What is a direct response copy email and what makes it great?
Direct response copy emails are emails that are designed to elicit a response from people interested in your business’s product or service.
But what separates a mediocre direct response copy email from a great one? Upgrade your copy utilizing these five key areas below:
1) Identifying your audience & their needs
All great copywriting identifies and effectively targets your audience.
What stage of life is your target market at? What are their motivations?
Are they first time homeowners searching for practical items to fill their home on a budget? Are they freshly retired and looking to cross items off of their bucket list?
Narrowing down your market is a great first step in creating messages that resonate with your potential future clients.
2) Determining the level of awareness your audience possesses
Now that you are aware of your target market’s background and desires, you now have to ask yourself what level of awareness they possess about their own situation. People will fall into one of the five main categories listed below:
1. Unaware
2. Problem Aware
3. Solution Aware
4. Product Aware
5. Most Aware
Unaware: This market has no idea that a problem even exists. They are content living life blissfully unaware of the issue.
Problem Aware: This market is aware that there is an issue plaguing their life but have simply accepted the issue as a necessary ordeal of life.
Solution Aware: This market knows that a solution exists for their problem but either don’t know that your business exists or what you offer.
Product Aware: This market is educated on what you offer but also what the competition offers as well.
Most Aware: This market has weighed their options from the most competitive products/services and is just about to purchase from someone.
Want to learn more about how to effectively target each individual group? Check out my blog post HERE (URL LINK INSERTION TBA)
3) Acknowledging your target market’s problems and offering solutions
A great direct-response copy email identifies & empathizes with their problems while offering a solution.
For example, would you rather buy from someone that simply says:
“Hi, we have shoes available for sale”?
Or
“Have you ever dealt with a twisted ankle in waterlogged shoes that has zero cushioning with eight miles left before reaching your car? As avid backpackers, we sure have when we first started out.
Sucks, right?
Footwear can make or break your hiking experience. Here at Shoe Warehouse Industries, we have developed these three main characteristics that make our cutting-edge hiking boots the best improvement you can invest in your outdoor lifestyle…”
In the first example, the message doesn’t identify with them or their problems. There is no reason listed to choose your product over a competitor’s or even buy a new product at all. With the second one, you are targeting specific issues and are leading into how your product’s features will be a great fit for your customers.
4) Visualizing how the solution you offer will improve the prospect’s life.
“What’s in it for me?”
Every business has to deal with this question and the best way to answer it is by tapping into your prospect’s emotions. While hard facts shows off your level of expertise in your chosen niche and allows you to state objective benefits that nobody can deny, nothing can quite sell a product or service like tapping into their emotions.
In order to craft a great direct-response email, you NEED to clearly market the benefits of the benefits your product provides. For example, let’s say I want to sell you this pair of sunglasses. Which sounds more appealing?
“Our sunglasses have UV protection, have a comfortable fit and have durable lenses”
OR
“Squinting to protect your eyes from the sun’s radiant glow, you put on our sunglasses. Instantly, your eyes relax due to our superior ultraviolet protection rating. Our unique duraflex technology allows for a snug yet comfortable fit, just like your favorite sweater. Our ANSI-rated lenses will allow you to view the world from scratch-free sunglasses for years from now.”
5) Call to action
Lastly but arguably the most important step, you need to motivate people to take action, whether that be to contact you for a consultation or outright buy your product. Most people have absolutely terrible attention spans so you need to convey a sense of urgency. Otherwise, they will be likely to simply close the email, intending to research your business further but inevitably forgetting to.
Here are some ways to build a sense of urgency:
– Limited time promotions & discounts
– Reminding your prospects of what they are missing out on
– Hurry before -insert drastic event- happens that you wish you had this product/service for
End the email requesting them to contact you for further information and you are golden!
So now you know five different ways to improve your direct-response emails. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more tips on improving your writing skills!