Email Copywriting – How To Get Your Emails Opened and Read
When it comes to email copywriting, most people have it all wrong.
They focus on the message and not on the reader.
That’s like asking a boring person to your party.
You know they are only going to talk about themselves, right?
The truth is simple.
When people look at their inbox, they want novelty not marketing.
21 proven ways for getting your emails opened and read…
My friend Clive Cable (aka the email whisperer) is one of the greatest email copywriters I know.
It was Clive who first introduced me to the “Four Pillars of Email Copywriting”.
It is an email writing formula that you will want to use too.
Here is a quick overview…
In Pillar #1 we have the readers’ five core drivers (aka emotions).
There are 5 you must cater to if you want your emails opened and read.
In Pillar #2 we have 5 types of subject lines you can always rely on.
In Pillar #3 there are 5 ways to entertain your readers so they keep reading and, more importantly, read your next email.
In Pillar #4 there are 6 strategies you must use right before you ask for the click.
That makes 21 proven ways to get your emails open and read.
Email Copywriting Pillar #1.
The five core drivers that entice people to read.
Have you ever read a “Jack Reacher” novel?
The writing is almost invisible.
It’s the emotions that shine through.
I mean, no one stands outside a shop window and admires the glass.
No, they look at the goods inside while their greed glands swell up.
In the book, “Emotionomics” by Dan Hill introduces the four core drivers of human action.
There’s the need to bond. The need to defend. The need to acquire. And the need to learn.
I’ve added a fifth one, curiosity.
Core driver 1. Bond.
No not James Bond.
Bonding is in having a good relationship with people.
We are hard-wired to be social. To form relationships and bond with others who are like us.
We come equipped with “mirror neurons” that help us feel what others are feeling.
We are in fact, social creatures.
We crave others’ attention.
And we enjoy it when others want our attention.
How can you use this in your emails?
In your first few emails to new subscribers tell them who you are and why you’re here to help them.
Give a little of yourself through stories about why you’re doing what you’re doing.
“In a world where you can be anyone – be yourself.”
Every online influencer has a back story.
So does every superhero.
Ever wondered why?
It’s simple.
You bond with the influencer or superhero through their backstory.
Spiderman and Batman are the two best examples I can think of.
Here’s a “back story” template you can use to get your readers to know, like and trust you from the start.
What was your original problem or challenge? (The same one they are going through right now.)
What were your internal struggles? (How did this make you feel inside?)
What were your external struggles? ((What observable things happened in your business?)
What was your change event? (At what point had you had enough?)
What was the spark? (The catalyst.)
Who was your guide? (Your mentor, discovery, ah-ha moment, etc.)
What was the result? (You finally solved the problem.)
The answers to these questions will help you put together your “origin story.”
If you read fiction or watch great movies, the main character almost never reveals themselves in one go.
You get glimpses of their past scattered through the movie.
That’s the same with your early emails.
You reveal bits of your story over several emails.
Let’s get started!
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Core driver 2. Defend.
Have you ever been lied to, tricked, or deceived?
How did that make you feel?
That’s the feeling you must avoid in your emails.
We have all been duped at some point in our lives.
More than once.
And I suspect, more than twice.
That causes us to defend ourselves.
And it’s a powerful emotion.
If you can’t get past people’s defenses, they will never buy what you offer.
The best way I know is to admit a flaw.
When Clive Cable self-published his book, “Influence Intelligence” it had some typos.
So, every time he sold a copy to a client, he told them the book has typos that he had missed.
Once he told them that, they never looked for them.
Instead, they gave him compliments on the content of the book.
I know most really good copywriters never see their own typos, but if they have an excellent product to sell it doesn’t matter.
How can you use this in your emails?
Admit a flaw that doesn’t really matter.
Make it trivial.
No one is perfect.
That reminds me of a book title, “I may not be perfect, but parts of me are excellent.”
Flaws make you more human, more relatable, and more believable.
Tell them that you stutter when writing.
(Kidding!)
Being “private in public” helps readers bond with you and it gets past their defenses fast
Core driver 3. Acquire.
Everyone loves to buy, but no one likes to be sold.
Everyone loves to be seduced but they hate being chatted up with slick one-liners by a guy who brushes his hair with buttered toast.
The late, great copywriter Gary Halbert once said that when someone buys something, they want to buy the exact same thing again.
If you’re anything like me, you’re a hoarder.
You’ve probably got more than one of something that you don’t need.
I have two laptops, two tablets, and three iPods. Yet I can only use one at a time.
I had a friend who collected watches. He had over 50 of them.
Another friend had six guitars.
He could only play one at a time.
