Hannah looks at her email stats and sighs.
She has spent so much time writing a valuable blog post. She’s poured her heart and soul into this article, and polished each sentence until it shimmered.
And she also thought her email was good.
But her open rate is so-so, and the click-throughs are disappointing. It’s depressing.
Does it feel like a big challenge to get people to open and click your emails?
It doesn’t need to be so hard.
For this blog post, I’ve reviewed the weekly blog newsletters I’ve sent in the last 10+ years; and I’ve found 7 fab formulas for increasing clicks (and readers!).
Want to write emails so irresistible people can’t help themselves but click to read your blog post?
Try the 7 formulas below …
A blog newsletter is an email to notify subscribers you’ve published a new blog post. The task of this email is to entice people to click through:
- Promise how a blog post will help achieve their aims, transform their lives or solve a problem
- Arouse curiosity so people want to find out more
- Include one or two clear calls to action to click through
- Consider a PS to nudge slowpokes to click
A blog newsletter can have a fancy design, but it’s not required—my newsletters look like emails you receive from a friend.
Despite its referral to “news,” a blog newsletter doesn’t require updates of what’s happened in your business. A good newsletter is written for its recipients, not its sender.
Blog newsletter #1: How I’ve achieved a major goal
No time to write? These 4 routines cut my writing time by 50%
Ever wished you could write faster?
And better?
Writing used to be an energy-sucking task for me. But in the past 6 months, I’ve changed my writing process.
Check out these 4 routines that cut my writing time by 50%.
And you know what? Writing has become more fun and more creative, too.
Warm wishes from sunny England,
Henneke
- This email promises a big benefit (saving time) and backs it up with proof in the form of a case study—I’ve personally implemented these routines
- Note how specific the promise is: in 6 months, I’ve implemented 4 routines, and they cut my writing time by 50%—specificity increases credibility
- The email starts with two questions based on the consistency principle: when people nod yes to your questions, they’re more likely to follow your suggestion to click through to read more
- The 4 routines arouse curiosity: what would these routines be?
- The call to action “check out these 4 routines” provides a reminder of the benefit: “cut my writing time by 50%.”
- Define the key benefit your readers are looking for—saving time, making more money, taking away pain and hassle, avoiding mistakes or becoming happier are all important benefits that apply to most niches
- Start your email with two questions to which every email recipient will reply yes (without even thinking about it); questions that require thinking or might get a no don’t work
- Boost your credibility by highlighting your tips are based on real life implementation—be specific and use numbers where possible
- Add a clear call to action with a reminder of the benefit, such as “Check out these 4 routines that cut my writing time by 50%”
Blog newsletter #2: Super-curiosity
Do you know this #1 fiction writing trick for compelling business content?
Nope, this trick isn’t storytelling.
It’s a more basic and simpler writing trick.
All fiction workshops cover this trick; and you can use it to add pizzazz to any business content.
Even more importantly … this trick makes your content more credible, too.
Want to know which fiction trick every business writer should use?
Check out today’s trick for writing more compelling business content.
Cheers,
Henneke
PS This article includes examples from sales copy, business blogging, and one of my favorite fiction books.
- This email makes readers curious what this #1 fiction writing trick is
- The benefit promised is learning how to write compelling content and adding pizzazz
- The PS gives readers an extra nudge to click through by promising a variety of examples (and perhaps some readers are even curious to find out what my favorite fiction book is)
- Apply one tip from a different field (in this case: fiction writing) to your own niche (in this case: business writing)
- Start your email with suggesting this article is NOT about the most obvious trick readers might be thinking of (in this case: storytelling)
- Define one or two benefits of this trick and mention them in your email
- Ask readers whether they want to learn what this trick is, and encourage them to click through
- Remind readers of the benefit in the call to action (in this case: writing compelling business content)
- If possible, add a PS with an extra nudge
Blog newsletter #3: Solve a problem
This makes your story ⚡️ memorable
How many stories do you remember?
I seem to forget most of the stories I read.
It’s a pity.
