Email marketing is a must for business to business (B2B) marketing. At Futurety, we use email marketing to target potential clients and prospects through data analytics. We understand the foundation of a solid email campaign is the copy. Knowing what to include and what to avoid when writing email copy can be crucial to the effectiveness of your campaign. With that being said, here are five tips that our business has found to be useful when writing our B2B email copy.
Personalization, Personalization, Personalization
Most businesses appreciate an email that feels personal. Decision-makers are less likely to respond when it’s obvious they are just another automated message within your campaign. You can give your email copy a more personalized touch by including the recipient’s name in the greeting, addressing them as “you” instead of using the name of their company, and referring to yourself or your business as “I”. Treat your email as a normal conversation between two people.
Go beyond simply finding out your recipient’s email address and company name. Do some real research on them so you have a better understanding of their job and what they are responsible for within their company. After you know that information, you can further personalize your copy by including an attention-grabbing opening sentence that is relative to what they do.
Reel Them in With a Creative Subject Line
Most businesses get flooded with hundreds of emails per day. Your email must stand out in the vast ocean that is their inbox. The goal of the subject line is to grab the reader’s attention and force them to open your email. Take some time to think of an engaging subject line that is relevant to what the email pertains to. This should only be a few words and short enough to display correctly on all devices.
Keep it Short
While it is important to get your point across, email copy should not be too lengthy. Cut the copy in your first draft. And your second. Seemingly endless paragraphs of information can be off-putting and discouraging to readers. On mobile devices, even succinct emails can look long. Therefore, it is a good idea to make your message skimmable.
A higher word count not only diminishes an email’s readability, but it becomes less retainable as well. Keep your email copy short and sweet, under 200 words, to make it easier for the reader to remember the information you provide.
Include Referrals if You Have Them
One major way you can help your organization stand out over your competition is to include client referrals, reviews, or testimonials in your email copy. If your business worked with a client that is in a similar industry as the company you are reaching out to, make your prospect aware of it. Businesses are more likely to work with companies that have proven experience, relative to the services they need or the industry they’re in.
If you don’t already have referrals from past clients, ask one to write a brief review of the products you provided or the work you did for them. Always make sure that you have permission from a client or past client before using one of their testimonials.
Identify a Problem and Provide a Solution
Conduct some research on the company you are reaching out to and their industry. Find out if there are any current issues they are facing that could be solved by a product or service your business provides. A search on Google News or Twitter will likely give you a great start. Include the problems and solutions in your email. This tailors your message to meet their needs and shows that you took the time to research them. Bringing awareness to how you can help a business overcome certain obstacles will help increase the likelihood of their response.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to use email marketing to your advantage, connect with us! We’re proficient in Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Emma, and other email platforms!