Plain-text email strategies for sales and reminders

Your fancy email template is why leads ghost you. That beautiful HTML newsletter with your headshot, logo, and "sleek design"? It screams marketing. Lands in promotions. Gets deleted without reading. Meanwhile, the LO sending plain text emails that look like they typed them this morning is getting responses. Plain text feels personal. Like you actually sat down and wrote to them specifically. HTML feels like mass marketing. Even when it's personalized. Here's what actually works: - Initial outreach to warm leads? Plain text. - Following up on an application? Plain text. - Asking for documents? Plain text. - Checking in during underwriting? Plain text. But here's the thing - even for database reactivation, you don't need fancy HTML. A simple text email with one clear link often outperforms the "professional" newsletter. "Hi Sarah - rates just dropped below 6% for the first time in months. Based on your situation last year, you might save $400/month now. Check if you qualify in 60 seconds: [link] -Tony" That's it. No design needed. The highest-responding email I've seen for warm follow-up: "Hi Sarah - I noticed you started an application yesterday but didn't finish. Was there something specific you got stuck on? Happy to help. -Tony" No logo. No banner. Just one human reaching out to another. Your leads don't want prettier emails. They want to feel like you give a damn. Save the fancy HTML for the occasional market update or holiday greeting. Everything else? Type like you talk. Send like you care. #mortgage #emailmarketing #rebeliQ

Plain text email is a hugely underrated revenue driver and most brands still aren’t using it to its full potential. If you acquiring a sizeable fresh cohort in November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday, perhaps?), December is the perfect time to re-engage, build trust, and drive repeat revenue with founder-led plain text content. Here are 5 proven email content frameworks that consistently perform and work especially well in a founder’s voice: Answer your most common customer or prospect questions. You’ll find gold in your Facebook ad comments, DMs, or support tickets. Go deep and give them clarity. Tackle objections head-on. Take the things that make people hesitate and flip them into strengths. Transparency builds trust. Talk about your differentiators. Frame the market as noisy, impersonal, and generic—while positioning your brand as the one that actually cares. A heartfelt founder update. Share what’s happening behind the scenes and what inspired you to start the business. (This only works 1x per quarter, so don’t overuse it.) Share a compelling stat or viral trend relevant to your product category. Something like: “This TikTok changed how I think about [problem your product solves].” Why is plain text so effective? It’s a pattern interrupt—higher CTRs More likely to land in the main inbox Encourages replies, which help with deliverability Replies = actual conversations with customers = insights Great copy feels like a direct line to the brain, no frills, just substance If you're not using plain text emails as part of your December strategy, you're leaving money (and retention) on the table. Make it founder-led. Make it real. And hit send.

Cold outreach can feel like a guessing game, but after sending 1000s of cold emails, I’ve learned 1 thing: Cold email success is in the details. Look at these data↓ - 16.9% of emails never reach the recipient's inbox - Deliverability on Google: 95.54% (57.8% inbox, 37.74% promotions tab) (source: Emailtooltester) Here’s my strategy to improve deliverability and boost replies in 2025: 1. Build a “Spam-Proof” Foundation Your emails are only as good as the infrastructure supporting them. Here’s what works: Authenticate Everything ↳ Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to gain inbox trust. Smart Infrastructure ↳ Rely on Smartlead'𝘀 SmartServers for a dedicated setup that avoids shared-IP pitfalls. Start Small, Then Scale ↳ Gradually warm up accounts to 50–100 emails/day. Domain Strategy ↳ Rotate campaigns across multiple domains or subdomains to stay clean. 2. Make Them Want to Open Your Email Subject lines and first impressions matter. Here’s how to make them count: Short Subject Lines ↳ Keep them under 5 words—clear beats clever every time. Personalization ↳ Mention their recent work, role, or company name in the opening line. Text-Only Wins ↳ Fancy designs get flagged; stick to plain-text emails. Curiosity-Driven CTAs ↳ Use phrases like, “Would this solve X for you?” 3. Solve Real Problems, Not Generic Ones Your offer needs to hit home—here’s how to make it stick: - Focus on one pain point that resonates with your audience. - Use data-backed proof: “Cut costs by 20%” or “Save 5 hours weekly.” - Keep your pitch straightforward: No jargon, no fluff. - Add social proof—testimonials and case studies work wonders. 4. Test and Refine Before Sending The best campaigns come from constant iteration. Run Spam Tests ↳ Catch issues before they damage your sender score. Test Placement ↳ Ensure your emails land in the inbox across Gmail, Outlook, and others. Iterate Weekly ↳ A/B test subject lines and CTAs to find what works. A Smarter Way to Scale The formula is simple: Robust setup + Irresistible offers + Strategic scaling = Cold email success. Tools like Smartlead SmartServers handle the technical side, leaving you to focus on what matters: building meaningful connections. What’s been your toughest cold email challenge?

