Here on our blog, we’ve been showcasing some of our partners, who’ve been providing tips and advice on subjects they specialise in.
Next up is Lisa Taylor, a freelance Copywriter specialising in helping brands find their tone of voice and crafting high-converting copy for website, email, and ads.
In the post, Lisa provides 6 examples of brands that nail their email marketing using the power of an emotive voice. On top of that, she also provides her expert tips on how you can find your tone of voice.
The post is full of examples you can take inspiration from when it comes to your email marketing campaigns, so what are you waiting for!? Read on below:
We’ve all had them.
The emails that land in our inbox and make us smile, laugh, well up, or simply give us a positive feeling.
Whatever the impact, these are the kind of emails that tap into your emotional headspace and get through the barrage of messages, so while you might not click the buy button there and then, chances are you’ll probably choose to buy from that brand over another in the future.
Why, pray tell, are these emails so effective?
Because believe it or not, the heart rules the head.
Around ninety percent of human decisions are made based on emotions. Yep, not rational thought and logic, but emotions.
Which means it’s not just the functional benefits of the product, but the way a brand makes us feel that really matters when it comes to our buying choices.
According to psychologytoday we’re exposed to roughly 5,000 brand messages each day, yet we’re aware of under 2% of them.
Point being, not only do brands have the difficult job of getting our attention in the first place, but once they do, they need to engage and resonate before we’ll even consider taking any action.
Of course, email is one of the more powerful ways of engaging, because the consumer is usually warm.
But converting them into a sale is a whole different ballgame.
This is where your tone of voice is just as important (if not more so) as your content.
There are a lot of emails out there with too much emphasis on selling features and not enough on their tone of voice.
There are also many that do a brilliant job of understanding and engaging their audience, and in this blog post, I’ve hand-picked a smattering of brands below who, I believe, simply get it right when it comes to email marketing.
6 Excellent Tone of Voice Examples in Email Marketing
So, here are 6 brands that nail their email marketing tone of voice. Read on for inspiration…
1. Harry’s
You know what they say…laughter is the key to the heart.
Here’s a classic example of one of Harry’s witty emails, sent just before Saint Patrick’s Day to tell men why they should shave (obviously!).
The copy is entertaining, relevant, and includes an amusing video for deeper engagement.
Their tone is smooth, subtle and relaxed with a sophisticated sense of humour, making the brand feel approachable and desirable.
Harry’s really know who their customer is. We don’t just want any shaving product; we want one that makes us feel like Harry’s!
2. Who Gives a Crap
What better way to turn a functional product into something that people want in their lives, than with the use of humour.
Of course, if your brand is already known for its witty tone of voice it’s easier to create emails that amuse and engage, but what’s so good about this example from loo paper brand Who Gives A Crap is how they’ve made blatant selling funny and evocative!
It’s direct and smart, weaving in their USP and product benefits while at the same time evoking the dewy-eyed response that only the thought of a new baby can muster.
Don’t know about you, but this is a loo roll brand I want in my life!
Of course, humour isn’t appropriate for all brands, and shouldn’t be used haphazardly, but there are other ways to elicit an emotional response.
One thing that’s effective for almost all brands, is personalisation. There’s no greater way to win a heart than to talk to someone like you’re only talking to them.
3. Spotify
Spotify always delivers when it comes to personalisation, through both their content and tone of voice.
Their emails are friendly, casual and a little bit edgy – bang on for their millennial audience.
They range from perfectly put together playlists based on your listening history, to unique and interesting suggestions like music to listen to with your pet!
Naturally, they have the advantage that music taps into the nostalgic parts of your brain, but before you even press play, their emails are able to make you smile.
4. Thortful
Thortful have a light-hearted, upbeat tone that’s friendly and sometimes a little bit cheeky.
Their emails are simple, timely and effective, tapping into what you’ve been searching for and your purchase history.
The lovely example below makes it feel like a friendly, helpful nudge rather than a direct sales push. A little bit of amusing wordplay can also go a long way in making your brand stand out (if it suits your tone).
