As more of my time is being spent in the realms of email copywriting, I’ve been studying my inbox closely. I know I’m not the only one who’s had to mourn an email account or two. I signed up to one too many online shopping sites in my youth and have watched my previous email address drown in spam and unwanted subscriptions. A slow, painful, death. 

 

Though the beacon of light that I am, I’ve spun this into a positive. I now use this inbox filled with clickbait and requests to send Tom from Ohio $40,000 to fund his presidential bid as a research ground. Each week I sift through the emails and if I find one that genuinely catches my attention, I’ll pick apart why. 

 

This week's winner is Simply Cook, You have a free box waiting for you, claim it now bef… Now Simply Cook is a well established brand, I don’t have to worry about being conned out of my life savings in order to secure a free box. So when a brand that I trust offers me something free…I’m listening. 

 

Without having to go into the small print, follow various different links or sign up to a new platform, I’d immediately learnt that I could claim a box of four recipes for free by reactivating my account. 

 

Use it before you lose it, how long has this been in my inbox!? Thankfully only since 06:32 this morning, the fact that pondered my mind alone shows that this email has invoked an emotional reaction. And with only six words. 

 

By clicking a simple Claim Now button, I was auto logged in (Thank you, Apple password keychain) and scrolling through a list of delicious recipes, thanking my boujee uni self for signing up in the first place. I selected four and was on my way, now am I planning to deactivate my subscription again once this free box has been delivered? Maybe. Will I forget to deactivate and Simply Cook will make a few quid out of me? Probably. 

 

I opened this email because I trusted the brand and the subject line hooked me, I read the email because the copy was short, easy to follow and engaged me with an opportunity that benefits me. Email marketing isn’t difficult to write, but it can be difficult to get right. With the largest ROI potential from any marketing channel, if you wouldn’t buy it, don’t send it. It’s not ready yet.