10 quick tips on writing effective e-mail circulars

Most are deleted, so get it right

E-mail newsletters/circulars are an easy way to invite fresh interest on your subject and stay in touch with colleagues; it’s a great way to communicate with former, existing and new clients. It’s often forgotten that as with a website, you only have a few seconds to catch interest and keep the reader reading. Most businesses make the mistake of pouring far too much detail into their e-mail newsletters: no-one has the time to go through and download lots of information and images…click goes the delete button.

1. Words like ‘Urgent’ ‘Not to be missed’ ‘Hot Buy’ will send most people running

Write a tightly focused, eye catching but sensible, phrase in the subject line.

2. Avoid boring people, use engaging language

Use words that are conversational and appropriate to your target readers.

3. Make your reader feel comfortable

Let your reader feel at ease; draw them into a conversation, it’s not an advert about you.

4. Less is more

Keep your sentences brief, and your words crisp, concise and easy to assimilate.

5. Keep to the point

Make one point, not 10. Avoid repeating the same thing in several different ways.

6. How appealing are you?

Layout is important; make it attractive and easy to copy & paste or scan.

7. Grammar

Spelling and punctuation must be perfect. Bad English will reflect a poor service.

8. Get personal

Address your e-mail to a person with a name, not just to an anonymous list.

9. Sign on the dotted line

Let your readers know who you are, sign off with your name, not just your position.

10. Give them something to do

Let your recipients know what they should do next – call, email, visit your site?

When the vast majority of e-mails are deleted in the same way that most door drop leaflets are binned, it may be worth getting an experienced copywriter to help you. Time and again, e-mail circulars are successful in winning new clients so why waste a bigger proportion of success by writing a mail that has little appeal?