How to write great Sales Emails

Are All Sales Emails Rubbish? Debunking the Myth and Mastering the Art of Writing Great Sales Emails

Our inboxes are inundated with a barrage of emails daily, many of which are sales pitches. This constant flow might lead you to wonder, "Are all sales emails rubbish?"

It's a valid question, especially considering the sheer volume and often lack-lustre quality of these messages. However, dismissing all sales emails as rubbish would be an oversimplification and a missed opportunity for both businesses and consumers.

Sales emails, when crafted well, can be a powerful tool for businesses to connect with potential customers, announce new products, offer exclusive deals and build lasting relationships.

Writing a persuasive sales email can drastically improve the performance of your sales emails. So what does a good or great sales email look like?  Let's take a look at how you can write the best sales emails that actually convert.

When I worked as a B2B and B2G salesperson for US tech companies, I sometimes faced challenges when it came to arranging meetings and connecting on calls. It's true, Salespeople rely on email quite a bit to connect with customers, and quite honestly salespeople are not always the best at writing compelling emails.

Just take a look at the difference between the marketing material we use and the information customers receive from reps that has been edited to relate to the clients use case.  Sales emails can be direct, often humourless and, dare I say it  - boring! 😴

Everything changed when I adopted a new approach to my sales emails.  I realised I could do better with a touch of marketing magic.. taking a leaf out of our marketing friends book, I started to lean into copywriting skills (that are buried deep in every salesperson) 

I began to focus on crafting more engaging and emotive subject lines, compelling body text and impactful closing statements. More importantly I stopped focusing sales emails on our solutions and began to centre the email on problems prospects and customers were facing. This shift made it easier for me to initiate conversations and build stronger relationships with prospects and customers alike. 

Let's take a look at the steps you can take to improve your sales emails from AI tools to templates and examples, I'm going to cover it all.

Before we jump into "how"  let's think about the best approach to achieving our goal - getting a response! When it comes to writing sales emails, one important point to keep in mind is your prospects won't all be at the same stage of the buyers journey. Obviously you don't want to approach everyone in the same way. Some may be looking for solutions, while others may be conducting research and eager to absorb as much knowledge as possible. They require distinct approaches.

If you are writing sales emails to people you haven't had prior contact with, you may have greater response rates if you approach them as if they are in the learning category... you will soon discover if they are indeed shopping for solutions! Now we're ready to jump right in!

How to write great sales emails

If you only remember one thing from this article it should be this -

a staggering 91% of buyers thought the sales content they receive from sellers had not been personalised for them

If an email isn't personalised it's often considered spam.... and no-body wants spam emails! This statistic shows us if we take the time to write a short, personalised, relevant email that creates curiosity about solving a problem your buyer has, we are much more likely to get a response.

Let's keep this in mind as we think about what we are aiming for with our sales emails and how we can improve them.

Before opening an email, your email recipients see only four things about every email in their inboxes -

Subject Line, Preview Text, Sender, Date. That’s all. It's not much to work with. How do you catch your readers attention and get them to open your email?

Optimising every element, starting with the subject line, can improve the likelihood of your email being opened.

First impressions: Crafting Captivating Email Subject Lines

The first interaction your potential client has with your sales email is the subject line. It's the gateway that can either lead to your message being read or being ignored. Creating an impactful first impression means your subject line must be magnetic and irresistible. It should be personalised, hinting at the value contained within the email, and it should be concise yet powerful enough to spark curiosity. 

Crafting your subject line is just like working on the title of a bestselling novel. It must be intriguing  - enough to captivate your prospect - yet withhold enough to leave them wanting more.

A subject line that stands out in a crowded inbox is often the difference between a successful connection and a missed opportunity. Use action verbs, address the recipient's needs directly, and make sure the subject reflects the content of the email accurately. Testing various approaches and keeping up with trends can also help in crafting subject lines that consistently make a strong first impression.

