Emotions are more powerful than reason; that’s a fact. The good news is you can trigger them to improve your email marketing campaign’s results. Trigger words, also called power words, can be included in your email subject lines. But read further to see what these power words are and what science has to say about their effectiveness. Learn how they can be used for your email open rates to boost.
What are trigger words?
Trigger or power words are emotionally colored words and expressions that can be used to provoke psychological reactions by activating the readers or, in this case, email recipients’ imagination. They appeal to all kinds of emotions. When it comes to using them in email marketing, they have to urge people to open their email and read it. Ideally, readers should click on the link you’ve provided or take action you want them to take, such as subscribing to your newsletter, and so on. The most difficult part of this is to attract the readers’ attention and make them curious by appealing to their emotional side through intriguing subject lines.
The science behind trigger words in relation to decision making
People consider themselves to be logical. We make thousands of more or less complex decisions every day, and when doing so, we use our rational thinking. Cornell University researchers have concluded that the average adult makes around 35,000 conscious decisions daily, with each of these decisions bringing consequences, which can be either good or bad. However, decisions can’t be made without emotions being taken into consideration, says Antonio Damasio, a Psychology, Philosophy, and Neurology professor of the University of Southern California. According to the research he conducted in 1994, emotion and the neural machinery that supports it are part of the decision-making process. You can read more about this theory in professor Damasio’s bestseller titled Descartes’ Error.
When it comes to marketing, there’s a survey conducted by Jonah Berger, who’s also a professor, but at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. This survey proved strong emotions make people want to share content. According to professor Berger, anxiety, anger, and other high-arousal emotions make people share because they activate them, kindle their fire, and drive them into taking action. The answer to the question “What are the emotions we can engage?” was given by Professor Robert Plutchik back in 1980, when he created the wheel of eight emotions, which are: joy, fear, trust, surprise, sadness, disgust, anticipation, and anger.
The most popular trigger words for email marketing
Have a look over the following ten trigger words that attract human attention and make people want to read the email containing them in their subject line and discover how these trigger words work.
Free
Among the most effective trigger words out there, “Free” works because everyone is looking to get more benefits without having to invest any of their time, effort, and money. People simply love free stuff, so it’s easy to understand why “Free” is such a powerful word in email marketing. Make sure you include a free opportunity when creating the headline of your letter. The word “Free” will make that letter more attractive and attention-worthy, and this will boost your email open rates, as well as your click-throughs. But pay attention to how you’re using it because, as a result of being overused, it can also act as a spam marker.
New
Curious by nature, people are always in search of something new. This is why they’re interested in the latest goods available on the market. Decide to use the power word “New” in the subject lines of your emails and other marketing copies you may be sending out there. It will surely get your readers’ attention and make them wonder what’s the new offer they’re being sent.
Proven
Expressions that suggest they’re evidence-based can be very powerful and work extremely well. They can help to build a good image by inspiring trust in your business. When the trigger word “Proven” is used in calls to action and headlines, it comes to confirm how efficient your approach is. However, make sure to apply it only when you can back it up with proof.
Easy
While sacrifices and hard work guarantee success, simple solutions are often preferred by many. And taking the easy path is often an option. If you decide to use the trigger word “Easy” or perhaps one of its variations such as “Easiest” in your email subject line, you are sure to convert your readers into engaged prospects more rapidly and efficiently.
Secret
As well as a result of their natural curiosity, people simply love secrets, especially if they’re suggested to be about valuable information, profit, intrigue, or exclusivity, according to the context in which the trigger word “Secret” is being used. But make sure to also satisfy your readers’ curiosity when using this power word in your email marketing campaign. In other words, if you have promoted a puzzle, then provide the missing piece in the end, too.
Because
Seeing it bears a very positive and strong connotation, the power word “Because” implies there’s an explanation or a solution to the problem. This is why it appeals the most to those readers who are looking to find answers about a certain matter.
Now
The trigger word “Now” asks for an immediate response, informing your prospects that what you’re sharing is imminently significant. Moreover, it can be very effective for boosting conversions on your time-limited offers.
Everyone
Similar to many other creatures on Earth, people have the tendency to flock. We avoid doing things for the first time, as these things may not be right. Instead, we try to follow others who do them, mostly because we don’t want to feel like lab rats for our own or others’ experiments. For example, people prefer to make profits from proven profit-earning methods instead of launching a profit-making idea of their own. So, using the power word “Everyone” in your email marketing campaign can boost your email open rates. It can also help with your conversions, as readers will be more inclined to try your approach after seeing others have done it before.
Want
All people want something. They have hopes, dreams, and desires — some about money and prestige, others about a relationship or health. By applying the power word “Want” to your email marketing campaign, you’re predetermining what people wish for and, this way, help them understand they need what you’re offering. Only when reading your email, some prospects might realize they have wanted to interact with your brand for a very long time. In other words, “Want” is very powerful when trying to suggest something.
Win
Everyone likes winning something. The emotional trigger “Win” is very similar to the “Free” one, but it implies scarcity, too. Getting things for free is easy. Winning them favors one or few over the many. So “Win” could very much convince readers to open the email you’ve sent them and ultimately use your product or service.
Final word
Use the observations and trigger words presented here in your email marketing campaign but do some research and come up with a list of emotional power words of your own, too. Use dictionaries and choose those words that are suitable for your brand message and reputation. Plenty of words can trigger your recipients’ emotions; the trick is aligning these words with your business.
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