How To Write An Email That Will Get A Response

How To Write An Email That Will Get A Response

Email is an effective way to increase brand awareness, leads, and sales, but many businesses don’t get the response rate they are looking for because their approach is weak, worn-out and completely off track.  You have seconds, and if your message doesn’t hit the target, your email will be immediately deleted.  Your mission should be to get your reader to open, read and respond.  Below is how to write an email that will get a response. 

But first, ask yourself this. Do people respond to your emails in the way you want them to? Are you sure that you’re making the best possible impression with your emails?

Unfortunately, most of the emails messages received are ineffective, lengthy and seller centered.  Many do not stand a chance and end up in the trash without being read. They are deleted because they’re missing these three key ingredients. Here is how to write an email that will get a response.

1. The subject line must be eye-catching and compelling
2. The body of the email must be brief and to the point
3. The ending should get the reader to take some sort of action

The subject line must have a purpose and be customized to the reader. It needs to resonate with the mind of the reader and should compel them to open and skim. People receive hundreds of emails every day, and most are read with a finger on the trigger of the delete button.  If the subject is generic, boring and weak, it immediately gets dumped in the trash. 

Think of the email subject line as a headline in a newspaper or magazine. You have 2-3 seconds to grab their attention, so choose a headline that is strong and compelling. A few strong and well-chosen words increase the open rate by over thirty-four percent. Invest time in your subject line as if you were paying hundreds of dollars for each one.  

I coach professionals and sales teams to try out a few test subject lines on other people before you send them to prospective clients. Try sending them to others in your office, on your team or in your family to get their input and reaction to the subject line. Ask yourself, would you open your emails?

If you’re lucky enough for people to open your email, you must make your point as briefly as you can without sacrificing quality. Lengthy emails with four, five or six paragraphs are a guaranteed trip to the trash.

An effective and easy formula to follow is one subject line, two brief paragraphs and one action item. I have received and saved many emails that were nothing but a not so cleverly disguised seven paragraph sales pitch. What a waste of time, money and energy.

Your email needs to start with a quick, friendly and to the point statement explaining why you’re writing to them. Remember that you need to get their attention and hold it. Email readers and web surfers think and react in seconds so use your time wisely. 

They’re choosing to read your email so you owe it to them to make it about them, not you. Repeat, what’s in it for them, not you!  If the body is all about you, your company and how amazing you are, it will be deleted, dumped and discarded without any thought. You think customers want to know all about your company, but the reality is they don’t.  They only want to know what’s in it for them. I can’t stress this enough; it’s not about you. Really it is not!

They want to know how you can help them solve their issues and problems. The more time you invest in discussing their issues, the greater the likelihood you’ll move the sales conversation forward. If you don’t, guess where your email is going? The trash!

Your audience needs to be engaged or they simply stop reading. Very seldom do I receive an email that gets my attention, holds my interest, and causes me to take an action. 

Don’t buy into the belief that, “they were not interested,” accept the truth and responsibility that, “your email wasn’t interesting!” If you correctly and concisely present your ideas through their eyes, you can make any subject interesting.

Here is the golden email rule. Tatoo it to your wrist so you don’t forget. With email and online communication, you have only two to three seconds to get their attention. Only seven seconds to build interest and about twenty seconds to get them to take an action.  Following this rule will improve your response rate dramatically.