, December 18, 2020
The Best Welcome Emails
There are few marketing emails as important as the welcome email. It sets the tone for the rest of the relationship. Here we show you the best welcome emails and how to craft these welcome emails yourself. So if you're looking to rock your welcome emails, be sure to check out this article.
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The Best Welcome Emails
Did you know that 74% of users expect to receive a welcome email as soon as they subscribe?
Or that welcome emails have an astonishing open rate of 91.43%?
The moment a user subscribes to your newsletter is the moment you need to start fostering and investing in your relationship with them. And showing them your gratitude through a welcome email is a great way of doing so.
The question is, what makes a good welcome email?
How can you make sure that users notice your email in their busy inboxes but also follow the steps you want them to?
The 11 brands we’re going to list today have found the recipe for success when it comes to welcome emails. And we’re going to let you in on all their secrets.
But first, let’s answer the most essential question...
… What Are Welcome Emails and Why Are They Important?
A welcome email is a piece of communication that you send to users once they become your subscribers. First impressions count, so welcome them into your contact list and get them excited for the next stages of your relationship.
Think about welcome emails as the moment you meet someone new.
If they’re friendly and make a good first impression, you’ll want to develop your relationship with them. Who knows? You might go from acquaintances to friends. To besties. Maybe even invite them to your socially distanced parties! But it all starts from that first impression.
In marketing and business terms, this would mean that your welcome email is your chance to show your brand’s personality. And make a good first impression.
Ultimately, this will lead to higher customer retention.
With this initial email, you can turn a new subscriber into an actual customer. And from there, if you play your cards well, into a loyal one.
Plus, saying ‘Thank you’ is politeness 101, so why wouldn’t you?
Now that you know why you should definitely send your new subscribers a welcoming...err welcome email, it’s time to get you inspired. And what better way of doing so than by showing you 11 brands that have absolutely nailed their welcome emails?
Read on!
11 Great Examples of Welcome Emails
No matter which industry you’re in, if email marketing is a part of your digital strategy, you need to be sending out welcome emails.
At first, it might be tricky to understand which approach you should take when drafting this type of communication. Especially if you’re not a retail or e-commerce business and sending out a promo code to your new subscribers isn’t an option.
But worry not!
There are (excellent) ways you can do this, even if you work in tech, healthcare, design, real estate, finances… you get the drill. As long as the welcome email is good, it doesn't matter the niche.
Pact
Saying ‘thank you’ - plain and simple
Every business’s ultimate goal is to make sales and users know that.
Consumers are constantly bombarded with all sorts of CTAs. Anything ranging from “Buy now!” to “Download our app!”, “Schedule your appointment today!” and many more.
So when a brand takes the time to say the two magical little words, as Pact does, they almost automatically stand out.
Pair your gratitude with a nice “20% off your first order” and there you have it: a simple, yet incredibly welcome email.
Sukin
Gifting the subscriber with an (irresistible) offer
Users will only subscribe to you if they gain something from the relationship, so why not reward them from the get-go?
That’s exactly what Sukin (and many, many, many other brands) do and it’s also what can increase your revenue by 30% per email.
Our recommendation is that you place a CTA under the code. So, if the user wants to find out more they can click to their heart's desire.
Note: You don’t want to be the brand that doesn’t deliver what they promised! If you offered them a coupon, give them one.
SproutSocial
Letting the subscriber know about the next steps they should take
Users won’t know what you want them to do unless you tell them clearly - and what’s clearer than a quick step-by-step guide?
Making the message inviting and showing your subscribers why they should follow these steps is crucial for this type of welcome email to work. And you can do so by including some benefits in the copy, which is what SproutSocial does when they mention their “weekly training”.
Remember, as well, to include at least one CTA, so that users can easily take the action you want them to.
Ace & Tate
Being original with the subject line
“Welcome to [your brand’s name]” or “Thank you for subscribing” work for welcome email subject lines.
But in terms of creativity…
Taking a completely different approach, like Ace & Tate does, will make your email stand out among your competitors. And it will spark enough curiosity for the subscriber to open it.
Alternatively, you can:
- Mention the discount you’re offering, if applicable
- Include an emoji to make the subject friendlier and unique
- Personalize, by mentioning the subscriber's name
Domain
Sharing helpful resources
Domain is a real estate portal and it’s clear to them that, if someone subscribes to their product, chances are that they’re actively looking for a new place.
