Total, 100% freedom is both impossible and detrimental.
Us humans need guardrails of some sort.
Such guardrails, when set correctly, allow for increased flourishing.
It’s a fascinating paradox.
Actually, it’s fairly simple.
Choice is good, but too much choice gives us analysis paralysis.
Total, unbridled freedom mathematically means unlimited choice. Pretty hard to choose from infinite options, eh?
This same logic applies to copywriting. Copywriters use “frameworks” to beat “blank page” syndrome and maximize the ability to exercise their creativity.
For example, the “How-to” email. Tell the customer that doing X can help them achieve Y. Present your offer either as the optimal way to do X and achieve Y… or as an easier alternative to X.
(Just think about how much easier generating ideas is when the framework tells you what to put in the email.)
The email I break down below manages to cram three of these frameworks into one email (which is a sign of writing skill in itself)…
But that gives us a chance to examine several email frameworks in one convenient location…
AND just analyze a solid piece of email copy.
Keep reading for all the juicy lessons inside…
About Dry Farm Wines
Dry Farm Wines is an online wine brand that sells wine subscriptions. It focuses on low-sugar, low-alcohol wines for the health-conscious fancy grape booze enjoyer.
Dry Farm Wines was founded by Todd White, and the health angle is one of the reasons he founded it. Todd experimented with keto many years ago. He noticed that while on keto, he felt a lot worse after a glass of his favorite wines… despite drinking it his whole adult life.
He eventually stumbled upon the “natural wine” movement, which, per my research, is essentially the “organic” and “traditional” type of wine. Less pesticides, herbicides, etc.
Todd wanted to provide healthier wine options for both you and the planet. A low-sugar, low-alcohol naturally results in no (or less-bad) hangovers and allows you to enjoy a glass on a diet.
(Some of this material is pulled from this podcast. Want to cite my sources.)
Dry Farm Wines’s offers are:
- Wine memberships: There are several types. You can choose 6 or 12 bottles, delivered monthly or semi-monthly.
- Classic gift boxes: Buy wine-loving family and friends delicious wine for their birthdays or holidays.
- Olive oil: Yep, they sell extra virgin olive oil as well.
- Gift cards: Buy someone a gift card to Dry Farm.
Let me just say that their product pages are exquisite. I started craving wine while researching the Dry Farm Wines website and checking out their products. I may actually subscribe to one of their wine packages at some point.
Lesson in there.
The Email: Story + Belief Shifting + FAQ in One Neat Package
Today, we have a story-based belief-shifting FAQ email:
That’s a lot of frameworks packed into one email!
Upon first glance, it’s not long. But “stories” don’t have to be long. They can be as short as a few sentences if used properly.
You’ll also notice that the email is mostly text but offers a bit of visual flair.
I believe Dry Farm Wines used to do more “HTML/image” emails but recently shifted to this style (hey, maybe they’re reading my blog!)
This looks good.
But there’s a ton of good stuff to unpack in this short little email…
The Subject Line and Preview Text: Posing an FAQ
The subject line asks the FAQ directly, which “meets the reader where they are”.
Questions breed curiosity, which helps secure more opens.
Also, the phrasing here is nice and casual. Not “Why should I get low-alcohol wines?”… but “Why lower alcohol?”
Next up is the preview text:
“Discovering” has a bit of an “artsy” tone to it. A creative way to reinforce what the email will be about.
Interestingly, it also future-paces. It subtly tells the reader that, in the email, they will experience what it’s like to enjoy these wines for the first time.
The Body Copy
I recommend physical product eCommerce add a bit of visuals, like as follows:
I almost suggest having your logo. An image can work well if it’s good.
Dry Farm Wines’s image is excellent. A high-quality image of a glass of white with a bit of movement/splash as if someone is swirling it.
I’m no visual artist, but this image definitely sets the tone for the email. It adds a bit of class.
Next, we kick off the body copy:
Todd poses the question as you do when using a question/answer approach. The question matches the subject line to the letter, too.
I like how he follows up with another question the reader is asking — isn’t the point of wine to, you know, imbibe a bit?
Personally, I’d delete the first line since the email’s sender name is “Todd, Dry Farm Wines.” Minor point, but could shorten things a bit without sacrificing substance.
If you don’t believe me, read this chunk of copy again without the first line. You’ll see it has the same amount of substance to it.
