It’s safe to say that sales e-mails are essential to your business. More than likely you are sending multiple messages a day to both prospects and current clients. Have you ever thought digging deeper to discover why you’re not getting a reply? While subject lines and etiquette are both important, they aren’t the primary reasons as to why you’re getting outwardly ignored.

1. They’re salesy.
   Yes, you’ve probably heard this before, but it’s the main reason. People can sniff out a sales pitch within seconds of opening an e-mail. Put yourself in their shoes, would you respond to an e-mail that is desperate or pushy? Probably not. Avoid falling into this common trap by really thinking about who you’re reaching out to. If it’s a current client, try to touch on something personal that you’ve previously discussed. Although you probably won’t have something of that nature to bring up with a prospect, keep the tone conversational—no pressure.
2. They’re too long.
   Inboxes are inundated with hundreds of e-mails a day. According to a study done by EmailLabs, readers are spending an average of just 15-20 seconds on each e-mail they open. You can’t expect your recipients to respond, let alone read, if it’s too long.  So what should the length be? Studies show that e-mails that contain 50-125 words garner response rates of above 50%. To cut down the length, determine the key takeaway from the e-mail. Also incorporate bullet points to reduce long sentences.
3.  They don’t provide anything of value.
   A list of your product’s features is nice, but is it really what a recipient will want to read? Not particularly. Instead of the features, focus on the benefits. Pinpointing how your product can help and ultimately change their lives will entice them to continue reading. Include numerical figures that can back up the benefits. Hard data will help the prospect envision how purchasing from you will affect their bottom line. You can even link to strong case studies and testimonials that include quantifiable stats.

E-mailing isn’t a lost cause. Ensuring that your e-mails don’t include any of the above common mistakes will help you avoid being ignored and fill your inbox with the right type of responses.