Sales reps are quick to embrace tools that will give them a competitive advantage. Using AI to help spark creativity can be the difference between mundane and eye-catchings.  Top email subject lines lead to higher email open rates.

HubSpot AI content assistant can help you with generating email subject lines but if you're not using HubSpot take a look at other tools such as copy.ai and their email subject line generator or free to use Chatspot.ai

Psychology Behind a Winning Subject Line: What Makes People Click

Understanding the psychological triggers that lead to higher open rates can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your sales emails. People are naturally drawn to subject lines that evoke emotions, offer immediate value, or create a sense of urgency. Incorporating these psychological elements can make the difference between a recipient opening your email or skipping over it.

Research shows that people often make decisions based on emotions and then use logic to justify their choices. For more insights, check out Nancy Harhut's book "Using Behavioural Science in Marketing," a valuable resource for sales professionals.

Back to email subject lines - crafting a subject line that piques curiosity can be done by posing a compelling question or offering a teaser that prompts the recipient to seek more information.

Using social proof, such as mentioning a common connection or referencing a widely recognised brand, can also lend credibility to your email and entice the reader to learn more.

Example:

Subject Line: Note-takers, time to indulge
From: reMarkable

reMarkable speaks directly to their note-taker customers and prospects with a subtle and intriguing offer.

Anyone who loves to take notes will likely be enticed to open and see what all this indulging is about.

Words That Work: Language Tips for Higher Open Rates

The right choice of words can significantly influence the success of your email's subject line. Power Words such as 'Exclusive', 'Limited', 'Proven', and 'Free' can attract attention and encourage opens. However, it's important to avoid words that might trigger spam filters or create scepticism, such as 'guarantee', 'risk-free', or excessive use of capital letters and exclamation points.

Personalisation goes beyond just using the recipient's name. Tailoring the language to align with the recipient's industry, role, or recent events can make the email feel more relevant and personal.

A/B testing different word combinations and keeping track of open rates will help you understand what resonates best with your prospects and refine your language strategy for future emails. (Nancy Harhut covers this in her book too)

Testing and Optimisation: How to Refine Your Subject Lines for Maximum Impact

Continuous improvement is key to mastering the craft of email subject lines. A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a critical method for determining which subject lines yield the best open rates. By sending out two variations of your email to a small segment of your prospects, you can gather data on performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Tracking key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates will give you insights into the effectiveness of your subject lines. Use this data to refine your word choice, length, tone, and personalisation tactics. Remember, what worked last year or even last month may not work today, so it’s important to keep testing and adapting to the preferences of your prospects.

Top Tip - Keep the subject lines short. The shorter the better.

Now that we've covered email subject lines, let's look into the other elements visible to your recipient before they even open your email; 

Preview Text

Preview text serves as a brief introduction to your email, visible next to the subject line. You've probably never put a name to this - Gmail refer to this as “snippet” and in Outlook as “message preview.”  Preview texts are compatible with most email clients, and in most cases, they display the first line of your email content. However, if you use email services like HubSpot, you can change this text and write something that will draw the reader’s attention.

While desktop clients allow for up to 50-80 characters, mobile apps typically display less. It's advisable to keep it concise for maximum impact. When crafting your preview text, remember that not all email clients will showcase it. Therefore, avoid including crucial information that you would typically add to your subject line.

As a general rule, steer clear of making your subject line reliant on the preview text. Instead, use the preview text to provide additional incentives for your recipient to open your message.

Check out some great examples of preview text here.

Sender

SendGrid’s Global Messaging Engagement Report finds that “a recognised sender is the most influential factor” when people decide to open an email. It’s more important than the subject line, offer, content, or time of day.

Choose a sender name that’ll resonate with your prospects. Potential buyers might recognise your name better than your business name. Think about using a combination of your name and the company name as your sender - Johanne at Big Business Agency, for example.

People have an easier time connecting to a person than a brand, which is why it’s sometimes more powerful to use a name as your sender rather than a company.