As writers, we want readers to remember our stories, especially if we have an important message to share.
Last month, I read a wonderful story.
And it’s kept humming around in my mind (for weeks!).
How come?
The writer used a special technique to make her story memorable. I sort of knew this trick already, but I didn’t truly grasp its essence until now.
Discover this simple trick to make your story memorable, too
Happy storytelling!
Warm wishes,
Henneke
- Everyone forgets stories and this email promises a technique to help make your stories more memorable
- Credibility is established by suggesting I’ve seen this trick in practice and it worked
- The email arouses curiosity because it doesn’t reveal what the technique is
- The email summarizes the 4 things you’ll learn (and why you should care) in a series of short bullet points
- Share a tip that your readers would find super-helpful
- Promise how readers will benefit (in this case: write memorable stories)
- Add credibility by referring to research or that you’ve seen this tip working in practice
Blog newsletter #4: Learn something without pain
How Pro Writers Nurture Their Skills (Without Paying for Expensive Courses)
Want to become a better writer?
But you don’t have the budget right now for a writing course?
Most writing gurus tell you to write more and read more.
That’s useful advice.
But it’s not the best advice.
See you there?
Warm wishes,
Henneke
PS As someone selling writing courses, giving away this advice may be a little crazy. But I want to help you also if you can’t pay for my courses. 🙂
PPS This advice is useful if you need to write emails, web pages or blog post. You can even use it to help develop your voice. Sound good? Have a quick look at my advice here.
- People join my email list exactly because they want to become a better writer; doing this without spending money sounds compelling
- The PS establishes credibility by suggesting it’s a little crazy to give this information away for free because I sell writing courses
- The email arouses curiosity by suggesting the advice will be better than “write more and read more”—what could it be?
- The email summarizes the 4 things you’ll learn (and why you should care) in a series of short bullet points
- The PPS suggests this advice is valuable for any type of business writing, taking away any hesitation to clicking through
How to apply this template:
- Choose an aim your readers want to achieve (in this case: become a better writer)
- Promise they can achieve this aim without spending money (or without pain or effort)
- Remind people of the benefit in the call to action
- Write a PS explaining how the advice can be used in multiple situations
Blog newsletter #5: The super-valuable resource
172+ magic words to add instant power to any business content
What if you knew which words are most persuasive?
What if choosing those words would help you grab attention and win more sales?
Sound like magic, eh?
But it’s scientifically proven.
- Discover the 3 types of power words that make you more persuasive
- Learn why science tells us certain words are more powerful than others
- Understand how to use these magic words in any business content so you can boost your persuasive powers, too
- Get over 170 examples of power words
You probably can’t find a more comprehensive guide to using power words than today’s article. At least not for free on the web.
Which are your favorite power words? Which power words do you find disgusting?
Warm wishes,
Henneke
PS
No time to read? Have a quick peek at the illustrated overviews of the 3 types of power words first.
- Everyone likes to be more persuasive, and a list with magically persuasive words sounds like a valuable resource
- The two “What if” questions help reader to imagine what this information could do for them
- The email establishes credibility by suggesting the content is scientifically proven
- The contrast between science and magic adds curiosity
- The email summarizes the 4 things you’ll learn (and why you should care) in a series of short bullet points
- The suggestion this might be the most comprehensive guide on power words, adds further incentive to clicking through
- The PS promises illustrated overviews, so it sounds like the advice is easy to consume (taking away the objection that this might be too much effort to read)
- Create a super-valuable resource for readers—if possible, use a number in your subject line to stand out
- Promise why readers will benefit from your resource (in this case: become more persuasive, grab attention, and win more sales)
- Start with two “What if” questions to help readers imagine what your advice could do for them
- Add credibility by referring to research
- Write a PS with an extra nudge to check out this valuable resource
Blog newsletter #6: Stop struggling
How to simplify complex ideas
Ever feel like an idea is too multi-faceted?
As if threads of thoughts are slithering into different directions?
And you can’t figure out how to weave all these ideas together into one coherent piece of content?
I know the feeling.
