Stop treating email marketing like an afterthought & expect it to pay you like a millionaire.

Does email marketing still work?

Despite all the buzz around AI and TikTok shop… emails are still highly effective and one of the top-rated marketing channels because of the direct line of communication it provides. 

You don’t have to worry about complicated algorithms, it’s very affordable, straightforward, and there’s no middleman. Which is probably the best thing about email marketing- you own all the customer data and have direct control over your content. 

And if that wasn’t convincing enough, email has an average open rate of 21.5% to 22.5% across all industries vs. social media’s engagement rate of 1% – 3.5%. Yikes!

You don’t need to own a Fortune 500 company or have ten years of experience in business to send email campaigns. So if you’re ready to skyrocket your sales with engaging emails, this is the perfect blog for you.

What Are The Best Subject Lines for Email Marketing?

An effective subject line quickly arrests your reader’s attention while building curiosity. 

Now here’s the catch— there’s always a catch— it has to do that in about 10 words or less, 120 characters to be more specific.

This is why people often struggle to write good subject lines, but I promise you it’s very simple. 

First, keep in mind that most people read emails on their phones. So your subject lines need to be mobile-friendly too. Email platforms like AWeber suggest staying under 45 characters to avoid your subject line getting cut off in mobile inboxes. They also advise getting your point across with no more than 3 punctuation marks (! ? .) to avoid mistakenly being flagged as spam.

Next, identify the objective of your email. For example, let’s imagine you own a skincare brand and you’re writing an email about how to get rid of acne. A good subject line is – Reverse acne and get your best skin yet in 3 easy steps

The subject line perfectly prepares the reader for what to expect— tips on how to get blemish-free skin. While the trigger words ‘reverse acne’ and ‘easy’ hook the reader. And it does this with only 9 words.

N.B.-  Writing attention-grabbing subject lines is a game of trial and error. Run analytics to see what your audience responds to best. Also, you can and should take advantage of the preview text option when sending your emails to give readers a little more in-depth sneak peak of what your email is about

Now here are some other best practices to consider…

If your email platform allows it, add the recipient’s name in the subject line to really grab their attention. 

Avoid using clickbait at all costs or over-sensationalizing your subject lines because that drastically depletes your believability and email reputation. And once that trust is lost, you lose everything! Not to mention you run the risk of confusing your readers and confused people don’t take action. A.k.a no sales

Instead, aim for your subject lines to accurately reflect the email’s content as it sets the expectation for what they’re about to read.

How do you get people to read your entire email?

So now that your subscribers read the subject line and opened your email…how do you keep their attention? 

Great question. 

The best way to keep their attention is by making the first few sentences super brief and simple. So simple a first grader could read it. 

Remember, the goal is to have your readers go through the entire email and take the action you outlined for them. 

And nothing deters people more than seeing huge lengthy paragraphs 

Let’s face it, reading takes a lot of focus and most people are lazy. That’s why it’s essential to make your emails visually inviting by using lots of spacing and small paragraphs.  

Having an easy-to-read first sentence quickly leads your reader to the second sentence. Which leads your reader to the third sentence, and so on. 

If someone reads the first 25% of your copy, they’re more likely to read through the entire thing. 

To spice up the engagement even more, call out your reader by name. Personalization always wins in emails because people love being treated like VIP.

So now that they’ve read the email, how do you get them to shop?

How to use irresistible CTAs to increase your email conversions

This is where the call to action comes in. 

Just as the name suggests, a call to action or CTA is a phrase that asks the reader to do something.

In email marketing, the majority of emails are written with the intent to sell something. Thus, the CTA typically aims to get the reader to buy a product or book a service.

In other cases, the call to action could be to book a meeting, watch a video on social media, sign up for an event or learn more about a topic. 

Here are some best practices when writing a good email call to action:

1. Use a strong command verb to start your CTA
2. Use words that provoke emotion or enthusiasm
3. Give your audience a compelling reason why they should take the desired action
4. Make your CTA bold and set apart from the rest of the text
5. Be concise and clear!

