You heard it here first… Email is NOT dead.
Here are four of the most profitable email marketing templates you should be using as a copywriter.
Ok now first things first, I need to set the record straight. If you’re wondering if there is still a future for email marketing in business, the answer is YES. I mean, do you know anybody without an email address? Your 98 year-old grandma doesn’t count..
In the US alone 92% of adults use email, and 61% of them check and send emails daily. So yes, while other marketing channels are indeed on the rise, like YouTube, push notifications, Facebook Messenger and SMS marketing, email is still one of the most effective and personalized ways for businesses to communicate with their audience.
It helps them improve their reach and visibility, and convert more leads on a consistent basis. Now, while email deliverability is getting harder, thanks to those douchey people who make the internet a filthy minefield of clickbait and phishing scams, tighter spam restrictions are not necessarily a bad thing.
It actually creates a huge opportunity for those of us who do want to play by the rules and use email to authentically market our products and services. So yes whether it’s a weekly newsletter, an autoresponder, a sales campaign, or an email update during an online course… Email marketing is here to stay.
Especially if you’re sending hyper-relevant behavior based emails in real time at the right time. So, as a copywriter, your job is to write email messages that matter to the subscriber, and ultimately compel them to take action. While there are dozens of different email marketing templates out there, I’ve narrowed down my list of favorites to just four…
So here they are… my 4 go-to email marketing templates that engage and convert!
1. Short and sweet
This type of email is short and sweet – sometimes no more than 10 words or so. It builds up curiosity and opens a loop in the reader’s mind. Click Magnets are succinct, conversational messages that rely heavily on a call-to-action that piques your prospects curiosity or triggers a micro-commitment, like answering a yes or no question.
Paired with a compelling subject line, these emails can drive a massive amount of clicks, which make them fantastic for reviving dead leads or starting a dialogue with your prospects. One example of a click magnet email I like is Dean Jackson’s “9-word email” that goes something like this: Alex, are you still interested in [BLANK]… That’s it. The blank being whatever topic, niche or product you’re writing for of course.
And here’s another example used in Real Estate. “Joe, are you still looking to buy a house in Ohio?” I’ve used this sort of email to re-engage cold leads and it works like crazy – as long as you don’t overdo it.
Another click magnet style that I really like is a point-form template that my friend and copywriter Tellman Knudson pioneered when promoting Numerologist.com. It says simply… He listed what sounded like a series of short text messages that you would send a friend. It built up massive curiosity around the single call to action, which was to get your free numerology reading.
Now, of course, like any technique or method, the Click Magnet has its pros and cons. As I mentioned before, short emails have the power to garner a bunch of clicks. They are quick to write and can pack a big punch in just a few words. They are also less of a time commitment for those people who don’t have interest in reading novels in their inbox.
But, on the flip side, it’s difficult to develop trust with just a sentence or two. So, unless your audience knows your brand well, they might not take the bait. Short emails leave little room to address your customer’s objections or pre-frame a sale, so expect the bounce rate after your call to action to be higher than usual.
The goal for this template is to START a conversation, which means the copy on your site post-click needs to work harder to continue the dialogue, communicate value and build trust, or you’ll risk having a much lower conversion rate.
2. Long-form storytelling
Alright, the second proven email template is worth its weight in gold. It’s heavy, but it works. This is a long-form storytelling email that’s practically the first half of your sales letter!
This type of email feels personal, builds brand loyalty and provides endless opportunities for you to overcome your audience’s objections – right there in their inbox, while you have their trust and attention.
So the key with any long form email is to hook your reader’s attention right away, and keep it by telling a story that’s believable, relatable, and valuable.
One entrepreneur that pioneered this style of email copywriting is legendary Matt Furey. In his sales campaigns, Matt uses his own personal stories to authentically share the benefits and potential results that his readers can expect to achieve with his fitness products, and squashing any potential objections they might have in the process.
The way he uses storytelling to strategically open loops is genius and creates highly committed and highly-engaged readers. There’s no doubt that people who click on long emails are more committed, resulting in a much higher on-site conversion rate.
BUT, it doesn’t always work. As a copywriter, you can not half-ass your way into this one. Long emails will take time to write well. And if you’re too long-winded, or verbose, you will lose your reader’s attention FAST, drastically decreasing your email click-through-rate.
So just like an effective sales letter, these emails need to be potent, engaging and skimmable. So no walls of text allowed… keep your paragraphs short and format your emails so they’re narrow and easy to read.
3. Classic fire sale
Okay the next email template is a classic. The good ol’ fire sale. It’s basically “here’s what you’ll get and here’s why you need to buy right now.” Plain and simple. It’s not romantic, but it gets the job done.
The goal of this style of email is to make quick sales and it includes 3 core elements:
- The first, a discount or premium. So, throw in some limited-time bonuses or lower the price of your original offer to increase the value/price gap.
- Second, a strong reason why. Make sure to give a good, but brief explanation on why you’re having a sale.
- And number three, scarcity. Give your reader a deadline or quantity limitation so they act right away.
This simple email template allows any business with an email list to ramp up their sales for a limited period of time. So you could use this during a holiday sale like Black Friday or Back to School, or use a personal reason for the discount, like your anniversary or a day that’s special to a cause or mission that your business supports.
The best part is, this template can be used time and time again – just replace the information and you’re ready to rock.
But the bad news is, because these emails are kind of salesy, and not exactly personal… They will not be well received by cold leads or a list where trust is low.
This style of email works best when used with an audience you contact regularly and who are very familiar with your brand.
Also a quick heads up – because these types of emails often include words that may be deemed spammy like “sale” “discount” “free” etc. you want to make sure you’re being careful with the language you use to avoid landing in the junk folder. So make sure to run your email through a spam-tester before sending.
4. Soap Opera
Okay the last email template is called the Soap Opera and it works exactly like, a Soap Opera.
Soap Opera emails create open loops throughout an entire campaign by using the art of serialised storytelling. So imagine leaving a cliffhanger at the end of each email that continues onto the next one, just like your favorite Netflix drama or Soap Opera.
This type of email was pioneered by a brilliant copywriter, Andre Chaperon, in his Autoresponder Madness Course. His brilliant “soap opera sequences” tell a story throughout a series of carefully crafted emails, each one leaving the readers wanting more. The more they read, the more engaged they become and the more likely they are to buy.
Soap Opera emails create a series valuable touchpoints that help you create a strong connection with your audience. They get your readers committed! Not just to your brand and your offer, but your mission, your personality, and your story.
Now, because this type of email style requires a whole series, it’s best used in autoresponder campaigns or evergreen funnels for a targeted list. But they do have a downside. They require a thoughtful planning and story-boarding process, and are definitely not for copywriters who are reluctant to write. Some of Andre’s sequences can stretch up to 25 emails!
With that being said, if you get it right, this type of email campaign is a total game-changer for creating mad brand loyalty.
There you have it! My four go-to email templates whether you want high engagement, high conversions, a quick spike in cash flow or increased brand loyalty. Just make sure that whatever template you choose fits your brand voice and audience, and always nurture your list with lots of value and love so that these emails can continue to work for you.
And, of course, no matter how great your email is, no one will read it if you don’t have a compelling, and attention-grabbing subject line that will get your reader to click open. So next up be sure to read my marketing tutorial on How To Write Killer Subject Lines.