A few months ago, a friend asked me: How do you simplify ideas so your writing becomes clear?
I was stumped.
I really had no idea.
So, it’s taken me about 6 months to formulate an answer. I read a few books. I scribbled down ideas. I drew a few pictures.
Want to know how to simplify your ideas so you can communicate with power and clarity?
Check out this illustrated post and stop wrestling with unwieldy content
See you there?
Warm wishes from sunny England,
Henneke
PS This post has not one, but 5 drawings, and it’s probably one of my personal favorites of the year. Perhaps because it percolated for such a long time? Check it out here
- Everyone sometimes struggles with writing about complex ideas
- The email offers empathy: “I know the feeling,” and establishes credibility by suggesting the content is scientifically proven
- The email suggests I’ve been working on this blog post for 6 months, reading books, scribbling down ideas and drawing pictures
- The call to action promises a strong incentive to stop wrestling with unwieldy content
- The PS provides two extra nudges to click through
- Define a problem readers are struggling with (wrestling with complex ideas)
- Promise a solution—writing with power and clarity
- Boost credibility by outlining how much effort you’ve put into this guide
- Write a PS with an extra nudge to check out this valuable resource
Blog newsletter #7: What nobody gets (but is super-important)
The 2nd most important writing tip you’ll ever learn
This writing lesson is much misunderstood and underused.
To be honest, I’m not sure how many writing teachers really understand it. I definitely never learned about it at school.
And that irks me.
Because it’s fundamental to good writing. This tip makes the difference between blah blah and vivid writing. It makes the difference between getting your message ignored or understood.
Do you know what this is about?
Warmest wishes from sunny England,
Henneke
PS You know the #1 most important writing tip, right? The first rule is to write for your readers. To address their fears, their problems, and their wishes. That’s not what today’s post is about.
PPS Today’s blog post comes with extra drawings 🙂 Want to have a quick look?
- This email relies heavily on arousing curiosity: What’s this 2nd important tip that nobody teaches correctly?
- This email highlights how this tip will transform your writing—it makes the difference between blah blah and vivid writing, and between getting your message ignored or understood.
- The PPS promises extra drawings and suggests having a quick look, so people who don’t have much time might still be persuaded to click through
- Choose a lesson that’s surprising, yet important
- Explain who doesn’t get this lesson (and why it irritates you)
- Highlight the benefit of your lesson—how does your advice transform people’s lives?
- Nudge people in your call to action to find out more
- Consider a PS to nudge people to click through
The art of writing emails that get clicks
Composing irresistible emails doesn’t start with applying a nifty formula.
Instead, start with getting to know your readers.
Understand which issues keep them tossing and turning at night. Find out what they’re dreaming of. Help them deal with niggling irritations and soul-destroying frustrations.
Make sure each of your emails delivers value.
When you consistently help subscribers solve their problems and meet their goals, they’ll look forward to receiving your emails and reading your posts.
So, write like you’re a true friend, and your emails become irresistible.
That’s how your click rates will soar.
PS Thank you to Alison Beere for inspiring this post, and to Curtis for nudging me to write it.
Recommended reading on writing emails:
The curiosity gap: How to entice people to click your emails
How to write sales emails
How to write persuasive emails
Hey Henneke,
This is my first time commenting on your website. Your content is great, and I appreciate it very much. I always get excited when I see an email from you in my mail filter. Thanks for sharing awesome content.
That’s such lovely feedback. Thank you, Chloe. I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog.
I got into this article, deciding that I wouldn’t fall for advertisement or redirection of ‘any sort’. Though I must admit, your templates have something that really prompts that ‘something’ inside me to check out your links.
I would personally say that #3 is sort of over pushing it as these kinds of phrases are seen as clickbait these days.
I’m also into writing content for a small website design company in South Africa and I am always looking for improving my writing for the better. Thanks for writing this article so much. It’s really really helpful!
Ps. I rarely comment on articles. I guess I really do find your article that valuable. I’m subscribing!
