The best newsletters feel short, useful, and obvious about what to do next. Here’s a simple framework to earn more clicks without shouting.

1) Pick one goal

Every email should have a single purpose—new product, sale, blog post, or event. If you have multiple items, stack them but keep one primary CTA.

2) Subject + preheader that promise value

  • Subject: 35–45 chars, concrete benefit. Example: “Cut checkout time by 30 seconds.”
  • Preheader: Completes the promise. Example: “3 quick tweaks inside.”

3) A hero that earns the scroll

Use a short headline, a single sentence of context, and a bold button. Avoid huge images—600–700px wide, under 150KB is a good target.

4) Make it scannable

  • 1–3 short sections with subheads and bullets.
  • Buttons beat text links. Put one after each section.
  • Use real product/user images, not generic stock, when possible.

5) Write buttons that finish the sentence

“I want to…” ? Claim 20% off, See the 3 tweaks, Compare plans. Avoid vague “Learn more”.

6) Personalize lightly

Segment by behavior (viewed pricing, abandoned checkout, repeat buyer) and swap one block or the CTA to match. Small relevance boosts outperform generic blasts.

7) Design for mobile & dark mode

  • Single-column, 16–18px body text, 44px tap targets.
  • High-contrast buttons; add a 1px darker border for dark mode.
  • Choose images with transparent or neutral backgrounds.

A reusable outline

  1. Subject: Concrete benefit or offer.
  2. Preheader: Specific detail that builds curiosity.
  3. Hero: Headline (=7 words), 1-sentence blurb, primary CTA.
  4. Section A: Proof or example + CTA.
  5. Section B (optional): Tip or secondary item + CTA.
  6. Footer: Social proof, FAQs, simple unsubscribe.

Mini checklist

  • One goal, one primary CTA.
  • Short, concrete subject + preheader.
  • Buttons that finish “I want to…”.
  • Plain text fallback links for images off.
  • UTM tags on every link so you can measure clicks and revenue.

Sample button set (copy/paste)

  • Claim my discount
  • See the setup guide
  • Compare Starter vs Pro
  • Finish my checkout

Bottom line: Keep it focused, short, and clearly actionable. Most click-through gains come from clarity, not cleverness.