HubSpot users can personalise the sender's name from the email settings. 

- Simply Click on the "From name" drop down,

and then on "add from name" you can then create the "From name" that you need!

So easy 😍

 "Writing is the process by which you realise that you do not understand what you are talking about. Importantly, writing is also the process by which you figure it out."   Shane Parrish, Farnam Street

Creating impactful sales emails can enhance your understanding of your prospects business challenges. The act of writing enables you to uncover insights (and also highlights what you don't know).

Investing time in crafting personalised sales emails tailored to your prospects is undeniably valuable when you are targeting the right prospects.

Email Body Copy

The email body serves as the platform for conveying the purpose of your outreach. While it may be the lengthiest section of the email, it should never be dull. Fill the body with specific, relevant and personalised content that is both engaging and informative. 

Your body copy should convey value by connecting your business to your prospect. Avoid generic statements. Instead, ask questions that align the research you've conducted with your prospect’s goals.

Create curiosity on how you solve their problem

Instead of starting out with your solution, it's more effective to pique curiosity by focusing on the problem, which will naturally guide the conversation towards the solution.  Include key observations and you have the makings of a great sales email.

Keep in mind that you’re speaking to a human being. Respect their time and keep your focus on value, trustworthy communication and creative storytelling.

 

When I wrote sales email calls-to-action, I learned that weak closing statements like “Let me know if you have any questions” produced poor outcomes.

Personalised offers that aligned with my company’s unique selling proposition (USP) tended to be the best way to wrap up my emails and generate positive outcomes.

Of course, it's important to consider how frequently you reach out to a client or prospect to avoid being intrusive. Closing statements present a valuable opportunity to encourage the reader to engage with you and your sales team, sign up for an event, or jump on a promotional offer.

Make it clear what you want the reader to do next and what is in it for them if they accept your offer.

The effectiveness of your closing statement is paramount in prompting prospects to take action. Regardless of how compelling your subject lines or insightful your body copy may be, failing to conclude your sales email appropriately can hinder your results.

Let’s take a look at some closing email best practices.

Wrapping Up Your Sales Email

Guide your prospects on the Next Steps

Be clear and concise when you create your call to action. You want to make it easy for your customer to respond to your offer by suggesting a quick phone call at their earliest convenience in the closing statement. Keep it simple and avoid overwhelming the reader with multiple claims or offers. Instead, invite them to a webinar,  a product trial, or a phone call. The initial acceptance can lead to more positive responses in the future.

Create a sense of urgency

Limit the timeframe within which your customer must act on your offer or use scarcity as an incentive for the prospect to act. There are often genuine reasons why a customer should act quickly, tap into these. Don't over do it, give them just enough time to address other urgent items on their calendar.

Make it clear how your offer benefits your customer

What's In It for Me? That's what your prospects and customers will be thinking about. What benefits can they expect from accepting your offer? Your closing statement really needs to clearly outline the advantages for their company in purchasing your products or services.

Personalise the offer to your client or prospect

Prospects and customers like to feel like the companies they do business with know them and understand their needs. A recent HubSpot survey found that 94% of salespeople say personalisation increases sales, and 96% say it increases the likelihood of a customer returning to make another purchase.

Lean into personalisation by taking time to craft something that resonates with your prospect, a personalised email needs to go well beyond using a first name or company name in an email!

Provide evidence that your offer delivers on its promises

Using real-life success stories and client feedback can effectively wrap up your email, alleviating any doubts or hesitations your potential client may have regarding the benefits and results of accepting your offer.

Ask a question in your closing

Posing a question in the closing may encourage the recipient to respond affirmatively, potentially resulting in further positive responses - whether it's accepting your proposal or raising an objection for you to address.

Use technology to simplify the process

Grammarly not only does a great job with spelling and grammar, they now also have a free AI writing tool. No matter how well written your email is, there are times when a video can cut through the noise and help you make a real connection with your prospect. It's a no-brainer to include videos in your sales emails and there are a heap of options out there like Zoom, Loom, Vidyard and lots more. (Choose one that integrates with your CRM and email.)

