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How to Write Powerful Email That Gets Opened

How to Write Powerful Email That Gets Opened

October 20, 2016 By Jenny

“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”

 – David Olgilvy

How many emails do you get daily? I can’t count that high. That’s what calculators are for. And, I (only) have two email accounts. I see who the sender is, even if I know them this still doesn’t guarantee I will read the email. If I don’t know the sender, I look at the subject. If the headline grabs me, I might open it. Otherwise: delete.

And don’t get me started on my SPAM folder. Too often, by the time I get there, I’m done. I empty it. I know, I could be missing something. But, see, I don’t have FOMO. I just don’t. If it’s important enough, it will get to me. I won’t go through 539 ads for Match, Paleo hacks, and Beverly Hills, MD. And now, you all know I have on-line dated (it works!), eat a Paleo-based diet, and am, um, of a certain age when offers to lift and perk-ify body parts come in like wildfire. (Excuse me, but, no thank you.)

Your prospects don’t read every email either. If you have a mailing list, you have established a community. You need to keep them hooked. So, you want to write powerful email subject headlines. Every time. Here are four foolproof ways to get your email opened. Where you go with them from there is up to you . . . but engage your audience. Then work your magic. You’ve got this.

#1 Create Comparisons with a Famous Person or Brand

  • What Rob Lowe can teach entrepreneurs about tenacity
  • What Tylenol can teach you about the power of good PR
  • What Beyoncé knows about branding

#2 Use Lists: Lists are a great way to disseminate information. They are easily digestible, clearly defined, and tell the reader: you’re not getting homework, you’re getting tips.

Examples:

  • Four ways to get your emails opened
  • Ten ways to get more clients today
  • Five powerful words that get people to buy

#3 You Can Handle the Truth: Allude to a shocking truth and establish yourself as an expert . . .

  • What Siri doesn’t want you to know
  • How most Europeans are conceived
  • What you don’t know about Yahoo

#4 Secrets & Lies: Something spooks all of us, something lurking in the corner of the brain, go ahead, poke away.

  • Five excuses all cheaters use
  • Secret ways online marketers get you to buy
  • Ten ways to reclaim your credit score

They will read your email, and not JUST because of a good headline, but it sure helps. Back up what you offer, and maintain credibility with a solid product or service. Your mailing list and followers expect a certain level of quality. Deliver. When they open their inbox and see your name, and your killer subject headline, show them there’s a winner. They will click OPEN, not DELETE.

Hope you opened this one. . . .

Jenny

Filed Under: copy

About Jenny

I'm Jenny. Copywriter, author, anti-typo, pro-Oxford comma, and love the sound of laughter and live music. Working one-on-one with clients to find their voice is my passion. I also red pen edit everything, even menus. My mystery novel Chosen Quarry is available on Kindle. Archives of my essays can be found on The Good Men Project and Huffington Post.

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