3 min read

How to begin an email

Robert Davidson

November 20, 2022

What you'll learn

What you'll need

Are you struggling with how to begin an email to a client, customer, or potential business partner?

Of course you are! Otherwise you wouldn't be here.

Have no fear, we've got you covered.

In this short blog, you'll learn to write better emails. How?

By understanding the most common ones business owners deal with.

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The Introduction Email

Get comfortable with this one, especially if you're new to entrepreneurship.

Business is about relationships. It's important to develop a good system for cold outreach and introducing yourself to:

new contacts
potential partners
customers
community members

Your introduction should be short and friendly, with a link to your website.

Include a little bit about:

what you do
why your contact might find value in your business
how you can both enjoy establishing a relationship
what you'd like the recipient to do

No matter the request, your email should have a clear call to action.

The body of your introduction email should be fewer than 200 words long.

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The Thank You Email

Closed a sale?

Asking for a referral?

A thank you email is an opportunity to show the customer that you appreciate their business.

Here are the things that every great thank you email should include:

Thank them for their business

This is obvious, but it's important to get right.

Thank them for taking the time to check out your product

If you're sending an email after they've purchased something:

Make sure to mention how much you appreciate their business.

You can say something like "you're welcome" or "it's my pleasure" when they respond.

When applicable, be specific about how you've improved your product based on feedback.

Be clear about what happens next

If there are any more actions that your customer needs to take, make it clear.

Be personal.

If you know about their business or personal life, mention it in your email.

This can be as simple as asking about details that aren't related to the sale itself.

Example: "How's your son doing at baseball practice? I remember seeing him last year at Little League."

Personalize the message, use their name, and thank them for their business.

Don't be afraid to ask for referrals or future support if appropriate.

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The Difficult Response Email

There are few situations as frustrating as working with difficult customers.

Situations can arise during the sale process that could leave your customer unhappy.

When this happens, it is important to respond to them.

It can be difficult to respond to a customer who is unhappy. It's critical that you remain polite but firm about the policy or action you have taken.

A good response to a difficult customer always begins with a thank you for their message.

Make the customer feel appreciated above all.

If they are unhappy with a business decision you have made, try not to sound too apologetic.

You want to acknowledge their displeasure but explain why you made the decision.

The final part of a good email response is offering more help or information.

If possible, give options for rectifying their issue or some extra information.

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The Request or Solicitation Email

There are three main components to a good solicitation email:

1. the ask
2. the context
3. the offer

The ask is simple.

It should be clear what you want the recipient to do.

This might be to buy your product, sign up for your email newsletter, or refer friends.

When deciding on an ask, it's important to think about your audience.

If the goal of your email is to get people to try out your product:
Give them a clear reason why they should do it now.

Is there a limited-time sale? A free trial period?

Context is important because it will help you know who you'll send emails to.

Make sure you include some information about yourself or why you're contacting them.

Share any other information that might help them decide whether they want to take action.

Example: "two other people have already taken advantage of this offer"

The offer can be a discount code, free shipping, early access, and more.

The main thing is that it needs to be something that will incentivize the reader to take action now.

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Optimize your Email Subject Lines

Email subject lines are often the first thing that your recipients see. From a user experience standpoint, it is crucial to optimize your email subject lines to be catchy and relevant.

A catchy subject line will entice a recipient to open your email, while a relevant one will entice them to engage with it. If neither of these things happen, your email will probably not work.

To help you get started on writing better email subject lines, we suggest trying out our free AI-powered email subject line generator! You can also check out some additional tips for writing better email subject lines.

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