Writing an Effective Email

Successfully marketing your business requires using an array of tactics to reach your target audience. Social media, SEO, advertising are all paths that lead to potential customers. But one approach that is often underutilized - but highly effective - is the use of cold emails.

Many business owners shy away from cold emailing as a result of spam fatigue. Just like anyone, we’re tired of being on the receiving end of junk mail and are convinced our potential customers feel the same way. We assume potential customers will have the same knee-jerk reaction to our emails and will immediately hit delete the second our email hits their Inbox.

However, when properly crafted, an email can be one of the most effective tools to reach new audiences, engage individuals and convert them into customers. By following a couple of rules of thumb and incorporating key elements into your message, not only will you write an effective message – you will have a solid template you can use repeatedly with minor adjustments.

Before we get into the how, let’s address the general approach of your email. The number one rule: IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU. The tone of the entire email should be about the recipient. You’ll see below how we put this into effect… just keep this in mind as we go through the nuts and bolts.

Now let’s go through crafting an effective email step by step. For the purposes of this article we will assume the persona of the owners of the dog food business, Woof! Kibbles.

Create Intrigue

The subject line of your email is the first way to grab the recipients’ attention. You have one, split second moment to intrigue the recipient before they hit the trash can without ever opening your email. Therefore, your subject needs to be catchy and very succinctly address how you are going to help your customer. Your subject should never be more than 5 words.

For Woof! Kibbles, our subject may be something like this:

Feed the kids!

Note that we are not referencing our product or ourselves. Instead we used a message that can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. The subject line’s only purpose is to ensure the reader opens the email.

Be Personable

The introductory paragraph of your email should show you’re human and have a personable tone. Write about something that is relatable. Speak to your customer like you’re face-to-face, not like you’re making a presentation. When you can, throw in a little humor or silliness! But remember to keep it short and sweet.

For our dog food biz, we might start out like this:

Hi there!

We just wanted to reach out parent-to-parent to talk about what we’re putting in the bodies of our fur-kids these days.

Notice that we did not introduce ourselves or even mention our company or product. The first few lines should not include any hint of a sales pitch. The intention of these sentence(s) is to develop a relationship.

State their Problem

In the next sentence, you want to point out and state the challenge their facing. It may be the case that they don’t even know they have a problem until you mention it. Also known as their pain point, this is the problem you’re ultimately going to solve for them.

So, Woof! might continue with:

You know how it is… Sometimes they’re picky eaters and we’re having to force-feed them. Other times, they’re like insatiable garbage disposals. Just like any parent, we stress about whether they have a balanced diet and are getting the nutrients they need.

Notice that we STILL have not mentioned our company name or product. The sales pitch has not yet entered into the conversation.

Solve their Problem

Now you tell them how you can solve their problem and for the first time, mention your business and product.

Here’s how:

With 12 dogs of our own, we know how challenging it is to not only feed a dozen mouths, but to keep everyone happy and healthy. That’s why we created Woof! Kibbles to appeal to every palate and provide proper nutrition to any breed.

Our formula is scientifically proven AND pet approved. (We had a few testers who made sure we got it right! 😉)

Notice that we delivered our message in just a few sentences. We mentioned how our products will benefit them and briefly mentioned our accolades but didn’t lose our reader by going into detail. And, we’re still maintaining our personable tone.

Make a Compelling Offer

Now is time for the sales pitch. If you’ve engaged them enough to read this far down, they’re now vested and wanted to know how they proceed. Give them an offer they can’t refuse. If you can, include a freebie or a discount. And, whenever possible include elements of scarcity and/or urgency (e.g. limited-time offer).

At Woof!, our offer could look like this:

In fact, we’re so sure your pooch is going to love Woof! as much as we do, that we will provide a money-back guarantee if you or your fur-kid are unsatisfied in any way. Simply let us know within 30 days of purchase and we will provide a full refund.

Create a Call-to-Action

Finish the email with a simple Call-to-Action. This can be to have them click on a link or to give you a call for more info. The key is to make this step easy. You want to ensure that with one literal click of a button, they can become a customer.

For Woof!, we might close like this:  

Click here to order your delicious and nutritious kibbles now. Or, give us a ring to learn more by calling 800-123-WOOF.

Bon appetit… or as we say here, Woof!

There’s no need to direct them to your website “for more information” because the order link will take them there. Be sure to maintain the personal and human approach through the entire email. The magic happens when you create a sale without the recipient ever realizing they’ve been pitched.

Please note that the first round of writing this type of email takes time. It could take hours, it could take days. But the time investment is completely worth it. In fact, writing an effective email may be one of the best marketing tactics you ever implement. 

We understand that this task can be daunting. By following our outline step-by-step, you’re sure to be successful. If you get stuck, give us a holler or drop us a line at info@stamarketplace.com and we’ll be happy to help you craft your compelling email.