Writing effective emails means carefully considering a number of different elements, each trying to accomplish their own mini goal, while working towards the overall goal of the email.
Just to recap, we’ve talked about:
- 7 tips for writing better email subject lines to get users to actually open the email.
- How to write email content people will actually read.
- 7 ways to increase email click through rates once people are actually reading your email.
Today I want to talk about another very important but often overlooked element of email marketing. This element can dramatically increase your email’s conversion rates when used properly.
I’m talking about the Post Script, or PS.
Did you know people only spend 15 – 20 seconds scanning an email and the PS is one section which stands out to readers when skimming an email.
Below are 5 effective uses of the PS section of an email and then we’ll talk about each one in depth.
1. Reiterate your CTA (call to action)
The PS section of an email is a great place to sum up the body of the email in one or two sentences and reiterate your email’s call to action.
Remember, every email you send should have a goal. You should never send an email without a clear goal or call to action for the reader to take.
No matter how small the action is, your email should always have an action for the reader to follow through on.
Every email should have a conversion goal, according to @lovevalgeisler AMA answer. https://t.co/hM2geBuoqx via @GrowthHackers
— GrowthHackers (@GrowthHackers) July 19, 2018
If the goal of the email is to talk about a new product or service, your CTA is likely a link to a landing page for the product or service, include the link in the PS again.
All of these smaller goals or “micro-conversions” add up and work towards your overall goals for your business.
2. Create a Sense of Urgency
One of the reasons email is such a powerful tool is because how quickly you can reach your readers. A majority of email opens occur within 5 hours of the email being sent.
The downside of email is they have pretty much the same lifespan. How often have you marked a marketing email as “read” and then went back later to revisit it?
Because of this, it’s important to create a sense of urgency to get the reader to act now, the first time they’re reading the email.
"Instilling a sense of urgency is a surefire path to increased conversions." https://t.co/Cq2yS0C8kn #ecommerce #cro #marketing pic.twitter.com/XBURPGXwki
— Shane Barker (@shane_barker) April 22, 2018
Don’t be afraid to use power words to illustrate this urgency. In an earlier article entitled 5 Types of Headlines Our Brains Are Wired to Click I touched on the idea of tapping into people’s fear of loss to get them to take action.
Including time sensitive offers (make sure they really are time sensitive, though) is a great way to create a sense of urgency AND use fear of loss to your advantage.
3. Add Personalization to Your Email
Email is a great way to stay in touch (and top of mind) with your readers. If you run an online business as opposed to a brick-and-mortar, email may be your main touch point with them.
Because of this, it’s important to make sure you’re personalizing your email to keep yourself relatable.
The PS of an email is inherently personal. It’s where people used to write little extra personal notes to the recipient of the letter.
Take advantage of it and add your own flair to the email to personalize the experience. Feel free to include an inside joke or a reference to something your reader will understand.
4. Sweeten the Deal with a Bonus Offer
One of the most common uses of the PS to include a bonus offer. Through most of the email, you’re likely talking about the benefits of your CTA. In the PS section, you could include a “…if you sign up/book an appointment/purchase in the next 24 hours…”
This not only increases makes it easier for potential clients who may be on the fence about purchasing to say “yes” but it also invokes the sense of urgency we mentioned above, which is a win-win.
5. Include a Testimonial
As humans, we’re naturally inclined to want to be part of something. “Keeping up with the Jones’s” is a popular saying because it’s true.
According to an article about how customer testimonials influence purchasing decisions, testimonials work because they provide social proof.
As readers, we don’t even have to personally know the person who left the testimonial. In our mind, if this other person was satisfied with their experience we subconsciously convince ourselves we could have a great experience too, making us more likely to purchase the same product or service.
By including testimonials from people who are similar to our target audience, it makes it more likely your readers who are in your target audience will feel more compelled to trust and buy from you.
Conclusion
The PS element of an email is an often overlooked but powerful tool to help increase your email’s conversions as long as you use it correctly. Just be sure to keep it short and sweet, it’s called a Post Script for a reason.
