Email Formatting and Captivating Subject Lines

Like any successful marketer, the first step in creating an email campaign is to define your goal.  Generally, your goal will fall into one of three categories: awareness, engagement, conversion.  What are you trying to accomplish with your email? Are you…informing the client about a new listing? Sending them a holiday card? Requesting referrals?  Once you have defined your goal, you can begin creating your email.

*If you are looking to acquire new emails addresses, your goal is awareness; If you are looking to urge your audience to utilize your marketing tools or visit your website, your goal is engagement; if you are looking to sell/buy a home, your goal is conversion.

**Conversions don’t always translate to a sale.  Your conversion will depend on your goal.  Generally, for emails, your conversion is when a reader clicks thru the email or response positively to your call-to-action.

Subject Line

People receive several emails daily and standing out is more crucial than ever, your subject line is your way to grab your reader’s attention.  It needs to stand out and it needs to clearly and concisely convey the message in your body.

Email titles should:

• Clear and concise (three to seven words)
• Convey a sense of urgency
• Use the recipient’s name
• Use [] around the subject of the email
  • [New Listing] 123 abc street.
• Avoid spam triggers.
  • Free, now, incredible deal!
• Examples:
  • Use listicles (list-articles)
    • EX: 5 reasons spring is the best season to sell
  • Ask an open-ended question
    • Good example: What’s your home worth? Find out here!
    • Bad example: Are you happy with your current home?
  • Answer a question that your recipient might be asking themselves.
    • In 2019, housing prices will increase from $250k to $265k
  • Use emojis

Email titles should NOT:

• Don’t know use all caps
• Don’t use excessive punctuation marks
• No industry jargon

Buzzwords

• Stop
• New
• Numbers
• Expiring

Buzz phrases

• Missing out on…
• [THIS WEEKND]
• The experts say….

Body

This is where you communicate your message to your reader.  Depending on your goal, your (not personalized) email should always have 4 components:

• Valuable and relevant content
• A relevant image that depicts your goal
• Call-to-action
• Other social profiles and website

Notes: Do not be afraid to share of your personality!  Be creative, be fun, be direct but ALWAYS be yourself.