Tag Archives: writing emails

How to write an email for a guest blogging proposal?

How to write a guest blogging proposal email

How to write a guest blogging proposal email?

A typical guest blogging request email reads like this:

Hello and greetings!

I’m a great fan of your blog. Your posts are wonderful and highly useful. Do you accept guest blog posts? Then I would like to contribute. Here are some suggested topics:

At the first glance, there seems to be nothing wrong with this message. That is, if you get such messages once or twice a month and you are eagerly looking for people to write guest blog posts.

But, if you get such requests regularly, it often becomes difficult to reply to messages that have not been specifically written for you. I will explain what happens.

On and average I receive 3-4 messages offering to write guest blog posts for my blog that is, I won’t say very popular, nonetheless, decently popular.

A majority of the messages are not personal. I can immediately make out that they have sent out a mass email without even going through my blog. I normally don’t reply to such messages unless there is a compelling reason.

On the other hand, there are certain messages that are quite direct and targeted. Take for example a message like this:

Hello Amrit

While doing research for a blog that I’m working on I came across your link {the link is mentioned} and I was thinking of writing something that can add value to your blog. If you’re open to the idea, I can send you some topics.

Here are some links to give you an idea of how I write:

{links are mentioned}

Best,

Such a message shows that the person has actually gone through my blog, and even if not the blog, then at least the link he or she is talking about. He or she has got a basic idea of what sort of content I publish.;;;

Obviously, I reply to such messages.

How to write an email when you’re offering to write a guest blog post?

Make it personal. Begin with the name, something like “Hello Amrit”.

Quickly go through a few blog posts on the blog to get an idea of what type of content is published on the blog and how you can add value with your guest blog post.

Then mention it in the email that you have gone through a few blog posts and you have gotten the hang of what sort of content is accepted and published. Accordingly, make some suggestions.

Keep your email conversational. Don’t try to impress because a successful blog publisher receives anywhere between 10-20 (even more) guest blogging proposals. There may be plenty of people trying to impress. Just be original. Just be yourself.

Make sure the topic suggestions that you have made are in sync with the content being published on the blog.

For example, my blog is about content writing, copywriting and sometimes, content marketing & SEO. These are the topics I’m interested in. Not how to sell real estate in Tokyo.

Of course, if you can write on a topic like “How to promote your real estate business in Tokyo through strategic content writing”, this is quite acceptable.

In the case of my blog, one of the main topics (content writing, copywriting, content marketing, and SEO writing) must be there in your guest blog post idea.

Don’t blast off a template message to multiple blog publishers. It is immediately clear that you haven’t even visited the blog you are proposing to write a guest blog for.

How to keep your emails personal yet professional?

Every email marketing guru advises you to keep your emails personal.

What does being personal mean?

Here is a list to keep in mind:

  • Use your name for the “From:” field.
  • Know the name of the person and start with “Dear name” or “Hello name”.
  • Use a conversational style – write in a manner you would talk to someone sitting across the table.
  • Be specific in the message; this way the person knows that you’re specifically talking to him or her.
  • Mention something familiar (but not intimate).
  • Introduce yourself in the first line without sounding salesy.
  • Inform the person why you are writing.
  • If possible, inform the person why you are writing to him or her, especially.
  • Avoid using long sentences.
  • If it is a compound or complex sentence, keep just one sentence in a paragraph.
  • You can have 2-3 simple sentences in a paragraph.
  • Be genuine and come to the point as fast as possible.
  • Remember that your language represents your business, and more importantly, you.

How to keep your email message professional at the same time?

There is no need to do something extra. Professional writing doesn’t mean writing highfalutin sentences or injecting jargon in every expression.

Being professional simply means sticking to the business. No need to bring up intimate knowledge even if you possess it.

Be culturally sensitive. Remain as gender neutral as possible. Don’t use words and expressions that you wouldn’t use when talking to your child or someone you care for.

6 Writing Tips for a Successful Email Marketing Campaign

6 writing tips for email marketing

6 writing tips for email marketing.

Email marketing is a powerful and effective marketing tool that has been used by marketers all over the globe for years. It’s one of the oldest yet most significant marketing tools out there. Marketers and business owners use it regardless of their niche or industry. And, in order to have a strong email presence, you need to know how to write a great email copy.

Focus of this blog post

  1. 6 writing tips
  2. Successful email marketing

Writing an email copy is challenging and demanding, but once you understand the essential steps, you’ll have nothing to worry about. That’s why we’ve put together this guide with 6 writing tips you need to know about.

Let’s take a closer look at each step.

1. A Single Goal

Before you start writing your email copy, you have to think about the specific goal you want it to reach. There are dozens of goals you could set for an email copy.

It could be:

  • offering a discount
  • announcing a new product launch
  • celebrating a year with a customer
  • inviting them to your website
  • inviting them to a webinar

Whatever the goal of your email copy is, make sure that you choose one and stick to it.

If you decide to say too many things, the recipient might get confused, overwhelmed, and eventually give up on reading it.

2. A Simple Structure

Here’s the thing – people aren’t in love with the idea of receiving emails they didn’t ask for. But, if the content of the email might be interesting to them, they’ll embrace it.

