6 Proven Tips to Help You Write Sales Emails that Get Responses

Sales emails have gotten a bad rep over the last few years. Some see them as the last holdout of the truly horrible spam emails, while others believe they are the most effective way to increase their sales figures.

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Whatever the case, it has never been more clear that marketers and salespeople need to embrace a different way of writing and sending sales emails in order to make them more effective.

Why is it important to learn this? Every time a potential customer skims through their inbox, the first question they ask themselves is, “should I open this or not?” And if that question could mean the difference between a healthy paycheck or earning less, then it is vital to know what exactly makes customers want to read your email.

6 Proven Tips to Help You Write Sales Emails that Get Responses

Table of Contents

Sales Email Introduction

But your problems don’t just end after the prospect opens your email! You must then ask yourself how you can get them to respond to your sales email. This will actually determine whether or not you’ll be able to close the sale.

So, the most important concern for any cold email campaign is figuring out how to get prospective customers to both open and respond to your email. This sounds like a walk in the park, right? After all, it’s just an email!

Unfortunately – as most experienced marketers and salespeople will tell you – it’s never that simple.

By the beginning of this year, more than 260 billion emails were sent every day – a lot of which were various types of sales emails. But prospects only respond to about one percent of these. To put this in perspective, if you sent out 1,000 sales emails as part of your cold email campaign, only 10 people will get back to you.

These figures show that something has to give. The “send more emails” approach is clearly not working. Burying your prospects in irrelevant, generic pitches that lack imagination or that all-important human touch will kill your cold email campaign even before it begins.

In this scenario, the only thing that can change is how you craft your introduction sales email. If it is properly optimized to get prospects to open and respond, then you will see a drastic improvement in your sales figures at the end of every month. So, how can you do this?

Components of a Good Sales Email

Before getting into what exactly makes a sales email amazing, then you must first know how such outreach should look like. It might take a lot of time and patience to write a sales email, but the effort is certainly worth it.

An effective sales email has the following components:

1. Enticing Subject Line

The first step to writing a sales email is coming up with the perfect subject line. Research shows that the best sales email subject lines are brief, to the point, and create curiosity in the reader. After all, the main goal of any subject line is to drum up interest for what is in the rest of the email.

Avoid being too “cutesy” if you can, as this will always lead to trouble. Also, be careful when using the prospect’s name here. Many savvy email users will see this as a sign of insincere personalization and immediately send your message straight to the trash folder.

And, most importantly, never use your subject lines to mislead prospects. It might work well to improve your open rates in the short run, but this approach will only make the recipients annoyed. Prospects will never read or respond to any of your emails if they feel like they can’t trust you.

To increase your chances of success, take your subject lines on a test run before using them. You can use the A/B Test to do this. It involves taking at least 50 to 100 emails of your prospect list and splitting the addresses into two groups.

Then, send each group the same message but with different subject lines. Then, add whichever subject line that generates the highest open rates to your final list.

Here are a few examples of effective subject lines for your sales email outreach campaign:

  • (Name of mutual contact) suggested I get in touch

  • Thoughts about (title of recent blog post)

  • Questions about (prospect’s important goal)

  • Have you considered (your recommendation/opinion)

2. Interesting Opening Line

Your email’s opening line is just as important as its subject line. That is because it gives you the chance to reel in your prospect and convince them to read the rest of your email.  Instead of starting off with lame introductions, you could say something like:

  •    Congratulations on…
  •    (Name of mutual contact) mentioned…
  •    I loved your post on…
  •    I noticed that you…
  •    Saw that we both…

3. Efficient Email Copy

The main objective of your email copy is to provide value by making and connect you to the prospect. To do this, it is important to avoid generic value propositions and unfocused conversation. Every line in your email must have a purpose.

Instead, focus on answering a specific need or challenge that is relevant to the research that you already have on the prospect’s goals.

4. Strong Closing

The aim of a good closing is to give the prospect a clear call to action. Try to be as specific as possible – this will reduce the work the recipient has to do to get back to you, improving the chances of a response.

A great way to get this done is by using a targeted question that is designed to trigger a definite response. These include:

  •    Are you available for a quick X-minute call on (mention specific date and time)?
  •    Do you have X minutes to catch up tomorrow?
  •    Do you have any questions I can clear up?
  •    Have you given any extra thought to my proposal?
  •    Does it make sense for us to talk? If not, who is the best person for me to talk to?
  •    If you’re not interested, do I have your permission to close your file?

5. An Informative Signature

When writing a sales email, most people don’t think about their email signatures. But it is an important part of the whole process that shouldn’t be ignored. Instead of using it as a source of meaningless inspiration, the signature is the best place to leave prospects all your contact information. It can help you build credibility and even inspire trust, increasing the odds of receiving a reply.

