14 easy ideas to help you write better marketing emails.
Want to write better emails? Yep, even the quietest, low-key, introverted business owners can create buzz about their work through email marketing.
And, for better or worse, it’s a form of marketing that's not going anywhere, so now is the time to hone your skills.
Email inboxes are precious spaces; let’s do all we can to click with our customers, share content they want to read, and market products they want to buy.
So, what kind of emails do you want to send?
There’s confusion about the emails a small eCommerce business might send. I wonder if this comes from product-based businesses following advice intended for service-based businesses.
For example, I’m a service-based business owner who sends emails twice a month. Firain Mail is usually long (over 1,000 words), includes a mixture of stories and tips, and occasionally contains direct calls to action to buy something from me (a workshop ticket, usually).
But I expect to read different emails from a shop. eCommerce businesses send several emails at different times, considering the customer's lifecycle and the capabilities of the eCommerce platform. These include:
Welcome emails when a person joins your list. Since most people will open this email, use it wisely and strategically!
Newsletters are broader and more general in scope and not automated in the same way as other emails. They help to build your brand. It's this kind of email that’s more common with service-based businesses.
Transactional emails, such as order confirmation, shipping, and delivery confirmation.
Promotional emails. These include emails focused on timebound sales or launches or specific subscriber-only offers. Sed more of these around holiday times!
Product-based emails that let your subscribers know when an item is in stock or about to run out. You can also use this type of hyper-focused email if you create waiting lists for your products or if commission slots are available.
Abandoned cart/ browse abandonment emails. Many small businesses don’t send these emails but don’t need to be aggressive; what's right for you?
Reengagement emails are sent after a period of inactivity from a customer. Use with caution! They can be a great way to prune your list.
Feedback and review emails (many of us must remember to send them!)
Ok, ready to make your emails more readable and exciting?
These tips and ideas aren’t quick hacks that promise instant success. They’re just sensible, pretty easy, and customer-centric.
My numero uno top tip is to personalise your emails as much as your platform will allow. Use people’s names when you email them. Segment your list into subgroups and think carefully about what life might be like for each group. Pay attention to how your customers describe your work/ products and use their language when you write. Imagine yourself talking to one person or a small group. There’s no need to pretend your business is bigger or fancier than it might be. Be genuine.
Tell a story. Humans buy from humans, and humans love stories. I'll admit this is not the most straightforward idea; not all of us are gifted writers or storytellers. But don’t overcomplicate it; tell your brand story and stories from and about your customers. Of course, you’ll want to get to the point of some emails. But other emails, like the welcome email and brand-building newsletters, can include more storytelling info. Use evocative images, too - they really can speak a thousand words. There are millions of resources for brand storytelling; Sonder & Tell has an intelligent approach to brand storytelling that avoids cliches. Read the case studies to get some brilliant tips.
Share your original views and perspective as a creative. Your emails will stand out if they are distinctively yours and not like everyone else's. It takes time to build confidence to do this but don’t give up. We want to hear your ideas about the world!
Use high-quality images but know there is a shift towards more realistic, authentic, unfiltered photography. The UK-based lifestyle store Matilda Goad is an excellent example of this approach. The shop and email marketing images are understandable, accessible, and focus on the products. Simple!
For many kinds of promotional emails, less really is more. It’s often tempting to talk about everything you have for sale at once, but you might find your conversions are higher if you promote just one or two things at a time. Illustrator Jo Woodhouse sends hyperfocused emails for her company Hadley Paper Goods. She’ll promote one new greeting card, a special new hat design, or a flash sale in just one text-light but image-heavy email, and I always click through to her shop! Check out this Instagram post from @makerbusinesstoolkit, which illustrates the point brilliantly.
Email marketing isn’t social media marketing, so you might never have conversations with subscribers on your mailing list. But, I always encourage clients to weave conversational questions throughout their email copy, even if they are rhetorical. Some people will reply, and those comments will help you create a more accurate picture of your customers.
Make buying from you easy. When I read your marketing emails, I want all roads to lead to a CTA that encourages me to click on your shop. Make it easy for me to understand who you are, what you do, and how I can buy it. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t talking about eCommerce email marketing tips, but Richard Thaler, economist and Nobel laureate's words are helpful here: “If you want to get people to do something, make it easy. Remove the obstacles.”
Create a distinctive visual brand. So many small shopkeepers rely too heavily on apps like Canva to create their branding but don’t go beyond the generic designs. Push yourself to dig into what your brand is all about, and if you can, employ professionals to help you out. Many designers, like Somewhere Off Grid, who created the Firain branding, will offer their services in small chunks to make it more affordable for small business owners.
If you’re selling, sell. Don’t be bashful. You run a business, not an expensive hobby (I know that's such a cliche, but if you’re treading water, maybe this is an area for reflection?). My go-to advisers for sales techniques that feel natural, person-centric, and effective are George Kao and Helen Perry.
Automate as much as possible. Understand your email marketing platform and make it work as hard for you as possible. Watch tutorials, ask the helpdesks for support and pay attention to how customers respond to the different kinds of emails you send, then tweak as necessary.
Understand how people read online. Spend time crafting an attention-grabbing subject line. We tend to scan a page in an F-pattern, and of course, on a mobile phone, we are used to scrolling down. Use short sentences and vertical lists (bullets and numbers), and throw out the old grammar rules! Avoid too many run-on words but use connectives to create a rhythm to your sentence. If in doubt, keep your text punchy and straightforward.
Use easy-to-understand CTAs that include words to add context and attention-grabbing buttons. And remember that your readers are a sophisticated bunch. They don’t need or want a lecture or complex sales waffle.
Don’t take things personally when someone unsubscribes. Know that your readers have a job to be done, and you might not be the right maker/ artist/ shop curator for their job. But do pay attention if people leave in droves or your list is slow to grow. Maybe you need to work on your content, frequency of delivery, or something else.
Finally, take your time to create email marketing content. Don’t wing it (unless that is your brand's approach) but dedicate time to writing, editing, proofreading, testing, and tweaking. Set up a co-working session with fellow small business friends to bash out your emails together. Mark out critical dates in your diary, work backward to figure out when you’ll send emails, and guard that time. It’s worth it!
So what do you think? Add your comments and questions below, I’m happy to keep the conversation going. Email marketing is one of the hot topics I discuss with mentoring clients, so contact me if you’d like to have that chat, too!
You might like to glimpse these one-page free resources, How to start a mailing list and How to craft effective emails for your mailing list.
Pin for later:
