8 Tones of Voice in Email Copywriting (And What You Can Learn From Each)
As an entrepreneur, you need to know how to create a highly recognizable tone of voice for email marketing.
You want to stand out from the crowd in your prospect’s inbox, and attract the right kind of attention by appealing to the right kind of emotions — after all, emotions provide the incentive to subscribe or find out more about you.
Whether you’re writing everything yourself, or employing an expert to do it for you, it’s important to be clear about what kind of voice you’re going to be using. You want copy that pushes all the right buttons.
This post will reveal eight tones of voice that can be effective in different situations. Each one has its place. You can learn something from each type of writing, and use the insights to craft the perfect voice for your copy.
Which of these elements do you want to increase in your tone?
1. The Helpful Voice
Turnstyle comes across as extremely friendly and helpful. It’s an effective tone of voice to adopt, and it works in most situations. If you’re writing as a solo entrepreneur, this voice can help you connect with prospects, and let them know you’re looking out for them.
Starting with a very disarming “Hey there!” Turnstyle quickly diffuses the usual feeling of annoyance that comes with receiving a corporate newsletter. Their message is short, and they’ve managed to sound genuinely helpful.
Pro Tip: many solo entrepreneurs default to this tone, as it’s become very common in email copywriting. This isn’t a bad thing. But keep reading to find some lesser-used tones that will help you stand out.
2. The Charismatic Voice
Jack Daniels is a brand with a very distinctive tone of voice. Their entire advertising campaign is infused with that unmistakable flavor of the Deep South. With a brand like Jack Daniels, it’s acceptable to use grammar like askin’. Where other brands can use copy that is short and punchy, Jack Daniels is slow, comfortable, and rambling. There’s nothing rushed or ‘high-tech’ about it, and it’s not exactly thrilling stuff — yet after reading the email, you feel like you’re one of Jack’s personal friends.
While their email advertising campaign certainly isn’t the focus of their marketing, it does provide an excellent example of how to create a tone of voice that people will remember.
3. The Philosophical Voice
Some products appeal to a different side of people’s emotions — or should we say, they appeal to the mind rather than the emotions. The Economist‘s email campaign comes across sounding exclusive, erudite, and informed. Entrepreneurs who do a great job with this voice include Taylor Pearson and Dan Andrews.
The real message is hidden between the lines, and in a very short space it makes you feel that subscribing to the Economist will give you an insider’s insight, and set you apart from the boorish masses. It’s a subtle and refined tone of voice that really suits the brand.
4. The Unexpected, Witty Voice
Indigo & Cotton have developed a unique tone of voice in a highly competitive market: online clothing. Their short email message makes you want to continue reading because the copy is engaging, witty, and provocative. There’s nothing boring about the way they present themselves.
First of all, the heading is unusual. You know it’s about clothing, but you’re immediately intrigued by the word choice: “Handsome Things by Way of Charleston”. The first sentence grips your imagination and your interest. The punchline or Call To Action (CTA) at the end is cleverly dressed in unexpected expressions like “emporium of natty button-downs” but it’s not overdone. Although you’re intrigued, it still feels accessible.
5. The Simple, Straightforward Voice
Maybe wit isn’t your thing. With some markets, a better strategy is to keep things as simple and concise as possible.
Canva has managed to whittle down their email copy to the bare basics. There’s a simple logo, a headline, and three sentences — one of which is simply a bold reinforcement calling out to you to take the appropriate action. The entire design is refreshingly clean and minimalist — and it works for that reason.
6. The Lighthearted Voice
It’s easy to come across as too serious in email. The marketing team at jetBlue steps outside of this box, writing, “It’s probably time we had a ‘Determine the Relationship’ talk.”
They’ve cleverly provided the emotional impetus to continue your subscription, and the graphic layout makes it simple to make the desired choice. It’s clutter-free and gets to the point directly, without making you feel any pressure at all. The tone of voice is perfect for what they’re doing.
7. The Unassuming, Down-to-Earth Voice
Is it important to you to connect with subscribers as equals?
Warby Parker chose a rather ‘ordinary’ voice, and it suits their product and their kind of service better than a more flowery style. There’s no unnecessary hype or fanfare anywhere in the email, and there’s no place for pretense.
The email copy isn’t pushy or sly, and it’s not exactly inspiring either — but it doesn’t need to be. They’re selling glasses and eye tests — and there’s no need to oversell.
8. The Focused, Punchy Voice
Using short, broken sentences can create a real sense of energy and dynamism. Companies like Apple, for example, use the technique to great effect when it’s combined with sleek visuals, carefully chosen color schemes — and of course, a brand name like Apple.
But they’re not the only ones. Tesco followed suit with the example below. Striking and crisp images are juxtaposed with short, punchy lines of text. It’s a powerful technique.
It drives the message home.
It can make your tone seem commanding and focused.
You might want to try it.
Conclusion
Creating the perfect voice for your brand is more about understanding people than about understanding grammar or vocabulary. People’s emotions are powerful things, and tapping into that power is possible using the right kind of voice.
It might help to think of your brand as a person. What kind of a person is the ideal spokesman for your company? What’s appealing about that person, and why would people feel drawn and engaged? What does that person have to offer the world? Answer those questions, then simply choose words that would come naturally to that kind of person.
Whether that’s charismatic, earnest or sarcastic, friendly, fast or slow, humble or flashy — take a little time to make it truly your own. Giving any thought to this will likely make you stand out in the inbox.
How do you prefer to write emails to your subscribers? Let us know in the comments section below!
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