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name: email-copy description: > Write marketing emails: subject lines, body copy, CTAs, personalization, A/B test variants, and compliance (CAN-SPAM/GDPR). TRIGGER when: user says /email-copy, "write an email", "email campaign", "marketing email", "newsletter copy", "drip sequence". argument-hint: "[email purpose, e.g. 'product launch announcement' or 'abandoned cart recovery']" user-invocable: true

Email Copy

Write high-converting marketing emails with optimized subject lines, body copy, CTAs, personalization tokens, A/B test variants, and full regulatory compliance. Supports one-off sends, drip sequences, and triggered emails.

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Process

Step 1 — Define Email Purpose and Context

Clarify the strategic context before writing a single word.

Input	Question	Why It Matters
Email type	What kind of email?	Determines structure, tone, and length
Goal	What should the reader do?	Shapes the CTA and copy hierarchy
Audience	Who is receiving this?	Drives tone, personalization, and content
Sending context	Cold list, warm subscribers, triggered by action?	Affects open rate assumptions and copy approach
Brand voice	Formal, casual, playful, authoritative?	Ensures consistency
Key offer/message	What is the core value proposition?	Becomes the headline and hook

Common email types and their characteristics:

Email Type	Primary Goal	Typical Length	Tone
Welcome email	Onboard, set expectations	150-250 words	Warm, helpful
Product launch	Drive awareness and action	200-400 words	Excited, confident
Newsletter	Inform, engage, retain	300-600 words	Conversational
Promotional / Sale	Drive purchases	100-200 words	Urgent, benefit-focused
Abandoned cart	Recover lost conversion	100-150 words	Helpful, low-pressure
Re-engagement	Win back inactive users	100-200 words	Personal, curious
Event invitation	Drive registrations	150-250 words	Professional, compelling
Case study / story	Build trust, nurture	200-400 words	Narrative, proof-oriented
Transactional (receipt, confirm)	Inform, reduce support	50-150 words	Clear, factual

Step 2 — Write Subject Lines

The subject line determines whether the email gets opened. Produce 5-8 variants across different psychological approaches.

Approach	Example	When to Use
Benefit-driven	"Cut your onboarding time by 60%"	When you have a clear, quantifiable benefit
Curiosity gap	"The one metric most teams ignore"	Newsletters, thought leadership
Urgency / scarcity	"Last chance: early-bird pricing ends tonight"	Promotions, events with deadlines
Personalized	"{{first_name}}, your Q3 content plan is ready"	Triggered emails, high-value segments
Question	"Is your checkout flow losing you customers?"	Problem-aware audiences
Social proof	"Why 2,000+ teams switched this quarter"	Consideration-stage prospects
How-to	"How to write proposals that close in 3 days"	Educational content, lead nurture
Announcement	"Introducing: AI-powered campaign planner"	Product launches, feature releases

Subject line rules:

• Length: 30-50 characters for mobile-first (6-10 words)
• Preview text: Write complementary preview text (40-90 characters) — it is NOT a repeat of the subject line
• Avoid: ALL CAPS, excessive punctuation (!!!), spam trigger words (free, guarantee, act now) unless contextually appropriate
• Emoji: Use sparingly (0-1) and only if it matches brand voice

Step 3 — Write Body Copy

Structure the email body using this hierarchy:

1. Hook (first 1-2 sentences) — connect to a pain point, desire, or context
2. Value / Story (2-4 sentences) — deliver the core message or narrative
3. Proof (1-2 sentences) — data point, testimonial, or social proof
4. CTA (1 sentence + button) — clear, single action
5. PS line (optional) — secondary CTA or urgency reinforcement

Copy principles:

Principle	Guideline
One email = one goal	Do not split attention across multiple CTAs unless it is a newsletter
Write for scanners	Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences), bold key phrases, use whitespace
Second person	"You" focused, not "We are excited to announce"
Specific > vague	"Save 4 hours/week" beats "Save time"
Active voice	"Download the guide" not "The guide can be downloaded"
Mobile-first	600px max width, 14-16px body font, tappable CTA button (44x44px min)
Plain text version	Always provide a plain-text alternative for deliverability

Step 4 — Craft the CTA

CTA Type	Button Text Examples	Best For
Direct action	"Start free trial", "Download the report"	Conversion-focused
Low commitment	"See how it works", "Learn more"	Awareness, top-of-funnel
Urgency	"Claim your spot", "Get early access"	Limited offers, events
Personal	"Build my plan", "Show me my results"	Personalized experiences
Social	"Join 5,000+ marketers", "See what others built"	Community, social proof

CTA rules:

• One primary CTA per email (can repeat the same CTA 2-3 times in longer emails)
• Button text: 2-5 words, starts with a verb
• Place the primary CTA above the fold AND at the end
• Use contrasting button color
• Link the CTA to a dedicated landing page, not a homepage

Step 5 — Add Personalization

Personalization Level	Example	Data Required
Basic	"Hi {{first_name}},"	First name
Contextual	"Since you downloaded our SEO guide..."	Behavioral data
Segment-based	Different copy blocks for different industries	Segment tags
Dynamic content	Product recommendations based on browsing history	Product/behavioral data
Send-time optimization	Deliver at each recipient's optimal open time	Engagement history

Always include fallback values: {{first_name | "there"}} so emails don't render as "Hi ," for contacts with missing data.