To get the best results for your email campaigns, be sure to give your subscribers as much information as possible in your CTA. 

Now is NOT the time to try to be mysterious. Avoid being very vague and generic like ‘Click Here For More’ … more of what exactly? 

It’s always better to be straightforward and let your audience know exactly what to expect when they click on your CTA button/ link. 

Being clear in your expectations also helps your readers to self-disqualify if they’re not a good fit for your offer. WIN-WIN!

My favorite way to write CTAs these days is by setting it up with a rhetorical question and then following up with a CTA. Because if you can get someone to say ‘yes’ once, you can get them to say it again. 

For example: You started your business to finally enjoy freedom, not become a slave to another corporation. Are you ready to make more money and actually have time to enjoy it?

→ Yes! Sign Up For The Breakthrough Launch Today ←

How to make your marketing emails stand out

Now it’s important to remember that your customers are subscribed to other lists. 

Their inbox is overflowing with daily promotions from other brands. Some of whom even sell the same products and services as you. So how do you rise above the noise? How do you answer the question: ‘What makes you different?’

The simplest answer is AUTHENTICITY. 

I know, I know, it sounds super cliché right? But it’s a failproof strategy. As generic as it sounds, staying true to yourself and your brand is still your most effective superpower. Infusing your personality into your messaging is the best way to create long-lasting connections with your community. Don’t be afraid to add slang and jokes as long as they’re relevant and serve the goal of the copy. 

In addition to having solid branding and attention-grabbing subject lines, be sure to:

• Position yourself as a dependable resource by regularly sharing valuable content your subscribers can easily apply and get results from. For example, tips, step-by-step strategies, lessons from personal situations you’ve overcome, and encouraging affirmations. 

• Write your emails like you are having a 1:1 conversation. Avoid group terms like ‘y’all’ and ‘everyone’. Instead, use ‘you’ and ‘your’ because they’re best at hooking attention

Your copy should feel more like a conversation and less like a commercial. Why?

Stories grab attention. Pitches get ignored. Periodt!

The problem with sales pitches is that they’re very unrelatable because they’re so rehearsed and often sound inauthentic. On the other hand, conversational copy meets your audience where they are – in real life – and pulls them in by making them feel seen and heard.

• Keep it brief. Our attention spans are shrinking by the day. The fewer words you can get your message across in, the better. 

• Send targeted campaigns to boost sales and engagement. Instead of using a ‘one size fits all’ approach to your marketing, ask your community about their specific interests, then segment your list based on that. This makes it tremendously easier to target the right people at all times so you can skyrocket conversions.

• Always emphasize the big transformations your products provide.

Instead of selling a business course 💻 → sell a tool to become financially free & live your life without limits

Rather than selling just clothes 👗 → Sell a way to unapologetically express your authentic style

Instead of selling cakes 🎂 → sell a memorable way to celebrate life’s most precious moments

See where I’m going with this? Products can be copied, but unique transformations and memorable customer experiences will always set you apart.

The Big Takeaways

Email marketing is here to stay. It’s still a super effective and affordable way for your business to chat directly with your customers and boost sales.

Attention-grabbing subject lines are the best way to increase your open rates – make ’em short, intriguing, and mobile-friendly. Once your subscribers start reading, keep them hooked with bite-sized paragraphs, attractive visuals, and a conversational tone.

And don’t forget those calls to action (CTAs)! They need to be clear, to the point, and tell people exactly what you want them to do. At the end of the day, being genuine, offering real value, and emphasizing the transformation you provide will help your emails stand out and build lasting connections with your customers.

Remember, your community wants to see the real you— who you are outside of business.

And the more relatable your content is, the quicker they’ll emotionally connect to your brand.

No more going out of your way to convince them to buy your product. They naturally shop because they resonate with your magnetic personality

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Thank you for reading my first blog 🥳. I’m excited to hear your feedback. DM me on Instagram @thebosslingoagency or post a comment below to share your thoughts.