Writing Emails That Avoid Being Salesy

Your prospects don’t care about you. Most sales emails fail because they’re too focused on the sender’s product, company, or pitch. You have to #EarnTheRight to ask your prospects to care about you, your product, and your company. You can’t start from email one expecting them to give a heck. ***I've gotten feedback (from SDRs) that I'm being too hard on them when I say that their prospects don't care about them. If I have to be the "bad guy" to get sellers to realize selling is not about them, I will be. The emails we write need to center on our buyers, not us.*** During my How to Write Emails That Get Replies workshop, one seller had this exact realization: “I never thought about whether I’d earned the right to ask for my prospect’s time.” 📌 We reframed their approach using the Features-Advantages-Benefits (FABs) framework: FEATURE: What is it? ADVANTAGE: How does it work? Benefit: Why does it matter to the prospect? 🫨 80% of emails don't make it past feature dropping. Top sellers often talk about advantages in their emails, but they generally stop at how those features save time & money. Only the BEST sales email copywriters take the time to explain why those advantages matter to the prospect. This is top 1% shizz. If your team takes these steps, they'll be writing top 1% emails in 2025. 👉 Here’s why this shift matters: - FABs keep the focus on the recipient. Prospects need to see what’s in it for them—not what you’re trying to sell. - Benefits build trust. By solving a real problem or addressing a clear need, you create a natural path for engagement. - It’s actionable. Writing emails this way forces reps to think about the recipient’s perspective, not just their product features. How to Write Emails that Get Replies is one of my favorite Keynote decks. I am passionate about B2B outbound sales email copy. If you'd like me to share that passion and present this topic at your SKO, email me at leslie@salesledgtm.com so we can schedule a call.

I've booked over 1,000 sales calls using my "1-2 Punch" cold email strategy, and I'm going to break down exactly how it works: Here's the #1 mistake I see in cold emails: People write a 4-paragraph manifesto to prospects who've never heard of them. Product features, company history, client logos - the whole nine yards. You're basically screaming "I'M HERE TO SELL YOU!". And once you show all your cards upfront, your follow-ups have no ammo left. Instead, here's how my 1-2 Punch strategy consistently books calls: Round 1: The Jab 👊 Think of this as your feeler email. Keep it intentionally brief and spark curiosity. "Are you looking for more qualified sales calls each month?" "We can book 10 sales calls on your calendar each month on a pay-per-call basis. Interested?" These work because they're easy to reply to and don't feel "salesy". One powerful sentence is all you need to create curiosity. Round 2: The Right Hook 🥊 THIS is where you unleash everything you were tempted to put in email #1. Here's a real example that landed a $45k deal: "The reason for my email the other day is because we can book 10 calls on your calendar each month on a pay-per-call basis with personalized cold emails. We recently did this for [Company X], and they closed $25k in their first month. We guarantee a minimum of 10 qualified appointments, or you don't pay. Our average client sees a 3.2x ROI within 60 days. Would you like to discuss this approach for [Company Name]?" Perfect timing? Send your Jab on Tuesday/Wednesday morning, wait 48 hours, then throw your Right Hook if there's no response. Two more follow-ups max after that. Implementation is simple: Take your current first email, bump it to email #2, and write a short, punchy opener for your new first email. Then watch your numbers climb. Speaking of numbers: My traditional approach got a 2% meeting book rate. The 1-2 Punch method gets 8%. That's a 4x improvement simply by reordering and restructuring your emails. Real talk: This strategy works because you're playing the long game. You get two chances to connect before revealing your full pitch, and you're not coming across as desperate in email #1. Btw, what's your go-to cold email strategy?

Yesterday I had a front-row seat and gained valuable insights during a discussion with a CEO about the daily barrage of sales emails he faces Here’s what he shared about what grabs his attention—and some tips to help you stand out 🔹 Immediate value is key The first few lines must deliver something valuable. He said "If someone sent me that email, I’d be like F*** off and [dismiss it]. There's no value created in that email. Make sure your opening offers a clear benefit or useful resource 🔹 Impactful subject lines Your subject line is your foot in the door. He mentioned the need for change if there's no initial response: "If they didn't respond to the first email, then you try a different header." Make it count by being specific, intriguing, and relevant to their interests 🔹 Brevity wins: Keep your email concise. As he noted, "First sentence, you've got like 2 seconds." Busy professionals appreciate brevity. Make your point clearly and quickly Now here are some actionable tips based on these insights Value prop front and center Start your email with a clear value prop Example: "Thought you might be interested in these industry benchmarks we just released—already helping companies like yours increase efficiency." Test your subject lines Don’t be afraid to A/B test different subject lines to see what resonates best with your audience. Sometimes a small tweak can make a big difference Personalize thoughtfully Use the information you have about their business challenges to tailor your message. This shows you’ve done your homework and aren’t just sending a blanket email Let’s make their experience with our emails as positive and relevant as possible Do you have any email strategies that have worked well for you lately?

Your sales emails suck. And guess what? I know because I get 30 of them a day. I see the same mistakes over and over...the boring intros, the endless rambling, and the generic pitches that make my inbox feel like a nightmare. Want to know why? Because your email has 3 seconds to make an impression. THREE. Seconds. That's how long you have before I hit "delete" So if you’re not cutting through the noise, you’re just part of the problem. Here’s why your outreach isn’t working: 🚫 Cut the fluff, now – “Hope you’re doing well” or “Just checking in” is a one-way ticket to the trash. No one has time for that. If you don’t get to the point within the first 5 words, you’re done. ✂️ Get to the point fast – Lengthy emails are a killer. Research shows emails under 50 words see 83% more replies. That means if you're writing a novel, you’re already losing. 📚 Personalize (like actually personalize) – "I see you're in [insert job title here]”—that's not personalization, it’s lazy. Do your homework and show that you understand my specific challenges and goals. If you don’t, I’m clicking delete before you even finish your sentence. 🎯 Relevance matters more than anything – If your email isn’t directly tied to what I’m trying to accomplish, it’s not going to get a reply. I don’t need a generic pitch; I need to know how you can help me solve my problems today. 🔥 Stop the lazy copy-paste – If I can tell you’re sending the same message to 100 people, I’m out. Your outreach should feel like you’re speaking to me, not to the entire world. Personalization isn’t just a buzzword. You’ve got 3 seconds to grab attention and show value. If you’re still using the same tired tactics, you’re wasting your time...and mine. 🎤 🫳 ALSO MASSIVE SHOUTOUT to the folks using video to prospect, can say that personalized video messages get a response from me every time. I LOVE them.