Here are a few rules to help you craft the perfect email signature:

  •    Keep it short
  •    Include all your contact information, especially your phone number and website
  •    Include a link to the online profile of your choice
  •    Use black or white text – or muted colors – that are in line with your company’s branding
  •    Avoid copy-pasting images to your signature

How to Write Sales Email that Works

Before sending out any sales email, you must first answer these questions: is it exciting or provocative? Does your sales email spark the prospect’s curiosity? And lastly, is it super focused on the buyer?

If you can’t answer “yes” to any of these questions, then your email will most likely fail. A good first sales email should be:

  • Short enough for the prospect to read and respond to in under one minute

  • Focused on the prospect, instead of you, your current clients, or benefits

  • Geared towards starting a conversation, not asking for meetings

  • Without any heavy attachments or web links

In many cases, prospective clients won’t respond to your cold sales email because you are asking for a meeting right from the get-go. This approach shows that you can’t be bothered to take the time and build relationships with your customers.

In fact, every other wrong decision that you might make in the course of any sales email marketing campaign will flow from this misguided goal. Instead, your focus should be on starting a meaningful conversation with the prospect that may lead to a meeting along the way.

So, how can you translate this into actually writing great sales emails? These 5 sales email tips will help you come up with great copy that will greatly increase your chances of getting a response:

1. Keep your Sales Email Short and Sweet

In today’s business world, everyone is busy and going by the rule that time is money. So, cut the fluff! Anyone can send sales emails, but not everyone can craft messages that help you connect with the prospect and get a response in as few words as possible.

The “keep it short and sweet” mantra may be getting old at this point, but it is honestly the best advice you can get when it comes to effective sales email marketing.

The easiest way to get this done is by keeping things simple. Why don’t you try writing like you talk? Sales emails that are written in a casual, straightforward style help set the tone for future communications. Best of all, you will come off as more personable and approachable.

So, once you finish drafting your sales email, read it out loud. This will help you know if it rolls off the tongue easily or sounds like a passage from an essay. Warm up your cold emails by making it more simple and relatable.

2. Always Include a Call to Action

Needless to say, a clear call to action is the main ingredient for any sales email marketing campaign. This is because most prospects will skim through your message and jump straight to the end to figure out what you want.

So, if the closing line is too long or complex, chances are high that your call to action will lose its impact. In that case, the prospect will simply ignore or delete your message instead of responding.

A great rule of thumb to follow is to cap the call to action to just one or two sentences. It should also lead the prospect clearly and directly to the desired action and next step.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Give Deadlines

A lot of marketers and salespeople already feel weirdly intimidated by sending out cold sales emails. So the thought of including a deadline too must be downright terrifying!

But there is no need to be afraid of giving prospects deadlines. Busy people love deadlines because they help them organize and prioritize their tasks.

This may actually be your best move if they take a long time to get back to you, or you’re working on a time crunch. Adding a deadline is like dropping an anchor: it helps fix your email in time, increasing its chances of getting noticed.

That said, it is important to keep your tone light, friendly, and non-confrontational. Remember, the prospect isn’t under any obligation to respond to your sales emails. But, just in case they want to do business with you, it is important to give them a heads up that time is a factor.

For example, you could say something like this:

“I’m sure you’re busy and will want time to think about this opportunity. Since we’re working on a tight deadline, could you give me a response one way or another before Friday?

4. Use New Technology to your Advantage

Whether you choose to send bulk or individual emails, it is important to do so efficiently. That’s why the emergence of new sales email technology is always exciting. Using the proper tools could mean the difference between a successful sales email marketing campaign and a flop.

We think RooJet is the best tool for automating your outreach efforts. It helps you find the email address of any prospect that you want to reach. Apart from that, RooJet also helps you automate your follow ups and track your progress.

5. Personalize Your Damn Sales Emails!

If you want prospects to respond to your cold sales emails, they absolutely should not come off as canned messages. To avoid this, you must personalize every one of your emails to make them relevant to the prospect.

But to do this right, you must first do your research. Sending effective sales emails is all about connecting with your prospects on an emotional level. While that may seem like a straightforward ask, invoking the right emotions is actually a pretty difficult prospect. Why is that?

First, you have to know the prospect’s pain points to be able to push all the right buttons. Then, you also have to choose the right “excuse” for outreach and the right tone to get them to respond to your call to action.

So you can see why your sales emails will stink without this personalization. In fact, whether you are reaching out to thousands of leads or just a handful of prospects, creating super personalized sales emails is the only way to ensure a high response rate.

To do this, start by creating a complete buyer persona. This should include all the most important details about your target prospects. You should also pay special attention to any information about their main challenges and pain points.

You could also use LinkedIn to gain a deeper understanding of your prospect list. Randomly pick out a few names and research their profiles. Take note of how the prospects describe themselves, what skills they highlight, and the general tone that they set for their profiles. This type of analysis will give you invaluable insight into the style and message that your target prospects are most likely to respond to.

