Email Newsletters
Here’s a simple template that you can use to write newsletters that people will actually want to open.
Let’s break it down.
Subject Line = Short and Sweet
Your subject line should outline your newsletter content… without giving away the farm.
For example, I used the super simple subject line “Backlinks” for one of my newsletters. And that email got a 46.3% open rate (to 92,232 subscribers).
That subject line lets people know that the newsletter is about backlinks.
But there’s still an element of mystery that makes you want to open the message.
Attention-Grabbing Lead
A compelling first line that hooks your reader right away. This line also shows up as a preview in Gmail. So it needs to be good.
Here’s an example:
Lesson as a Story
Your newsletters should sound like they’re from a friend.
So share your lessons and tips in the form of a story.
(And yes, this applies to “corporate newsletters” too.)
For example, look at CoSchedule.
Even though they have dozens of people working for them, their newsletters don’t feel like it.
Their emails are personal, funny and sent from a single person (Jordan):
Clear Call-To-Action
Let your reader know EXACTLY what to do next…
…whether it’s to sign up for a free trial, read a blog post or make a purchase.
Use a P.S.
Most people can’t resist reading a P.S.
This is why I recommend ending your newsletters with a P.S. that sums up your offer and CTA.
Here’s a PS that I used in one of my recent newsletters:
With that, let’s check out our next template…
