Engaging Ad Copy for Email Campaigns

Want your words to actually sell? Here’s a simple roadmap I've found incredibly helpful: Think of crafting your message like taking someone on a mini-journey: 1. Hook them with curiosity: Your headline is the first "hello."  Make it intriguing enough to stop the scroll.  Instead of just saying "Email Marketing Tips," try something like "Want a 20% revenue jump in the next 60 days? (Here's the email secret)."  See the difference? Promise + Specificity = Attention. 2. Tell a story with a villain: This might sound dramatic, but hear me out.  What's the problem your audience is facing?  What's the frustration, the obstacle, the "enemy" they're battling?  For the email example, maybe it's "wasting hours on emails that no one opens."  Giving that problem a name creates an instant connection and a sense of purpose for your solution. 3. Handle the "yeah, but..." in their head: We all have those internal objections.  "I don't have time," "It costs too much," "Will it even work for me?"  Great copy anticipates these doubts and addresses them head-on within the message. 4. Show, don't just tell (Proof!): People are naturally skeptical.  Instead of just saying "it works," show them.  Even a simple "Join thousands of others who've seen real results" adds weight. Testimonials, even short ones, are gold. 5. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do (CTA):   Don't leave them guessing!  "Learn the exact steps in my latest guide" or "Grab your free checklist now" are direct and tell them exactly what to do and what they'll get.  Notice the benefit in the CTA example: "Get sculpted abs in just 4 weeks without dieting." And when you're thinking about where you're sharing this (LinkedIn post, email, etc.), there are different ways to structure your message. The P-A-S (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or A-I-D-A (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) frameworks are classics for a reason. The core difference I've learned? Good copywriting isn't about shouting about your amazing product. It's about understanding them – their challenges, their desires – and positioning your solution as the answer in a way that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

Email marketers: "Email marketing takes time."   Client: $2.9 million in email revenue.   ✅ $861,000 during the 30-day holiday season ✅ $174,000 from a single day during Black Friday ✅ 36% of total revenue from email during peak seasons   Here are the 5 things we did:   1. Authentic Brand Voice Development    We developed a deep understanding of what made this premium American leather goods brand unique: 👉 Craftsmanship authority highlighting superior quality 👉 Educational content on full-grain vs. "genuine" leather 👉 Positioning belts as lifetime investments 👉 Connecting with their 40+ male demographic   2. Strategic Campaign Cadence   We implemented a balanced approach that didn't only include promotions:   👉 Education (i.e. "What You Don't Want in a Belt") 👉 Quality-driven messaging (i.e. USA-made) 👉 Product-focused emails (i.e. Work vs. Everyday Belts) 👉 Engagement (i.e. "Which Color Do You Like Best?")   3. Audience-Relevant Copywriting   After doing enough audience research, we knew exactly who we were talking to:   40-65+ men who wanted products "made the way they used to be."   Instead of marketing buzzwords, we made:   – Pop culture references that resonated with older males – Nostalgic themes around craftsmanship and quality – Catered to the ideal image of being a high-value man   For example, we made an email around Indiana Jones that generated $13,400 with a 52% open rate (a record). Funny, engaging, and speaks to the "man's man." 4. Black Friday/Holiday Strategy   We didn't wait until the third week of November to start promoting.   Here's what we did instead:   – Nov 1-14: Daily "Early Black Friday" deals for 14 days – Pre-Black Friday: Early Access invite to subscribers – Black Friday: 15 emails & 4 SMS over just 7 days – Main BF Promo: Tiered discounting for higher AOVs – Cyber Monday + Extension: 12 emails & 5 SMS in 4 days – Post BFCM: Gift-focused campaigns for Christmas    5. Strategic Offer Testing   We systematically tested multiple offer types:   ✅ Percentage discounts (15-30% off) ✅ Dollar-off promotions ($10-$30 off) ✅ Free gifts with purchase (wallets, key chains) ✅ Collection-specific sales (dress belts, casual belts) ✅ Tiered "spend more, save more" incentives   Testing these offers helped us understand what customers wanted and gravitated towards – while keeping things fresh and priming customers to open our emails.   The client came to us with:   ❌ No real promotional planning ❌ Very little educational content ❌ Not highlighting their biggest selling points ❌ Failing to articulate their value proposition ❌ Struggling to connect with their core audience   12 months later, they've seen:   ✅ $2.9 million in total email revenue ✅ 37.8% average open rates (well above industry average) ✅ 36% of their revenue from email during peak seasons ✅ $861,000 during the 30-day holiday period ✅ $174,000 from a single Black Friday   Want to turn email into your most powerful revenue channel?   Let's talk (in the comments)

EVERYONE has a copywriter on staff now. Which means you'll need to level up your skills if you want to win in 2025. Here are four copywriting styles that will help you stand out in inboxes and increase your email marketing revenue: 1. Gamification Take a "boring" subject and make it fun. Use challenges, quizzes, and rewards to grab attention and boost engagement. BAD: "Save 20% on all outerwear." GOOD: "Can you beat our 60-second savings challenge? Try now to unlock exclusive deals!" 2. Storytelling Everyone loves a good story. Craft a narrative that inspires readers or forges an emotional connection to make your message (and your brand) more memorable. BAD: "Pay down your debt – fast" GOOD: "From rock bottom to the top: How Sarah turned her life around in 30 days" 3. Conversational This style feels like chatting with a friend. It's all about building rapport with your reader, so you come off as approachable and trustworthy. BAD: "Organize your calendar" GOOD: "Got a case of the Sunday Scaries? Let's take back control of your time and your sanity." 4. Mission-Driven Let your readers know you're on the same team. Speak directly to your customer's values and show how your brand is contributing to causes they care about. BAD: "A portion of proceeds go toward charitable causes." GOOD: "Join us in the fight against hunger. Every purchase feeds a family in need." Each of these styles has its own strengths, but they all share one common goal: to create a deeper connection with your audience. Start by LISTENING to your audience, so you can understand their motivations and preferences. Then, choose the style that has the strongest overlap between your brand voice and what is likely to resonate with your target audience. If you're not 100% sure, don't be afraid to experiment with a few different approaches. Just be sure to space them out a bit so you don't come off as too "all over the place." Once you find the perfect combination of message-market fit, your email marketing sales will take off. Which one are you going to try first?