Moving on, Todd gets into the story piece to answer the question:
That last line (after the comma) is a nice mix of benefit-driven copy and subtle positioning.
All wine makes you feel “good” in the moment for obvious reasons. But (positioning + benefit time) this wine is different — no (or reduced) hangover.
The other piece of positioning copy is the “luxury” bit of copy in the first half of that sentence. Dry Farms focuses on low-alcohol wines…
So, without mentioning the brand, Todd is seeding the idea that his stuff is a step above regular wine.
All of this is encapsulated by the broader tactic of shifting the reader’s belief. The benefits and positioning help the reader move toward a mindset that sees why low-alcohol wine is good…
Important for closing the sale.
Notice how Todd says “10 years ago.” That’s a long time… so it sneaks in some social proof. The reader gets a sense of how much experience Todd has with wine (even if that drink 10 years ago was before he started his business).
Todd continues the story:
More benefit-driven copy within the story. By making it first-person and story-driven, Todd can “show” the benefits while just flat-out telling you what they are.
Think about it: Instead of “you can keep your healthy lifestyle and workout routine”, which is a snoozefest… he’s just telling you what he experienced. So it makes the benefits much more real.
Also, I like how Todd used a specific number: 12.5% ABV. The human mind likes specificity. It craves hard numbers. This 12.5% ABV:
- Demonstrates Todd’s expertise and authority — Todd knows wines enough to confidently state a number.
- Gives the reader a benchmark of wines to look out for if they want the benefits.
- Makes the story seem more real — Todd noticed a specific detail that brought him the benefit.
Something I recently heard about is “matching the CTA with the subject line.” Todd does that here in this CTA.
Speaking of the CTA, it’s semi-implicit. It’s not telling you, “drink these wines today”… but he’s still using a verb — “drink”.
So it’s got one element of explicit CTA (an action) and one element of an implicit CTA (no “command” issued to the reader, so to speak).
Great way to inject some future pacing and visual copy.
Finally, after the signoff, we have the very bottom of the email:
“Bradley, that’s a bunch of standard boilerplate stuff!”
Well, not all of it is. I like that tiny little “Experience the night & day difference of Pure Natural Wines”. Dry Farm Wines infuses its brand voice everywhere.
I also just want to appreciate the visual elements here — particularly, the divider. Emails like this look neater with those.
And lastly, Todd has the social icons. Never hurts to throw those in at the bottom.
Takeaways
Here are some big takeaways:
1. The Copy Mechanics
Stories let you “tell” things in a “showing” manner. Todd can say, “My workouts improved, and I felt better,” which, in a non-story context, is plain old “telling” the reader the benefits.
But because Todd is telling a story, it’s more of a “showing” thing. The reader sees a concrete example of their life improving, yet Todd doesn’t have to get too flowery with his copy.
The liberal use of italics and the implicit CTA help to increase the “casual conversation” feel of this. Feels like Todd’s actually telling you a story (perhaps over a glass of wine) instead of writing you a sales email.
2. The Email Structure
Like many eCom emails, this email begins with the logo and a relevant image. That section makes up about ⅓ of the email.
In the copy, the structure goes:
- Question
- Story
- CTA
Interestingly, there’s no “segue” to the CTA. Todd’s implicit CTA allows him to cut that out without sacrificing a seamless transition to urging the sale.
3. The Overall Strategy
This email is a simple broadcast email. So the strategy here is to add a “pebble” that tips the scales toward sales.
Picture an old-school scale. One side has a rock, and on the other side, you place pebbles one by one. Each pebble represents an email. Enough pebbles tips the scale, and enough emails covering different objections makes the sale.
(Wow, I’m a poet.)
Another strategy takeaway here: Telling stories endears customers to the brand.
Dry Farm Wines becomes more than some online wine brand. It’s run by a human being with tastes, preferences, a history in the wine world, and a reason for starting his business.
That sticks in peoples’ minds far more than just telling customers why low-alcohol wines are good… or worse, running a “SALE SALE SALE” email every other day.
What to Do Next
- Get on my email list using the signup form below for more Email Breakdowns and other helpful marketing content.
- Reach out to me if you want help writing emails like this one.
- Share this post with someone who would find it helpful or insightful.
- Check out Dry Farm Wines to enjoy pure, organic, sugar-free wines! They’ve got wine subscriptions of all kinds, gift boxes for your wine-loving friends and family… and even extra virgin olive oil!