7 Newsletter Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid at all Costs

Have you sent dozens of newsletters during your marketing and prospecting efforts without any results? Whether you’re just getting started with writing newsletters or a seasoned copywriter, there is always room for writing improvement.

In this article, we will discuss common newsletter writing mistakes. Avoiding these mistakes is what makes the difference between a mediocre newsletter and a profitable one.

Writing non-engaging subject lines

Did you know that 33% of email recipients base their decision to open an email on the catchiness of the subject line? 

Modern customers are busy, and they don’t have time to read each and every email they receive. For this reason, they open only those emails which have engaging and intriguing subject lines. 

Take a look at the subject lines of the newsletters you have recently sent. Do they entice recipients to open the email and check what’s inside? 

No? Next time, try out a new approach to subject line writing.

To create a perfect subject line, you should follow these simple rules:

• Keep your subject line relevant to the content of your email
• Keep it short (use 41 characters or fewer)
• Use a keyword to grab the recipient’s attention
• Place the most important words at the beginning
• Add one or two emotional adjectives to sound more convincing

Here are 3 quick examples of headlines that follow these rules:

• Your copywriting issues, solved!
• Grow your newsletter list by 10x
• Upgrade your human OS today

Ignoring typos and grammar mistakes

Your newsletters must be written in perfect grammar. Otherwise, they will look like scam messages that often contain spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.

If you want to win the trust of your customers and make them buy from you, always proofread what you write. You should ensure that every sentence and every word is mistake-free. 

These days you can use online grammar checkers like Grammarly or SupremeDissertations, or similar services to ease your work. Or, you can assign someone from your team to be in charge of newsletter proofreading and editing.

Poor formatting

Your newsletters should not only be interesting to read, but also easy to scan through. 

Once you finish writing your message, you should format it correctly. This step is an important one because if your newsletter looks like a wall of text, no one will want to read it.

Let’s compare two emails. Which one looks more visually appealing to you?

Option#1

Option#2

I bet you’ve chosen the second option. The content is skimmable and contains some visuals. You can quickly understand what this message is all about.

Here are a few tips on how to turn a wall of text into a nice-looking, easy-to-read message:

• Use bullet points.
• Make sure all items in the list are related to each other.
• Make all bullet points approximately the same length.
• Write headings and subheadings.
• Use up to three different fonts in one newsletter.
• Add emojis or other visuals if that appeals to your target audience.

Excessive wordiness

As we have previously mentioned, modern people are busy. So don’t expect them to waste their precious time on reading your long newsletters.

As the saying goes, “bravery is a soul of wit.” If you want people to read your entire message, try to express your ideas as clearly as possible and to use short words instead of lengthy phrases.

Avoid using sophisticated words, idioms, and jargon. Keep your writing simple. It will improve the effectiveness of your newsletters and help you increase the conversion rate.

Choosing bad call to actions

A well-written call to action is a key to high conversion. 

If you use bad CTAs, don’t be surprised that you haven’t accomplished your goals yet.

Estelle Liotard, an editor at TrustMyPaper, says, “If you want to achieve marketing success, you should choose CTA buttons wisely. Don’t opt for a random CTA that other companies are using. Try to understand your target audience better and find the right words to motivate recipients to complete the action.”

Here are some DO’s and DON'Ts about choosing CTAs:

• Choose the words that resonate with the recipients of your emails.
• Make sure that chosen CTA phrases are understandable to your audience.
• Each call to action can include up to three words.
• Don’t use more than three CTA buttons in one newsletter – it will confuse the recipient.
• Use a readable font.

Not adding value to the readers

Why do people open emails? They expect to find something valuable inside, like a piece of useful content or discount code. 

If your newsletters do not add any value to the readers, you have zero chances to build trust and loyalty.

Before you start writing your next newsletter, think about your customers. What wants and needs do they have? What content/rewards you should offer them to attract their attention?

Show your customers that you do really care about them, and they will become loyal to your brand.

Lack of personalization

According to statistics, 80% of consumers are eager to spend more on brands that offer a great personalized experience. 

So whether you like it or not, you should invest your time and money in newsletter personalization. You should make a newsletter’s recipient believe that the message was addressed personally to her/him.

Here are a few basic tips for you:

• Segment your email lists
• Use recipients’ names in the subject line or in the greeting section
• Send behavior triggers
• Personalize the “from” name in your emails 
• Acknowledge customer milestones (take a look at the example below)

Your customers want to feel valued and special. Your task is to find a way to personalize your message and make recipients feel like they are the one and only. Once you complete this task, you will double your marketing efforts.

Wrapping it up

Did you happen to make one of these writing mistakes from this list? Improve the quality of your emails using these tips or opt for professional writers if needed. By doing so, you'll make a good impression on your customers. It will go a long way to achieving your marketing goals and make your brand a success.