This is why you need to use a simple email structure. It will allow your recipients to:

  • scan the email
  • understand what’s it about within seconds
  • decide whether they want to read the whole thing

To achieve this effect, follow these simple rules:

  • use subheadings
  • write short paragraphs
  • use bullet points and lists

Give the readers a chance to decide whether this email deserves their attention or not. If you send a bunch of text divided into huge paragraphs, they’ll give up on reading it before they even start.

3. A Clear CTA

A CTA (call-to-action) is a very important piece of this puzzle. It’s the final touch to your email copy and a clear invitation for your readers.

If you want them to perform the desired action, you have to tell them exactly what to do.

Include a CTA that is:

  • dominating the email by design
  • short and clear
  • urging and actionable

Also, it would be a great idea to make a CTA button, and turn it into a clickable link that will allow the readers to perform the action in just one click.

So, if your CTA is “Hurry up to check out our final sale!” the link should take them directly to your e-commerce website.

4. Add Visuals

Nothing grabs the attention of a person reading an email like a powerful visual that supports the content. Visuals are great for breaking up the monotony of the email.

Still, you have to be careful with how you choose and add visuals:

  • optimize images to speed up the email loading time
  • don’t add too many
  • make sure the image responds to the content of the email

Visuals should bring the content of the email closer to the recipient and explain what the email is about.  It will make them more interested in the content.

5. Test Different Versions

When you’re writing an email copy, you should always aim for one goal and a specific target audience. Still, no matter how well you think you know your target audience, you can’t know what they like for sure until you test it.

This is why you should test different versions of an email copy and measure which one converts better.

So, here’s how you’re going to do it:

  • choose your goal and your target audience
  • divide your target audience into two or more groups
  • for each group, create a unique email copy
  • change the visuals, the subtitles, design, CTAs, or anything you want

Then, measure the results of each email copy and see which one got more conversions. Then, use that email copy as a model for your future copies and add those features that made it the most effective one.

A/B testing of different email copies for the same target audience can deliver golden data that you’ll use to further improve your email marketing strategy.

6. Polish to Perfection

Your email copy says a lot about you as a professional. This is why you have to polish it to perfection. But what does that mean?

As a professional, you can’t let any mistake find its way to your final email copy. Instead, you have to:

  • edit several times
  • proofread every word
  • remove all grammar and spelling mistakes

If you feel like you need help with this step, check out these websites ratings. Checking accuracy is a step you mustn’t skip.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, writing a great email copy for a successful and strong email marketing campaign can be quite a task. Still, with the right instructions and strong dedication, you can achieve all the goals you’ve set.

Use the tips listed above and start working on improving your email marketing strategy. Create email copies that are powerful, engaging, and memorable.

16 highly effective email writing tips

Highly effective email writing tips

Highly effective email writing tips.

You use emails every day. You use them in your office. You use them for email marketing. Students and teachers these days are heavily using emails to communicate with each other.

How to make your email writing effective?

You make your email writing effectively by

  1. Writing clear-cut subject lines.
  2. Using the opening sentence convincingly.
  3. Using personal greetings instead of nameless greetings.
  4. Identifying yourself clearly.
  5. Keeping your message short and crisp.
  6. Proofreading your email writing multiple times.
  7. Being regular with your email writing.
  8. Not bombarding the recipients with too many messages.
  9. Keeping your messages scannable and easy to read quickly.
  10. Avoiding using too friendly a tone.
  11. Briefly introducing yourself if people don’t know you.
  12. Avoiding sending one-liners.
  13. Avoiding words in your subject line that can get you marked as a spammer.
  14. Always having a “why” for sending out the email message.
  15. Avoiding clichés and hackneyed words and expressions.
  16. Not forgetting to include call to action.

Since email is used for communication, and since you are not present in front of the person, your email message must accomplish the entire job of communicating effectively and convincingly.

You may like to check out Pro-email writing services for your everyday email writing needs.

Here are 10 highly effective email writing tips you can use to make sure that your email is delivered the message you want them to deliver.

1. Write a clear-cut subject line

You do not have to bother with the subject line if you are writing to your relatives or friends because they are anyway going to open your email.

Your subject line matters when you’re sending emails to people who may not open your message because their priorities are different or maybe they are distracted or they are totally indifferent towards your email.

In such a case scenario, it is very important to write an unambiguous subject line. Clearly state what is inside the email message and what is the purpose of your message.

Keep your subject line short and succinct. Make it convincing if it is a marketing message.

Avoid using spammy words.

2. Use a convincing first sentence

Your first sentence is going to decide if people are going to read your message. Make it as convincing as possible.

How do you write a convincing first sentence? Address the problem that your email intends to solve or mention the issue your email intends to raise.

Cut to the chase.

3. Use a personal greeting

“Hello Sophie” or “Dear Sophie” is much better than “Hey there!” or “Dear friend”.

Of course, if you don’t know the name of the person you can’t use his or her name. All the more necessary that when you are sending out emails, at least know their names.

4. Identify yourself clearly

Identifying yourself clearly solves many purposes. Even if people know you and they would open your message no matter what you write, they may inadvertently miss it simply because you fail to identify yourself clearly.

Although this is less to do with writing and more to do with your email setting, if people can clearly see “From Amrit Hallan” there will be a better chance of them opening the message because they will know that the message is coming from an awesome content writer.

If they remotely remember you it will help them recognize your name and if they associate your name with a product or a service or some brand and if they want to receive messages about that product or service or brand, your name will prompt them to open your message.

You may also like to read Define your brand voice with quality content writing.

5. Keep your message short

Writing short messages is a very important part of writing effective emails. These days most of your recipients open your messages on their mobile phones and on mobile phones, often it is difficult to read and comprehend long messages.

Even if you are sure that most of your audience constitutes of people who use computers and laptops, it is better to keep your messages short and focused.

This way your readers don’t get distracted.

6. Proofread multiple times

In the times of social media, the quality of writing has drastically deteriorated. It is often stressed that it is not the quality of your writing but the message that counts.

While this may be true when you are writing among your friends and relatives, when it comes to writing professional emails or even among your colleagues and co-workers, how you write and what is the quality of your writing matter a lot.

Your prospective customer may think that if you don’t even care about how you write, how are you going to care about your customers?

Typos and spelling and grammar mistakes reek of carelessness and disrespect.

Hence, proofread your email message after writing initially, multiple times.

7. Be regular with your email writing

This is for those who want to carry out email marketing campaigns. You can carry out highly effective email marketing campaigns if your recipients are familiar with your messages.

Although many people say that “familiarity breeds contempt”, it also breeds a kinship if you become a regular part of people’s lives.

Regularly send them useful information they can benefit from.

Always be sincere.

Remember that when you’re sending out emails, it is for the benefit of the recipients. Even if in the process you are increasing your business, ultimately, people will be receptive to your messages if you can convince them you’re sending them for their sake and not your sake.

Having said that, regularity can be very effective.

8. Don’t bombard them with messages

Just as writing emails regularly can be effective, going overboard can be counter-productive and may end up annoying the recipients.

Usually, one message every day is more than enough. If you can keep them a couple of times in a week, even better.

This is for regular email marketing. If you simply need to communicate regularly with your office colleagues then frequency doesn’t matter, it is always need-based.

9. Keep your messages scannable

Sometimes you can’t help writing longer email messages. If this is the case, you can make it easier for your recipients to read them by making them scannable.

What does writing scannable email messages mean?

Use headings and subheadings to highlight important points.

Use bulleted lists of very short sentences to sum up the main points.

Write one sentence per paragraph.

If formatting is possible, you can even use different colors to highlight different messages, but then, don’t overdo it.

10. Avoid using too friendly a tone

Being extra friendly in your email messages may creep some people out, especially if you’re not close enough to them. You can use whatever tone you feel like when you are writing to friends and family, but when you are writing to your colleagues you need to be a little less informal.

11. Introduce yourself if people don’t know you

Don’t just assume that they are familiar with you.

Although if you’re sending multiple messages you can’t be introducing yourself in complete detail in every message because this may turn off people who check your messages regularly, a one-liner about what you do and what you can deliver can go a long way in keeping people interested in you and developing a sense of familiarity.

12. Avoid sending one-liners

Email clients like Gmail these days allow you to send one-liners by suggesting what to type.

Although these suggestions help you respond quickly especially when conversations are happening in real time, if it has been a few hours since your last communication or the message you are replying to was sent a couple of days ago, write complete sentences so that the recipient can recall what you are writing about. Don’t simply reply with a “Thanks” or a “fine”.

13. Avoid words in the subject line that can get you mistaken for spam

Using all-caps can get you marked as a spammer by email services like Gmail and even Outlook. Expressions like “Earn money” or “Make money” or the dollar sign, can send your message directly to the spam folder.

14. Always have a strong “why” behind why you are writing

Want to give people a reason to open and read your email messages? Then include a strong “why” behind why they should read or pay attention to your message. Give them a compelling reason.

15. Avoid using clichés

Clichés are the common expressions that either we get too used to writing in our email messages and we don’t even realize, or sometimes we use them to sound uber and cool.

For example, whenever I am sending a completed document to my clients I simply write “PFA”. I don’t even write “Please find attached”. Although I do it with my regular clients and not with my recently acquired clients, if possible, you should avoid clichés such as

  • Thank you in advance.
  • I look forward to hearing from you.
  • As per our conversation.
  • To whom it may concern.
  • Sorry for the late reply.

16. Don’t forget to use call to action

Your “call to action” is the action you want people to perform when they have gone through your email message.

If you want them to buy from you, use “buy now”. If you want them to click a link and download your e-book, specifically mention “download my e-book”. If you want them to contact you, write “contact me now”.

It may seem strange, sometimes people don’t perform the action you want them to perform because you haven’t asked them to.

Concluding remarks

Frankly, to be able to write highly effective emails, you must have a compelling reason to write. People are too busy these days.

Although it is fine to write emails just to keep in touch, when you don’t know them personally, it is always better to write when you have something really valuable to offer.

In most of the cases, when you are convincing, when you are excited about what you are communicating, even with little effort you can write highly effective emails.