Now, we all know that house hunting typically requires a lot of research about the market, home loans, insurance plans, and much more.
For this reason, the company figured that the best way of welcoming a new subscriber is to provide them with useful resources on all those issues. And it’s a winning strategy!
If the same logic applies to your business, this is a great opportunity to boost traffic to your blog, social media pages, and digital tools.
Honey
Setting expectations
Your welcome email can be to your product or service what a trailer is to a movie.
You use it to tell your subscribers a bit of what they can expect from you. That way they know what to expect and may want to know more about what you have to offer.
Take a look at Honey’s welcome email, for instance. You learn exactly what to expect from the product and, let’s face it, you’ll definitely be using it next time you do some online shopping.
Keep in mind that you need to live up to what you promise. There’s no point in setting unrealistic expectations, even if they make you look better in the subscriber’s eyes. Once again, promising and not delivering is a big no-no!
Superga
Telling your brand’s story
Did you know that users are 55% more likely to purchase a product if they like the brand’s story?
People want to connect with brands at a deeper level.
They want to learn about a brand’s personality and values to make sure they align with their own before they even think about buying.
Your welcome email is a fantastic opportunity for you to use some storytelling and properly introduce your business. And our tip is that, like Superga, you keep the copy brief and invest in the design and visuals.
The Action PAC
Asking for more information
Using your email to gather more information about your subscribers is a smart idea. Not only because it will give you valuable insights on which direction to take with your brand, but also because it will help you further personalize your newsletters.
Depending on what you want to know, you can:
- End the email with a question and encourage the user to email you back, or
- Include a CTA to a survey, just like The Action PAC did
Pro tip: Remember to mention how “super-short” your survey is. People are busy and never-ending forms are simply a no-no.
Wix
Using striking visuals
Wix’s promise is to help you create stunning websites that you’re proud of, so it only makes sense that they make sure their email design is top-notch.
You can do so as well by:
- Using images of real, happy people
- Using high-quality photos of your product/service
- Including your color palette
- Ensuring a good balance between text and visuals
Another great option is including a video in your email, as it can increase your CTR by up to 300%!
Princess Polly
Keeping it friendly and conversational
We mentioned before that sending a welcome email is like introducing yourself to someone new, so it’s clear why you need to be friendly in your communication.
However, the way you demonstrate this friendliness will vary, mostly on who your audience is and what tone and language works best with them.
Princess Polly, for example, is a clothing brand targeted at young women, so using the word “babe” and including heart emojis makes sense. They communicate with their audience as if they were a close friend, and that humanizes their brand and helps them build stronger connections.
Having said that, if you had a tech or healthcare company, this approach wouldn’t work.
The trick is in finding the type of language your target responds to.
Stan
Keeping it short and sweet
Sometimes, less is more and with the streaming company, Stan, that’s definitely the case.
Users subscribe because they want to watch movies and TV shows. Thus, there’s really no need to mention more than their support page, a few trending shows, and a CTA.
When you write your welcome email, make sure you don’t include any fluff just for the sake of it. If you end up with a short email, don’t worry. Just make sure it’s engaging and offers value.
A Few Extra Tips for Creating Welcome Emails
Use A/B testing to your advantage
You can’t send out emails and not use the power of A/B testing to your advantage. It’s like an unspoken rule of email marketing.
As such, remember to test, at least:
- Timing of your welcome emails
- Design
- Location and copy of CTA
- Subject lines
- Personalization and segmentation
Remember to personalize
Marketers have reported a 760% boost in email revenue from personalized campaigns. Need we say more?
Promote your social media pages
When you want to learn more about a brand, where do you look for information?
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… right? By including your social media pages in your welcome email, you make it easy for users to learn more about you and what you have to offer. And that’s an opportunity you shouldn’t miss.
Don’t write from a no-reply email address
As the name suggests, sending out emails from a no-reply address means that your subscribers won’t be able to reply to it.
After reading your welcome email, the new subscriber might have a question for you, which can end up leading to a purchase decision in your favor. So why would you hinder the communication between them and yourself?
Make opting-out possible
Having a never-ending list of subscribers who never open your emails means zero. Nothing. Nada.
By making it possible for users to opt-out, you won’t have as much work cleaning your lists. As loyal, engaged subscribers will stay and the others will leave.
