The moment when you convert a prospect into a client is one of the most satisfying in the game called email marketing.
But how can you make almost every prospect become your client?
Email Marketing is still a form of marketing that boasts the highest ROI among all marketing channels.
According to Hubspot, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the return on investment is $36. In many industries, when ROI ranges from 5-10%, it is considered favorable.
So why is email marketing so profitable? I promise, you’ll get to know why this answer is quite obvious.
Nevertheless, creating emails is a skill like any other, which you can acquire and polish.
Therefore, after reading this post, you’ll learn:
- How to personalize emails to maximize open and response rates.
- How to write email titles and email bodies that people want to read.
- How to create CTAs that make sure your prospect will never give up on your email.
And last but not (not at all) least—how to convert the prospect finally into the client.
Let’s get started.
1/ Intriguing Subject Line
An intriguing subject line is the first step you must start with when creating an email.
I know; many marketers or salespeople treat it as an ‘unnecessary addition at the end’ of an email. However, this is a big mistake.
The Tone of the Email Subject Line
Start with the tone.
What should the tone of my subject line be like so that it gets read?
This is a tricky question because the answer isn’t obvious—it needs to be consistent with the email body. When the content of the email is consistent with the email subject line, you can be sure that your prospect will be interested in continuing the conversation.
Email Subject Line: The Number of Words
How often do you count the number of words you use in your email subject line?
This is one of my favorite questions to ask my clients. To my surprise—no more than 1 in 10 counts them. Let’s work on this.
It is considered that the ideal number of words ranges from 3 to 8, which means that the ideal number is 5. However, keep in mind that this is not the only rule.
Sometimes you can reach a client using just 1 word.
For example:
- ROI?
- Nothing?
- Progress?!
- Onboarding
- Tom (their name)
In the range from 3 to 8 words, you have many more options:
- Simon, get higher ROI (4)
- [URGENT] matter, Tom! (3)
- [IMPORTANT] question to Tom (4)
- [MEETING] with Tom on Monday? (5)
- Simon, why didn’t you respond? 😥 (5)
- Simon, no performance = no money (5)
- [client’s company name]: Get More Users to Your App (7)
Another element you can regularly A/B test.
A/B Test Pro Tip: Always A/B test 1 element. Otherwise, how would you know what caused the difference?
Be Witty to Capture Prospect’s Attention
- Simon, this is a sales email
Wouldn’t you open it? I guess out of sheer curiosity, you’d click on the message, especially if the company seems appealing.
The beautiful thing about email marketing is that there are no limits on trials. The more you try, the more you learn what works.
I must admit that each industry is different, so what works in digital marketing may not work equally in agriculture or medical equipment sales. Nevertheless, in each of these industries, email marketing is successful.
And what about witticism & being nonchalant? A sense of humor is one of those elements that your reader might love the most. No one wants to talk to someone who looks like they did their job reluctantly.
Add some humor; your prospects would love that!
2/ Personalization
Another element you cannot forget.
Do you remember what it feels like when, out of everyone in the classroom, the teacher calls you by your name to acknowledge that they see your progress?
A similar feeling always arises when you personalize emails for your prospects.
Here’s what you must always personalize:
—> Name
—> Surname
—> Company Name
—> *Company Annual Revenue
—> Job title (double-check on LinkedIn)
Company annual revenue is not a mandatory element; however, when you refer to your prospect’s company, it is always appreciated.
Why is this still important from a business perspective?
Let me break it down into 2 points:
1/ Get Research Done
Everyone appreciates it when you do your job well—your boss, your salary & your prospects. Especially your prospect.
Upon receiving an email in which you refer to the name, the correct job title, and the company name, your prospect will see that you have really done a good job.
This shows your reliability.
Your approach = the image of the company.
If you do a great job, your reader will think they’re dealing with an expert. This will influence their perception of the company and their willingness to work with you.
Conversely, work at a great company but write sloppy emails. What will be the result? You got the answer.
2/ Prospecting: Individual Approach Always Pays Off
Your prospect gets dozens of similar emails every day. That’s why, thanks to clever personalization, you have the right to stand out from the market.
If you write an individual, well-thought-out email, your prospect will feel that you pay a lot of attention to them, in particular.
Attention; that’s something that every human being craves immensely.
Result? You’ll convert that prospect into your customer.
3/ Apply Testimonials
Do you want your client to be convinced to buy your product? Apply testimonials.
Testimonials are a powerful social proof tool that acts like a lead magnet.
Your prospect might wonder, ‘why should I choose their solution?’. This question arises in the mind of every buyer. That’s why testimonials are used.
Credible testimonials dispel any similar objections.
Then your prospect might think, ‘hey, if 150 people chose their company, it must be effective. I’ll give it a shot, too’. That’s the purpose of using testimonials.
Good testimonials = more frequent purchases
3/ Relevant & Eye-Catching Email Body
You’ve already gone through the most important part — your prospect has seen your email and clicked to read it. Now it’s time for the second, equally important element: a relevant & eye-catching email body.
