In today’s fast-paced world, the competition for your audience’s attention is fierce. Whether you're sending an email or SMS, crafting compelling messages that grab attention and drive action is more crucial than ever.
But how do you write messages that cut through the noise and resonate with your subscribers? It’s all about striking the right balance between clarity, urgency, value, and personalization. In this guide, we’ll break down how to craft messages that not only get opened but also get clicked—whether it’s through email or SMS.
Know Your Audience (Before You Write Anything)
Before you even begin writing, you need a clear understanding of who you're speaking to. Are your recipients new subscribers, loyal customers, or inactive users? Understanding their behaviors, preferences, and needs is key to delivering the right message at the right time.
How to do it:
- Segment your list: Use demographics, past purchase behavior, engagement levels, and more to create targeted segments.
- Understand pain points: What problems are you solving for them? Craft your message around those solutions.
- Personalization: Tailor your messaging for each segment to make it more relevant and impactful.
Example:
- For a fitness brand, you might send a welcome email with a personalized subject line like:
- "Welcome [Name]! Ready to Crush Your Fitness Goals?"
Create an Attention-Grabbing Subject Line or Opening
In both email and SMS, the first few words are everything. The subject line (or opening sentence in an SMS) needs to stop the recipient from scrolling and make them want to learn more.
How to do it:
- Keep it concise: For emails, subject lines should be under 50 characters. For SMS, 160 characters is the max—so make every word count.
- Spark curiosity: Use enticing phrases like “You won’t believe this offer” or “Last chance.”
- Be clear: Make sure it’s easy for the recipient to understand what’s inside. No clickbait!
- Use urgency or exclusivity: Words like “limited,” “ending soon,” or “exclusive” create a sense of urgency and importance.
Example:
- For a flash sale, try a subject line like:
- "24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Everything!"
- For SMS, you could shorten it to:
- “Hurry! 50% off everything for 24 hours!”
Highlight the Value Proposition Clearly
Once you’ve grabbed their attention, it’s time to deliver. Quickly show your audience why they should care. What benefit or value are you offering them? Whether you’re promoting a product, service, or event, your recipients should instantly know how they’ll benefit.
How to do it:
- Focus on the “what’s in it for them”: Will they save time? Money? Get exclusive access? Make this clear.
- Be specific: Provide numbers, stats, or exact benefits when possible.
- Use bullet points or short sentences for easy readability.
Example:
- Instead of saying “We have great deals,” say:
- “Save $50 on your next purchase of $200 or more—limited time only!”
Incorporate a Strong, Clear Call to Action (CTA)
A compelling message is meaningless without a clear call to action (CTA). This is the most important part of your message: the action you want the recipient to take. Whether it’s buying a product, signing up for an event, or simply clicking through to learn more, your CTA needs to be direct and actionable.
How to do it:
- Make the CTA stand out: Use bold colors, buttons, or links that are easy to spot.
- Be action-oriented: Use verbs that encourage action, such as “Get started,” “Shop now,” “Learn more,” or “Claim your offer.”
- Create urgency: Adding urgency (like “Act Now” or “Offer Ends Soon”) can push recipients to take action faster.
Example:
- For an email:
- Button Text: “Shop the Sale Now”
- For SMS:
- “Tap to Claim Your Discount!”
Keep It Short and Sweet (Especially for SMS)
When writing SMS, brevity is key. Your message has to be clear and impactful in a short amount of space—remember, you have 160 characters, not 1600. With emails, you have a little more room, but that doesn’t mean you should drag on. People skim emails, so get to the point quickly.
How to do it:
- Focus on the essentials: Only include the most important information—what, why, and how.
- Use concise language: Say more with fewer words. Trim unnecessary phrases.
- Prioritize readability: Short paragraphs, bullet points, and whitespace make it easier for recipients to digest.
Example for SMS:
- Instead of:
- “We have a special offer available only for you for the next 48 hours, so don’t miss out. Visit our site now to see all the details and claim your discount!”
- Say:
- “Flash Sale: 50% off for 48 hours. Tap to shop now!”
Add Personalization (When Possible)
A personal touch can make your message stand out. Use your audience's name, previous interactions, or preferences to show that you understand them. Personalization can increase open rates and conversions, making your messages feel more relevant.
How to do it:
- Name-based personalization: Address recipients by name when possible.
- Purchase history: Reference past purchases to make your offers more tailored (e.g., “Because you bought X, we think you’ll love Y”).
- Behavioral triggers: Use insights from past engagement (like abandoned carts) to personalize the messaging.
Example:
- For an email:
- “Hey [Name], we thought you’d love this—back in stock just for you!”
- For SMS:
- “[Name], your items are waiting. Complete your purchase now for 10% off!”
Test, Measure, and Refine Your Messages
Even the most compelling message can be improved. To optimize your email and SMS campaigns, you need to test different versions of your messaging. This is where A/B testing comes in.
How to do it:
- Test different subject lines: See which subject lines get the highest open rates.
- Experiment with CTAs: Try different action words to see which one drives more conversions.
- Review your results: Pay attention to open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and even opt-out rates to refine your approach.
Craft Messages That Engage, Inspire, and Convert
Effective email and SMS campaigns don’t just happen—they’re the result of thoughtful, strategic messaging. By understanding your audience, crafting a strong value proposition, and using clear, compelling CTAs, you can create messages that drive action. With the right approach, you’ll stop sending generic promotions and start sending content that feels personal, relevant, and impossible to ignore.
