9 More Writing Tips for Successful Email Marketing

A few months ago, I wrote a guide entitled: 101 Writing Tips for Successful Email Marketing. In fact, many COPY TIPS subscribers have a copy. Since that time, I have worked on dozens of successful projects and have discovered some additional tips for boosting response.

1. Ask a question in the Subject line. This almost always gets the email opened. I suspect this is because questions are so much a part of everyday email between friends and colleagues. It's a natural way to begin a conversation. Just be sure your question is honest and straightforward - not cryptic, hyped, or suspicious.

2. Write a letter, not an ad. With the growing use of graphics in email, a lot of marketers are experimenting with formats that look more like an ad than a personal message. The fact is, an "email ad" is more likely to be deleted on sight than one that appears to be a personal message - even if that message is obviously promotional.

3. Don't be afraid to go long. In the early days of email marketing, short copy was the rule. But this is changing. For some offers at least, longer copy that tells a more complete story is doing better. This is especially true when a transaction is involved, such as a subscription or sign up.

4. Beginning, middle, and end. Most click-thru responses will come from the hyperlink at the top, bottom, and middle of your email message - in that order. A lot of marketers forget the middle hyperlink. Don't. Your response rates will suffer.

5. Show a picture. For graphics-enhanced email, consider including a picture of your product. This will tend to lift response. Of course, if your product is intangible, you'll have to think of an interesting way to present it as an image. But, trust me, it's worth the effort.

6. Link the images. If your email contains pictures and other graphics, be sure to hyperlink them. You'll be surprised how many prospects will click on these to respond.

7. Drop-text images. A drop-text is a text message that appears when your curser hovers over a graphic. This is common on web pages. In email, this technique works like a picture caption or sidebar that displays as your prospect interacts. Very powerful.

8. Bribes work well. An offer of free shipping, a discount, an invitation, or a free gift is extremely effective in email marketing. For my money (and my clients') information premiums - white papers, guides, checklists, downloads - work best.

9. Add a toll free number. Most prospects will click thru and respond to your offer online. But some prefer to call and speak with someone live. A toll free number will often boost response.

About The Author

An award-winning copywriter, Steve Slaunwhite helps companies achieve their direct mail and email marketing objectives. He can be reached at www.steveslaunwhite.com

mail@steveslaunwhite.com

MORE RESOURCES:

Josh Schwartz writing #39;X-Men#39; sequel: OMFG or WTF? - Entertainment Weekly

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b69550_new_x-men_getting_oc_treatment.htmlcid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNEzZamLVTJIEvAk2Z0EjSKGsitUTQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=N6W0d-LbTU8Jimgurl=images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20080723/425.jackman.xmen.072308.jpg width=80 height=59 alt= border=1brfont size=-2E! Online/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/11/josh-schwartz-x.htmlcid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNG7a9ce4iZZNLJii9-J902cS-PANgJosh Schwartz bwriting/b #39;X-Men#39; sequel: OMFG or WTF?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEntertainment Weeklynbsp;-/font nobrNov 19, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And that#39;s why I#39;m more than a little perturbed by the news that Josh Schwartz (exec producer of GG, as well as The OC and Chuck) will be bwriting/b (and b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/arts/20arts-001.html%3Fref%3Dartscid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNGEmwqiEaJrD4GF_c1IHcsvlm_IYA‘X-Men’ Heads Back To Boyhood/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNew York Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.empiremovies.com/index.php%3Fid%3D25039cid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNGQoFYW0bSG2Q72LDBnk1uu45s8nQJosh Schwartz bWriting/b X-Men: First Class/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrEmpire Movies/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/11/19/gossip-girl-writer-still-scripting-x-men-first-class-not-directing/cid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNFVLn7qOYUTxEvI7J1iHoKrHdkbdA‘Gossip Girl’ Writer Still Scripting ‘X-Men: First Class’; Not b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrGeeks of Doom/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b69550_new_x-men_getting_oc_treatment.htmlcid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNEzZamLVTJIEvAk2Z0EjSKGsitUTQnobrE! Online/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/11/18/fox-moving-forward-with-gossip-girl-young-x-men-spin-off/cid=1272117988ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNHFKXmb4mOfkDo71EzX_-NxP3isagnobrFirst Showing/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272117988hl=ennobrall 72 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Novi resident offers insight to world of writing - Novi News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://hometownlife.com/article/20081120/LIFE/811200351/1106/NEWS13cid=1272586162ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNG6EF8fE6JtTupG_NuOangcUq1wAwNovi resident offers insight to world of bwriting/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNovi News,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Kelly Murad • STAFF WRITER • November 20, 2008 quot;There#39;s A Book In You is bwriting/b in its simplest form,quot; said Durant, 72. quot;It#39;s about understanding the b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Rapper gets 20 years after writing shooting song - The Associated Press