Why do you think women have so many shoes, and men have so many shirts?
They can only wear one at a time.
And don’t get me started with stamp collectors.
How can you use this in your emails?
Offer people the opportunity to buy more from you.
Most online gurus have upsells or cross-sells to encourage buyers to buy more.
Make them relevant to the problem they are trying to solve, or a desire they want to be fulfilled.
When Clive sold his first health product, he offered a book that showed the customer how to get the most out of the product.
The result?
He sold almost as many books as he did the health product.
How can you apply that to your business?
Core driver 4. Learn.
One word comes to mind.
Insatiable.
We never stop learning.
Like giant sponges, we soak in everything around us.
Some of us (not me of course ?) wanted to know as much as possible about the COVID pandemic.
The News – fake or real – is big business.
These people tap into our need to learn by making the trivial sound urgent and important.
That way we keep paying attention.
How can you use this in your emails?
Playoff news articles.
Look for stories in the news that’s relevant to your reader’s problem, then tie them in with what you offer.
Have your own ‘spin’ on them.
Another strategy you can use is to pick any news story that’s relevant to your readers and take the opposite stance.
Copywriters do this with the concept known as “the case against.”
- “Why you must stop drinking water.”
- “Get rich slowly.”
- “What never EVER to eat on an airplane.”
You get the idea.
Core driver 5. Curiosity.
I know there are a few dead cats that won’t agree with me on this, but curiosity brings life to any subject.
Especially subject lines.
Anyone who doesn’t use curiosity in their subject lines is missing out big time!
We will revisit this in more depth later and give you some amazing ways of building intrigue.
In fact, what’s coming up soon will be the most important section of this entire post.
When you understand this one thing, you don’t need to be a good writer because of one sneaky little trick that works every time.
If you’ve ever watched series fiction like “Vikings” or “Game of Thrones” this is the one thing that makes them addictive.
And creates binge-watchers out of ordinary, decent folk like you and me.
First, you need to know a little about my background in hypnosis.
Not the traditional type.
I mean hypnotic language.
In 2007 I paid $15,000 to join an elite coaching program.
What I learned was the structure of language that bypasses the conscious mind and directly influences the other-than-conscious mind.
From that, I partnered up with a musician to create a hypnotic recording that makes you more confident in any area of your life.
Can you use hypnosis in your emails?
Years ago, Joe Vitale wrote a book called “Hypnotic Language,” in it, you learn the basics of ‘language patterns.’
It’s an enjoyable book, but a little complicated for most people.
I’ll give you a couple of ways to use “hypnotic” words in your emails.
The single bind.
If you listen closely, some people will say things like, “The more you drink our coffee, the more you’ll like it.”
If you’re not listening too intently, your subconscious mind agrees with what was just said.
Why?
The pattern is, the more you…(x) the more you…(y).
The more you read about hypnotic language, the more fascinated you become.”
That was a simple – easy to spot – version of this pattern.
I prefer, “the more you (x) the simpler (Y) becomes.”
The more emails you write, the simpler it is to come up with great ideas.
You could even get sneaky with this one.
The more you read about our competitors the less you like them.
Have fun with these because they will create curiosity in your reader’s mind.
More on curiosity heading your way soon.
Email Copywriting Pillar #2.
The 5 types of subject lines you can always rely on.
Think of subject lines as “fascinations.”
They must fascinate the reader, so they want to open and read on.
Like this…
“How a stopwatch is more accurate than your doctor at assessing your health.”
You want the answer to that.
Or how about…
“How a pickpocket can cure your backache.”
Or even, “What never EVER to eat on an airplane.”
Fascinating, aren’t they?
I bet you want the answers to these.
Okay, I’ll see what I can do.
Subject line type 1. Open loops.
Back to my study of hypnosis.
One of the ways you can “force” readers to open your email is called an “open loop.”
Hypnotists use open loops to prevent the critical mind from resisting what’s being said.
An open loop is a phrase that doesn’t come to a closure.
Like, “The safest seat on an airplane and the scary reasons why.”
If you plan on flying anywhere soon, you want the answer to that.
One from a recent campaign.
“Real men don’t write content”…
You instantly want to know what they do instead.
It creates an open loop in your mind.
It also prevents your “logical” mind from criticizing what’s being said.
At least until the “loop” is closed.
It’s also known as the “Zeigarnik effect.”
One reason why this works so well is that your brain needs to get to closure so it can go on with something else.
When you open a loop in your subject line it makes it difficult for your reader to ignore.
One of the ones we used just recently was, “SEO is for suckers.”
If you do SEO, you will want to know why SEO is for suckers.
Hence the high open-rate.
How can you use this in your emails?
