15 Email Marketing Tips to Increase Your Sales

I’m gearing up for a conference where I’ll be keynoting in two weeks. One of the sessions I’m leading is an expert panel on email marketing.

To help you sharpen your strategy, I’m sharing 15 practical tips to improve your email marketing—and boost your sales.

1. Value your list.

Protect it. Connect with it. Add value to it. Grow it. Too many businesses fail to collect emails consistently or engage the list often enough to keep it warm (see Tip #12).

2. Start gathering emails today.

Begin now. Don’t wait. And centralize your list in one reliable location for easier management and action.

3. Pick the right email platform for your business.

Balance ease-of-use with capabilities. Switching platforms later can be costly, so choose wisely. We and our coaching clients use everything from Mailchimp and Constant Contact to more robust tools like Infusionsoft or HubSpot.

4. Test your formats.

Plain text vs. HTML? Long form vs. short? Images vs. minimalism? Test and learn what resonates most with your audience.

5. Make your emails mobile-friendly.

More than half of emails are opened on mobile devices. Always preview your message on a small screen before hitting send.

6. Test across devices and browsers.

Use a pre-send checklist: Do all links work? Are landing pages live? Are grammar and spelling correct? Is your automation delivering properly?

7. Get a second set of eyes on it.

If another person isn’t available, at least give yourself an hour away before reviewing it with fresh eyes.

8. Test with a small segment first.

If you’re using a new format, platform, or messaging, test it on a small subset (like Gmail users) to catch any technical issues early.

9. Invest in your subject line.

Your subject line is your headline—make it count. Skip the gimmicks. A/B test subject lines by tracking open, click-through, and conversion rates. Use those results to shape future messaging, scripts, and offers.

10. Make it personal.

Write from one human to another. Avoid faceless messages from “departments” or “teams.” Connection comes from authenticity.

11. Don’t wait—send your first email now.

The #1 mistake? Waiting for the list to be “big enough” or the message “perfect.” Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time.

12. The clock is ticking on every new subscriber.

Email them as soon as possible. Engagement drops fast if you don’t make that first contact quickly. Keep your list warm.

13. Deliver value in every email.

Give them something useful: an insight, story, offer, tip, or tool. Make it relevant and make it matter.

14. Make images clickable and videos look playable.

Users are drawn to visual content. Make sure they know where to click and what to expect.

15. Reuse successful campaigns.

If a message worked well, resend it to those who didn’t open it—or repackage it for a future send. Good content has multiple lives.