This is a summary of the article by: About the Author: Ben Settle is a direct response copywriter and email marketing strategist. Although Ben no longer accepts clients, he gives away over 700 pages of his bestselling ideas and insights free at BenSettle.com. Read the full article here…
One problem a lot of people have with writing effective emails is they think they’re writing a sales letter. And because they think their emails are like sales letters, they pack them with benefits and use all the usual copywriting tricks. In reality, they should be creating unique content made specifically for emails, using an AI writer like Copymatic.
But if you sell a product that solves a painful problem, the opposite is true. What you really should be talking about (instead of your product and its benefits) is all the pain caused by the problem your readers want solved.
This means getting inside their “world” and writing about the pain they’re experiencing (or COULD experience if something isn’t done to deal with the situation pronto).
Yes, you still make a call to action.
And yes, you still plug your URL (either aggressively or passively, such as in the example below).
But, you don’t need to hammer your readers with benefits. Instead, you hammer them with the painful symptoms they’re feeling — or could feel if they don’t find a solution.
How does this help your sales? The answer is simple.
It’s all about trust
Since YOU are the person emailing them each day (you are mailing them daily, right?) and bonding with them (not just “pitching” them) by showing them you understand their pain, they will naturally look to you as the go-to person for help.
Writing effective emails for Email marketing
Below is an example of how to do it:
Subject Line: The real reason why good writers die young. Writing’s a dangerous job.
Sitting there on your rumpus for long stretches of time … letting your legs form dangerous (life ending) blood clots, and wreaking havoc on your entire nervous system — which all can lead to some really NASTY pain.
Leg pain.
Neck pain.
Shoulder pain.
Elbow pain.
Wrist pain.
And, especially BACK pain.
Eventually he get help.
Doctors.
Orthopedic surgeons.
Chiropractors.
Acupuncturists.
Yet, the pain was getting worse.
And his livelihood (writing) was at stake.
Anyway, the point?
Writing for a living really CAN be dangerous to your health, and well being.
See how that works?
The entire email above is about the problem, not the solution. Yet, it does a better job “selling” the click than pummelling the reader with benefits, bullet points, and features. It also prepares the reader to eagerly be looking for a solution when they see the landing page, they’re looking to be sold when you do this correctly.
And the best part is …
This is a very simple way to write emails.
- You don’t have to be a great “writer.”
- You don’t have to use any copywriting tricks or tactics.
- And, you don’t even need to mention your product.
- All you have to do is know your market and these emails practically write themselves.
Your homework assignment: Go write a “pain” email like the one I’ve shown you above. Think of all the pains your product solves, use the above email as a template and watch what happens.
