How to Write Marketing Emails People Actually Want to Read

Most emails get sent to tick a box. Someone writes a subject line in two minutes, pastes in some copy, and hits send. The brands whose campaigns actually perform are the ones that slow down and think about what the email says and how it lands. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing emails that get opened, read, clicked, and remembered.

1. Start with the person, not the product

You are not writing to "subscribers." You are writing to a busy person with a to-do list and limited attention.

Know who they are. Pick one person to write to. Ask: what problem do they have right now? What would make their day easier? Lead with that.

2. Give your subject line some love

The subject line is the gatekeeper. Be useful, clear, or irresistible. Do not be clever just for clever's sake.

Good patterns to follow:

• Benefit first: "Double your email opens in 30 days"
• Curiosity with value: "The 3 words killing your open rates"
• Short and direct: "Your March invoice, action required"
• Personal and specific: "Vicky, here's a cleaner onboarding flow"
• Timely: "Updated pricing for April launches"

Quick rules:

• Keep subject lines under 50 characters. Shorter lines perform better and hold up across all devices.
• Avoid spammy words like "free" or excessive punctuation.

3. Your preheader and from name matter

The preheader is your second subject line. Use it to add context and support your message. If you leave it blank, your email client will pull in the first line of body text, which is rarely what you want.

Your from name should be recognisable. Use a person or brand name your subscribers already know, and stay consistent with it.

4. Hook readers in the first line

People decide quickly whether to keep reading. Your first line has to earn the next one.

A weak opener:

• "We're excited to announce..."

Stronger openers:

• "You asked how to get better opens. Here's a 3-step fix."
• "90% of customers miss this small change. It costs them clicks."

Keep the opening to one or two sentences. Lead with a benefit or a problem you are about to solve.

5. Make the body scannable and useful

Most readers will skim. Structure the email so they can.

Layout tips:

• One idea per paragraph, kept short
• Headings and subheadings to break up longer content
• Bullet points for steps or lists
• Bold one key sentence to draw the eye, use this sparingly

Copywriting habits that help:

• Active voice throughout
• Plain language, no jargon
• Show rather than tell, use quick examples or real numbers
• One-sentence customer wins beat vague claims every time

6. Make it personal

First name personalisation is a start, but personalising by behaviour and intent will get you further.

Good uses:

• Mention the product they signed up for
• Reference the last action they took
• Send content based on interest tags

Avoid over-personalisation. You may know a lot about your subscribers, but loading an email with every detail you have feels intrusive, not helpful.

7. Click-worthy calls to action

One email, one main CTA. If you include more than one, make the hierarchy obvious.

CTA rules:

• Make the action specific. Skip "Click here" or "Read more" in favour of something like "Download the one-page checklist" or "Book your 15-minute audit."
• Place the primary CTA above the fold and repeat it at the end of the email where it fits naturally.

8. Design and accessibility basics

Your design should support the copy, not compete with it.

A quick design checklist:

• Mobile-first layout. More opens happen on phones than most teams expect.
• Check font sizes. Headlines, body text, and button labels all need to be legible at a glance.
• Add meaningful alt text to images. Someone hearing "Image 1" read aloud gets nothing from your campaign.
• The email should make complete sense without images. Do not put critical information inside an image.
• Use accessible contrast on buttons and links.

9. Deliverability and trust signals

Great copy is wasted if it never reaches the inbox.

Foundation steps:

• Authenticate your sending domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
• Send consistently and warm new domains gradually
• Include a real, easy-to-find unsubscribe link with clear preference options
• Use a reputable sending IP or provider

Trust signals worth including:

• Short social proof: "Trusted by 200+ marketing teams."
• Clear contact details: "Reply to this email to talk to a human."
• Privacy reassurance: "We will never sell your data."

10. The final checklist before you hit send

• Subject line matches the email content
• Preheader adds context
• From name is recognisable
• First line hooks the reader
• One clear CTA
• Email works without images
• Tested on mobile
• Sending domain is authenticated
• Unsubscribe link is easy to find and use
• Tested across different people and multiple devices

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Good writing wins. Good ethics keep those wins.

Want to talk email? Get in touch with the TouchBasePro team.