An email is quick to send. That is exactly why it is worth pausing first. Why is this person receiving it? What should they know or be able to do after reading? Without a clear answer, a mailing becomes one more thing for the recipient to clear from their inbox.
This article first appeared in 2013 as a guest post by Pieter Lippens. Its advice about fixed character counts, subject lines that supposedly guarantee results and words that automatically trigger spam filters was too certain. The useful core remains: make your message relevant, recognizable and easy to read.
Start with the purpose
Not every email needs to make a sale. A message about a changed appointment should keep someone from arriving at a closed door. A newsletter can share a useful idea. An offer serves a different purpose. For each message, write down the main question the reader should be able to answer afterward.
Distinguish information about an existing order from a promotion for another purchase. Promotional email is subject to rules covering such matters as permission, clear identification of the sender and the ability to unsubscribe. Check the requirements that apply to your situation; for the Netherlands, the ACM's guidance is a starting point.
Write an honest subject line
The subject line makes a promise about the content. “Your order: new delivery date” is more useful than “Important news!” when that is what you actually need to say. A question or an intriguing line can work if the email delivers on it. You do not need a universal fifty-character rule. Check whether the key point still makes sense when the line is cut off.
Make the sender recognizable too. Use a name the recipient knows and an address that accepts replies if you expect a response. Polished design cannot rescue an unclear sender.
Help readers get their bearings
Open with the reason for your message. Put the essential information first, write short paragraphs and use descriptive link text. A simple layout can work well, but plain text does not magically make an email personal or keep it out of a spam folder. A well-designed HTML email is not automatically impersonal either.
If you want someone to act, say what to do and why. “View your updated appointment” is clearer than “Click here”. If the message is purely informative, do not force an action into it. You can link to a longer article, as long as the email itself gives people enough context to decide whether to read on.
Learn from real responses
After sending, look at replies and questions, not just open or click figures. If readers keep misunderstanding the same point, rewrite it. If they respond to a practical message with “What should I do now?”, you probably left out a step. Numbers can prompt questions, but they do not explain by themselves why a message worked.
Finally, read the email aloud. Does it sound like something you would say to a customer? If not, remove the stiff language. One clear message is more useful than an impressive template carrying a confusing one.
The original version of this article was written in 2013 by Pieter Lippens of Techne IT Solutions.