Why Your Emails Need More 'Plain Text' (And Less Fancy Design) As a SaaS growth marketer whose business heavily relies on online traffic and email marketing, I’ve tested 10,000+ emails—and the results are surprising. HTML-heavy emails are quietly underperforming where it matters most. Here’s what the data says: 📊 Plain-text emails drive: ✔ 21% higher click-to-open rates (50K email A/B test) ✔ 17% better click-through rates ✔ 23% conversion boost for trial expiration reminders (format change only) ✔ 31% more enterprise meeting bookings in one week (client case study) Why This Works 🚀 Better Deliverability – Plain-text emails bypass spam filters and the Gmail Promotions tab 32% more often. 🤝 Psychological Advantage – They feel like a personal message, not a marketing blast. ⚡ Faster Load Times – No broken images, no rendering delays—just immediate action. When to Use Each Format ✔ HTML Wins For: Newsletters, product launches, brand-heavy campaigns. ✔ Plain-Text Wins For: Prospecting, follow-ups, high-value outreach, retention emails. Your Challenge Test it yourself: 📩 Send 500 plain-text emails vs. 500 HTML emails this week. 📊 Track open rates, replies, and conversions. 📣 Drop your findings in the comments—let’s compare real data. If you're in SaaS, every outreach email can influence revenue. Are you leveraging the right format for the right purpose? #SaaS #EmailMarketing #ConversionOptimization #ABTesting

There’s a story that unfolded in my DMs after my last #coldoutbound post. Brave sales and growth teams, battling an unknown frontier of email deliverability, stuck with legacy platforms built for 2019, not 2023. And that’s largely why I joined rift: we work with teams to get them to a place of best-in-class email deliverability & strong engagement on cold outbound email. But I know that a lot of you aren’t decision makers. You’re trying to get to goal using whatever stack you’ve already got. So after countless DMs, I put together a quick guide tailored for individual contributors. Here’s what you can do to get more emails in inboxes WITHOUT spending a dime on new tools: 1. Go to learndmarc.com and check that the domain you’re sending from has DMARC, DKIM, and SPF set up correctly. Seeing some errors? Get in touch with IT. (Seriously — do not just bring it to your manager or RevOps or ask in #sales, just go straight to IT.) 2. Keep it as plain-text as possible. Adding images can slow down email loading times and attachments often trigger spam filters. A link back to your website should be fine, so long as you… 3. Turn off click tracking! Click tracking can hurt your deliverability because the embedded tracking links and pixels can be flagged by spam filters as suspicious, potentially causing your emails to be categorized as spam or blocked entirely. 4. Do not send to unverified email addresses. I know it’s tempting to guess emails when they all have similar structures, but a bounce is the biggest way to shout to email service providers from the top of your lungs that you’re sending to people you don’t know. (ZeroBounce is best for this but use whatever you already have, even Apollo/ZoomInfo is better than nothing) 5. Send consistent volumes, Monday to Friday. This is probably one of the hardest things to do, but suddenly going from 15 emails a day to 75 is also a super obvious red flag that you are doing cold outbound. Try to stay as “flat” as possible unless you’re scaling up or down volumes due to performance (more on that next) 6. Become an engineer of your email performance. If you send 30 emails a day and get good open rates, reply rates, and low bounce rates, you can slowly (over time!) ramp up to ~50 emails a day, all the way up to ~100 if your performance is stellar. If your open and reply rates are decreasing, you need to ramp your volume DOWN. Yes. You need to SEND LESS. Tracking closely is the only way to do this. Continuing the same volumes with decreasing performance can lead to you burning your sender reputation all together. (If you’re a decision maker, you may be thinking “I’m supposed to rely on every one of my AEs and BDRs to do this manually?” – well…yeah. Or come chat with us at rift.)