The email body is the second (out of three) steps to convert your prospect into your customer.
So how do you do so?
Your email body must be relevant and personalized.
By selecting the right group of recipients (ideal customer profile) and personalizing the content of the email, you maximize the probability of closing a sale.
Let’s assume that your company offers automation for email marketing prospecting. Your target audience, therefore, is a group that communicates with their recipients via email daily. These could be:
- freelancers
- digital agencies
- lead-generation agencies
- SMBs acquiring customers through email
- And of course, many other recipients.
If you’re targeting such prospects — that’s already 50% of the success. The other 50% is a personalized message and the adequacy of your product to their needs.
Here are 5 questions to consider in personalizing your email:
- What are your main needs?
- How can my product solve your problems?
- How can my product help you save money?
- **What case studies do I have where my clients faced similar problems, and my product solved them?
- How can my product help automate your process (e.g., sales, sending email sequences, etc.) to spend less money?
**Case studies are optional. One client may appreciate them, while another may find them unnecessary pitching. Send them to your prospect when you’ve built a proper relationship, or if your prospect doesn’t respond to your follow-ups.
4/ Benefit-Oriented Content
Let’s face it, no one wants to read something that isn’t beneficial to them.
We live in highly competitive times, so your email must be written differently or better than your competition’s, and your product must stand out.
Make sure your email sounds so appealing that you would want to read it and respond to it yourself.
If your product allows it, add a bonus to capture your prospects’ attention. It could be:
- a free trial
- a return-money policy
- first month free of charge
- any guarantee (if possible)
- a better price (than the competition)
- presenting a solution that the competition lacks
Everyone likes gifts and being pleasantly surprised.
Write benefit-oriented content to grab your prospect’s attention and increase the likelihood of making a sale.
5/ Clear CTA (but not more than 2)
A clear CTA (call-to-action) is a key element that should provoke the desired action from your prospect.
However, often sellers and marketers either do not use CTAs or use them inappropriately.
What does it mean to use a call to action inappropriately or not at all?
The main rule: do not use more than 2 CTAs per email.
Using more than 2 call to actions per email leads to worse results than not using them at all.
Why? Your reader may feel pressured and coerced into taking action. Such sales tactics are undesirable and, as a result, counterproductive.
Moving to the other extreme, not using CTAs at all doesn’t generate a higher conversion.
If your prospect receives an excellent email with great content from you, but does not know what to do next, there is a slim chance they will take the purchasing step.
Here are examples of good calls to action:
- get your copy
- purchase here
- sign up for free
- book a meeting
- learn more here
- visit the website here
- download the PDF file
- purchase using this link
- and much, much more
Clear call to action: 3 key takeaways:
1/ Always use call to action in your emails.
2/ Don’t apply more than 2 CTAs per email.
3/ Don’t confuse a proactive call to action with an intrusive one.
6/ Email Marketing Pro Tip: Add a ‘P.S.’ in the Footer (*if necessary)
P.S. (postscript) is a subtle form of communication with your interlocutor. 😉
Personally, I like to use ‘P.S.‘ whenever I feel it will be effective. However, I know that not everyone likes it, and it’s not suitable for every situation.
What’s the reason for using a P.S.?
It’s mainly used to achieve a specific goal in communication with your reader or prospect.
Here are 5 reasons why you can use a postscript:
- creating urgency
- attention-grabbing
- adding a personal touch
- highlighting key information
- call to action (less obvious form of standard CTAs)
Here are 3 situations in which I most often use a postscript:
1/ CTA (to remind something important and relate to the next step)
P.S. What can I do to convince you to work with my company?
P.S. If you could send me back the contract today, I’d really appreciate that. 😉
2/ Adding a personal touch
P.S. Have a great vacation!
P.S. I saw on your LinkedIn how you speak foreign languages—that’s a great job, [prospect’s name].
3/ Creating urgency
P.S. Only 10 seats left! Book your meeting now!
P.S. If you’re available next week, book the meeting by using this link: meeting online.
Don’t forget to A/B test your P.S.’s and only rely on those that bring you results. If they don’t work—don’t use them at all.
And in what situations do you most often use postscript?
Now you know how to crack your email marketing game and what the six key elements are to win your prospects.
What do you do to win your prospects? What do you do to facilitate your sales process?
What do you do to win your prospects? What do you apply to facilitate your sales process?
Feel free to leave a comment with your secret sauce!
And if you have any questions (in private), hit me up on LinkedIn or X.
P.S. If you like my content, you can support my venture with any number of coffees. 👇
Thanks,
Simon
Author Profile
- Simon Gorlak is a Digital Marketing Expert with over 8 years of experience. He specializes in 3 areas: SEO, Lead Generation on LinkedIn, and Email Marketing. Simon's blog gathers knowledge that helps Marketers & C-level to increase profits from their online businesses. Also, his content helps to reach the most difficult customers, make others' content to be read & purchased. Besides digital marketing, Simon speaks 4 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Polish & works as a Head of Business at an Indian Start-up.
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