How do you ensure your prospect shows up for a scheduled sales meeting?
By creating a compelling reason for them to take advantage of it! It may happen in the very first email you send, or it may take a few follow-ups.
However, when writing sales emails, you must think beyond ‘just checking in’ or ‘introducing my company.’ The goal is to capture and hold the reader’s attention. This is hard to do, especially on a large scale. That’s where sales email templates come in.
They give you a framework you can adapt for different audiences and increase the odds of closing a sale.
In this blog post, we’ll review the key elements of sales emails and how to get the most out of email templates to scale reach and revenue.
We’ll discuss:
- Essentials of effective sales email
- Top sales workflows you need to templatize
- Customizing templates for specific business needs
- Integrating sales emails with overall marketing strategy
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Essentials of an Effective Sales Email
Sales emails are meant to create value and drive the user to take action. Here are the key elements that increase your odds of success.
Subject line
The subject line is the ‘what’ of your email.
Simple, direct subject lines work best in sales. You don’t want to sound boring, but if you come across as sales-y, the reader will skip your email.
The key is to be subtle while triggering their curiosity. For example, ‘last chance for savings.’ Remember: start a conversation before you sell.
Preview text
You only have so much legroom when writing your subject line.
The preview text is perfect for adding context and showing how your sales email is relevant to readers’ needs. As with the subject line, don’t try to make it about your product yet. Instead, focus on the benefits.
Personalized greeting
Start with a simple ‘Hi.’
Sales emails don’t need to have salutations like ‘Dear.’ The first couple of lines (or hook) must speak to a pain point or offer a resource. When writing a hook, think about their goals, not yours. Also, make sure you get the name right!
Concise content
The body copy in your sales email must focus on one problem, provide specific ideas or benefits, and explain why it matters. Facts, statistics, or reviews must back any claims you make.
Clear CTA
The CTA must be concise and action-oriented as the centerpiece of any sales email. Use a single CTA per email to eliminate any confusion in readers’ minds.
It should be placed strategically within your layout and flow seamlessly from the body copy.
Professional email signature
Use your email signature to build credibility with your audience by including a short video, links to exclusive content, and more.
How EngageBay Helps With Your Sales Email Campaigns
EngageBay offers over 1,000 free templates for virtually any sales email flow across industries, from initial contact to meeting confirmations.
The templates come with text and image blocks for easy formatting and placement. Need to make changes to the design or add graphics? Use the drag-and-drop email builder.
You can also import templates from external sources and adapt them to your needs. Display issues with email clients like Outlook are handled thanks to a mobile-friendly, responsive design. You can double-check the appearance of your email across different email clients.
Need something custom? Code your own HTML template for specific use cases.
With EngageBay’s workflow builder, you can organize your templates and build triggered sequences or bulk campaigns for sales outreach. As you generate leads, EngageBay’s Sales CRM lets you automatically capture, score, and assign high-intent contacts to your sales team for follow-up.
Enhance Your Email Marketing
Boost your conversions and drive revenue with our beautifully crafted, easy-to-customize sales email templates! Just add your brand’s images, persuasive headings, and CTAs, and send high-impact, results-driven sales emails in minutes!
Sales Email Template Examples
Depending on your sales process, you’ll need to create the following email templates at the least.
Introduction sales email template
Hi [RECIPIENT’S NAME],
I’m [YOUR NAME], [ROLE] at [YOUR COMPANY]. I am writing to [REASON FOR EMAILING IN BRIEF].
At [YOUR COMPANY], we [VALUE PROPOSITION]. Check out the [RESOURCE, TESTIMONIAL] for an overview of how we’ve helped [CLIENT REFERENCE] get ahead on [BENEFIT].
Considering [URGENCY], this would be an ideal time for us to chat.
Please hit reply, and we’ll schedule a quick chat so I can better understand your needs.
[YOUR NAME]
What this template does well:
- Builds rapport using a recent event that the recipient is familiar with (LinkedIn post)
- Briefly describes the value proposition without getting into product details.
