To make more $$$ for your clients (and yourself), here are 5 principles of human nature every email copywriter must know:
(#2 is a game-changer)
THREAD
1. Self-interest:
People are inherently selfish - they don’t care about you or your product, they care about what it can do for them.
When writing your emails:
• Make the reader the focus
• Focus on the benefits of the product
• Illustrate clearly how their life will improve
2. Curiosity:
Our innate need to close loops & make sense of the world has been the driving force of human behavior since the dawn of time.
Unfortunately, most email copywriters fail to use it properly and lose 80% of their readers before the CTA.
To use curiosity properly, here are 2 psychological triggers you can apply today:
A) Challenging beliefs
When you challenge a common belief, you create disorder in the reader's mind, which keeps their attention as they search for the explanation.
For example:
People believe that being intelligent gives them an advantage when it comes to making money.
So a subject line like “Why people with 85 IQ are making double your income” would probably crush because it directly violates what they believe to be true.
B) Creating an “information gap”
Compartmentalization is the enemy of great copy.
If the reader thinks they know what you’re going to say, they won’t click the email, let alone keep reading.
To avoid this, create information gaps in your subject line & body copy.
3. Simplicity:
The more people understand what you’re saying, the easier it is for them to keep reading & take action.
Apply this principle to your emails by:
• Editing ruthlessly
• Optimizing your message for clarity
• Giving clear instructions for what you want them to do
4. Emotional Appeals:
Humans are emotional creatures, we’re inherently drawn to anything that makes us feel something.
We’re also more likely to take action in an emotional state, which is why it’s so important for copywriters to nail this.
The 2 best ways to create emotion are:
A) Knowing your reader
When you understand what pain points/desires will trigger your readers, you can subtly weave them into your copy.
B) Storytelling
We love stories because they engage our emotions - learn to craft one properly & then use them to deliver your message.
5. Consistency:
People have an innate desire to act in a way that’s consistent with their beliefs & values.
Why?
Because it’s easier to make one decision & stick with it than to constantly reassess how we view the world.
It’s a filtering mechanism that lies deep within us all.
This is another reason why you NEED to know your readers.
When you understand what beliefs & values they hold, you can show them in your copy how buying your product is simply an extension of those beliefs & values.
(Much easier than trying to change their worldview)
These principles aren’t complicated, but they’re a lot to remember when you sit down to write an email.
So if you actually want to make more sales, I recommend either bookmarking this thread or, even better, taking notes you can refer back to later.
Flows are the highest-converting emails your brand will ever send.
Yet most brands are barely scratching the surface.
Here are 8 flows you need to be sending:
BOOKMARK THIS.
1. Welcome Flow:
Goal: Convert new subscribers into first-time customers
Tips:
- Send the first email immediately
- Start with your strongest product and top 3 benefits
- Place the offer before the first scroll ends
- Use emails 2 and 3 to answer objections and show proof
And here's a subject line you can test:
"Your 15% off code + why 34,238 people love us"
2. Abandoned Checkout Flow:
Goal: Recover high-intent customers who started checkout
Tips:
- Trigger 30 to 60 minutes after checkout is abandoned
- Include product image, price, and a clear CTA
- Keep copy short and human
- Use 2 to 3 follow-ups with increasing urgency
Email "Design" Tip:
Start with a plain-text email from a team member.
It often converts better than "branded" templates.
6 ecommerce storytelling examples you can use in your emails (that actually sell):
BOOKMARK THIS for your next campaign👇
But first, here's why storytelling matters in ecommerce:
1/ It builds emotional connection (beyond discounts) 2/ It helps customers remember your brand 3/ It differentiates you in crowded markets 4/ It makes your emails more engaging and less transactional
Use these 6 story types to drive real results:
1. The Founder Story:
Just like it sounds, this tells who is behind the brand and why they started it.
Example:
“Our founder quit her job at Google after a skin condition forced her to create a product that worked.”
When to use:
- Welcome series (Email 1 or 2)
- Post-purchase thank-you email
- Holiday/campaign emails with a personal note
Pro tip: End with a CTA that feels personal:
“Reply and tell us your story”
or
“Meet the product she created”