When it comes to the email, you could also inject a hint of personalization by:

  •    Highlighting a recent news item that is relevant to the prospect or their company
  •    Referring to something unique about the prospect or their company to show that you understand their competitive advantages
  •    Showing that you’ve done your homework by linking something relevant from their website or blog
  •    Finding a broken link on their blog or website and suggest a helpful change

6. Take it Beyond the Inbox

Lastly, one of the best ways to get a response is to go above and beyond the prospect’s expectations. Taking the time to do your research, personalize your approach, follow up, and generally make things convenient for a prospective customer will always pay off in the long run.

This all-or-nothing approach shows prospects that you’re serious about getting and keeping their business. So if you have to work with their schedule, take them out to coffee or lunch, or send them helpful resources for free, then do it. Taking your sales email marketing efforts is only a small but vital part of building relationships and driving up your response rates.

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Great Sales Emails Examples

Today, more and more buyers are interested in an exciting digital experience. That is why sales email marketing has risen to become one of the most effective marketing tactics in the current business world.  

While your concerns about low open and response rates may be valid, the right email will solve some of these issues for you. That is why effective sales email templates should be your best friend throughout this process.

Here are some of the best sales email templates to get you started on the right path:

• Sample 1 – Introducing Yourself

Hey (Prospect’s name),

Hope this email finds you well. I know you’re very busy with (recent development in prospect’s company), so I won’t take up much of your time. I’m sending this email to introduce myself since I enjoy connecting with new people in the (mention specific) industry.

My company, (name of your company), specializes in (highlight what you do). Because of your interest in this, I’ve always kept tabs on all the latest news from (name of prospect’s company).

If you have a chance, don’t hesitate to reach out through email. You can also connect with me via (name relevant social media channels).

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope we get the chance to cross paths in future!

Cheers,

(Your name).

• Sample 2 – The Soft Sell

Hi (Prospect’s name)

I’m (your name), the (your role) at (name of your company). Part of my job is reaching out to people in the (mention specific) industry who can give us high-quality feedback and knowledge on our services. Finding experienced pros who know the industry isn’t always easy, but I hope that you can help.

(Name of your company)’s main services include (mention specific services), all of which you might be familiar with in your position. Do you have any need for these services? Is there anything specific that would improve your chances of working with (name of your company)?

I know you’re busy, so I’ll stop here. If you have any free time this week, maybe we could schedule a quick call? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Best,

(Your name).

• Sample 3 – The I was in the Area Email

Hey (Prospect’s name),

I know you’re super busy over there at (name of prospect’s company), so I’ll be quick. I have several clients in (mention specific area) and will be stopping by to visit a few of them next week.

If you can spare a couple of minutes, I’d love to stop by your office and drop off some information on (name of your company)’s services and products.

It will be a quick in-and-out visit! I just want to stop by for a few minutes, introduce myself, and leave behind some helpful resources.

Do you have some time next week? Maybe (name one or two days) between (name specific time period)? Let me know what you think.

Best,

(Your name).

• Sample 4 – Asking for Advice

Hi (Prospect’s name),

As a huge fan of your work/website/blog for many years, I thought I’d send you a quick email to ask for some advice.

I’m in the process of (define the problem), and based on your past success in this area, was hoping you could answer a couple of questions for me:

  •    Question 1
  •    Question 2
  •    Question 3

I know these subjects cover a wide area, but I would really appreciate any advice you could give me.

Cheers,

(Your name).

Whether you want to introduce yourself to the prospect or close a sale, these email templates are the right way to go.

Templates for the Sales Follow Up Email

Sales email follow up isn’t just a good idea, but a necessary part of the outreach process. Busy people can often miss your message or get buried under a flooded inbox. So it is important to increase your chances of getting noticed by sending a few follow up emails. In fact, each follow up message can increase your response rates by 50 percent!

So, if you’re interested in reaping these benefits, here are a few sales email follow up templates that you can use:

• Sales Email Follow Up Template 1

Hi (Prospect’s name)

Just following up on my last email. I haven’t heard back from anyone on the team. If it makes sense to talk, what does your calendar look like?

If not, who is the right person for me to talk to?

Thanks for your help!

Best,

(Your name).

• Sales Email Follow Up Template 2

Hey (Prospect’s name),

I really enjoyed our chat earlier today and learning more about how you (prospect’s role) at (name of prospect’s company).  I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the problems you’re facing with (highlight challenges discussed in the earlier conversation), and how they make it harder to (mention impact to company/team).

As we agreed, I’ve attached more information about (name of your company’s) resources and how we can help you (mention main business objective) and solve (mention main business problem).

If you have any questions, just let me know! Otherwise, I’m looking forward to chatting again on (mention specific date and time).

The Final Word

Sending cold sales emails is an amazingly powerful way of reaching out to prospects and building long-term relationships.

While there is no right or wrong way to send a cold email, paying attention to certain things can make your outreach efforts even more efficient. Who wouldn’t want soaring open and response rates, right?

Follow these six tips and you will turn the tide of any ineffective sales email marketing campaign.

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