You Don’t Have to Be Shakespeare

Published: Thu, 08/15/24

Updated: Mon, 08/19/24

Image showing a travel blogger using the AWeber Writing Assistant to get a first draft of her email about how to plan the perfect trip to Japan.

Hi there friend,

I was super nervous to take over this newsletter back in April. Sixteen newsletters in, I have learned so much and have gotten to know so many incredible small business owners with big stories. It’s a privilege to watch you work so passionately to achieve your goals.

Pardon the schmaltz, but I can’t thank you enough for all of your feedback, both positive and negative. You help shape this newsletter as we strive to provide you with the instruction and guidance you need to succeed. Because with AWeber, you don’t have to market your business alone.

Now, on to our topic!

✍️ More than just words

Writing effective email copy is both an art and a science—one that can make all the difference in your email marketing success. Here are some best practices and tips to help small business owners like you improve your email copywriting:

Keep It Conversational

Write like you’re talking to a friend. Use a friendly, approachable tone that reflects your brand’s personality. Avoid jargon and overly complex language—simplicity is key!

Be Concise

Your readers are busy—get to the point quickly. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and break up the text with bullet points or subheadings. Keep your emails scannable and easy to digest.

Focus on the Benefits

Highlight the value of what you’re offering. Rather than just listing features, explain how your product or service will improve their lives. Answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”

Tell a Story

People connect with stories. Use storytelling techniques to draw your readers in and make your message more memorable. Whether it’s a customer success story or a behind-the-scenes look at your business, stories make your emails more engaging.

Pay Attention to Cadence

Creating a rhythm in your email helps guide your readers through your content. Use a mix of short and slightly longer sentences to maintain a natural flow. Start with a hook, follow up with supporting details, and finish with a strong call to action.

📄 Don’t Skip Proper Formatting!

The way you structure your email copy can significantly impact how your message is received—if your emails are hard to read or visually overwhelming, even the best content can go unnoticed. Here are some essential tips on how to format your email copy for maximum readability and engagement.

Break It Up

In email copy, less is often more. Long blocks of text can overwhelm readers and cause them to lose interest. Aim to keep your paragraphs between 2-3 sentences long.

Use Bullet Points for Lists and Key Points

Bullet points are a great way to break down information and will also make it easier for your readers to scan. Use them for…

Lists
Key points
Whenever you need to present multiple ideas in a concise format.

Use Bold and Italics Sparingly

Draw attention to key phrases or concepts by using bold or italic text–for example, look how I’ve used bold text to introduce each tip in this email. However, use these sparingly—overusing bold or italics can make your email look busy and reduce its impact.

Choose the Right Font

Stick to easy-to-read fonts like Arial or Helvetica. Size matters too—keep it between 14-16px for body text.

Incorporate Plenty of White Space

White space gives your content room to breathe and prevents your email from feeling cluttered. Use line breaks between paragraphs, and avoid cramming too much information into one section. Mind your margins and set your spacing to 1.5 at a minimum, to ensure your text can breathe.

Consistent Alignment

Align your text left for easier reading. Avoid centered or justified text for large blocks.

This Week’s Challenge ✏️

Take a look at your most recent email campaign and identify one area where you can improve—whether it's tightening up your copy, adding a compelling story, or refining your formatting.

Make the necessary adjustments and track the difference in engagement. Small tweaks can lead to big results! Let’s see how you can enhance your email marketing game this week.

What did you think of this email?

❤️❤️❤️ Loved it. Can't wait to get the next one.

💔 I didn't really care for it.

👋 Bye-bye Writers Block

Our Writing Assistant is here to banish writer's block, making crafting effective emails easier and faster than ever before!

Whether you need help generating a first rough draft, polishing your call to action, or generating fresh ideas for your next campaign, our Writing Assistant can help take things off your plate.

Image of an email on a phone with the AWeber Writing Assistant prompt open asking for a first draft of an email about industry news and trends in the publishing industry.

Next time you’re drafting an email in AWeber, give the Writing Assistant a try. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to email marketing, this tool will help you create effective and engaging content that connects with your audience.

Banish Writer's Block ✏️