How do you write a sales email – without being “salesy”? 

We’ve all received that email that screams, “BUY MY STUFF!” And unless you just happen to be a raving fan who can’t wait to purchase, what do you do?

Click delete, of course. 

Sometimes you don’t even open it, let alone read all the way through. 

So how do you meaningfully connect with your audience in a way that gets them engaged with your email – and still let them know about your awesome product? 

1. You Need To Make Sure You Have A Solid Subject Line

Far too many people spend all their time on the inside of an email, sending it off with a hasty subject line. But no matter how amazing the content of an email is, it doesn’t matter if you can’t get your audience to open it. 

No matter how amazing the content of an email is, it doesn’t matter if you can’t get your audience to open it. 

How do you learn the best types of subject lines to use? I recommend signing up for the email lists of others who are in your industry. If you need, set up a different email address so that your inbox isn’t bombarded. And this way, you get a firsthand glimpse into the subject lines that really grab your attention – and those that don’t. You want to pique your audience’s curiosity and catch their eye. Similar to the first chapter (or even opening paragraph) of a book, you want to hook your audience from the get-go. 

2. In The Opening Paragraph, You Should Talk About A Story

YOUR story about the product you’re offering. You know this is a sales email, but your audience doesn’t yet. In this paragraph, keep your audience’s attention by sharing the story of what led to this product and what it did for you. Here, you’re talking about you – later, you’ll switch to talking about your audience. Then briefly introduce the solution and offer the link to it. Do not elaborate on the solution or link here; just be very nonchalant. 

3. In The Following Paragraph, You Want To Provide More Details

Turn it around and talk about them now. “Have you been struggling with ‘such-and-such’ like I was?” In essence, you’re making your audience feel that you’ve been through this, too. You can relate to them and how they feel. Then provide the link again – and again, don’t blare your horn too loudly here. When people attempt to sell us on all the benefits and features of something right off the bat, it actually turns us off. But if they offer us a product because it helped them – well, perhaps it will help us too, we think. Regardless, we’re more open to the idea. 

4. If You Have Testimonials, You May Want To Include Them Here At The End

Personally, I highly recommend this. If someone offers me testimonials on their product, I will always read them. I much prefer to hear what people say, especially when I’m considering a higher-priced item. However – don’t give so many testimonials that it’s ridiculous. For example, four pages of testimonials might be a bit much for an e-course. Don’t drive your audience away by going overboard on one aspect of your sales email. 

And there you have it! Wrap up your email with a closing statement and you’re done. When I offer a new product, I typically write three emails. The first is designed in a manner similar to what I just described. The second is framed as, “Hey, did you get my last email where I talked about such-and-such?” and usually rephrases my story, telling it in a slightly different way. The third email lets your audience know, “I promise I won’t keep talking about this, but I am so excited about it and I just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss out!” You want to offer a genuine solution to a genuine problem they have and make sure they hear about it. 

In conclusion, I usually think about the sales email process as a journey. I want my audience to take this journey, too. I want them to click the email and read it – all the way through – so it needs to catch their attention and hold it. And finally, I want to convince them that they need this solution to the problem they have. 

In conclusion, I usually think about the sales email process as a journey. I want my audience to take this journey, too

Your audience will need to follow their own unique journey. You’ll have to customize the content and length to your audience, and to the type of writer you are. Regardless, watch the analytics so that you can see what works, what doesn’t, and edit accordingly! 

You’ve got this!