Why We Open, Click, and Buy: The Psychology of Effective Emails
- Pei Yen Hew
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Key Takeaways:
Crafting compelling subject lines that invoke curiosity and utilising urgency triggers are crucial in driving higher email open rates.
Using impressive numbers to build trust and incorporating rhyme to make messages stick are both powerful factors that can boost your retention rate.
Emails can’t be 'cold' anymore; they need warmth and personality to truly engage readers.
Visuals and clarity matter especially in emails. Showing your speciality through images often makes a bigger impact than words alone.
Email used to be personal, at least a decade ago. Today, it’s a core part of content marketing. That’s why marketers focus not just on catchy subject lines, but also on creating content that keeps readers engaged, because a great subject line can backfire if the email itself isn’t interesting. The truth is, you don’t need to be a creative genius for every message, but how can you use psychology to send emails that actually get clicks and drive results?
6 Emotional Triggers to Boost Open Rates
Even your most loyal fans won’t open every email you send. Sometimes they happen to miss that special discount! Your email’s open rate can indicate how effective your messages are in keeping consumers aware of your latest updates and promotions. Today, we’ll categorise these emails according to the psychological principles they use, and some of them might sound familiar. Here are 6 ways to make your emails stand out without being too persuasive.
RHYME
Timeless quotes use rhyme all the time: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", "A friend in need is a friend indeed". Rhyme works like magic on our minds, making things easier to remember. You’ve probably seen rhyme in lots of advertising slogans. Here’s an example of a great promotional email from MOO with the subject line: Need a new look? Just add foil.
The fast-food chain Arby’s is also famous for its slogan, “It’s Good Mood Food,” and Fitbit uses “Every Fit Gets You Fit”. Both examples demonstrate how rhyme makes slogans memorable and easy to recall.
Urgency
Urgency sells. This is why so many emails use it all the time. Most emails use the typical “% off! Hurry! Act now!” that sounds a bit pushy to some. A better approach is to make it feel natural, such as giving a gentle nudge with “how many days left” reminders instead of a hard sell, driving recipients to act quickly on the special offer that aligns well with their needs.
You can also apply the urgency principle to cart abandonment. For example, reminding customers that their cart will expire soon or that an item is running low in stock can trigger faster action. When done subtly, it creates motivation without feeling like pressure. And always ask yourself: Does the call to action align with the copy?
Numbers attract attention
One of the most effective ways to attract attention in good emails is by highlighting numbers. This could be anything from the number of clients you’ve served to the variety of services you offer. There are all sorts of ways you can use highlighted numbers in your emails. For example:
In the Virtual World Tour email, Webflow captures attention through its vibrant design and the bold “12 events” feature, using numbers to spark excitement and give recipients a clear sense of the timeframe and progress.
Curiosity
A question or a direct statement, which one wins? Questions spark curiosity, prompting recipients to pause to imagine the answer. This principle isn’t just for content writing; it also helps boost engagement, grab attention, and get users to take action. You can always connect your email to a goal people have and make it more curious. Here’s an actual example from Cloudeasy Cyclon:
Notice how this email is filled with curious hooks. “How simple? Really simple”. This makes you read even more to find what “really simple” actually means. Effective curiosity-based messaging doesn’t just lead to a one-time interaction; it creates lasting impressions and encourages ongoing engagement with your brand.
It's not boring if it makes me feel important
Let’s be honest, people care about themselves first. So if an email calls them by name, they’re way more likely to open it without a second thought. If you have the subscriber's name, you can include it in the email. Sometimes, you can make people feel more important by simply giving them a small compliment, such as calling them wonderful, just as Grammarly did.
Start with a compliment in the headline; they then follow up on that compliment and smoothly connect it to what they have to offer. It is a great example of a subscription renewal reminder that builds trust by providing essential account information. However, one thing you want to avoid is promoting yourself immediately after giving people a sense of importance. For instance: "You're the best. And so is this deal."
From Specificity to Visual Clarity
This is a principle that’s very close to specificity. With visualisation, you use specificity to make it easy for people to visualise the product. Listing out details beyond impressive graphics could induce people to think. Here’s an example: You’re not just showing them something pretty, you’re giving their mind concrete clues to latch onto.
Suppose your product has a standout feature (for example, being ultra-thin), you can highlight it directly in your messaging, just like how reMarkable 2 positioned itself as "The world's thinnest tablet". What can really help with visualisation is getting people to picture using those items. With tattoos, just put the tattoo on their body. If your product is intended for pets, you can help with visualisation by placing the item on the dog.
Ultimately, whether it’s a cart abandonment follow-up or a newsletter nudging them toward a course, being genuine and offering real value through these six tips can turn your emails into something people actually look forward to. Do this well, and your effort won’t just pay off; it’ll start building momentum, trust and results you can feel.
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