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- Email Advice from A Friend - Emjae Williams
Email Advice from A Friend - Emjae Williams
Writing emails that feel like they're from a friend
Des Brown
May 15, 2025
👋🏻 Hey! New here?
Is this the start of a beautiful friendship? 🫶🏻
Hi there, friend!
Today, we’re back with another Volume from a friend of our community sharing their knowledge, freshly percolated just for you.
This week's learning comes courtesy of Emjae Williams, a content marketing strategist and expert who helps clients scale their communication and marketing (and someone who shares some fire content via her newsletters 🔥)
Emjae brings us advice that helps us stir more warm and fuzzy feelings than a freshly brewed ‘cuppa joe’ on a balmy Winter’s day, alongside your favourite new album release 🍵
Ready to make a new friend and learn in the process? Take a sip and read on!
(PS: If you’d like to catch our prior Volumes from expert guests, hit this link.)
How to Write Emails That Feel Like They’re from a Friend.
Ever opened an email that felt like it was written just for you?
It’s like catching up with a friend who knows exactly what you need to hear.
That’s the secret sauce of great newsletters - and the good news is, you don’t need magic to make it happen.
Today, I’m here to share a little more about how to write emails that connect, even when you hit “send” to thousands of subscribers.
1. Write to One Person, Not a Crowd
Imagine sitting across from a friend at your favourite café. How would you talk to them?
Emails that resonate feel personal, even when sent to a list.
Writing to one person, not a crowd, makes your email more relatable and engaging. Use natural language, skip the jargon, and write as if you’re conversing with one person.
Bonus tip: Using the subscriber’s name (when possible) makes it feel even more personal.
When I first started writing newsletters, I was intimidated. While I had experience working with big brands, blogs, and digital content, email felt completely different.
At one point, the newsletter I wrote reached over 80,000 people, and I had to share personal stories - a scary thought!
It felt like I was having therapy sessions in front of thousands of strangers.
To make it less overwhelming, I thought about who I was writing to. I pictured my newsletter audience avatar - Eden, a mom in her mid-30s working hard to grow her business so she could quit her 9-to-5 and spend more time with her family.
Whenever I wrote an email, I’d ask myself: What does Eden need to hear today? Then, I’d answer that question in the newsletter.
Try this workbook to help you create your customer avatar so you have a clear idea of who you’re speaking to in your emails and other business messages.
👇🏻
2. Start with a Hook That Feels Incredibly Relatable
Your opening line sets the tone. Consider skipping the formal introductions and dive into something relatable - a quick story, a surprising fact, or a question that makes readers think.
Think of it like breaking the ice in a friendly chat: “Ever feel like your inbox is judging you for not replying sooner?”
In Brewed by MAIA and The Weekly Pour, I often start with something that immediately grabs attention - whether it’s a quirky observation about email fatigue, a lighthearted take on a common struggle, or a personal anecdote that relates to the email's content.
A good example is an email that opened with: “Have you ever typed out an email, overthought it, and then never sent it? Yeah… me too.” Readers instantly relate, setting the stage for deeper engagement.
3. Keep It Clear, Conversational, and Quick
People often skim through emails, so it's best to keep yours easy to read.
Use short sentences and paragraphs, and break up text with bullet points or subheadings.
Write the way you’d speak - minus the filler words. It’s about being approachable without rambling.
In The Weekly Pour, I ensure that every email is structured for skimmability, a term I use to describe the ability to quickly grasp the core message.
We achieve this by using bolded key phrases, short paragraphs, and bullet points when necessary. The goal is that even a busy reader can understand the main points in under 30 seconds.
If they have more time, they’ll naturally dive deeper.
4. Add a Dash of Personality (But Stay Authentic)
Your tone should match your brand, but that doesn’t mean sounding robotic.
Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. A light pun, a quirky analogy, or a playful aside can make your emails more memorable. Just remember: a little goes a long way.
In Brewed by MAIA, I embrace a coffee-inspired voice that makes each email feel warm, engaging, and distinctive.
For example, instead of saying, “Let’s talk about email marketing strategies”, I might say, “Let’s pour ourselves a fresh cup of strategy and get brewing.”
It adds a fun, branded touch while keeping the message clear.
B2C emails tend to lack personality and come across as too ‘sales-y’, but they don’t have to!
Get instant access to a guide on how to move your readers from passively scrolling to actively buying below 👇🏻
5. End with a Call-to-Action That Feels Natural
Think of your call-to-action (CTA) as an invitation, not a demand.
Whether you’re asking readers to reply, check out a resource, or explore your latest offer, keep it friendly and clear. For example: “Hit reply and let me know what you think - no formalities needed!”
We often end emails in the 2 Sigma newsletter with a CTA that encourages dialogue rather than just clicks. Instead of “Read more here”, I might say, “What do you think? Have you tried this approach? Reply and let me know!”
This minor shift makes the email feel more like a conversation rather than just another marketing blast.
Have we just become best friends, you legend?
Emjae ☕
Keep learning from Emjae
Pull up a chair at The Content Café Ja.
I’ve freshly brewed a parting gift for you, my new friends from the Email Advice From A Friend community!
You’ll also be joining us for weekly insights served straight to your inbox.
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 | Did this feel like an email from a friend, stranger? Keep an eye on your inbox next week as we return with more email learning, tools and resources from across the email world, just for you. Your friend in email, Des💌 |
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