Writing an email might be a bit more complex than you think.

So, how hard can writing an email be?

Email marketing is not the same as emailing your friends.

There are vital parts of an email that every e-commerce marketer needs to know about. Believe it or not, these can make or break your email campaigns. 

But once you learn them, writing marketing emails isn’t difficult at all!

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • The recipe to creating irresistible emails to your customers (3 key ingredients).
  • How to create email content that your customers will actually enjoy reading and engaging with.
  • How the right call-to-action button can skyrocket your sales by increasing the click-through rate.
  • Few additional elements that can take your emails one step ahead of your competition.
  • Why every part of the email is crucial for a successful digital strategy.
  • Why email marketing is still the channel to go if you want to scale your eCommerce business.

Must-have Parts Of An Email For Every Marketer

Are you doing email marketing without these key elements? You’re missing a lot.

Consistent "From" Label

Email From Label Example

The “from” label might not be a big deal for you. But it is for your customers.

It’s the most important part of an email because it’s the first thing your customers notice. It’s actually much more prominent than the subject line and preview text. Because of that, your “from” label should always include your company name.

You can also put a person’s name too. For example, “Tomi from Brand.” Many brands are doing this. It gives the message a human touch. 

But don’t get carried away. You’re legally obligated to use a from name that clearly informs the recipient where the emails are coming from.

Find a from name that works for you and be consistent. Every email you send is a brand impression. Over time, your customers will get used to your brand and feel a connection every time they see it in their inbox. 

Appealing Subject Line

Email Subject Line Example

High-quality email content doesn’t matter if nobody opens your email. Your subject line will (largely) determine whether your email gets read or not. Subject lines must catch attention. 

And if that means being somewhat clickbaity, then so be it. 

But how do I create an appealing subject line that draws attention? We got you covered.

  • Make it short. The reader’s time and attention are limited. If they see long text, they may not even read it. Their inbox only reveals about 30 characters on their phone and 60 on their desktop. So always try to keep your subject line at around 30 characters, and you’re good to go.
  • Get straight to the point. There is no point to drag it here. Give them the most important part in the start and win them over. After all, most of them will only read the beginning anyway.
  • Personalize! Don’t be afraid to use some personal information that you have about the customer. People are more likely to click on your email when they see their name or something about them. Ex. Hey Jenny, thanks for subscribing, check out our latest blogs.
  • Don’t look spammy. You might want to avoid aggressive sales words like “order now!”, “affordable” or “act now!”. Not only do they look pushy, but they also have a higher chance to be marked as spam and sent to the spam folder. This can hurt your sending reputation and create a domino effect as more and more of your emails will end up as spam.

A good subject line will spark a feeling in the reader. It will make him curious, create a sense of urgency and convince him that he is missing something if he doesn’t click on your email.

But keep in mind one thing. Your email’s content must match the expectations your subject line creates. Of course, you’d get a pretty high open rate with “Ends tonight: Free TESLA Giveaway.” But you’d never generate a meaningful impact if you were unable to fulfill that promise. 

Engaging Pre-Header

Email Pre-Header Example

A pre-header is the short text that comes after the subject line. It’s useful for readers because it gives them a little preview of what your email is about.

Both the pre-header and the subject line are important parts of your email. You don’t want them to repeat each other. Instead, you want your pre-header to continue from where your subject line ended. Or give subscribers a second reason to click inside. 

In marketing, there are some things that you can control and some that you can’t.

You can’t control how much of your pre-header will be visible to the readers, because that depends on what device they are on. But what you can control is the quality of what is visible. Therefore, frontload your pre-headers. Include the most important parts in the beginning.

Relevant Body Text

Body text is the content that you want to share with your customers through email. It’s the heart of your marketing message and the most “meaty” part of the email. If they’re reading it, you’re halfway there. You’ve secured the first meaningful micro-conversion: They opened your email. Now you want them to engage with your email’s content.