Interesting point on #3. How you perceive email #3 may depend on whether you recognize the difficulties (of writing headlines) or not. Most people struggling with writing headlines will be tempted to click through. That email got a very high click rate.
Thank you for stopping by, Saket, and for sharing your experience.
Henneke, these formulas are so good… They made me open 7 more tabs.
I’m so grateful I found you. I think I was searching something about deliberate practice, about 2 month ago. Since then, reading your stuff is a part of my morning routine.
Thank you.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Bogdan, and for sharing how you found my site. I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog. Happy writing 🙂
All the newsletter examples that you showed us were for individual posts.
I am planning to send a weekly newsletter. Do you have any examples for that?
I don’t have any examples of that, but the principle is the same. For each link (for each article), you give people a reason to click through. But as you have several links, you make the text a little shorter than the examples in this post.
Thank you. I will try it out
Hi Henneke 🙂
I came to report about how I just put these tipe to use… in the most methodical way you can imagine! 😀
I needed a subject line for an email newsletter with my new post. So this is how I used your tips to literally do the work for me:
1) Opened Excel
2) In the first cell, wrote what my post is about using as many words as I needed to.
3) Created a table with the following columns:
* Column 1: The blog newsletter type you mentioned (major goal, super-curiosity, empathy, etc.)
* Column 2: The corresponding example you give in this post for each of the 7 newsletter types.
4) For each newsletter type, created my own version of a headline (sometimes two) that matches my post.
5) Checked the score of each headline with Coschedule and Advanced Marketing Institute headline analyzers (column 3 and 4).
6) Calculated an average score for each headline (column 5).
7) Look at the top 3 headlines and selected the one I liked best.
(I’ll DM you a screenshot).
That. Was. So. Easy!
My favorite part: Because of the constraints to write a headline that corresponds to a particular type, I came up with headlines I would have never come up with otherwise.
I now have a template with this table I’ll be using for every email newsletter.
I hereby declare this post to be the most useful I read in the last 2 months (maybe longer, but my memory goes back only this far).
Can’t thank you enough! ?
This is a great way to generate headline or subject line options! (I also teach this in my blogging course.)
Be careful with the headline analyzers as they don’t always give the right feedback. They don’t know, for instance, whether the topic highlighted in your headline is something your audience is looking for. Analyzers can give a perspective, but never take their guidance for gospel. I don’t think you’re doing this as you mention you’re picking the one you like best. (I’m just adding this in case others read this comment.)
Thank you for stopping by to explain your process, Gill. Happy writing! 🙂
Hi Henneke!
I haven’t only bookmarked this wonderful post for later – I’ve used three of your templates already and they’re working SO great. Thanks so much for being so generous with your knowledge.
Best regards from Toronto
Yay! I’m so happy to read that, Kathrine. Thank you so much for letting me know. Happy writing!
It’s definitely a big challenge being able to get the traffic for the work that you put so much effort into making. But I think you’ve done a great job at giving ways to make that task easier!
Thank you, Barry. I’m glad you found this post useful!
For me, making a bogus claim in my headlines works. Example: Out rank Amazon and CNN with these 5 SEO hacks
Making bogus claims may be a short-term fix to get more clicks, but it’s a risky strategy because you’re disappointing readers. In the long term, your open and click rates may plummet.
Seven emails I’d delete unread.
That’s probably because you’re not my target audience?
Thanks, Henneke, this is a wonderful resource you have created. To quote a well-worn comment: I’m going to have to bookmark this one for later!
Seriously, this will come in very handy!
– David
Hi David – I’m happy to read you like it and have also bookmarked it.
Happy writing!
Thanks Henneke! You certainly have a knack for sharing dynamite and easily useable information.
Highly appreciated!
The dynamite is totally safe of course 🙂
Thank you for your compliment, Susan. I appreciate it 🙂
Henneke:
I noticed most of your email subject lines are super-long (in email-subject-line terms ?)…
Any reasoning behind that? Thanks!
I think the length of the subject lines for these emails is a co-incidence. They’re not always that long.