Step 6 — Create A/B Test Variants

Produce at least two testable variants. Only test one variable at a time.

Test Variable	Variant A	Variant B	Minimum Sample Size
Subject line	Benefit-driven	Curiosity-driven	1,000+ per variant
CTA text	"Start free trial"	"See it in action"	1,000+ per variant
Email length	Short (100 words)	Long (300 words)	1,000+ per variant
Personalization	With first name	Without first name	1,000+ per variant
Send time	Tuesday 10am	Thursday 2pm	1,000+ per variant
Sender name	Company name	Person's name	1,000+ per variant

Recommend the user test subject lines first (highest impact on open rate), then CTAs (highest impact on click rate).

Step 7 — Ensure Compliance

Every marketing email must comply with applicable regulations.

Requirement	CAN-SPAM (US)	GDPR (EU)	CASL (Canada)
Consent	Opt-out (can send without prior consent)	Opt-in required (explicit consent)	Opt-in required (express or implied)
Unsubscribe	Must include, honor within 10 business days	Must include, honor without delay	Must include, honor within 10 business days
Sender identity	Accurate "From" name and reply address	Identify the data controller	Identify the sender
Physical address	Must include valid postal address	Not explicitly required but recommended	Must include valid postal address
Subject line	Must not be deceptive	Must not be deceptive	Must not be deceptive
Data rights	N/A	Right to access, rectify, delete, port data	Right to withdraw consent

Compliance checklist for every email:

• Unsubscribe link is visible and functional
• Physical mailing address is included in the footer
• "From" name and email are accurate and recognizable
• Subject line accurately represents the email content
• Consent was obtained appropriately for the audience's jurisdiction
• Privacy policy is linked in the footer

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Output Format

Deliver the email copy as follows:

EMAIL: [Email name / campaign name]
TYPE: [Welcome / Promotional / Newsletter / etc.]
AUDIENCE: [Segment description]
GOAL: [Primary action desired]

SUBJECT LINE OPTIONS:
1. [Subject line] | Preview: [preview text]
2. [Subject line] | Preview: [preview text]
3. [Subject line] | Preview: [preview text]
4. [Subject line] | Preview: [preview text]
5. [Subject line] | Preview: [preview text]

A/B TEST RECOMMENDATION: Test subjects #X vs #Y — [rationale]

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FROM: [Sender name] <[email]>
SUBJECT: [Recommended subject]
PREVIEW: [Preview text]

[Full HTML-ready body copy with formatting notes]

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CTA: [Button text] → [Landing page URL or description]

PERSONALIZATION TOKENS USED:
- {{first_name}} — fallback: "there"
- [any others]

COMPLIANCE FOOTER:
[Unsubscribe link, postal address, privacy policy link]

PLAIN TEXT VERSION:
[Full plain-text alternative]

A/B VARIANT:
[Variant B copy with the tested variable changed]

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Quality Checklist

• Subject line is under 50 characters and not misleading
• Preview text complements (not repeats) the subject line
• Hook in the first sentence connects to reader's situation
• Body copy follows the Hook → Value → Proof → CTA structure
• Only one primary CTA per email
• CTA button text starts with a verb and is 2-5 words
• Personalization tokens have fallback values
• Email reads well on mobile (short paragraphs, clear hierarchy)
• A/B test variant changes only one variable
• Unsubscribe link, physical address, and sender identity are included
• Plain text version is provided
• No spam trigger words used unnecessarily
• Tone matches the stated brand voice

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Edge Cases

• Cold outreach (not marketing email): Note that cold emails have different legal requirements. CAN-SPAM still applies, but GDPR requires legitimate interest basis. Recommend keeping cold emails very short (50-100 words) and highly personalized.
• Drip sequence (multi-email): Produce all emails in the sequence with clear trigger conditions, wait times between sends, and exit conditions. Ensure the narrative progresses across emails.
• Re-engagement to inactive list: Warn that sending to a cold list risks deliverability. Recommend a small test batch first. Use a "We miss you" or "Should we remove you?" angle to get an explicit signal.
• No brand voice defined: Default to professional and conversational. Flag the assumption and recommend the user establish brand voice guidelines.
• Multiple CTAs required (e.g., newsletter): Use a clear visual hierarchy — one primary CTA, others as text links. Do not make every section equal weight.
• Highly regulated product (financial services, healthcare): Add a disclaimer review step. Flag that specific claims may need legal review. Avoid guarantees or specific outcome promises.
• Very small list (< 500 contacts): A/B testing is not statistically reliable. Recommend sending the best single version and testing subject lines when the list grows.
• Transactional email that includes marketing: Note that mixing transactional and marketing content may change the regulatory classification. Keep marketing content minimal and clearly separated.