Sales emails are the least preferred thing to see in your inbox. Competing with the ever-growing inbox of the email recipient, only a fraction of them are open. If the recipient opens them, only a few of them get a response.
So how do you stand out from the crowd and attract your prospect’s attention? How you make sure you speak to your potential client’s needs?
Below you find the five components of crafting sales emails that get responded to and ultimately generate sales.
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Subject Line
The first step that engages the recipient with your email is your subject line. If the subject line does not make the reader click, it won’t matter how good your pitch was, your email is left unopened.
The subject line is not a place to sell but to intrigue their attention. And the best way to get their attention is by writing the subject line as a real person. In this way, the reader will create a personal first impression.
Avoid including catchy slogans and capitalizing every word of the subject line as you risk losing that personal connection. Contrary, they will make your email feel like a marketing newsletter sent to thousands of people.
Aim to write subject lines such as:
- [Introduction] [your company]
- Trying to connect
- Have you considered [recommandation/solution]?
- Ideas for [their pain points]
2. Opening Line
Now that your recipient opened the email, you need to deliver the context of your subject line. Avoid talking for yourself. Instead, create a stronger connection by talking to your reader.
In general, a solid email opening needs to:
- Set the context of why you are reaching them
- Build trust and credibility
- Create a natural flow to your sales pitch
3. Body (Sales Pitch)
Before you write the sales pitch, you need to set the goal of your pitch.
- Are you aiming to book a call?
- Do you want to give them a free trial of your product?
- Is your goal to sell to them right there?
Expand your opening line by including the additional context of who you are. You can do this by:
- referencing companies that use your products or service, or
- highlighting the results of other companies from using your product.
If you ramble, you will lose their attention. So aim to clarify the problem you solve in one sentence. Consider this as a one-sentence elevator pitch. In the end, highlight the benefits that affect the recipient directly. You can do this by adding a few bullet points.
4. Closing & CTA
If you end your sales pitch without a clear-cut action the reader should take, you won’t get a reply. To avoid such a thing, create a closing that includes a call-to-action (CTA) that makes it easy for the recipient to take action.
A great sales email CTA includes:
- Dates and times if you are asking for a call
- Create simple CTA clicks for complex requests such as trying a demo
- Present three options to the recipient and ask them to reply with 1, 2, or 3.
The general rule in drafting your closing is to have a clear CTA that leaves no room for misunderstanding on which action the recipient needs to take.
5. Signature
When signing off, you should avoid cliche signatures. Adding quotes and images will distract the reader.
Aim to keep the signature uncluttered and professional. After your name, add your title and an online profile of your choices, such as LinkedIn or Twitter. The link will create an opportunity for the recipient to connect with you. Go further to build credibility by adding a relevant link that the recipient finds impressive. The links can be a press feature, an article from your blog, youtube videos, a podcast you have been featured on, etc.
When you should send a sales email
Countless studies are taking into consideration millions of sales emails that aims to answer this question. However, the answer to this question is not the same for everyone. You should analyze your data of when you send sales emails and which ones are open more often.
But among all of the studies was a general theme of sales emails performing better if they are send between Tuesday and Thursday. The best time falls in between 10 AM and 12 PM, with peak hour at 11 AM.