5. Ray-Ban
If you’re not tracking shopping cart abandonment, then you should be!
The warmest customers are those who are already searching, and if it’s in their shopping basket, you’re well over halfway to the sale.
Here’s an example from Ray-Ban that plays on their confident, sassy tone of voice, combined with a little bit of quirkiness.
The result is a refreshing approach to encourage a customer to complete their purchase. It certainly makes you smile (even if it’s with bemusement).
Alongside a clear CTA, you can bet this has a decent conversion rate.
6. Airbnb
Last but not least, a brand that’s worked hard to be in tune with its audience.
Airbnb keeps track of the destinations you’ve been searching, what your interests are, and what you’ve booked, so their emails are always relevant.
Their tone is warm, helpful and exciting, ranging from suggestions for places to eat at the destination you’ve booked, to adventurous activities for the school holidays (if you have children).
Either way, they tap into your emotional needs and make your life easier.
In short, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that matters.
The question is, if you haven’t done it yet, how do you find your tone of voice?
Essentially, your tone of voice is how you communicate your brand’s ethos to customers.
It comes from inwardly exploring your personality, values, and what it is that makes you different, alongside what makes your audience tick.
A clear and distinct tone of voice will help you stand out from the competition, build your brand, and form stronger relationships with (the right) audience.
Tips for Nailing Your Brand’s Tone of Voice
Here are a few tips to get you started on nailing yours:
1. Know your audience as much as possible.
Take note of who they are, from their age and persona (because you’ll want to use language that resonates), through to what drives them and their main wants, needs, pain points when it comes to your product or service offering. What will engage them?
Top tip: Look at current testimonials or feedback you have. The words and language that current customers use to describe your brand or product can be so insightful. You might see the same things come up repeatedly in how you make them feel.
2. List six adjectives that you feel describe your current brand personality.
Dig deep and try to move away from the overused ones like authentic and clear – almost every brand wants to be this. Think about your core values and what it is that drives your business. Are you spirited, curious, fiery…?
Top tip: Think about the nuances of what you ‘aren’t’ as well as what you ‘are’ – for example, your tone of voice could be sassy but not cheeky, bold but not rash. These details can make a big difference to your writing style.
3. Delve into the competition
It’s pretty obvious, but to have a clear and strong tone of voice, you need to be different, so you need to be aware of the tone that your competition has. Note the differences and the bits you do and don’t like from what they do to try and land on your style.
Top tip: Build a word bank including words that fit your brand. Words that you would use to communicate, and descriptors that you’d use. You’ll soon start to see your unique tone come through.
4. Get crystal clear on your USPs.
List the differences that make your brand unique, from the extra service you give, to the tiny details that go into the packaging. It’s essential to know the message you’re trying to get through before you decide how to say it.
Top tip: Do point three first, so you know exactly what it is that makes you unique.
5. Think about language, diction and punctuation as part of the process.
List down some basic rules like whether emojis are right for your style, is swearing a yay or a nay… anything that makes your brand, well…‘you’.
Top tip: Take a current snippet of copy and rewrite it based on everything you’ve identified above. If you take all of the nuances on board, you should start to clearly see the evolution.
The brands that smash it are those that truly resonate with their audience, while having a
voice that’s clear, distinctive and undeniably ‘them’.
Do you have your tone of voice nailed? How strong is your email game?
If in doubt, I’d love to help.
Who am I?
Lisa Taylor – a freelance Copywriter specialising in helping brands find their tone of voice and crafting high-converting copy for website, email, and ads. Amongst others, I’ve written words for health and beauty, travel, packaging, luxury and kid’s brands.
I’ve been a friend and fan of SiteVisibility since we worked together on a marketing campaign for a global skincare brand (which, may I add, was brilliantly executed by them).
Visit www.canihaveaword.co.uk or get in touch at lisa@canihaveaword.co.uk to chat about your tone of voice or copy needs.