Using Power Words to Conquer Open and Conversion Rates

As of March 2021, the average email open rate industry-wide was 16.97%. What if you could beat the average?

By adding power words in your emails, you can! Power words pack a punch and draw people in. You can boost your open rate, clickthrough rate, and conversions for a higher ROI.

As your emails become more effective, you can draw in new or repeat customers. Your returns will continue to rise. Then, you can grow your business and get leagues ahead of the competition.

Without powerful words of persuasion, however, you could miss a chance to connect with your target audience.

Don’t miss an opportunity to boost your business! Get started with these seven email marketing tips today.

1. Avoid Overpromising

About 50% of people open emails based on the subject line alone. It’s not enough to add power words to your emails, though. You need to make sure the words you use match your intent.

For example, words like “best” and “only” sound extremely powerful and promising. However, you’re attaching huge expectations to your messaging. Are you prepared to deliver on what you’re promising? 

Every customer has different expectations. Different people might react to the words you choose differently. 

If you fail to deliver, you could lose your customers.

Before you start using words to evoke an emotional response, make sure you’re not overpromising. You want to catch the reader’s attention without disappointing them. Otherwise, you’re only engaging them in a negative way.

Try to avoid words like “amazing,” “shocking,” or “ultimate” in your emails. Instead, look for words that inspire without overpromising, including:

• Learn
• Enjoy
• Great
• Guide to
• Ways to Beat
• Looking For
• …That Works For You

“And” is a powerful word you can use in your subject lines as well. Using “and” could help readers think they’re getting a great deal. For example, “Your Guide to Power Words and 7 Tips to Help You Write Effective Emails.”

By adding “and” to the subject line, it sounds like you’re giving readers bonus content. They’ll see the additional value you’re offering and open your email. 

Want to add a sense of persuasion to your emails? Use the word “free.” After all, everyone loves free offers.

Adding “free” to your emails will help readers see there’s no risk involved. They’re getting something without giving something in return. Readers will see they’re saving money and benefiting from your email content. 

2. Consider Their Pain Points

As you start using these tips, consider your target audience. Understanding customer psychology can help you write better emails.

For example, what pain points are your customers experiencing? How can your content solve their problems? What value are you offering readers?

Power words alone won’t draw people in. Instead, readers look for content that appeals to their wants and needs. The better you understand your readers, the more likely they’ll react to your content.

Focus on the pain point your customers are experiencing. Then, provide a benefit to opening your emails.

For example, you can use words like:

• Avoid
• Learn
• Save
• Gain
• Advantage
• Ready
• Stop
• Increase
• Change
• Faster
• Quickly
• Easier
• Inexpensive
• Without hassle
• Improve

“New” and “easy” can show your readers you’re here to help, too.

“New” can give readers an added push to open your emails. This word indicates the content is fresh. It can also hint to readers that they’re getting something before anyone else.

Are you creating sales emails this year? Add “new” to invoke excitement. Consumers will get excited about your new product and rush to see what it is.

“Easy,” on the other hand, communicates convenience. Consumers don’t want more trouble in their lives. Instead, they want businesses that can make their lives easier.

Adding “easy” to your emails will alleviate the consumer’s worries. You can show them you’re able to help resolve their pain points.

“Easy” can invoke feelings of confidence, too.

3. Choose the Right Jargon

As you complete your customer research, consider how your customers speak. What age group do they fall under? Segment your broad target audience into buyer personas based on age, gender, and other demographics.

Segmenting your target audience will allow you to adjust the language with each group in mind. Otherwise, you might fail to speak the customers’ language.

What words do your customers use regularly? What phrases suit their language?

Using the customers’ language will help you connect with your target audience. Otherwise, you could use language they don’t understand. They might delete an email that sounds weird to them on-sight.

For example, you might want to avoid using “on fleek” if you’re emailing a group of seniors.

Instead, choose the right jargon for each buyer persona. Keep your language conversational, too. Pretend you’re writing to a friend.