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jQUZaPLYcXsZAbUiOd_xe7VbRprgD94I7Q7G0cid=1272355186ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNEN4ix7kGJpyXJN7911rZEEHqggKARapper gets 20 years after bwriting/b shooting song/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DUBLIN, Ga. (AP) — He shot a man twice and felt so good about it, police said, a rapper wrote a song describing the shooting and calling out the victim by b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

GEORGETOWN: Ex-trooper admits writing phony tickets - Delmarva Daily Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20081120/NEWS01/81120010/1002cid=1272551038ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNED1rH_nmqOvlNwKyZA5D1v8VQihAGEORGETOWN: Ex-trooper admits bwriting/b phony tickets/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDelmarva Daily Times,nbsp;MDnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1GEORGETOWN -- A former Delaware State Police trooper from Georgetown has pleaded guilty to charges he wrote phony traffic tickets to fictitious people. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Teenager murdered for writing love letter - Times Online

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5197439.ececid=1272548634ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNFX096bEUOREWsPLF2Ap1IbJrv7JATeenager murdered for bwriting/b love letter/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes Online,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;The accused killed the boy for bwriting/b a love letter to a girl of the same village. There was a scuffle, and he was pushed in front of a train,quot; b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Simpsonville woman charged with writing bad checks for jewelry - Greenville News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081120/NEWS01/811200331/1071/YOURUPSTATE01cid=1272341092ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNEe0-Zx93g6h97HVWVn5VMurY4YLASimpsonville woman charged with bwriting/b bad checks for jewelry/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fGreenville News,nbsp;SCnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Paul Alongi • STAFF WRITER • November 20, 2008 Greenville police are warning businesses to watch out for a Simpsonville woman who was charged Wednesday b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Bloomfield schools benefit from writing project - Farmington Daily Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.daily-times.com/ci_11027781cid=1272548632ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNFZTAHJUfsvLhV1qnQ2_p2VlSv51wBloomfield schools benefit from bwriting/b project/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFarmington Daily Times,nbsp;NMnbsp;-/font nobr11 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By G. Jeff Golden The Daily Times As part of the Bisti bWriting/b Project, local artist Margaret Katirgis visited students at Blanco Elementary School this b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Flournoy students use writing tool - Red Bluff Daily News

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/news/ci_11022829cid=1272306922ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNHAgK9bw8S7dvbfEPoFZIdhdu0NZwFlournoy students use bwriting/b tool/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fRed Bluff Daily News,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 19, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1FLOURNOY- Along with an investment in a one-to-one laptop ratio, Flournoy Elementary School piloted an Internet-based bwriting/b application from November 2007 b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Flournoy School students are right online in writing: Students ... - TMC Net

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-flournoy-school-students-right-online-writing-students-participate-/2008/11/19/3801329.htmcid=1272601743ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNEuTD_VG4FVv_Hi8qVv57O6K113oAFlournoy School students are right online in bwriting/b: Students b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTMC Net,nbsp;CTnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Flournoy Elementary School discovered technological bwriting/b success for its students by participating in an online educationally based pilot program this b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

