With the attention of marketers turning more and more toward social media sites, it’s easy to sometimes forget the tried-and-true methods of reaching out to prospective clients and customers. Email marketing is something of a lost art these days, but it doesn’t have to remain that way. Whether it’s accessed from a personal computer or a mobile device, the inbox can still be a powerful tool for turning your content into conversions. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Information Overload

It’s almost a cliche by now to point out how overloaded and overstimulated we are as a culture when it comes to information. It’s estimated that about 144.8 billion emails are sent every day. That’s a lot of information. So how do you make your content really stand out?

The answer, while not necessarily easy, is definitely simple. People eagerly anticipate emails from friends and family; as such, you’ll want to remember to address them with a conversational and respectful tone instead of like a faceless corporation. Furthermore, refer to them not as “subscribers” or “fans” – instead, give them the impression that you want to talk to them and them alone.

The Subject Line

Arguably the most important part of composing an email is the subject line. It’s your first (and often only) chance to really make an impression and compel your reader to open the email. You want to pique their curiosity by promising them something interesting. Give them the impression that if they open your email, they’ll be better informed about something.

Also consider incorporating numbers as often as it makes sense to do so. It’s easy to gloss over a wall of text, but numbers tend to draw the eye.

The Content

If you’ve managed to persuade your reader to open an email, then the real challenge begins: keeping them engaged. First and foremost, keep your email on the shorter side; write with a short attention span in mind, and edit more than once to spot places where you could use one word instead of several.

Above all, don’t use a formula. People don’t want to be reminded that they’re receiving an email that’s been sent to hundreds or thousands of people; give them the impression that they’re reading something that’s been handcrafted.

When it comes to adding links to an email, try to always link to the same page, and link often. One link simply will not do; seed them naturally and evenly throughout the email, thereby increasing their likelihood of clicking through to your site. Remember: you’re not going to score a conversion if they don’t follow your link.

The Audience

We’ll close by talking briefly about audience. As with any endeavor that requires an artful command of the English language, you want to know who you’re talking to. Are your readers well educated about the subject or are they newcomers? If you’re dealing with a professional crowd, don’t repeat facts that are already in evidence or are well known; instead, limit your content to what they don’t already know or would like to learn.

As you can see, there are some fundamental skills that go into crafting the perfect email. With just a little creativity, you can be emailing like a pro in no time at all.