Conversational language has a better chance of drawing readers in. They’ll want to respond to your emails, allowing you to boost engagement. As your engagement improves, you have a better chance of converting readers into customers!

4. Appeal to Their Emotions

Remember, you want to find ways to connect with your readers. Try to use power words to invoke an emotional response. Appealing to the customers’ emotions can help you draw them in.

What emotions are your customers feeling as a result of the problems they’re facing? How can you make them feel after they use your product or service? Understanding customer psychology can help you trigger a desired emotional response. 

For example, homebuyers might feel indecisive or overwhelmed. An experienced real estate agent can help them find relief.

Planning an event alone can make someone feel excited, yet pressured and stressed. An event planner can help them feel calm and organized.

Someone who needs a life coach might feel lost or discouraged. A coach can help them find a sense of achievement in life. 

You can use trigger phrases like:

• Make X fun again
• Fall in love with X again
• Your X survival guide
• Navigate X with…
• Tired of feeling X?
• X doesn’t have to feel difficult anymore

Don’t forget to add thank you emails to your campaigns, too. Thanking your email subscribers can add a human quality to your messages. It can trigger brand loyalty, too.

Subscribers will realize you appreciate them and want to stick around. “Thanks” can invoke positive feelings toward your brand.

The next time someone makes a purchase, send them a thank you email. 

You can also send emails to celebrate anniversaries or birthdays. Finding different ways to thank your customers can build long-term loyalty. Your retention rate will improve, and your ROI with it.

Try adding “you” and “your” more often to your emails, too. These words can add a personal touch to your emails. Your readers will feel like you’re speaking to them exclusively.

Make sure to use “you” within the subject line and email body. Remain consistent to avoid awkward language. 

5. Add Urgency

Email marketing has an ROI of 3,200%. For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can earn a return of $32.

Want to drive your readers to take action, allowing you to boost conversions? Add a sense of urgency to your emails. Adding urgency with your call-to-action (CTA) language can help your ROI.

You don’t need to speak in all caps or add exclamation points. Instead, use words like:

• Now
• Limited time
• Today only
• This week only
• Limited supply
• Fast
• Save your spot
• Before we sell out

Consider adding time limits to your “exclusive online deals.” Exclusivity can spark the fear of missing out, too. 

“Now” is one of the most effective words you can add to your emails. It adds a sense of urgency and invokes action. You can drive subscribers to take immediate action with a strong, eye-catching CTA.

6. Cut Out Cliches

While it’s important to speak the customers’ language, you don’t want to use too many cliches. 

Cliches can make your emails seem bland, boring, or cookie-cutter. Matching the customers’ language can help elicit a specific emotion. It can also show readers you understand their cares and concerns. 

Otherwise, readers might skim right over cliches. They could miss out on important content without your emails as a result. 

Avoid using industry jargon, too. Jargon can sound distant and off-putting. You might fail to connect with your readers as a result.

Instead, focus on sparking a two-way conversation with your readers. 

7. Know What to Avoid

As you start using these email writing tips to boost your open and conversion rate, remain cautious. There are some words that can have a negative impact on your email marketing campaigns. You don’t want to scare readers away.

For example, try to avoid:

• Order
• Buy
• Cheap
• Rich

Avoid adding multiple exclamation points and dollar signs, too.

You don’t want your emails to seem spammy. Instead, choose phrases that suit your brand and target audience. Remember, it helps to learn how your customers speak.

As you use these tips, test, measure, and keep optimizing your campaigns. Email insights can help you make more informed decisions with your campaigns.  In time, you can drive more conversions and improve your ROI.

Power Words: Your Guide to Higher Email Conversion Rates

Ready to boost your email open rates? Give these power words and seven tips a try! With these tips, you can inspire action and drive more conversions.

Searching for more email marketing tips and tricks? We have the tools you’re looking for.

Get started today with a smarter way! Discover our pricing plans today.