Ready to Create Your Own Welcome Email?
With the examples, tips, and tricks we gave you in today’s article, the answer is yes, you are more than ready!
You’ve managed to turn a visitor into a lead, and now you have to focus on developing an authentic connection with them. With trust, they can soon become a loyal customer. Sending out an engaging, well-written, branded welcome email is a great starting point.
If you need a hand drafting your welcome emails, you can always get in touch with us!
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Monday, December 14, 2020
Mautic Email Verification is here!
If you’re looking for a Mautic email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our Mautic integration. Email verification for Mautic is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
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Mautic email verification options using mailfloss
If you’re using mailfloss for Mautic email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected Mautic to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected Mautic account. Here’s a screenshot of […]
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How To Clean Email Lists With Mautic
Getting started cleaning your email lists with Mautic is easy with mailfloss. Once Mautic is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with Mautic going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
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Friday, December 11, 2020
How to Grow Your Email List Fast
Want to grow your email list fast? If so, you're in luck. We just wrote an epic guide on how to do exactly that. We show you 11 methods on how to grow your email list fast, with plenty of examples to boot. So if you are looking to grow your email list fast, you won't want to miss this. Ready? click to read more.
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How to Grow Your Email List Fast
Did you know that your email marketing database decreases by 22.5% every year?
There will always be people opting out of your newsletter for whatever reason. Maybe they've abandoned an overwhelmed email address, switched jobs, or they’re not interested in what you have to offer, it happens.
But don’t worry, we don’t just bring bad news.
The fact that you’ll continue to lose subscribers over time doesn’t mean that you have to watch as your email list shrinks like Ant-man.
No, no, no - it’s not that bad!
The secret here is about balance.
As some people opt-out, you lure other people in. That way you make up for your lost contacts and engage new ones. Quality still beats quantity here.
This can only happen, of course, if you know how to make your newsletter stand out and your “Sign up” button irresistible to click.
Curious to learn more?
Keep reading as we go through 11 simple, yet effective list building techniques!
Reward Your New Subscribers
Using incentives to convince your visitors to become subscribers is one of the most commonly used list building techniques. And it’s easy to understand why.
After all, receiving a few emails a week in exchange for a 20% discount on that gorgeous bag you’ve been eyeing doesn’t sound like a bad deal at all, does it?
What you need to do is find a reward that is within your budget and that your prospects will find worth signing up for.
Four excellent options would be:
A Promo Code
Who can resist a good old promo code?
Establish a number that doesn’t break your bank and, just like Sur La Table, be clear about it in your sign-up form. We like how they include the terms and conditions for the campaign. It's worth swiping the idea, since you don’t want to be misleading, after all.
A Chance to Win a Prize
If rewarding every one of your new subscribers isn’t an option, you might want to go for a contest.
Just make sure that the grand prize is actually grand and that it is relevant to your target audience.
Exclusive Content
Sometimes users aren’t particularly interested in a discount or prize, but they’d rather get access to exclusive resources.
This is a fantastic choice if you’re a true expert in your niche, like Jeff Bulas is at generating traffic. So why not follow his example and offer your prospects a free ebook (or webinar, or e-course, or… you get the drill)?
A Free Trial
If you sell software, as Basecamp does, offering your new subscribers a free trial period might be your best option.
Not only will you get their email addresses, but you might just end up with new customers. They’ll get to try your product first-hand, without having to spend a single dollar. It's what we do here at mailfloss, as well, and our users love it.
Understand How Users Navigate Your Website
The way your target audience navigates your website says a lot about how you can market your products or services to them. And it can give you valuable insights on how to promote your newsletter.
There are many metrics you can look at in order to boost your email marketing efforts, but if we had to give only two, here they are.
Discover Your Most Popular Pages
Go to your Google Analytics reports and check how much traffic each of your pages gets. We bet that you’ll notice a few that stand out.
Those are your most popular pages, and they can be a powerful weapon for you to capture more email leads. The only thing you need to do is optimize them with an enticing carrot and a compelling CTA. Both of which need to be aligned with the pre-existing content.
Easy enough, right?!
Discover Where Most Users Focus Within a Page
Additionally, checking heat maps on these pages can help you decide where you should place your forms and CTAs.
Wherever the heat maps say your users’ focus is prime real estate to put an attractive opt-in.
Create a Landing Page
Promoting your newsletter on your main website is a no-brainer. But if you want to take your efforts to the next level, why not create an entire landing page for lead generation?
These types of pages have one goal, and one goal only. To help you capture your prospects’ personal information. Use this info to enrich your contact list and, from there, keep fostering your relationship with them.
In other words, it’s one-page dedicated entirely to your email marketing campaigns.
No distractions, no interruptions… nada.
“This all sounds great, but I don’t have enough to say about my newsletter to fill an entire page!”
Well, that’s what you think.
The reality is that these landing pages shouldn’t have immense amounts of information.
Keeping it short and sweet might just help your visitors read your content until the end. Clarity will help them get the message you’re trying to convey. Ain’t nobody got time for fluff anyway, right?
If you’re not quite sure what to include, take some inspiration from WalkMe’s landing page. Some benefits, one testimonial, a few awards and big clients, a CTA (with the magical word, “free”), and voilá!
Keep Your Sign-Up Forms Short and Simple
We know you want to have as much information about your subscribers as possible. Fair enough. But there's a proper way and then there's the wrong way.
Asking a prospect for their first name, last name, email address, phone number, and favourite soap opera is bad, mmmk? It will only lead them to abandon your website and erode your trust. It's like asking someone to marry you on the first date, don't do it.
In order to avoid this, start off with a simple name and email form. As your relationship with the subscriber progresses, you may ask for more details over time.
You can even ask for the prospect’s email and nothing else if you want to make it as easy for them to subscribe as possible.
Pro tip: When creating your form, remember to include inline field labels, so that users know exactly what to type in and where.
Use Social Proof
Did you know that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations?
Or that the average consumer checks ten user reviews before they make a buying decision?
Statistics like these show us that social proof is now more powerful than ever. And the good news is that you can use it to nudge people to subscribe to your newsletter. And similarly, you can use it to convince users to buy your product or service.
Mention your current subscriber count
FOMO is a real thing.
People don’t want to be left out. If you have a solid number of subscribers, showcasing it might just be the push your prospects need to join your community as well.
“If all of these people follow this brand, why shouldn’t I?!”
Keep in mind that this is only a good idea if you have a big following.
Telling people to “join over 30 subscribers” isn’t nearly as convincing as “Join over 60,000”, is it?
Include testimonials
In case you have a landing page dedicated to obtaining more subscribers, having a testimonials section is definitely worth it.
Doing so will make your prospects trust your brand almost instantly, as they’ll see that others had a positive experience with you. However, remember that these testimonials need to be real.
Lying to make your business look good is a huge no-no.
Pro tip: Include photos of real people next to the testimonials, as it is an easy way of boosting “truthiness”.
Include awards and/or clients
When it comes to awards and big clients, we’ve got one simple motto: if you got it, flaunt it.
There’s a reason why you won these awards or got these clients, and that’s because you’re doing something right. You know that, of course. So why not show your prospects that other experts in your industry have the same opinion to increase your credibility?
Promote Your Newsletter on Social Media
If you’ve got thousands of followers on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, yet only a few dozens of email subscribers, you know what you’ve got to do… cross-promote!
There are many ways you can do this. And if you’re a social media pro, we’re sure your brain is already bubbling up with ideas.
If not, we’ve got you:
Create Social Media Ads
Remember that landing page we suggested you created?
If you’re willing to invest some (extra) money into your email marketing strategy, we strongly advise that you promote this page through paid ads.
Simply choose the platform(s) where most of your audience is. Create some compelling copy and engaging visuals. Select the right targeting options. And that's it!
Include a Link in Your Bio
This one is straightforward. It doesn’t get much easier than adding a link to a landing page in your social media bios. Check out how Oktopost does it on their Instagram bio.
Anyone who visits your pages will instantly see it, which means that your visibility and reach have the potential to go through the roof.
If you have other pages that you want to promote on your bio, remember that you can always use Linktree.
Use Instagram Stories to Spark Curiosity
500 million people use Instagram Stories on a daily basis.
In other words, these 24-hour, slideshow-type of posts represent a feature of Instagram that brands like yours can’t overlook.
There are, of course, countless things you can post on your Stories. But for list building purposes, our tip is that you use them as teasers for your newsletters.
Give your followers a hint about what you’re going to cover that week or month. There's no need to give away too much. And don’t forget to add a link to your landing page.
