You have an email list, even a small one. You have a product. At some point you have to send an email that says "here's a thing, you can buy it." For a lot of people, that's where their stomach drops.
Most of that dread comes from the sales emails you've received. The ones with screaming subject lines, fake "RE:" tags and three emails a day. You don't want to be that guy. You don't have to be.
By the end of this, you'll have a simple structure for a sales email, a way to write subject lines that tell the truth, a schedule that doesn't burn out your list, and the basic rules every commercial email should follow.
The short version
- A good sales email says plainly what the thing is, who it's for, and where to get it, then gets out of the way.
- Subject lines should describe what's inside, not trick people into opening.
- Send a few emails about an offer, not a flood, and always make it easy to unsubscribe.
Why selling by email isn't the problem
People on your list signed up to hear from you. If you made something that fits why they joined, telling them about it is part of the deal. It's not an intrusion.
The sleaze comes from how it's done. Pressure, tricks and volume. Selling isn't sleazy. Lying, pushing and pestering are. Take those out and what's left is just an announcement.
If you want more on the writing itself, the lesson on writing like a person covers honest copy in general. This one is about the email part.
A simple structure for a sales email
You don't need a formula with a fancy name. You need five parts, in roughly this order.
1. Open with why they should care
Start with the problem or situation your product helps with. One or two sentences. Make it specific to the people on your list.
"If you've ever tried to track side-hustle expenses in a notes app, you know it falls apart by March."
2. Say what you made
Name the product and describe it plainly. What is it? What format? What's inside?
"I made a simple expense tracker spreadsheet. It has a tab for each month, categories already set up, and a summary page that adds things up for you."
3. Say who it's for, and who it isn't for
This part builds trust fast. Telling people who should skip it shows you're not trying to sell to everyone.
"It's for people with one or two small side income streams. If you run a business with employees and inventory, you'll want real accounting software instead."
4. Give the details
Price, what they get, how it's delivered, your refund policy. No hiding the price at the bottom of a long scroll or behind a click.
5. One clear link
Tell them where to go and what happens next. "You can get it here: [link]. You'll get the download right after checkout." One link, repeated once at the end if the email is long, is plenty.
Then sign off like a human. Your name. Maybe a one-line P.S. if there's something useful to add.
Subject lines that tell the truth
The subject line is the short line people see in their inbox before they open the email. It's where a lot of sleaze lives.
What to avoid
- Fake "RE:" or "FWD:" tags that pretend the email is part of a conversation
- All caps, piles of punctuation or alarm-bell words
- Vague bait like "You won't believe this" or "Quick question" when it isn't a question
- Promises the email doesn't keep
These might get an open. They also teach your readers that your subject lines lie, and they stop trusting all of them.
What to do instead
Say what's inside. Plain and specific usually works.
- "New: a simple expense tracker for side hustles"
- "The tracker is ready, and here's what's in it"
- "Last day for the launch price on the tracker" (only if it's true)
Boring? A little. Honest? Completely. And people who open it are people actually interested, which is who you want.
How often to send
There's no magic number, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. But there are sensible habits.
Keep the ratio friendly
Most of your emails should be useful on their own: tips, updates, things you learned. Sales emails should be the minority. If every email is a pitch, people stop opening them.
A short sequence for a new offer
For a product launch or a real sale, a small set of emails is plenty. For example:
- The announcement. What it is, who it's for, the link.
- A follow-up. A few days later, answer common questions or show what's inside.
- A reminder. Only if there's a real deadline, like the end of a launch discount.
After that, stop. People who didn't buy aren't customers who need convincing. Most of them just didn't need it right now.
Let people opt out of a launch
A kind move: in the first email, offer a link to skip the rest of the emails about this product while staying on the list. Many email tools can do this with a tag or a separate link. Fewer people unsubscribe completely, and nobody feels trapped.
The basic rules for commercial email
In the US, a law called CAN-SPAM sets basic rules for commercial email. What follows is general information, not legal advice. Check ftc.gov for the current details, and look into other rules if you have readers outside the US.
In broad terms, commercial emails should:
- Use honest "from" names and subject lines
- Be clear that the message is an ad or promotion, when it is one
- Include a valid physical mailing address for your business
- Include a clear, working way to unsubscribe
- Honor unsubscribe requests promptly
Most email tools add the unsubscribe link and address footer for you. Many people use a mailbox service or a business address instead of their home address. Check what fits your situation.
And only email people who actually signed up. Don't add your contacts, your old coworkers or a list you bought. That's a fast way to annoy people and get your account flagged.
Do this next
Say what it is, say who it's for, give them the link, and let them decide. That's not sleazy. That's manners.
Veteran. Gen Xer. Thirty-plus years building things on the web. I write these so you can skip some of the expensive mistakes.