How To Use 10 Email Power Words

Words are powerful. Choose them wisely. Photo credit: https://edubirdie.com/

Imagine if you had the power to easily influence email campaign metrics with 10 Email Power Words sprinkled throughout your copy.

It’s important to choose the words in your copy carefully, because research has shown that “Trigger Words” can have a massive impact on how your audience responds to your messages.

Behavioral psychologists and experienced marketers have long known that a few easy tricks can work to create desired emotions and influence action. Why? Because our brains process certain words subconsciously to help us accept messages.

To get you started on the right foot, we discovered the top performing emails in our platform and pulled out 10 Email Power Words that you should test in your upcoming email campaigns.

Top 10 Email Power Words That Get Results

1. The Recipient’s Name

Whether your sending out a promotional email or even a newsletter, it’s important to use the reader’s first name in the subject line. According to MarketingSherpa, adding a customer’s name to an email marketing campaign can increase your open rate by 137%.  With odds like that it would be silly to completely ignore at least trying to add personalization in an email to see how it works.

Personalization is key to a successful email. Nobody wants to feel like they are “just a number” to a company, they want to form some kind of connection. Take it a step further by inserting your customer’s name in the heading of your email. It’s another way to build a personal relationship with a prospect and make them feel more special. But most importantly, inserting a recipient’s name in the body of your email will result in a better conversion rate. Isn’t that what we’re all after?

2. New

People love new things. They love to be the first to know about things and the first to recommend different items. Sure, “new” is a bit of a novelty word, but it still works. Humans are curious by nature, and if this you’re offering something they have never seen before, there is a good chance that they will look at it out of curiosity.

3. Free

Who doesn’t love free? In an economic time where people are struggling, free is always an enticing offer. The only issue with free is that is can sometimes be confused with being spam, so while “free” does have a high open rate, there is a chance it could also be put in a spam folder. The key is to use it in context. “Free Gift”, “Free Shipping”, and “Free Trial” will keep you out of most spam boxes, but don’t overdo it by plastering the word everywhere. Also, remember to test.  For example, try testing the phrase “free demo”  vs. simply “demo” and see how it works.

4. You

The word “you” has been shown to instantly grab the attention of the reader. Using the word “you” is different than actual name personalization, but it is still proven to have a click to open rate.  To pull it off, write as though you are speaking directly to the customer, like you’re having a conversation with them.  Also known as writing in second person, the word “you” allows the reader to experience the story as if it’s their own. To avoid a “choose your own adventure” feel or an aggressive tone, mix up sentence structure and add in descriptions.

5. Discover

If hearing the word “discover” makes you feel nostalgic, you aren’t the only one. For many people the term “discover” brings them back to their childhood and to a simpler time, when everything was new and finding something new made you excited. Adding words like “discover” or “unlock” can help excite a reader about going forward and clicking open the email, and then potentially promote engagement.

6. Imagine

An easy mind game to get your audience in the right emotional state is to use the work “imagine” to describe their fantasy outcome. People like to imagine how things “should be” or “could be”. Starting with the ultimate, exciting outcome helps prospect drop objections and focus on a positive scenario.

7. Easy

Nobody wants to read a headline or subject line that says “The ten most difficult things about being a marketer”. They would rather read something like “Ten easy ways to put together a marketing plan”.  People want to read a piece of content that will offer them an easy experience. Adding to the term “easy”, other words can be “simple” and even “streamlined”.

8. How-To

Using the “how-to” model is very basic and very straight to the point. Customers understand that when they click on the link then it will teach them something new and they will be inclined to click something that promises a solution.

9. Instant

In a customer’s mind, the word “instant” is almost always followed by “gratification”. Sure, sometimes, it’s “Karma” or “Coffee”, but more often than not, the word “instant” is almost always seen as a setup to a reward. In a reader’s mind, if they click, there is a chance they could instantly win something. So why not, right?

10. Because

Having to specify the term “because” may sound silly, but it is a very important word to consider if you are putting together solutions to problems. Research has shown that when you include the reason for your request, more people will tend to respond positively.

Unleash the 10 Email Power Words

When thinking of words to use in email writing, try not to overthink it. After all, none of the power words used above will shock or even surprise you. But when used correctly they can absolutely transform your content. The key to success is to combine some of these words into phrases to trigger click-through behavior. Keep your copy short, play with the emotional terms, (and remember to test) and in no time you’ll be deploying high-performing emails that increase conversions and drive greater engagement than ever.