Free tools like the HubSpot Meetings and Appointment Scheduling app integrate quickly and easily with your calendar (no tech support required). Making these changes will make it easy for your prospects and customers to book a time to meet or to have a call with you.

Event landing pages enable the reader to sign up for your event, and configure price quote (CPQ) tools make it easy for sales reps to create a custom product bundle to send a personalised offer for each email.

If you’re looking for broader sales software, HubSpot Sales Hub is a great option.

Embrace AI to help you stay ahead. At a minimum you should be using AI to help research your prospects. Of course, AI can come to your rescue, generating a first draft of your sales email in those moments when your creativity (or caffeine) levels dip!

Leverage a strong, clear email signature

Ensure your email signature is clear and informative, making it effortless for prospects to identify and reach out to you with all the necessary details. HubSpot’s email signature generator has some great free templates you can use to get started.

Timing

Consider timing your email strategically. Look out for opportune moments such as when the company secures funding, makes an acquisition, undergoes leadership changes, launches a new product, or when the recipient receives a promotion.

Other aspects related to timing  - generally speaking, it's best to avoid sending emails on a weekend.  Make sure you check the local time for the recipient and arrange to send your email within their time zone's business hours. 

Track Email Performance

You can send hundreds of emails a day, but if you aren’t able to track their performance, there’s no way you can tell how they’re actually doing. Tracking is key so that you can get an idea of what’s working, and more importantly, what isn’t working.

Tracking the performance of your sales email will also tell you the clickthrough rates, conversion rates, bounce rates, forwarding rates, open rates, and more. These are all very valuable metrics to know when it comes to email marketing so that you can make sure your emails are performing the way you want them to be.

Send follow-up emails

If there is no reply at first, there's no need to worry. It's very common, which is why it's important to send follow-up emails. Remember, your follow-up emails should be just as personalised and valuable as your initial email.

Sales Email Templates

Sales email templates are the next priority once you have a good framework for your sales emails nailed down. Maybe you've avoided using sales email templates because you think they're too rigid or just don't work for you. Maybe you have a few on hand that you use every day or you're still figuring out what works for you. No matter which group you belong to, we have plenty of tips to keep you on track with your sales emails, so keep reading!

When you create a sales email that receives a positive response, you'll want to re-use it. It makes sense to turn it into a Sales Template. From first touch to follow up and break up emails... there is a huge variety of sales emails you can include in your email template library.  A handful of sales email templates will not cover every scenario, so take time to carefully curate the sales email templates that work for your business and build your template library into a valuable asset.

The most effective templates are those that are used as helpful guides/prompts. Avoid making them overly rigid. We all want to save time, but don't be tempted to cut corners with your emails. Carefully customise each sales email using your templates as a starting point to produce an email that is relevant for your prospect and their specific use case. Build a variety of sales email templates including;

• introduction
• referral introduction
• inbound sales
• outbound sales
• follow up
• break-up

Example Sales Email 1

Hi John,

Just left a quick message at the office for you.

First and foremost, congrats on coming into this new role! I'm sure you've got a lot going on — so this conversation might be timely or not. If you're stressed, this is my go-to :)

My role here is working with businesses on how they can [PURPOSE OF COMPANY].

How has your first month kicked off so far in this regard?

Example Sales Email 2

Harry

Here's something we didn't get time to cover in the Qualification Methods webinar today.

It's four questions we use to uncover if the prospect is a good fit and their readiness to buy.

Not sure if your team have challenges with qualifying deals ... but if the "4 questions" helps, I can share more.

Anyhow, thanks for joining today.

PS have you already seen our Qualification Guide?

Luckily for you, there's no need to start from scratch for every sales email you write-  I have included a link below to 50 sales email templates that will get your creative juices flowing! 

Good luck and happy selling my friends!!

50 Tried and Tested Sales Email Templates!

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