Being 44 and (happily) single, the one phrase I constantly hear time and time again from ‘well wishers’ is

“There’s plenty of fish in the sea”

Ugh!

I hate that phrase.

Because nowadays there are too many options, what with online dating, speed dating and everything else in between.

Although there may be an array of potential suitors out there for me, I genuinely don’t have the time on my hands to ‘wade’ through them all so they’re going to need something special if they want to stand out and get my attention.

This got me thinking about copywriting and content. Because let’s be honest there is way too much content out there, and it’s all competing for the same thing: the attention of the busy people it needs to reach.

And if you want to get noticed in the ‘sea of content’ you need to work harder on your copy.

How improving copy impacts results

When it comes to improving the effectiveness of every email you send, we’ve developed an acronym to make it easy and break things down into digestible chunks.

DORC

Or

Deliverability, Openability, Readability, Clickability…

These four pivotal steps mirror what a subscriber does upon receiving your email.

Deliverability ensures your email lands in their inbox, Openability prompts them to click open and read, Readability ensures they grasp the message, and Clickability motivates them to take action.

It’s like a map guiding readers from the moment your email enters their inbox to their desired action.

It’s all about making small changes that can create a bigger impact.

For example, improving your openability such as your email subject lines as well as deliverability such as your engagement will increase the number of people who receive and open your email, leading to more clicks and conversions – even if you make no changes to the actual email..

…and when these steps are united in each email, the results can skyrocket.

Imagine you’ve just sent an email campaign …

You sent it to 1000 subscribers, making it to 800 inboxes (80%), opened by 200 (25%), read by 100 (50%), and clicked by 50 (50%).

Now, what if you can enhance each section’s performance by just 5%…

It’s delivered to 850 (85%), opened by 255 (30%), read by 140 (55%), and clicked by 77 (55%), boosting your total clicks by 27.

That’s a surge of over 50%!!!

Copy impacts your success

Copy impacts every element of DORC, and so becoming better at writing copy can have a multiplier on your results.

Deliverability: You may be wondering how copy can impact your ability to hit the inbox… but one of the biggest factors you can control is your reputation – or how previous campaigns worked – so good copy = more opens, reads and clicks… and thus makes it more likely your next email hits the inbox!

Openability: The words you use in your subject and preview lines will affect your open rates… so copy has a big impact here.

Readability: Kinda self explanatory – if your copy is bad, people will stop reading!!!

Clickability: Even the words you use in your calls to action are important and good copywriting can get more clicks.

Copy matters… and that’s why we’ve put together 6 copywriting tips to take your emails to the next level. Let your Email marketing come to life with interesting, imaginative copy, and make your words worthy of being read.

So without further ado, let’s dive in…

1: Set your goal (Cast your net)

If you don’t set a goal you may as well be swimming with the tide heading in no particular direction.

Stick to 1 key objective. Focus on the key action you want readers to take and build your email copy around that.

“Who” are you writing to?

“What” do you want your subscribers to do after opening and reading the email?

Email marketing is all about persuading readers to take action, such as viewing a landing page, scheduling a demo, or downloading a PDF.

But it can also be about building connections or boosting your brand awareness.

Whatever the reason, make sure it’s clear from the beginning as you’ll want to craft your copy and marketing strategy with this in mind.

And remember, if you have multiple goals you don’t really have a goal.

2: Choose your words carefully (Choose your bait)

There’s nothing worse than a self absorbed person am I right?

Believe it or not though many businesses actually write copy focused solely on themselves and their brand whilst ignoring the most important factor – their audience.

Write your email copy in the second person, i.e. use ‘you’ and ‘your’ in the sentences This will let your readers know that the email is about them and not you. A long time ago a wise man told me that for every “I/we/me” you use in copy, you should use three “you/yours.”

You’ll also want to focus on the benefits of what you’re offering rather than the features.

When you talk about benefits, the focus is on how your product or service can enrich the lives of your subscribers. People most often don’t care about what the product features are. They are only interested in knowing what it can do for them.

3: Write a Killer Subject Line (Set your hook and line)

First impressions count, I walked away from a first date once because the guy turned up in trainers (ok I may just be a slight shoe snob – and it was a nice restaurant). Like ‘Mr trainers’ your subject line is the first thing your recipient will see and can determine whether they will engage with or ignore said email.

You need to take the time to inspire, be relevant and get your readers to take action or they just won’t bother clicking and your email will be left sitting alone and ignored in their inbox.

That’s why openability is the first hurdle you need to overcome. If your email doesn’t get opened, it doesn’t matter how great your content is – it won’t reach your audience.

Openability is the gateway to engagement in email marketing. It’s the initial spark that ignites the recipient’s curiosity, encouraging them to take that all-important step of opening the email.

So, how can you ensure that your emails have high openability rates?

Write a killer subject line Jaws will be proud of.

