Contents
- A catchy subject line
- Greeting
- A first sentence that will capture attention
- Body
- Conclusion
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A catchy subject line
Your subject line is vital, despite its small size. If you get it wrong, your email may go unread and straight to the trash. Worse, make it too promotional and you risk being marked as spam right away.
Creating compelling email subject lines is an art, even if it only takes a few words (and maybe an emoji). Short, specific, and direct subject lines work best. But don’t be fooled, there’s a lot to say with limited words.
If it’s your first email to the recipient, the subject line is crucial. When done correctly, it can act as an introduction. It can help you introduce not only the email’s content, but also your brand. So, don’t mislead your readers with words like “urgent,” especially in marketing emails. Clickbait subject lines often have the opposite effect, harming both open rates and brand identity. Avoid using capital letters, as this may agitate your target audience before they even open the email.
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Greeting
A compelling subject line does not replace a suitable greeting. Context will play a role in crafting your greeting. Use “Dear” or “To Whom It May Concern” for formal emails (albeit boring and unimaginative). For more casual emails, use “Hey” or “Hi”.
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A first sentence that will capture attention
Like your subject line, your email’s opening line is important. If this step is done correctly, the recipient is more likely to read the email to the end. Whatever you do, don’t make it seem like you’re sending the same old email to your entire email chain.
To write an engaging first sentence, do your homework. What will your target audience enjoy? What content do they share frequently on social media?
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Body
The body of your email should be short and sweet. Not only should your emails be concise, but they should also be easy to read. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and use bullets whenever possible.
You should have one main point or idea with a call to action. Every sentence in this section of your email should help you communicate this main point.
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The Closing
While you can be more creative with your subject line and opening sentence, it’s best to play it safe with your conclusion. Simple closings like “best wishes” or “warm wishes” are often the most effective.
Create a professional email signature. After all, you’ve worked hard to perfect the other elements, so don’t let your email signature let you down. With an email signature, you can add more valuable information without sending long emails.
If you don’t have an email signature yet (or just want to fill in the gaps), you can use our free email signature generator. We designed it because we know you’re busy building your brand and reading our blog.