Let’s be honest with each other… How many of us TRULY enjoy writing email newsletters? Most of us are afraid of hearing crickets after we hit send, so we put off sending anything to our subscribers who are really truly waiting to hear from us. It’s a vicious cycle we all need to break, so let’s break it today! In this episode of the Play It Brave podcast, we’re talking all things savvy subject lines and noteworthy newsletters with Laura Belgray (my copywriting idol). From subject line do’s and don’ts, to the stories our people are actually HUNGRY for… It’s all waiting on the other side of that play button. What are you waiting for?!

About Laura:

Laura Belgray, founder of Talking Shrimp and co-creator of The Copy Cure, is a copywriting expert who helps entrepreneurs find the perfect words to express and sell what they do in a way that gets them paid to be themselves. Through her work with hundreds of clients (including online biggies like Marie Forleo and Amy Porterfield) she’s seen firsthand that putting “you” into your copy and all through your business is pure magic for getting people to love you up, share your ideas, and happily click your Buy button.

In addition to online types, Laura’s list of clients and credits include NBC, Bravo, HBO, TBS, Fandango, and many, many more. So if you watch TV — and don’t skip the commercials — you’ve probably seen her words on air.

What Do Our Email Subscribers Want To Hear?

When many entrepreneurs think about writing, we cringe… We think that we don’t have anything exceptional or groundbreaking to write about. We think our personal stories are not noteworthy, and we talk ourselves out of it.

The truth is… People do want to know your personal stories. As long as you are compelling and truthful, this is how they know, like, and trust you.

The second truth is… The more you write, the more exceptional you’ll write. If you want to increase your output of brilliant copy, you have to increase the overall output. So here are some amazing tips that Laura shared in this podcast episode. As always, you can find even more of these golden nuggets of wisdom in the full episode. Click here for all the ways to listen.

A Writing Exercise to Get Warmed Up:

1. Write about something you saw
2. Write about something you heard
3. Write about something you did
4. Draw a doodle

Writing Sexy Email Subject Lines:

• Curiosity provoking subject lines are a great place to start.
• Don’t be afraid to be clickbait-y. Just don’t write a subject line that is clickbait and switch.
• Even if your email isn’t directly about the subject line, you have to address it in some way.
• Write the email first. Then think about what element in that email is going to get them to open.
• Don’t put the subject line in title case. It screams newsletter.
• Preview text: the first few lines of text by default is the first few lines of the email. You can customize that so that it supports the subject line and draws people in.

Writing Newsletters That People Actually Read:

• Think about something small that recently happened. We go into it thinking it has to be something EPIC, but it’s the small things that people relate to. It doesn’t have to be your origin story or your rise from the ashes story.
• Fuse your personal stories with some sort of information, tip, or strategy.
• The shorter you can make your emails, the better.
• Write for connection so that people will open and read your emails, and even write back! Then when it comes time to sell, they’re ready to buy.
• Email 3 times a week instead of just 1 time a week. This brings a sense of consistency. Two of the emails are pure VALUE so that people won’t feel fatigued, and then one email a week is allowed to SELL.
• Give it the EFAB tone (Email From a Bestie) so that people feel like it’s just for them.
• Conversational is the new professional – don’t have your English professor or old boss in your head as you write. Write how you actually speak.

“Perfection doesn’t create connection.”

– Laura Belgray

How to Have a Personal Brand That People Connect With:

• You need photos of yourself
• You need to tap into your personal stories, no matter how big or small
• Showing up as yourself and tapping into the beautiful things that make you uniquely you is what creates longevity in entrepreneurship.

“You can’t get paid to be YOU unless people know who YOU are.”

– Laura Belgray

For more ways to listen to this episode – CLICK HERE!

Check It Out!

• Follow Laura Belgray on Instagram
• Visit the Talking Shrimp Website
• 33 Most Opened Subject Lines Freebie
• The Copy Cure
• Inbox Hero Course
• 60 Minute Makeover Mini Course