Alternatively, you can mention a good reason why users should sign up. Here, Xtend Barre Australia does with its “rest of the month free” offer.
Use a Compelling Pop-Up
When we talk about pop-ups, you might automatically think about something that disrupts the user’s navigation through your website.
However, if done right, pop-ups can actually be incredibly beneficial to your business.
Proof of that is this study conducted by Omnisend. Here they mention that adding a sign-up form to a website led sign-ups to increase by an astonishing 150%!
But what exactly is a pop-up “done right”, you may ask?
Well, we could write an entire article about it, but for now, we’ll leave you with these three essential tips:
Make Sure It Is Well-Timed
When it comes to website pop-ups, timing is key.
Our suggestion is that you let the user explore some of your content. And only then show them a pop-up. For example, you could show one after visiting a set number of pages. Or after scrolling down a page X percent. Or show one if the user is about to leave your page.
Adapt the Pop-Up to the Page
We’re not saying you need to create a unique pop-up for each of your pages.
However, tweaking the copy to match the content the user is already reading can be a lot more convincing than using a generic message.
Create Mobile-Friendly Pop-Ups
In 2019, 52.2% of all traffic came from mobile phones.
This means that by ignoring mobile users, you’re giving up on more than half of your prospects - which is something you simply can’t do.
As such, follow THE ICONIC’s example and create mobile-friendly pop-ups and forms. These have the right dimensions for mobile users to easily and quickly sign up.
Growing your email list is all about reaching new soft leads and getting them to click that “Sign up” button.
We should mention that there is no one-size-fits all when it comes to growing your email list. Finding which list building techniques work for your audience will be a matter of trial and error. However, once you discover your own recipe for success, you’ll see your email list go up like never before. Even while losing that 22.5% of subscribers per year!
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Benchmark Email Verification is here!
If you’re looking for a Benchmark email verifier, look no further because mailfloss has you covered with our Benchmark integration. Email verification for Benchmark is important mainly for three important reasons, all related to maximizing your email ROI and profits. email verification helps you get your emails delivered to more real people because it increases […]
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Benchmark email verification options using mailfloss
If you’re using mailfloss for Benchmark email verification, you have five options at your disposal. Before explaining the five options, make sure you have properly connected Benchmark to mailfloss. You only need to do this once and from then on mailfloss will be able to automatically perform email verification for the connected Benchmark account. Here’s a screenshot of […]
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How To Clean Email Lists With Benchmark
Getting started cleaning your email lists with Benchmark is easy with mailfloss. Once Benchmark is connected, you can let mailfloss automatically clean your emails lists with Benchmark going forward. Here’s how to do that. Step 1. Visit the integrations page Visit the integrations page by clicking on “Integrations” in the left […]
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Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Storytelling for Email Marketing
Storytelling for email marketing is a great way to connect and engage with your audience. In this article we tell you exactly how to do it and why you might want to in your email marketing. Hint: because it's awesome.
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Storytelling for Email Marketing
“By knowing someone’s story—where they came from, what they do, and who you might know in common—relationships with strangers are formed.” -- Paul J. Zak
Storytelling. It opens our imaginations, puts our kids to sleep, but most importantly, it boosts conversions like crazy.
Yep. It turns out that something as simple as telling stories is a powerful marketing tool. It works insanely well to make blog posts, sales pages, and emails sound much more compelling and “human”, rather than another written piece of something you won’t read.
But above all, it helps the reader create a meaningful connection with whoever is behind that message.
If you feel like your emails are lacking a bit of oomph, then storytelling is the answer. No doubt.
This article will show you how to use storytelling in email marketing.
From “Spammy” and “Salesy” Emails to Appetizing Ones
Who even opens emails nowadays, right?
People are bombarded with so much information and pointless emails every minute that sometimes not even a huge, unmissable offer makes it out of the spam folder. People either don’t realize it’s there, or they couldn’t care less.
When you invest in an email sequence, you want it to be worth the hours you put into it. You want your leads and customers to know what’s up with you and your brand. Whether that’s a new product, a business/life update, or an exceptional offer. You don’t want them to ignore it. You want them to be interested.
Email newsletters don’t have to be boring and unreadable. Instead, they should be something your audience craves. And that’s why you need to create something different. Run from the salesy language people have had enough of. Don’t beg them to buy it--tell them why you bought it, and why they should as well.
