{"id":5730,"date":"2016-02-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/how-to-write-emails-that-sell\/"},"modified":"2023-07-12T17:56:40","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T21:56:40","slug":"how-to-write-emails-that-sell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.litmus.com\/blog\/how-to-write-emails-that-sell","title":{"rendered":"How to Write Emails That Sell: An Analysis of Influential Language"},"content":{"rendered":"

As part of the research that went into his 2012 bestseller To Sell Is Human<\/em>, author and speaker Daniel Pink surveyed people on the first words that came to mind when they heard \u201csales\u201d or \u201cselling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the 25 most frequently used adjectives or interjections were words like \u201cpushy,\u201d \u201csleazy,\u201d \u201cmanipulative,\u201d \u201cannoying,\u201d \u201cugh,\u201d and \u201cyuck.\u201d (I could go on, but you get the idea.)<\/em><\/p>\n

This research validates some of the experiences many people have with salesmen.<\/p>\n

But it also has an unexpected effect on marketers and salespeople, as many have become fearful of coming across as too \u201csalesy\u201d in their efforts. They\u2019ve developed defense mechanisms in the form of a more passive sales approach, avoiding words or situations they fear people will associate with a sales pitch, resulting in unfavorable responses.<\/p>\n

Other marketers and salespeople hold such findings with little to no regard. They approach their job with the level of authority they feel is needed to persuade and influence others to buy.<\/p>\n

As Henry Ford once said, \u201cIf I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Translation: I know what\u2019s better for my customers than they do. Of course, this worked for Ford, but does it actually work for most communicators?<\/p>\n

Not quite. As we\u2019ll learn, most people are turned off by the dominant sales pitch. But does that mean they\u2019re turned off by sales in general, or is there a better approach to take in our email campaigns?<\/p>\n

How do people really feel about sales?<\/h2>\n

People aren\u2019t actually afraid of being sold to. Instead, they don\u2019t like a sales pitch that takes a dominant approach for a product or service that doesn\u2019t align with their needs and interests.<\/p>\n

In his book Give and Take<\/em>, author Adam Grant details research that suggests two fundamental paths of influence: dominance and prestige.<\/p>\n

A sales pitch relying on dominance uses powerful communication\u2014a method of selling in which, according to Grant, the communicator aims to \u201cclaim as much value as possible by striving to be superior to others. They speak forcefully, raise their voices to assert authority, express certainty to project confidence, promote their accomplishments, and sell with conviction and pride.\u201d<\/p>\n

These types of pitches tend to be more brand-centric, wherein you\u2019ll read lots of \u201cI\u2019s\u201d and \u201cWe\u2019s\u201d and very little about you as the customer or subscriber.<\/p>\n

Methods which are commonly used to pitch via email. In fact, you may find them in your inbox fairly often. (Gmail users: Check your promotions tab.) <\/em><\/p>\n

Many times, the sender practicing powerful communication attempts to influence you with their credentials, like this:<\/p>\n

\"IMG_1001\"<\/figure>\n

If you couldn\u2019t get through more than a few lines of that email, believe me, I don\u2019t blame you.<\/p>\n

Other times, the sender wastes no time (or all of it, depending how you look at it) jumping right to the pitch.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_0995\"<\/figure>\n

This salesperson, writing on behalf of the company, opened with a textbook power word in describing his company as a \u201cleading\u201d provider. After that, he jumped right into the pitch with no regard for the recipient.<\/p>\n

Not ironically, this email was marked as spam and had to be fished out of a folder with many other messages just like it. Not only are these emails less effective at gaining influence, they\u2019re apt to be marked as spam and go unseen by your audience.<\/p>\n

These are the kinds of sales pitches that drive survey results like the ones we saw in To Sell Is Human<\/em>. The more you attempt to dominate an audience, the more they resist.<\/p>\n

As Grant writes in Give and Take<\/em>, \u201cEven with a receptive audience, dominance is a zero-sum game: the more power I have, the less you have.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other words, the more you try to secure dominance, the higher the risk you run of losing influence.<\/p>\n

Powerless communication<\/h2>\n

Rather than relying on dominance through powerful communication<\/em> to influence an audience, a sales pitch focused on prestige aims to earn respect and admiration through what\u2019s called powerless communication<\/em>.<\/p>\n

With powerless communication, marketers speak less assertively, express doubt, ask questions, and rely on advice from others. They\u2019re not afraid to convey vulnerability.<\/p>\n

While it seems counterintuitive, expressing vulnerability instead of certainty is more effective when it comes to influencing others. Empathy is a powerful selling tool.<\/p>\n

Whereas powerful communication is more brand-centric, powerless communication is all about being customer or subscriber-centric. In other words, it\u2019s about you. \u201cTell us what you<\/strong> think\u201d, \u201cwhat are some ways we can improve your<\/strong><\/em> experience?\u201d \u201cHere is what others<\/strong> are saying.\u201d<\/p>\n

Note there are no assumptions being made. Powerless communication is about conveying that you don\u2019t know it all.<\/p>\n

Here are just some of the ways that brands use powerless communication to sell more effectively.<\/p>\n

Tentative talk<\/h3>\n

While marketers and salespeople aiming for dominance use powerful speech, those looking to secure prestige use powerless speech.<\/p>\n

Grant classifies them as follows:<\/p>\n