Sales reps email "just checking in" an average of 5 times per day. Does this work?  Rarely. The habit of saying "just checking in" negatively impacts your sales efforts: ⇒ It doesn't add any value to the conversation. ⇒ It can come across as lazy or insincere. ⇒ By using this phrase, you miss opportunities to engage meaningfully. Here are 10 tips to stop saying "just checking in" and do something else instead: 1. Provide Value:  Instead of "just checking in," offer a useful piece of advice or a relevant resource. For example, "I came across this article that might help with your current project." 2. Ask Specific Questions:  Directly ask for the information you need. For example, "Can you update me on the status of the proposal we discussed?" 3. Share a Success Story:  Highlight a recent success that relates to the prospect's industry. For example, "We recently helped a company similar to yours achieve X. Would you like to hear more about it?" 4. Offer a New Insight:  Share a new piece of information or a market trend. For example, "I wanted to share some recent data on how companies in your sector are handling Y." 5. Suggest a Next Step:  Propose a clear next action. For example, "How about we schedule a call next week to discuss this further?" 6. Follow Up on a Previous Conversation:  Reference a specific point from your last interaction. For example, "Last time we spoke, you mentioned interest in Z. I have some additional information that might be useful." 7. Invite to an Event:  Offer an invitation to a webinar or industry event. For example, "We’re hosting a webinar on [topic] next week. Would you be interested in joining?" 8. Highlight a New Feature:  Inform them about a new feature or update. For example, "We’ve just launched a new feature that could benefit your team. Would you like a demo?" 9. Ask for Feedback:  Request their opinion on something specific. For example, "I’d love to get your feedback on our latest product update." 10. Express Genuine Interest:  Show that you care about their progress. For example, "How are things going with your current project? Is there anything I can assist with?" By replacing "just checking in" with these strategies,  you can make your follow-ups more engaging and valuable. This ultimately leads to better responses and stronger relationships. ♻️ Share this cheat sheet to help more sales reps improve their follow-up game. ______ 📌 p.s. FREE GIFT: If you’re looking to streamline sales plays across your sales team, you can click here: https://www.distribute.so/

The inbox is a battlefield. Your email’s enemy? The ‘Delete’ button. Between promotions, spam, and auto-blasted sales pitches, your email has seconds—seconds—to stand out and survive. So how do you write an email that doesn’t get sent to the trash right away? You make it personal and valuable. Here are 5 battle-tested tips to craft personalized, high-converting outreach emails: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. Ditch the “Hi, my name is…” opener. Show them you’ve done your homework. → “I saw your recent post about [specific topic]—your perspective on [insight] really stood out.” Lead with them, and they’ll be more inclined to care about you. 𝗕𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. Generic promises like “We’ll save you time and money” won’t cut it. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: → “I noticed [pain point]. We helped [similar company] achieve [specific result]. Here’s how we can help you too.” 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. Your email isn’t a novel. Busy people don’t have time to read paragraphs. → Use short sentences. → Break up text. → End with a clear ask (no more than one action). 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻—𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲. If it reads like a template, it is a template. Write how you speak. 𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: → “Hope this finds you well—saw your team’s new project, and I’m seriously impressed.” Make the ask easy to say “yes” to. Don’t overwhelm them with a big ask. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: → “Do you have 15 minutes next week to explore this? I’ll make it worth your time.” Remember this: A great email isn’t about selling—it’s about starting a conversation. Show you understand their world, add value, and respect their time. --- Follow Michael Cleary 🏳️🌈 for more tips like this. ♻️ Share with someone who needs help with their emails #sales #emails #marketing

