How to Write a Marketing Email That Converts

Email marketing is one of the most effective tools in digital marketing. When done right, it doesn’t just land in someone’s inbox. It drives clicks, conversions, and long-term customer relationships. But to achieve that, your marketing email must be more than just well-written. It needs to be intentional, strategic, and built to achieve measurable results..

In this guide, we’ll explore what a marketing email is and break down the key components you need to master in order to write emails that your audience actually opens, reads, and acts upon.

What Is a Marketing Email?

A marketing email is best defined as an email message with a commercial purpose. It’s designed to provoke action and support your business objectives, whether that’s driving sales, boosting website traffic, promoting new content, or simply keeping your customers engaged with your brand.

These emails can serve many goals: announcing a new product or service, raising brand awareness, offering exclusive deals, or building stronger customer relationships.

For business owners and marketers, the success of a marketing email isn’t measured by how good it looks on screen, it’s about how well it performs. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates determine whether your email is moving the needle for your business.

Now, let’s break down the essential components of a high-converting marketing email and how to craft them effectively.

4 Key Components of a High-Converting Marketing Email

A strong marketing email is built with several critical elements. Each one plays a role in catching your reader’s attention, keeping them engaged, and guiding them toward the action you want them to take.

1. The Subject Line

The subject line is the very first thing your subscribers see, and it’s often the deciding factor between an email that gets opened and one that gets ignored. You could spend hours crafting the perfect email copy, but if the subject line falls flat, your audience may never see it.

To make your subject line effective, keep it:

• Short and clear (under 50 characters works best on mobile).

• Intriguing but honest (tease what’s inside without misleading).

• Action-oriented (so readers know what they’ll get from opening).

Think of it as the doorway to your message. If you can spark curiosity or communicate immediate value, you’ll increase the likelihood of your email being read.

2. The Email Body

Once your reader clicks open, the body of the email takes over. This is the heart of your message and where you deliver the actual value whether it’s a new offer, an announcement, or helpful information.

To write an engaging email body:

• Keep your sentences clear, concise, and easy to scan.

• Use short paragraphs and subheadings for better readability.

• Focus on a single main idea rather than overwhelming your readers with too many topics.

• Speak directly to the reader, use “you” to make your copy personal and relatable.
  
  

Remember: people don’t have time to read long blocks of text. Keep your content focused and always direct your reader toward the next step with a strong CTA.

3. Visual Elements

Most people skim emails rather than reading word for word. Visual elements help break up your content, making it easier to digest while also keeping your email attractive.

• Bullet points are great for highlighting benefits, features, or quick tips in a scannable format.

• Images can showcase products, evoke emotions, and enhance storytelling in a way plain text cannot.

• Graphics or infographics can simplify complex data and present it in a visually engaging way.

Use visuals strategically, they should support your copy, not distract from it. Every image or graphic should have a clear purpose.

4. The Call to Action (CTA)

Your call-to-action is the most important element of all. This is where you guide your readers toward the exact step you want them to take whether it’s purchasing a product, signing up for a free trial, downloading a guide, or reading a blog post.

An effective CTA is:

• Clear and direct - tell the reader exactly what to do.

• Action-driven with phrases like “Shop Now,” “Download Free Guide,” or “Start Your Free Trial.”

• Visually distinct, often designed as a button or bold hyperlink that stands out.

Think of the CTA as the bridge between reading and acting. Without it, your email may engage, but it won’t convert.

How to Write a Marketing Email: 13 Steps to Get More Conversions

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience and drive real results. But here’s the truth: sending just any email won’t cut it. If you want people to open, click, and convert, you need a well-thought-out approach.

In this guide, we’ll break down 13 practical steps to write marketing emails that convert.

1. Know Your Customer Personas

Every great marketing email starts with understanding who you’re writing for. Creating customer personas helps you define your audience’s age, location, job title, interests, and challenges.

For example, if you’re in insurance, new homeowners might respond well to emails about home coverage, while pet owners may care more about vet bill protection. Knowing these details lets you send the right message to the right people and boosts conversions.

2. Define Your Brand Voice

Your email should sound like your brand. A consistent voice builds trust and loyalty. Whether your tone is approachable, professional, or playful, make sure it reflects your brand personality.

Tip: Use the “We always sound… / We never sound… / So that our customers…” framework to define your brand’s voice before you write.

3. Research Your Competitors

Sign up for your competitors’ email lists. Pay attention to their subject lines, design, and offers. But don’t copy them, your goal is to stand out. Look for opportunities to differentiate your emails and highlight your unique value.

4. Decide What Type of Campaign You’re Running

Not all marketing emails are the same. They might be:

• Welcome/onboarding emails

• Abandoned cart reminders

• Newsletters

• Product launches

• Seasonal promotions

Knowing the type of email you’re creating ensures your tone and structure match the purpose.

5. Set a Clear Goal

Before writing, ask: What’s the goal of this email?

Is it to drive webinar signups? Reclaim an abandoned cart? Get feedback? Each email should have one specific goal.

This clarity helps you write stronger CTAs and keep your message focused.

6. Write an Irresistible Subject Line

Your subject line is the gateway to your email. A great one is:

• Concise (30-50 characters)

• Clear (readers instantly know why you’re emailing)

• Compelling (creates curiosity or urgency)

• Personal (when possible, tailored to the recipient)

Pro tip: A/B test subject lines with a small portion of your list before sending to everyone.

7. Choose the Right Sender Name

People look at who the email is from before opening. Depending on your audience, emails might perform better if they come from a person’s name (“Sarah at Company”) instead of just the brand. Test what works best for your subscribers.

8. Use Strong Preview Text

Don’t waste your preview text with “view in browser.” Instead, use it to support your subject line. For example:

• Subject: “Time’s running out”

• Preview text: “Claim your discount before midnight.”

Together, they create urgency and a complete story.

9. Keep Email Design Simple

Your design should be clean, mobile-friendly, and easy to scan. Stick to:

• One column layout for mobile

• Plenty of white space

• Clear fonts and colors on brand

• Optimized images with alt text

Sometimes, even plain-text emails work better than heavily designed ones because they feel more personal.

10. Write Clear, Concise Copy

Good email copy gets straight to the point. Avoid fluff and jargon. Use frameworks like AIDA (Attention–Interest–Desire–Action) or PAS (Problem–Agitate–Solution) to structure your writing.

Always deliver on the promise in your subject line and guide readers toward your CTA.

11. Add Action-Oriented CTAs

Your call-to-action should be clear, specific, and valuable. Instead of vague text like “Click here” or “Register now”, use CTAs such as:

• “Discover the latest styles”

• “Take the 1-minute survey”

• “Get your free trial today”

Make sure your CTA stands out visually with buttons or bold links.

12. Personalize Your Emails

Generic emails don’t perform as well as personalized ones. Go beyond just using someone’s first name. Use dynamic content to show different offers based on customer behavior or preferences.

Example: Spotify sends personalized concert presale invites based on artists a subscriber listens to. That’s personalization that drives clicks.

13. Stay Compliant with Legal Requirements

Finally, make sure your emails follow regulations. Include an unsubscribe link, use a valid sender address, and be transparent. Compliance not only avoids legal issues but it also improves deliverability so your emails land in inboxes, not spam.

Final Thoughts

Writing a marketing email that converts is about more than just good copy. It’s about aligning every element, from the subject line to the call-to-action with your audience’s needs and your business goals.

If you can create emails that grab attention, deliver clear value, and guide readers toward action, you’ll turn your email campaigns into one of the most effective drivers of growth in your marketing toolkit.

So, next time you sit down to write a marketing email, remember: clarity, relevance, and action are the golden rules.