Research by Mailchimp (https://blog.mailchimp.com/this-just-in-subject-line-length-means-absolutelynothing/) has suggested that short subject lines aren’t necessarily better than long subject lines.
What I do try to make sure is that the subject line is “front-loaded,” so if the subject line is truncated on mobile, people will still get the key message in the first few words (this is why my favorite formula is: No time to write? These 4 routines cut my writing time by 50%). But I think mixing it up works well, too.
Mixing it up and front-loading certainly makes sense…
As far as that mailchimp post goes, it’s way outdated. I don’t think it considers emails read on mobile. Probably not a big deal in 2012, but in 2016… over 70% of them were read on mobile. That’s where shorter subject lines matter. ?
Just in case http://www.trafficgenerationcafe.com/mobile-friendly-emails/
Thanks, Henneke!
Glorious post, Henneke.
I feel like you’ve packed together a newsletter kit, that is ready for us to take away, customize & use for own purposes. 😉
Every template is super easy to digest. The subject line has a big impact on subscriber. Ultimately it helps to boost email open rates. A great way of Brain Engagement. Love it.
Thanks.
I’m so glad you like this one, Mehera! Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I appreciate it. 🙂
This is gold. You are brilliant. Woooooo. And more. Comments above that are all well deserved! I haven’t been around much, and to come back to such a fantastic post – wow! I’ll be bookmarking this one, and checking out some of the links above.
Thank you Henneke.
How nice to “see” you again, Ted! I’m glad you’ve found this post useful.
Happy blogging! And thank you for stopping by.
What a brilliant post filled with your valuable wisdom!
Thanks so much for sharing Henneke.
Marie
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Marie. Good to see your smiling face again! 🙂
Brilliant! Thank you so much for sharing these tactics, Henneke. They are fantastic!
Thank you, Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed this!
Hi Henneke,
Sage advice you have given about emails. I like to ask a question here and there to get feedback from my email list. Whenever I do that I get a great response. I also like to simplify things….”I know the feeling” type of email.
Our list is golden in our business and those that took the step to join deserve the best we can give them. And of course, 20 percent of the time write a sales letter to them, but make it personal.
Thanks again!
-Donna
Yes, asking questions is also a good idea! But I’d do that into a dedicated email and not mix it up with an email for a blog update.
I probably send fewer sales emails than most. Only a few per year 😉
Thank you for stopping by, Donna. I appreciate it!
Great timing Henneke – just what I need to know as start building my website and author platform.
Paul from sunny Sydney
I’m glad to read you’ve started building your website and author platform. That’s great news!
Nice, Henneke. I am going to steal all of these! Amy
Thank you, Amy. Happy stealing! 🙂
Start the content with two questions with positive answer paves the way. Great idea.
Thanks Henneke.
It’s a surprisingly simple trick, but it works like a dream. I do this so often!
Thank you for stopping by, Jose. I appreciate it 🙂
Absolutely fell in love with this post! Henneke, you’ve excellently broken the post with comprehensive examples. Just bookmarked it and I’m going to implement exact strategies while writing emails.
Thanks a bunch!
Arfa
I’m so glad to read you’ve found this useful, Arfa. Happy blogging!
And thank you for stopping by. 🙂
Henneke,
This post is so rich, no doubt that I’ll gain some weight (kidding!).You did put out such va
luable info, thanks so much. An idea – the post is so valuable, why not turn it into an e-book?
Thanks again. Bill
At least this wasn’t sugar-coated, so you might not need to worry about your weight 😉
Thank you for your lovely comment, Bill. I think it may become part of an eb00k some time!
Thanks for sharing different tactics to up that Click Rate, Henneke. It’s painful when one has created content that one should really charge for and then few readers click. It makes me wonder, why do you open my email if you don’t want the benefit? 😉
Definitely going to try the empathy one next time.
I love the “empathy” version. It’s probably the one I’ve used most. I often use the same principle for my blog openings, so it’s quicker to write. 😉
You always have your finger on my pulse. Thank you, Henneke, for sharing so much value. It always seems to be exactly what I’m looking for in the moment.