Nailing your body text is key. It can dramatically raise your conversion rate. Here’s how to optimize your body text for best results:

  • Write in short paragraphs or bullet points, just like a blog post.
  • List the benefits the customer will get if he takes the action.
  • Write as you speak, don’t sound like some marketing expert trying hard to sell something.
  • Consider swiping ideas for your campaign from well-known brands. Or see what your competitors are doing, using a tool like Mailcharts.  

Focus your marketing efforts on creating relevant content. Relevant content is interesting. Therefore, it’s always going to drive the best results for your email content marketing strategy.

Email Body Text Example

Clear Call-To-Action

Some emails can work without a direct call to action. They can be informational or entertaining. But overwhelmingly, email marketers send campaigns to drive their target audiences into taking an action. 

Such as visiting a website, replying to an email, providing additional info or shopping a product. Whatever the action is, the call-to-action button should be clear and easy to notice.

Use colors that stand out on the page and text that calls the reader to take action related to the product that you are selling. The more concrete your language, the better. 

A simple formula is “Do X, Get Y.” For example “Order Now, Save 20%.”

Avoid generic, unclear messaging, such as “learn more.” It’s always best to be specific. “Book a meeting” is better than “learn more.” A simple tweak like this could have a big impact on your click-through rate. 

Many marketers prefer to use aggressive language. Such as “Only 5 spots Left” “Limited Edition, Shop Now.” This approach creates urgency and can drive short-term results.

But it should be used cautiously and sparingly because it can damage a brand’s value. 

Email Call-To-Action Example

Noticeable Unsubscribe Button

Nobody wants to decrease their email subscriber base. But sometimes you have to let go.

You mustn’t keep someone against their will. If they don’t want to be part of your newsletter, what are the chances they’ll buy from you? Pretty low, right?

So, always have an unsubscribe button at the end of your email. It gives the chance to people who don’t like your content to leave. But it also gives a sense of trust and that your brand is legit to those who enjoy your content.

It’s also against the law not to include an unsubscribe button in your marketing email. So if you weren’t convinced before, this should do.

Email Unsubscribe Button Example

These six are absolutely vital! But there are a few more elements that we recommend you include to maximize your email performance.

Related Image

Not a must-have but a smart marketer knows the difference that visual content can make.

One picture is worth a thousand words. And one great image can be worth more than the whole email body copy. Why?

Because humans are visual creatures. We’re way more likely to remember something we see rather than read.

Additionally, our attention span is getting lower and lower, so you need to get the viewers’ attention fast. In fact, research shows we have no more than 3 seconds to catch their attention before we lose them forever.

So you better make those seconds count. And strong visuals are a hyper-effective way to convey info fast.

Email Picture Example

Visible Social Media Buttons

Yes, they aren’t necessary but most people use social media networks today.

Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter… People are everywhere. And they expect your brand to be as well.

You can low-key promote your social media channels by featuring them in general content emails (giving your social links real estate in a dedicated promotion is probably a waste of space).

Email Social Media buttons example

Things to keep in mind

  • Sending personalized emails to your customers will get you the best results. How? Use targeted email marketing. From the subject to the body text, personalized is always better. 
  • Numbers never lie. There are a lot of email marketing metrics that can show you how your emails are performing. Use them to optimize any weaknesses that your campaign might come up against.
  • Frequency is important. You don’t want to spam your whole email list with five emails every day. You won’t just annoy your subscribers. You’ll also get a bad sending reputation from your email provider which will result in more of your emails ending as spam.

Email Marketing Is More Valuable Now Than Ever

Remember when social media marketers thought that email marketing is dead? And yet here it is today as one of the most profitable channels. Every successful marketer includes email in their digital marketing strategy. 

Most often, the best approach for companies to maximize the revenue from email marketing is to work with dedicated agents (like us).

But if you don’t have the resources, don’t worry, here is a free course to email marketing to get you started.

Still In Doubt? Start Using Email Marketing Today!

Yes, social media marketing and search engine optimization are great, but can you really miss out on the opportunity to send personalized messages to your customers directly in their inbox?

Of course, you can’t.

Use these vital parts in your emails and start scaling your e-commerce shop with one of the highest ROI marketing channels today. And when you are ready to take it to the next level, we are always here to help. 

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