- Provides social proof
- Builds urgency
First sales follow-up template
Let’s say you have not heard back from the prospect since sending out the introduction. Here’s a template for your first follow-up two days later.
Hi [RECIPIENT’S NAME],
In case you missed my earlier email, I’m [YOUR NAME] from [YOUR COMPANY], and I have a strategy that could help you maximize your [PAIN POINT].
This would be an excellent opportunity for [PROSPECT/BUSINESS NAME] to [BENEFIT]
Interested? Let’s get on a 30-minute call, and I’ll explain everything: [YOUR CALENDAR LINK]
[YOUR NAME]
What this email does well
- Focuses on a single KPI the customer is likely interested in
- Leads with benefits, not product information
- Provides a meeting link within the email to increase the odds of a response
Second sales follow-up template
After about three days, if there’s no response, here’s a template you can use:
Hi [RECIPIENT’S NAME],
Since I didn’t hear back from you last week, I wondered if [POSSIBLE OBJECTION].
So, I’d like to [REINFORCE BENEFIT/CONFIRM INTEREST]
If not, could you [ALTERNATIVE OPTION/SUGGESTION]
[YOUR NAME]
What this email does well
- Makes an assumptive opening
- Confirms contact information as a way of gauging interest
- Closes with a question to elicit a response
Third sales follow-up template
Here’s a template for closing out our follow-up sequence:
Hi [RECIPIENT’S NAME],
A quick update: I’m in the process of closing your file at the moment.
Typically, when I haven’t heard back from someone, they are either busy or uninterested. If it’s the latter, do I have your permission to close your file?
If you are still interested, what do you recommend as a next step?
Thanks for your help.
[YOUR NAME]
What this template does well
- Creates urgency by stating ‘file will be closed’
- Ask for permission to suggest that the recipient is in control
- Asks the recipient if there’s a better way to continue the conversation, not whether they want to buy
Referral request template
Asking for referrals from existing customers requires tact and confidence:
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME],
Hope you’re doing well.
Based on your results for last quarter, I’m glad that our [PRODUCT/SERVICE] is helping you achieve [CLIENT’S GOAL]. Compared to [PREVIOUS RESULT], you’ve certainly come a long way!
Are any of your business associates or colleagues facing similar challenges that you know of? [YOUR COMPANY] would love to help.
Click this link to fill out a short referral form and claim [INCENTIVE].
[YOUR NAME]
What this email does well:
- Contrasts current performance versus the past as proof
- Includes a referral link within the email
- Incentivizes the reader to fill out the referral for
Special offer sales template
You have been nurturing your subscribers, and it’s time to pitch them. Frame your limited-time offers and exclusive deals effectively with this template:
Hi [CUSTOMER NAME],
Thank you for choosing [COMPANY NAME] for your [VALUE PROPOSITION] needs. We have a special offer- [OFFER DETAILS]. This offer is valid for [DURATION].
To redeem this offer:
- Use [INCENTIVE] at checkout on your next visit
- Be sure to make your purchase by [DATE]
- Don’t miss out on this chance to save!
Happy Shopping!
[YOUR NAME]
How to Craft Flawless Email Templates
How to Customize Sales Email Templates for Your Small Business
To stand out in crowded inboxes, your sales emails must be on brand- from the color palette and design to the formatting and font. This helps build trust with your audience and makes them more likely to click through.
However, you can adapt the voice, depending on your channel. For example, when writing for social media, you can be a bit more casual.
With a sales email, the key is to be professional, transparent, and to the point.
Another key aspect is using specific, quantifiable terms like ‘our product improves conversion rates by 20% in your body content. On the other hand, you might say ‘Don’t stress over poor conversion rates, try our proven solution’ on social media.
Integrating Sales Email Templates into Your Marketing Strategy
Sales emails allow you to engage and nurture new leads using an inbound or outbound marketing funnel.
Lead generation
Sales emails allow you to engage with prospects directly.
Generic cold emails have now been replaced by strategies like Account-Based Marketing. These leverage research to reach the right decision-makers, provide value-added content, and encourage them to sign up for your list.
