Deliver what you promise when you write

Getting the right message in your headline, your title or your subject line in an email is crucial. It’s where you grab the reader’s attention.

But sometimes writers try so hard to get you to read that they shoot themselves in the foot.

Anyone  sending out an email newsletter these days is fighting against a lot of noise to get read. Which might be why Sky opted for this title on its newsletter.

My Sky week  Your guide to the channel number changes

I don’t always open these emails, but I thought this was something I might need to know so I clicked. And then I looked for those channel changes. And what did I see?

Well, not a lot about channel changes. You might not be able to see them either. They’re next to Dustin Hoffman’s face in the blue box.

I had to search for it.

The effect: I felt just a little bit misled; a little bit like I’d been tricked into opening that email.

That’s not a good way to make your reader feel.

If you’re doing email newsletters make sure your email relates quickly to your subject line.

And no matter what you’re writing: make sure you deliver on what you promise.