I’ve just shown you how to use this in your subject lines.
In your emails the principle is the same, but with an added twist.
Did you spot what I just did there?
Yes, that was an open loop.
In your emails, you open a loop, and right before you close it, you open another.
That’s what I did earlier in this post.
(Hint: You may want to reread this post to see how I did that.)
Subject line type 2. Implied benefit.
To entice readers to open your emails promise them something in return.
Professor Robert Cialdini calls this technique, “Reciprocity,” in his bestselling book called, “Influence.”
See how I’ve implied a benefit?
You can also use words like, fastest, simplest, and effortless.
Yes, I know that last word ended in “ess,” but you get the idea.
Subject line type 3. Reveal a secret.
We all love to learn secrets.
We all believe the grass is greener on the other side.
Even cats want to get on the other side of the door!
One from our recent campaign…
“What is the greatest secret in all of content creation?”
How can you use this in your emails?
Look into your product, service or information and see if you can find something, anything that’s not common knowledge.
It must be something you can hold your hand on your heart and say, “This is a secret very few people know about.”
Typically, it’s the “how” your reader will benefit from your product.
“little known secrets that can steer your profits in gold… even if bullion drops to $250 an ounce!”
Subject line type 4. The number formula.
You’ll often see this subject line in your inbox if there are several ways to solve a problem or achieve a desired outcome.
How can you use this in your emails?
Think about the many ways your product helps your reader.
“Four ways to stimulate the body to release its own natural pain-killers.”
Starter templates for you include,
“The world’s two most powerful…”
“The seven little known signs of…”
“3 often overlooked…”
Here’s a fun one we used in a recent email campaign.
“50 shades of content…”
Don’t laugh, that got us a high open-rate.
Try fitting “50 shades” to what you offer.
You will be laughing then.
All the way to the bank!
Subject line type 5. Start in the middle of the action.
If you can pull it off, stories are the best way to begin an email.
Earlier we looked at crafting your backstory.
Here is where you can make it pay off for you.
How can you use this in your emails?
We used this in a recent subject line.
“I still remember the doctor walking into the room and giving me the alarming news.”
If you used the “bonding” strategy from earlier, a subject line like this makes it almost impossible to ignore.
Email Copywriting Pillar #3
The 5 ways to entertain your readers so they keep reading and, more importantly, read your next email.
The five ways to entertain your readers are…
- “Infotainment.”
- Metaphor.
- Analogy.
- Simile.
- Alliteration.
Let’s work backwards with these.
(Did you notice that open-loop?)
Alliteration.
Any two words that start with the same letter are instantly memorable.
Like these…
- ChemClear
- Influence Intelligence.
- Double Your Dating.
- Creating cashflow.
- Inbox Income.
- Accountable Advertising.
- The Relaxation Response.
Spend time coming up with names for your product or service, the pay back is worth the effort.
Simile.
One of my favorites comes from Daniel Levis.
“Faster than a cheetah on Red Bull.”
Warning:
Never use trite similes like, “It’s not a bed of roses.” Or “Monkey see – monkey do.”
Instead use phrases like this one.
“He must have had his rear end grafted onto his mouth right before he said…”
It’s original.
But more than that, it’s entertaining.
When you entertain your readers, they will keep reading.
And they will look forward to your next email.
How can you use this in your emails?
Call me weird I don’t care.
I dunno, maybe I should get out more.
Last year I started the nerdiest copywriting habit I could think of.
I began collecting funny sayings to use in my emails.
Maybe you would like to try that too?
Analogy.
Because I’m as wild as the wind, I decided that as a copywriter, writing about analogies is about as daft as fitting the heart of an elephant into a mouse.
“At this point, if you’re not confused, you must be misinformed.”?
Metaphor.
Did you know that there are over 33 books about the bible with the word “metaphor” in the title?
Well, that’s what I found back in 1990 when I went to the local library.
How can you use this in your emails?
Find stories like “The Stone Soup” and tie them into your product or service. If that story doesn’t appeal find other unusual stories like “The Donkey Smuggler,” then segue into your offer.
Infotainment.
The definition?
Information plus entertainment.
It’s what’s going on here.
What happens in your mind?
Glad you asked.
There’s something so satisfying about sentences that sound like this one.
In those two sentences, I’ve used lots of “s” words.
In your mind, you feel good about reading them.
It’s the same with the letter “F.”
Forget fortune hunters, focus on the future.
I know that didn’t make much sense, but you get my point.
Every now and then put in a sentence with lots of “F’s” or “S’s” because it entertains your readers.
But wait there’s more…
Throughout this article, I’ve been “Info-training” you.
Using facts you didn’t know.
Stories to make you think.
Silly similes.
Analogies like, “If you think communication is all talk then you haven’t been listening.”
And even going as far as adding my own (sometimes weird) humor.
It all adds up to an interesting experience you find yourself enjoying.
How can you use this in your emails?
If you are naturally witty, use that.
If not, study your favorite funny guys and girls and learn from them,
Feel free to “steal” any stories, similes, satire, or anything else you can use to “Infotain” your readers.
Email Copywriting Pillar #4
The 6 strategies you must use right before you ask for the click.
- Show a benefit.
- Give a useful piece of information.
- Make the reader feel good.
- Prime their mind to take action.
- Show scarcity.
- Create urgency.
People buy benefits, not products.
– Show a benefit.
They buy the feeling of a new beginning, not a product.
And they also “buy” you.
That’s why your backstory is so important.
Show the benefit of working with you or doing business with you.
How will you take care of them after they become a client or customer?
– Give a useful piece of information.
I’m not a fan of acronyms (unless I make them up ? ).
One of the best acronyms to embrace is…
BOY PT MOM.
“Because Of You People Think More Of Me.”
Have you heard the term “social currency?”
It’s when you pass on useful information that your friends or family don’t yet know but are glad you did.
The rule is, they must be able to pass on to their friends the ‘juicy’ piece of gossip you just gave them,
That evokes the “Because Of You People Think More Of Me” rule.
If you do this right before you ask them to click through to another page, they are more likely to do so.
It’s that old reciprocity thing again.
Jokes are also a form of social currency.
And viral videos.
– Make the reader feel good.
In NLP there’s a term I like called, “Future Pacing.”
It’s more than just a sexy name.
It implies what their future will look like when they buy your product, service, or information.
Legendary copywriter John Carlton calls this “Painting Pleasing Pictures.”
You can tell he’s a huge fan of alliteration.
How can you use this in your emails?
Use no more than three sentences to show your readers descriptively and vividly what their new life with your product will look like…
“When you hire me as your copywriter, you’ll get a rush of new customers every day.
Each one will buy from you many times.
And you’ll increase your profits without having to do any more than you’re doing today.”
– Prime their mind to take action.
Professor Robert Cialdini follows his first book success with the book, “.”
This book is all about what you do just before you ask someone to do something.
How can you use this in your emails?
Dimensionalize a benefit for your reader.
“The first thing you’ll notice when you put on these running shoes is your run seems almost effortless. It’s as if you are gliding through the air with your feet off the ground.”
Well, that’s what I would want from my next pair of running shoes. ?
– Show scarcity.
“Hurry because there’s only 3 left in stock.”
I think we’ve all fallen for something like this in our time.
But what if there was real scarcity?
In business, you only have a limited amount of time available.
Tell your reader that.
It makes it genuine.
Or, that you can only take on 776 clients at any one time. ?
How can you use this in your emails?
Figure out how you can legitimately describe why there’s a limited amount of what you have.
Then in the middle of your sentence use the word “because.”
You know that professor Cialdini I keep mentioning?
Well, turns out he discovered the word “because” bypasses people’s critical minds.
No idea why.
But it works!
I think it has something to do with the illusion of reason.
Or something similar.
– Create urgency.
Urgency is like scarcity in that you must give a real reason why your reader should click the link in your email.
People are inherently lazy.
I once heard someone say,
“Most people’s idea of exercise is pulling out the bath plug and fighting the current.”
How can you use this in your emails?
Never try to force anyone to take action.
Instead, encourage them.
Remind them what happens if they do nothing.
Better still, put them at a crossroads and show them two choices.
One choice without you, and the better choice with you.
You just learned The Four Pillars Of Email Copywriting and The 21 Proven Ways for getting your emails open and read.
And that means you can now write compelling subject lines and entertaining email copy.
Now, let’s quickly recap what you gained while enjoying this article.
- In Pillar #1 You learned the readers five core drivers (aka emotions).
- In Pillar #2 You found out how to write 5 types of subject lines you can always rely on.
- In Pillar #3 You read about the 5 ways to entertain your readers, so they keep reading and more importantly read your next email.
- Plus, in Pillar #4 you even discovered six slick ways to get readers to click through and buy what you’re offering.
If you haven’t already done so, go ahead and take notes ready for your next email campaign. Then give yourself a pat on the back because you’re now all set to get more sales and make more profits.
I look forward to hearing about your email copywriting success.
Feel free to message me HERE.
Author Bio: 
Barry Dunlop is a lifelong Entrepreneur, Business Coach, and Sales Turnaround Expert who is passionate about helping business owners grow their businesses.