Email inboxes are more competitive than ever. In fact, according to data from Radicati, about 205 billion emails are sent/received per day. This figure is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3% over the next four years, reaching over 246 billion by the end of 2019.
With that in mind, wouldn’t it be awesome to have a go-to list of marketing words that could help your email campaigns stand out? In this post, we’ll share over 80 effective marketing words based on context and purpose.
Marketing words for highly effective email subject lines
Our research indicates that there are a few words that are more effective than others when looking specifically at email subject lines. We call these “Power Words”, as they are proven to give a powerful boost to open rates when used at the beginning or the end of a subject line.
It’s important to note that the most successful marketing word on this list was actually the recipient’s first name, so it’s no surprise that personalized email messages can improve open rates by an average of 26%.
What’s interesting about all of this research on effective words for email subject lines is that there are a few key themes that stand out, and that should be noted for your own future email marketing efforts.
Across the board, words like “exclusive”, “limited”, and “alert” were highly effective, as were other words like “free” and “new”. The commonality between these words is that they are benefit-centric, and add certain emotional qualities to an email.
We know that emotional response is a key element in all types of marketing messages–including emails–and therefore, these powerful marketing words increase the likelihood of a conversion. We even wrote a post about how to write better email subject lines using the EMV (emotional marketing value) Index.
We can take what we’ve learned from our email subject line research and apply it to the body of your email marketing campaign so that you not only have an email that gets opened, but is read and stirs up the emotions you need for a conversion to happen.
Let’s dive into that big list of marketing words you can use in various parts of your email campaigns–not just the subject line.
Marketing words for exclusivity, urgency, and excitement in email
Exclusivity Urgency Excitement Select Now New Private Immediately Introducing Confidential Today Latest Insider Limited Special VIP Shortly Alert Secret Soon Gift Exclusive Rapid Free Members Quick Freebie Elite Flash Best Invitation Hurry Prize Secret Alert Win Reserved Fast Save Only Instant Ultimate Choice Urgent Try
Since we know that the average adult has an attention span of about 8 seconds, it’s clear that we need to keep our email marketing messages tight, succinct, and concise–and we do that by using powerful, emotion-packed words.
Using marketing words from the list above, you can accomplish three things:
1. Remind your audience that they’re part of a members-only, highly exclusive group of people who get access to the information in your email campaigns.
Why it matters: CrazyEgg refers to this as the “velvet rope effect.” Essentially, exclusivity reminds people that they’ve been given the secret handshake that says, “You’re in.” It means you can go beyond the velvet rope and have access to the wonderful content on the other side.
2. Express a sense of urgency that encourages the reader to act right now (and helps drive an immediate conversion.)
Why it matters: Urgency, as explained by Michel Fortin, helps create pressure that prevents a reader from procrastinating–but doesn’t force them to act. It simply reminds the reader that they’re dealing with a limited time opportunity.
3. Build excitement around the message itself.
Why it matters: Creating excitement means highlighting the benefits of your offering, not the features, according to Copyblogger. With a one-two punch of using the words in this list and by highlighting the unique benefits you can offer, you can give your email marketing messages an air of excitement that gets your readers emotionally prepared to act.
Marketing words for security, simplicity, and engagement in email
Security Simplicity Engagement Privacy Easy Increase Refund Simple Create Protected Hassle-free Share Secure Help Discover Certified Complete Compare Guaranteed Entire Take Realistic Total Show Researched Thorough Tell Proven Pure Find Official Natural Make Money-back Plain Plan Tested Straightforward Learn Lifetime Uncomplicated Start Backed Candid Grow
We also know that aside from short attention spans, the average email reader wants emails that make their lives easier and propose a way for them to act on the offerings presented. Most people approach email subscriptions with a “What’s in it for me?” attitude–so if you can leverage the words in this list, you’ll be off to a good start at answering that very question.
Using marketing words from the list above, you can accomplish three things:
1. Make them feel secure about the action you’re asking them to take.
Why it matters: Christina Gillick, a direct-response copywriter, explains that words that communicate a sense of security are the foundation of trust with your audience. They quiet a reader’s objections and fears about making a purchase or taking an action they’ll later regret.
2. Explain how simple it is to act on what you’re promoting.
Why it matters: If you had two ways to do things, would you choose the easy way, or the hard way with lots of complex steps? Probably the easy way. People like simple–and the lack of simple in their daily lives is a major pain point you can touch on in your email marketing (remember the PAS formula).
3. Encourage them to interact with the material there, and/or to spread the word about what they’ve just learned.
Why it matters: Your ultimate goal with email marketing is to drive conversions. You want people to click through to register for your event, to buy your products, or even share the message with their friends and family. Using marketing words that lay out a clear path of action helps spur engagement with your email content and gets readers on the path to conversion.
Wrap up
Using tried and tested words that stir up emotional responses with your readers, you can create email campaigns that don’t just inform–but that also motivate subscribers to act immediately.
Armed with this subject line research and a list of more than 80 highly effective marketing words, we challenge you to start sprinkling these conversion-drivers into all of your future email marketing efforts.
Special thanks to the following sources: