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"How to Write a Sales E-mail First time e-mails to potential customers must be short and make it easy to move to the next step. Keyboard Tech Bubble Flickr/Rico-San 300 inShare A couple of weeks ago, I explained How to Write a Convincing E-mail. That method works when you're asking somebody whom you already know (boss, co-worker, existing customer) to make a decision. Sales e-mails--the kind you send to prospects to see if they're interesting in a dialog--are quite different. Because you don't have a relationship with the recipients, you don't have the right to put much demand on their attention. My readers have sent me over a hundred real-life sales e-mails, usually with a complaint that they're not getting much of a response (as in less than 1 percent). I'm never surprised, because most sales e-mails are way too complicated. What Doesn't Work and Why Based on my experience, almost every sales e-mail reads as follows: (Note: I've numbered each section to make it easier to critique; the numbers wouldn't be in the actually e-mail, of course.) Subject: Acme Hi [prospect name]! Hope you are well. Acme is the industry leader...[a paragraph about how wonderful Acme is.] Acme has the following products and services... [a bulleted "spray and pray" list.] Acme has served the following customers... [some big companies.] I would like to set up a 20 minute phone call to discuss how we can help you. If you need any further information, don't hesitate to call me at [number] or browse our website [website.] Sincerely, [sender's name and contact info] To understand why this type of letter doesn't get a response, let's look at it from the perspective of the potential customer: The subject line means nothing to me, so I probably won't open it. I don't know you, so the greeting rings false and the concern for my health is bogus. Why should I care about your company? What does any of this have to do with me? I'm an SMB; i