Here’s how:

• Use action verbs in your subject line. The readers should understand what you expect them to do by simply looking at the subject line. Use phrases to create a sense of urgency such as “ act now”.
• Keep it personal, Your email should not look like a generic email generated by a robot. Using the names of real people in your “to” and “from” fields, will also earn you higher open rates.
• Keep it short, most people spend time reading their emails on their mobile devices. While long subject lines may look good on desktop browsers, they get cut off on mobiles so stick to subject lines between six and ten words.

And don’t forget the importance of the Preheader….

Use the preheader text to provide a brief preview of the email’s content and entice recipients to open.

Read more on Openability

4: Know Your Audience (Be a good catch)

Don’t be like every Tom, Dick and Harry. If you want to stand out you’re gonna have to make yourself interesting, which means you need to be relevant to your audience.

Avoid sending the same email to all the email addresses in your mailing list. No one likes an irrelevant email, keep doing it and you’ll start losing your prospects faster than you can say ‘go fish’

Instead get into the habit of segmenting your lists. You can segment your list based on different criteria such as age group, location, buying habits of prospects, interests, pain points, time on list, and several other factors.

It’s all about sending messages to people who actually want them.

The DORC method indirectly boosts deliverability by improving recipient engagement and behaviours. When your emails are opened, read, and clicked, email service providers recognise their value, enhancing your sender reputation

Spend time getting to know your audience and email copywriting will get a lot easier because you’ll already know what they want plus it’s a great way to boost conversions.

Write for that particular segment of audience so that your offer, voice, tone, everything is relatable to them.

Read more on deliverability here

5: Keep it short and keep it sweet. (Reel it in)

Think about when you open a marketing email in your inbox. Do you read every single word in there? umm… nope. This is because people receive a LOT of emails daily. So If you’re writing a lot of copy in your email you’re doing it wrong.

Remember: People scan their emails. So reel it back in with the long wordy emails because it’s the fastest way to send your recipient heading to the back button. As well as making your copy easy to skim, follow these tips.

• Focus on getting to the point
• Keep enough white space in the text by breaking up paragraphs and using spacing properly.
• Add bulleted lists to highlight information
• Keep your sentences short and sweet for more clarity.
• Break up text into short, one- to two-sentence paragraphs.
• Use headings to separate your topics.
• Add images to make your content more visually appealing.
• Use a good balance of both text and images.
• A good rule of thumb is to keep paragraphs to a maximum of two or three sentences

Your layout, carefully structured, becomes a roadmap that guides your readers through your message. And your styling makes your email visually irresistible.

And remember, it’s not just about the words you use – it’s about the transformation it brings. It’s about your readers truly experiencing what you’re putting out there.

By weaving clarity into your content, you’re weaving a path for readers to follow – a path that leads to engagement, conversion, and lasting impact.

Within the DORC framework, readability finds its perfect spot – not as a standalone feature but as an integral part of the email experience. It shapes and elevates each step of the journey, from the moment your email arrives to the decisive final click.

Master Readability

6: Promote Action (Get in on the action)

My mum used to tell me too much of anything is a bad thing.

I get you, it can be so, so tempting to fill your email with multiple Call To Actions (CTAs) in the hope that your reader will click on one. But here’s the truth: you’ll end up overwhelming your subscribers and they probably won’t click on any.

The CTA is one of the most crucial pieces of email copywriting because this is the moment that a recipient decides whether or not they are going to click (convert) and continue (or start) their relationship with you.

Your copy should be simple and clearly state what you want your readers to do with the use of a strong verb.

Use language that encourages your reader to take action and be clear about the actions you want them to take.

This applies both to its visibility, as well as its message.

In the world of email marketing, success is a mixture between precision and progress.

By harnessing the potential of small changes such as your CTA, you can unveil a realm of possibilities that can reshape your email campaigns from the ground up.

Each adjustment you make, no matter how small, contributes to the larger end picture of engagement and connection between you and your recipients.

Remember, it’s not about seeking a single change but rather about making subtle improvements that, over time, yield remarkable results.

Read more about Clickability.

Final Thoughts

Before you even think about putting pen to paper, understand what your goal is. The key here is understanding your audience and how you can help them.

Choose your words carefully and write conversationally. Talking to your readers like human beings means they’re more likely to be compelled to take action. You want to be as engaging as possible but don’t forget to keep it brief. Stick to minimal CTAs with a clear action and strong visibility.

Hopefully, these tips will help you on your way to stronger campaigns and ensure you stand out in the sea of content.

And use these tips alongside the DORC strategy which will not only not only influence but also elevate the other elements in your email, resulting in a smooth and impactful experience.

The competition may be fierce, and yes, there may be an abundance of ‘fish in the sea,’ but that doesn’t mean you have to swim with the crowd.

With these tips, you can ensure you shine amidst the sea of content, taking your email campaigns to unprecedented levels of success.

Read about the DORC strategy