That’s about it. To make people open your emails and read every word, you need nothing but a great, meaningful story to set the ball rolling.
What is Storytelling--and Does It Work for Emails?
Time to get a little nerdy.
Storytelling is a blend of art and science. It engages listeners, helps them visualize words and actions, and holds their attention for much longer than if there was no story involved. All that happens thanks to the way stories change our brains.
Whenever we’re engrossed by a fascinating or intense story, our brain releases a chemical called oxytocin. That means we get emotionally involved in what’s being said or on what’s written. We become mellow. Interested. We sympathize with the person on the other side, especially if we’ve been in their shoes before. And this is incredibly powerful to earn your customer’s admiration and trust.
Regardless of the circumstance, telling a great story requires a certain amount of technique. This includes making use of sensory words. Words related to smell, sight, taste, and feel. Use these words to make the listener vividly imagine scenarios and sensations without actually living through those things.
By telling stories, you’re warming your audience up before the real deal: the sale. The subscription. The like, the comment, the click. Whatever it is the action you want them to take. If the story is gripping, they’ll reach the important buttons and calls-to-action.
You don’t need to make stories up, by the way. You could tell something real, but you could also use fictional characters and situations to illustrate your point.
Let’s see what works.
5 Factors that Make Great Email Storytelling
Below are a few real examples from real emails that used the storytelling technique.
Just a reminder that you’re not telling stories for the thrill of it, or because you ran out of ideas. You’re telling them because it’s something your leads and customers would love to know about. As with anything in your business, each email must be carefully planned.
Sounds overwhelming, sure. On top of your crammed to-do list, you still have to sit down and write something awesome every week?!
Well, yes. But it becomes so much easier when you have a blueprint. Here it is.
Great emails are preceded by a clickable subject line
What makes you buy a book?
Not the cover. Not if you’re over 15 years old.
It’s actually the title that first pulls you into the rest of the story.
What does that mean?
That means your subject line must be as interesting and eye-catching as the rest of your email. Don’t expect people to open every email to figure out what’s inside. Truth is, they don’t care. Even if they’re subscribers. You’re the one who has to make it appealing.
You could write the best email in the world, but no one’s going to read it unless the subject line grabs them by the shirt. In a good way.
Think of an email subject line as the entrance to something even better.
For instance, here are a few subject lines that are really, really hard not to click on.
“A typo that cost me 15,000” - from copywriter Cole Schafer’s newsletter “Sticky Notes”
First of all...15 grand? For a typo? That’s insane. This can’t be true. Whoever reads that has an urge to find out why something so small cost so much. If they’re copywriters or freelancers, they’ll want to make sure they won’t make the same mistake.
“Never, ever do this”. - from SEO expert Heather Lloyd Martin’s “SEO Copywriting Buzz” email newsletter
“Never do what? I wonder if I’m doing what I’m not supposed to when it comes to SEO best practices...let me check, just in case.”
“Swords, bellydancing, and repurposing your content”. - from Copy Luv’s Cheryl Binnie email newsletter
These three things are absolutely disconnected from one another. But hey, that’s what makes it so magnetic. It sounds fun and intriguing, especially if you want fresh tips mailed to you with a side of personal updates.
There’s no such thing as an ideal subject line formula. As long as you make it fun, SHORT, quirky, and even suspenseful, you'll have a shot at a higher open rate.
They’re often personal
Don’t assume people don’t want to know what goes on in your personal and business life.
As long as what you’re saying offers some kind of value to them, they’ll have their eyes peeled for what comes next.
It could be something that has happened to you or to someone you know. Or maybe something that has been going on and you’re excited about.
Note: if you’re writing about someone you know, make sure to ask for permission. Or use a pseudonym.
When you talk about yourself in your true voice, you build a trustworthy image. When you tell people about certain events, and they can relate to these events, their brain goes “hey...that person gets me” or “I like that person’s vibe!”. And that’s how loyalty is born.
Remember Cheryl Binnie’s “swords, bellydancing, and repurposing your content” email mentioned earlier? Here’s an interesting, personal bit.
Of course, there’s a lot more to the email. But see how this makes the personality shine through? A little descriptive update and relatable chit-chatting goes a long way.
When they’re not personal, they're insanely creative
Sometimes you don’t have a great story to tell, and that’s okay. You don’t always have to be talking about yourself. Life isn’t always interesting.