The email that made one of our clients $8K in 24 hours had ZERO design. Plain text, sent from the founder, asking customers one question: 'What is the biggest challenge you have with staying consistent with your health routine?' That is the entire email. Soft pitch with a small discount code at the end. Subject line: 'Quick question.' This works because the inbox is trained to recognize designed emails as marketing and ignore them. A plain text email from a REAL person breaks the pattern. And the data backs it up. Plain text emails often outperform designed emails by 200% on certain campaigns. The rule we run on every account: 80/20 split. 80% designed campaigns, 20% plain text for the high-intent moments. If your last 4 sends were all designed templates with hero images, your next campaign should be a plain text email from your founder asking the list one question. Send it tomorrow and see what comes back.

Starting a cold email campaign to sell a commercial product directly? That's a bold move Especially in the B2B space where every facility manager or building owner is flooded with offers. Here’s a simple way to get your email noticed and drive sales without the fluff. 1️⃣ Go simple with text-based emails Kick off with text-only emails. Why? Because they're less likely to hit spam filters. No images, no links—just straight talk that gets to the point. 2️⃣ Personalize your message When you write to someone you haven't met, make it feel like you know their world. Mention something about their industry's safety needs or compliance challenges. It shows you’ve done your homework and you’re not just blasting out generic pitches. 3️⃣ Be careful with comparisons Thinking about comparing your product to others? It’s okay to mention how yours is different, but keep it positive. Focus on what your product does best, like "Our safety gear cuts down accident rates by 20% more than some other brands." 4️⃣ Use a simple framework Ever heard of AIDA—Attention, Interest, Desire, Action? Here's how to apply it: ◾ Attention: Grab their attention with a bold statement like, "Reduce your compliance incidents fast." ◾ Interest: Explain a bit about how your product solves a problem uniquely well. ◾ Desire: Make them want it by mentioning the benefits like cost savings or fewer accidents. ◾ Action: End with a clear call to action. Ask them to reply directly to buy or learn more. Here's an example email: Subject: Cut Down on Safety Worries with Our Trusted Solution Hi [Their Name], I see many facilities struggling to keep up with safety standards. Our [Product Name] has helped similar companies reduce accidents and compliance issues by over 30%. It’s simple to use and really effective. Interested in hassle-free compliance and safety? Just reply to this email, and I’ll get you all the details. Thanks, [Your Name] That’s it! A straightforward approach to writing cold emails that speak directly to your buyer's needs. Keep it simple, direct, and personal. P.S. It might not work with you if you are approaching your client out of the blue. Always warm your leads. Keep them engaged with your expertise either via emails or via LinkedIn posts. 

I just logged into a client's Klaviyo account (a Norwegian health brand selling wellness gadgets). What I saw shocked me: Their top-performing email each month was consistent: a long-form, plain text problem-solution email titled "Simple daily habits for pain relief." – Some context – This email doesn't push products. It simply offers 1-4 practical tips for their target audience of older adults. It’s pretty obvious why this works. You're not asking anything from the customer. You're simply providing value and helping them improve their lives. That builds trust. We've seen this work particularly well in health-related niches, but the concept can be applied broadly. A skincare brand could do "5 tips to transform your complexion." A fitness company could share "3 at-home exercises to relieve back pain." The possibilities are endless. In fact, we've seen success with a variation on this for clients who have blogs. The email teases valuable blog content, enticing readers to click through to the full post on the website. Again, it's all about delivering real value. When you consistently show up as a trusted resource, not just another company hawking products, customers naturally gravitate toward you. And the sales often follow (but that's not the primary goal of these emails). It's about playing the long game. Building relationships. Becoming a valued part of your audience's life. So if you're not already experimenting with this type of value-first, long-form email content, it's worth testing. The results might surprise you. #email #ecommerce #emailmarketing