MBA Writing Tips - BusinessWeek

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/nov2008/bs20081118_490130.htm%3Fchan%3Dtop%2Bnews_top%2Bnews%2Bindex%2B-%2Btemp_business%2Bschoolscid=1271920639ei=va8lSeO0Gqr6yATzjMWzAQusg=AFQjCNG5Fc2nOikQjtAX7XEYsCDSFiBaagMBA bWriting/b Tips/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBusinessWeeknbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Alison Damast MBAs may be good at analyzing spreadsheets and reading financial statements, but many cringe when faced with a lengthy academic bwriting/b b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Writing - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

Conflict - How To Keep Your Readers Turning Pages
Some writers are just too kind.They hate to put their characters under any kind of pressure.

Writing IS a Business
Why is it that so many people don't take writing-as-a-job seriously? I once heard it said that writing is one of the most under-rated cottage industries in the world. I believe it.

Idea-Mining for Writers, 102
As many authors are fond of stating, "Ideas are all around!" when asked to be more specific. Well, in a way, that's true.

Have You Tested Your Theme Against Your Plot?
Creative Writing Tips -How we usually begin the preparation stage in the writing process is?We think of an idea for a storyWe think of a suitable themeWe plotOnce we come up with a theme and we begin plotting, we have to see how the theme and the plot match up. Sometimes as we plot we find that the theme we had initially chosen won't do.

New York Code Orange Jaisini New Art Series
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching or too critical. Paul Jaisini reached his level of mastership to know exactly that life is worth living to look in the future having no regrets about the past.

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.At age 17 he announced his intention to be a writer.

How To Write for the Web
The Scanning ReaderWriting for the Web is different than writing for print. The differences are slight but significant.

Think Market!
Griselda spent hours polishing up her resume. No detail was too small: type face, layout and spacing.

The Write Habit: How to Strengthen Your Writing Muscle
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in shape.I realized how true that saying is when I took what I called "a well-earned break" after I finished my first novel.

7 Ways to Turn Readers Into Friends
Back in my school days, if the teacher demanded a term paper I knew just what to do. I quickly researched the report, and wrote it as fast as I could.

How To Publish Your Own Newsletter
With the expansion and diversion of businesses, manufacturers, and even hobbyists into more and more specialized areas of endeavor, there is an increasing need for information. And newsletters are the high profit way to cash in on the market for specialized information.

Learning to Question Your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why
Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll writes up to five columns a week.

Journaling
How many of you take the time to really write down your thoughts?Do you know that journaling not only lets you "work" out problems but releases tension and gets the problem off your mind.I started journaling about 10 years ago right after I had my first son.

Writing Dialogue That Make Your Characters Come Alive
Characters in a good novel really carry the story along more than any other concept in writing. A problem I too often see in my clients' writing is stale dialogue; the kind that sounds like every character is the same person.

Basic Writing Tips - Some Controversial, All Correct
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices - 4 Examples") explained, writers can take steps to prevent simple, and common, errors from degrading their writing. Five areas of writing that cause authors problems are discussed in this article.

The Value of Adding Images to Technical Documentation
It's clich�, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words. This is an important message to remember when writing any sort of user documentation, such as an installation guide or an instruction manual.

Editing Secrets
Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and written the last word of text, the real work begins. As busy editors are bombarded with hundreds or even thousands of submissions a year, it's more important than ever that authors apply their own editing skills to their manuscripts before putting them in the mail.

Overcome Writers Block with Snake Dancing
Writer's block! Even columnist Dave Berry has it. He admits that at least 30 times a day when writing his humor column, he gets up from his computer to sip his Pepsi to divert his attention when he can't think of what to write.

5 Effective Web Writing Tips
Writing for the web is very different from writing for the print medium. Writing for the web requires some special abilities.

Crime Writing Beckons
If your cash is running out fast and you have an incessant need to write, why not turn to crime?No! Not committing crime, but to writing about crime. Crime is all around us, and people want to know about it.