Interestingly, some brands do a beautiful job of painting a funny picture in our minds using creativity. Sometimes, that involves using their brand persona to spread the word.
They don’t necessarily need to be a persona, so to speak...
Take a look at what Bark Box subscribers received in their inbox.
Yes, you probably pictured an entrepreneur pup wearing glasses and working behind a computer like I did. And that’s SO heartwarming. Besides getting a monthly themed box of doggy goodness every month, subscribers are delighted by cheery emails like this one.
If your brand has a character (human or not), you’re more than welcome to portray that character in every aspect of your marketing. Including email newsletters. It gives your brand a unique, memorable voice.
They’re “chatty”
It’s so much better to read something that doesn’t look like writing at all.
It feels like your eyes glide effortlessly through the screen as if you were having a heart-to-heart with someone.
That’s what “chatty” writing means. It’s writing that applies a “let’s talk” approach with the reader. The fancy name for it is conversational writing.
Note that conversational writing is a lot different than abbreviated internet lingo. You don’t have to use OMGs or IDKs unless your brand’s voice calls for it. The secret is to write as if you were talking to your audience.
Here’s an example from Heather Lloyd Martin’s SEO Copywriting Buzz:
See how smooth that reads? It really feels like she’s talking directly to the person on the other side.
When done right, chatty writing brings you closer to the reader. You sound approachable, and you encourage people to take the action you want them to take.
Next time you’re writing an email, read it out loud. Does it sound natural, or does it sound weird? Remember that it should sound like a conversation with the reader. Another tip is to record yourself saying the contents of the email and then transcribing it.
Again, it’s all about building trust and sending your leads a subliminal message that says “hey, I’m just like you. And I want to help you. You can trust me and my offers.”
They tie into your conversion purposes
Now, here comes the strategic bit of storytelling.
Yes, you’re writing to update your customers and entertain them with something personal. But your end goal will always be to earn conversions. This is marketing, after all.
A story is the ideal tool to pave the way for a conversion. For example:
There are a lot of ways you can link stories to what your business offers. Writer Cole Schafer did it marvelously in this email, in which the moral of the story is: always proofread your work, or else you might lose great deals.
Throughout the email, he was smart enough to mention his copywriting guide and lead the reader into juicy calls-to-action.
Your Turn: Here’s How You Can Start Telling Stories in Your Emails
Be Observant
Stories are everywhere. Really. You just need to have an open mind.
Start paying attention to what happens around you. Anything you can use to bring great insight to your audience. It could be something routine, such as knowledge you’ve gathered from the latest conference you attended. Or maybe it could be something totally unexpected, like how an ice cream vendor during a trip to the beach gave you interesting sales ideas.
Of course, the stories you tell will depend on what your business offers and how they blend into it. Still, you can find inspiration in the most unusual ways, people and places. Keep looking.
“What could this bring to my audience?”
Every great story has a moral, but your audience doesn’t care unless it helps them in some way.
Before you write a draft, have a clear goal in mind. Will this bring new insights to my audience? Will it help them achieve a short-term goal? Will it evoke some sort of emotion in them? Will it offer a mindset shift?
The key here is not making it all about you or your brand. Unfortunately, they won’t care. Each and every email must fulfill a purpose and offer something useful to the reader. Whether that’s a tip, a coupon, or an exciting update. And your story must play a role in that.
What’s in it for them?
Communicate with satisfied customers
Customer success stories are pure gold.
When you’ve run out of words to say, just borrow them from someone else. But make them real.
If a real person can communicate real results, people’s defenses go down. It’s not you saying it, but someone who experienced the benefits of your product for themselves.
So, whenever you have the chance, ask loyal customers for testimonials. Contact them, and ask for permission to write about their success story in detail. These will be your biggest conversion opportunities!
Last but not least: stay hungry for knowledge.
Storytelling, too, is a matter of practice.
For your information, not one soul is born with a gift to tell stories. Their inspiration and knowledge comes from books, movies, podcasts, observation, and of course, writing.
If you want to master storytelling, then first you need a repertoire. Learn as much as you can, about anything (not only work-related stuff). The more knowledge you have in your repertoire, the more stories you’ll have to tell.
Sound like too much for an email marketing campaign? Start working storytelling into your emails and check your open rates later.
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
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