Your comment makes me happy, Cheryl. Happy writing! 🙂
Those letters were so good, I really wanted to click through on them, although I imagined that I’d read some of the posts before.
You really did turn the fine art of letter writing into a science, and I was mentally applying every hint to one or another of my old posts. Today’s, which is not quite posted, yet, will get a very quick makeover, in just a few minutes, of course!
Okay, now, off to read all the ones that promised extra drawings; you know I love your smile-power art. 😀
I bet you’re not the only one clicking because of the drawings. I was kind of surprised how often my popular emails mentioned my drawings, too. I suspect some people might not even read the posts and just look at the drawings 😉
What a lovely phrase: smile-power art. Thank you 🙂
Your posts are pure gold, Henneke. Thanks, as always, for your generous sharing of ideas.
Thank you so much, Cathy. Good to see your smiling face again! 🙂
That’s always the challenge isn’t? Writing what you feel is a good post that addresses real issues your readers are facing! You will still have to convince them to read your post, even if they are loyal subscribers. Because there is so much stuff competing for their attention. This is where most of us fail with our writing – promotion.
Thanks again for another incisive post Henneke!
Yes, you’re right – it IS a challenge to address real reader issues. This can feel difficult when starting out, but also when you’ve been blogging for a very long time. And, no matter how much we listen and research, we can’t always get it right. Some posts flop and others do surprisingly well.
Thank you for your comment, Patrick.
Hi Henneke,
Woooooo. Now this is a post that has some teeth. It does suck to write a potentially great post only to have it flounder around because the email didn’t deliver.
Interesting analysis here. I really liked the learn something without pain one. I may have to try that myself. But thank you for creating an awesome swipe file.
– Andrew
Yeah, I know how much that sucks. It has happened to me that I put so much energy in my post that I felt deflated when writing my email. I now try to write the email before I start editing my post (or even before finishing my first draft). This helps keep my emails fresh.
Happy swiping, Andrew 🙂
Yes, that happens all the time to me, too. Great idea, Henneke ? Thank you.
I’m glad I’m not the only one flagging sometimes! 🙂
Hi there, I’m a first time poster on your site. I want to thank you for all the great content you offer. It’s definitely enchanting and I always get a feeling of excitement when my mail filter indicates an email from you. I’m going to climb aboard your writing course the next time it opens, because if this is what you give for free, I can only begin to imagine what’s inside your paid section. Thank you and I look forward to reading your next post.
I’m grateful for every comment, but it feels extra special when a long-term reader posts a first comment. So a BIG thank you to you, Richard. What a lovely comment!
This is gold – especially the ‘How to apply this template’ section. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Edel. Happy writing!
Wow. You are brilliant. Thank you so much! I agree with Alison, this will speed things up tremendously. And it’s also fascinating to look at your analysis of the email. Amazing!
And I hadn’t even thought of including “saving you oodles of time” when writing the email & subject line for this post!
Hi Henneke, I love the idea of your emails starting with a question. I hadn’t tried that one yet. I do try to personalize mine so my readers will know a little bit about me personally. I used to receive emails from Adrienne Smith and she always filled us in on her family life too which I thought was nice.
I don’t like getting just salesy emails from other bloggers. I like content, content and content. A little personal touch can go a long way.
Thanks for these templetes Henneke and I’ll be trying out the question one 🙂
I’m not keen on salesy and pushy emails either; I prefer it when emails sound natural and helpful.
And I agree with you on adding a personal touch to emails!
I got a shout-out! Amazing, thanks Henneke 😀
I was reading, nodding vigorously through every example and thinking, “This post is TOTALLY going on my ‘speed-dial’ equivalent for email update announcements” and then I got to the very bottom and saw my name. No wonder it resonated so strongly with me!
I have so often used your emails as partial templates for my own, I can’t thank you enough for sharing the psychology and the ‘why it works’ like this.
Thank you, thank you!
You’re most welcome, Alison. I’m sorry you had to wait so long for this one … I think you mentioned this several months ago.
Happy email writing! And thank you, as always, for your support 🙂