Pro-tip: To increase your open rate and CTR, connect with prospects on LinkedIn before or after emailing.
Conversion
Sales emails help keep prospects engaged and improve brand recall. When the customer is ready to buy, they guide them to the right landing page or product category they may be interested in.
In eCommerce, sales emails like order confirmations, cart recovery, and promotional emails help increase average order value and drive repeat sales. This reduces the overall cost of customer acquisition.
Pro-tip: Cross-promote social media reviews and testimonials via email to build trust with your audience. The key is to use analytics data to identify what works.
Post-purchase retention
Compared to other formats like newsletters, sales emails leverage order history and preferences to share highly targeted content to engage existing customers.
Gradually, this opens the door to loyalty programs, rewards, exclusive previews, discounts, and other benefits.
While you can use analytics to get quantitative insights, customer email replies provide qualitative feedback. For example, email CTR could indicate what offers attract users across different segments.
The key is to invite them to respond using questions that connect their business needs with your value proposition.
Effective Newsletter Email Templates for Small Businesses
Tools and Software for Sales Email Automation
If you’re a small business, investing in sales email automation often comes down to cost and performance. Here are our top picks for automating your sales campaigns:
EngageBay
EngageBay is an all-in-one CRM with advanced email automation features for sales, marketing, and customer support teams. It has over 1,000 pre-designed templates for various sales flows that can be customized via a drag-and-drop builder. You can also upload custom templates to the tool.
EngageBay lets you design, schedule, track, and analyze sales email campaigns, from one place. For example, you can AB test specific design elements, optimize email send times based on time zone, and identify the best-sending frequency to avoid overwhelming them.
Its USP is that it can automate your whole sales funnel via workflows and collaboration features. For example, you can correlate email opens or unsubscribe requests to conversion rate and optimize your frequency and timing.
Key features
- Drag and drop email builder
- Email segmentation
- Dynamic content
- Affordable
- Wide range of integrations
- Reporting and analytics
Pricing
- Free: $0/mo
- Basic: $14.99 per user per month
- Growth: $64.99 per user per month
- Pro: $119.99 per user per month
HubSpot
Hubspot combines an email template builder with comprehensive scheduling and tracking features in a clean interface. The tool offers options for creating email sequences for different stages of the sales process. You can customize these based on campaign goals and audience preferences.
For example: cart abandonment and welcome emails. You can quickly scale outreach campaigns, by syncing CRM records and getting real-time tracking data.
It also lets you manage your sales pipeline more efficiently and close sales faster.
Key features
- CRM integration
- Customizable workflows
- Data analytics and reporting
Pricing
- Starter: $45/mo
- Professional: $800/mo
- Enterprise: $3,200 per month
Mailchimp
For sales teams, Mailchimp offers email templates, campaign management, and reporting capabilities.
Plus, it has an AI assistant to help you create custom templates for different sales campaigns. In addition, Mailchimp offers advanced segmentation features via its CRM platform. There’s also a website builder for quickly setting up websites.
Key features
- Wide range of integrations
- Creative Assistant AI
- Marketing dashboard
Pricing
- Free: $0/mo
- Essentials: $9.99/mo
- Standard: $14.99/mo
- Premium: $299/mo
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign lets sales teams build sales email templates, sequences, and workflows for triggered as well as bulk email campaigns.
The drag-and-drop email builder is easy to use. ActiveCampaign automates email scheduling and responses, expanding your reach and engagement.
Thanks to comprehensive analytics, you can track performance and measure the incremental difference in engagement and conversion across campaigns.
Key features
- Advanced campaign management
- Reporting and analytics
- Lead management and tracking
Pricing
- Lite: $9/mo
- Plus: $49 per month
- Professional: $149/month
- Enterprise: $258/mo
Proven Cold Email Templates to Get New Leads in 2025
Best Practices for Sales Email Campaigns
Sales email conversion rates have been the subject of debate lately, but there’s no denying that you need an effective email strategy to drive results. Here are a few tips and strategies you can use:
Use A/B testing to optimize key email elements
AB testing allows you to test different email elements to identify what works. For example, subject line variations, preview text options, mail content structure, single CTA vs multiple CTA, send time, etc. You must also test interactive elements like quizzes or polls.
