/email-writing

name: email-writing
description: "Master email marketing from subject lines to sequences. Templates for welcome emails, nurture campaigns, sales emails, and newsletters that get opened, read, and clicked. Use when: Writing email subject lines that get opens; Creating welcome email sequences; Building nurture and sales sequences; Writing newsletters that engage; Re-engagement and win-back campaigns"
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ClawFu
  version: 1.0.0
  mcp-server: "@clawfu/mcp-skills"

Email Writing

> Master email marketing from subject lines to sequences. Templates for welcome emails, nurture campaigns, sales emails, and newsletters that get opened, read, and clicked.

When to Use This Skill

• Writing email subject lines that get opens
• Creating welcome email sequences
• Building nurture and sales sequences
• Writing newsletters that engage
• Re-engagement and win-back campaigns
• Reviewing and improving email performance

Methodology Foundation

**Source**: Compiled from Copyhackers, Really Good Emails, Val Geisler, Joanna Wiebe, and direct response email best practices.

**Core Principle**: Email is a conversation, not a broadcast. Every email should feel like it came from a person, provide value, and respect the inbox.

**Why This Matters**: Email still delivers the highest ROI of any channel ($36 for every $1 spent). But only if it gets opened, read, and clicked.

What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide | |-------------|------------| | Structures production workflow | Final creative direction | | Suggests technical approaches | Equipment and tool choices | | Creates templates and checklists | Quality standards | | Identifies best practices | Brand/voice decisions | | Generates script outlines | Final script approval |

What This Skill Does

1. **Writes subject lines that get opens** - Curiosity, value, or urgency 2. **Crafts email body copy** - Engaging, scannable, action-oriented 3. **Builds email sequences** - Welcome, nurture, sales, launch 4. **Creates newsletter formats** - Consistent, valuable, efficient 5. **Optimizes send strategy** - Timing, frequency, segmentation

How to Use

Write Subject Lines

Write 10 subject lines for:
Email type: [welcome, newsletter, sales, etc.]
Content/offer: [what the email is about]
Audience: [who receives it]

Write a Complete Email

Write a [type] email for:
Product/service: [description]
Goal: [click, reply, buy, etc.]
Recipient context: [new subscriber, past customer, etc.]

Build an Email Sequence

Create a [number]-email [type] sequence for:
Product: [description]
Trigger: [opt-in, purchase, abandoned cart, etc.]
End goal: [purchase, demo, engagement, etc.]

Audit Email Performance

Review this email and suggest improvements:
[paste email]
Current open rate: [%]
Current click rate: [%]

Instructions

When writing emails, apply these frameworks:

Subject Line Mastery

## Subject Line Formulas That Work

### Category 1: Curiosity
Create a gap between what they know and want to know

**Formulas:**
- "[Unexpected thing] about [topic]"
- "I was wrong about [topic]"
- "This changes everything"
- "Quick question"
- "Weird thing happened..."

**Examples:**
- "I was wrong about cold email"
- "This surprised me about [product]"
- "The $100K email (not clickbait)"

---

### Category 2: Benefit/Value
Promise clear value for opening

**Formulas:**
- "[Number] ways to [achieve outcome]"
- "How to [achieve result]"
- "The [adjective] way to [do thing]"
- "[Resource] inside"

**Examples:**
- "7 ways to fix your landing page"
- "Your [Month] marketing calendar is ready"
- "The lazy way to write better emails"

---

### Category 3: Personal/Conversational
Feels like it came from a person

**Formulas:**
- "Quick question about [topic]"
- "Thoughts on [topic]?"
- "This made me think of you"
- "Re: [previous topic]" (use sparingly)

**Examples:**
- "Quick question about your goals"
- "Thoughts on this approach?"
- "Made me think of you"

---

### Category 4: Urgency/Scarcity
Time-sensitive (only if genuine)

**Formulas:**
- "[X] hours left"
- "Last chance: [offer]"
- "Closing [timeframe]"
- "Before you miss this"

**Examples:**
- "24 hours left (then price goes up)"
- "Closing at midnight"
- "Last call for [offer]"

---

### Category 5: List/Story
Promise organized content

**Formulas:**
- "[Number] [things] you need to [outcome]"
- "A story about [topic]"
- "How I [achieved result]"

**Examples:**
- "3 emails that made us $50K"
- "A story about my worst launch"
- "How we fixed our churn problem"

---

## Subject Line Power Words

**Open-Boosters:**
- Quick, Fast, Easy
- New, Now, Today
- How, Why, What
- You, Your
- Free, Save
- [Numbers]

**Spam-Triggers to Avoid:**
- FREE!!! (all caps + exclamation)
- URGENT!!!
- Act now!!!
- Buy now
- Click here
- Too many emojis

---

Email Body Structure

## The Anatomy of a High-Performing Email

### Opening Line (The Hook)
- First 1-2 sentences determine if they read on
- NO "Hope this finds you well"
- Start with curiosity, story, or direct value

**Good Opens:**
- "I made a mistake last week."
- "Quick question for you:"
- "You asked for this, so here it is."
- "[Name], I noticed something about your [X]..."
- Direct statement of value

**Bad Opens:**
- "Hope this email finds you well!"
- "Just checking in..."
- "I wanted to reach out because..."
- "As per my last email..."

---

### Body (The Value)
- One idea per email (focused)
- Short paragraphs (1-3 sentences max)
- White space is your friend
- Write for mobile (52% open on mobile)
- Use bold for emphasis sparingly
- Bullets for lists

**Reading Length Guidelines:**
- Newsletter: 200-400 words
- Sales email: 150-300 words
- Welcome email: 150-250 words
- Promotional: 100-200 words

---

### CTA (The Action)
- One primary CTA per email
- Make it button or obvious link
- Tell them exactly what happens when they click
- CTA above and below lo