This lets you pick the best content format, send time, and frequency. The result: increased opens, clicks, and conversions.
Segmentation for various audiences
Keep refining your segmentation criteria over time to unlock more sales. One way to do that is by using multiple variables for segmentation.
For example, you can segment by industry, then by job role, and further still by pain point or product requirement. If you’re starting with email marketing, you can base this information on your market research data.
Moreover, you can also ask specific questions related to these aspects on your email sign-up form.
This will allow you to segment emails and personalize them better. You can also segment subscribers into engaged, active, and disengaged categories based on how often they click on or respond to your emails.
Personalize, personalize, personalize
Go beyond basic personalization tactics like using the name and demonstrate an understanding of the prospects’ needs.
Research your target audience and ask relevant questions in your emails; the reader will be compelled to reply. This will set the tone for a deeper conversation and close a sale faster.
Measuring the success of sales emails
With the recent privacy-related changes, you can no longer consider open rate a reliable metric for sales email campaigns. CTR, conversion, bounce, response, and unsubscribe rates are the ones to watch for.
To streamline reporting, prioritize at most three metrics based on your business KPIs. Secondly, benchmark your performance against industry standards to see where you stand. However, benchmarks can vary from industry to industry, so you must use the correct data.
Next, data across campaigns will be compared, and the type of content that gets the most engagement will be identified. Compare subject lines, pre-headers, body copy, and design to find common elements. Analyze the impact of sending time and frequency on campaign performance.
EngageBay provides comprehensive insights into all these aspects.
Do a technical audit
If your emails are going to spam, do a full audit to plug any technical gaps. For example, double-check your email authentication and IP reputation.
You can use third-party tools to check this. Also, check if the links in your emails are redirecting to the right place. This includes product pages, legal disclaimers, terms and conditions, unsubscribe links, etc.
Beautiful Marketing Email Templates to Skyrocket Growth
Conclusion
As the email marketing game rules change, many small businesses are adopting a cautious wait-and-watch approach. However, success hinges on understanding customer needs better than the competition. More often than not, using multiple sales automation tools rob you of critical insights and personalization opportunities.
EngageBay combines sales email creation, scheduling, and campaign management in one powerful tool. It gives you a complete picture of your campaign status and sales performance to spot new opportunities faster and more consistently.
Sign up today to experience the EngageBay advantage!
FAQs
How do you write a marketing email example?
When writing a marketing email, the key elements to focus on are:
- Subject line: Go with a short subject line focusing on benefits and building urgency
- Pre-header text: Summarize the offer and main benefits in a single sentence
- Intro: Frame a pain point or problem statement as an open-ended question.
- Body: Use short sentences, bullet points, and sub-headers to explain the offer quickly
- CTA: Design CTA buttons in high-contrast colors and with plenty of white space for maximum visibility
How do you introduce a sales email?
To introduce yourself to a new client, focus on:
- Subject line: Use an interesting, value-based phrase or statement based on audience needs
- Introduction line: Clearly state who you are and your purpose for emailing. Build rapport using common association or interest based on your research.
- Body content: In the build-up to the CTA, focus on the benefits and be as specific as possible
- CTA: Be clear about the action you want the reader to take, using action-oriented words
- Signature: Use a professional email signature with your contact details, company name, social links, etc.
What is a formal sales pitch email?
When structuring a formal sales pitch, remember to optimize the:
- Subject line: Mention a clear benefit the reader may be interested in
- Introduction: Refer to the previous email or conversation for context and explain the benefit in the subject line.
- Offer: Provide details as bullet points and use testimonials as social proof.
- CTA: Use action-oriented words telling the reader about the next step.
- Signature: Close with a professional signature with your company name, contact details, and social links.
