Let’s be honest—everyone appreciates a good deal, but no one enjoys being overwhelmed with emails that simply push products.

In this article, we’re ditching the usual advice and diving into what actually makes an offer irresistible and how to communicate it effectively to minimize customer churn. After all, for a sales promotion email to catch the eye, you need to do more than just throw one together and expect to get results.

We’ll also look at some great promotional email examples, and share key insights into crafting emails that resonate with your recipients and keep them far from the spam button. 

What Are Promotional Emails?

Sales promotion emails, also known as promotional or promo emails, are exactly what they sound like: marketing emails sent to your audience—whether they’re customers, leads, or subscribers—with the purpose of encouraging purchase by highlighting special offers, discounts, or products.

You can send email promos for a variety of occasions, but to maximize those conversion rates, consider aligning them with the stages of your customer’s journey. 

Based on your customer’s current stage, you can send:

• Welcome promo codes, one-month free trials, or limited-time offers (consideration)
• Abandoned cart reminders, exclusive discounts, or flash sales (decision)
• Back-in-stock alerts, product launch announcements, or personalized product recommendations (upsell and cross-sell)
• Milestone celebration discounts, VIP offers, or seasonal and holiday promotions (loyalty)

How to Write the Perfect Promotional Email

You can’t skip essentials like using high-quality images, creating a sense of urgency, and including clear calls to action when crafting your sales email. However, there are additional tricks you can use to make your offer irresistible.

1. Write Catchy but Clear Subject Line

Did you know that 47% of emails are opened  solely based on the subject line? With this in mind, make sure yours stand out by clearly highlighting the offer or benefit for your subscriber. For instance, the subject line “Exclusive Offer: 20% Off Only for Our New Customers” grabs attention, sets clear expectations, and is more likely to prompt opens than a vague line like “Socks on Discount.”

Additionally, keep your subject lines short—no more than 50 characters long—and simple, as overly clever or complicated ones often get overlooked.

Finally, strive to be catchy, conversational, and compelling, but be cautious of spam-trigger words like “100% free,” “guaranteed,” or “urgent,” as they could send your email straight to the spam folder. 

2. Use Preheader Text to Back Up Your Subject Line

Before opening an email, your subscribers see three key pieces of information: the sender name, subject line, and preheader text (which is sometimes called preview text). So, if your subject line didn’t steal the show, you’ve still got a shot to make an impression with the preheader!

The preheader is a brief snippet of text that follows the subject line in the inbox. Though only 30-80 characters long, this small piece of text can be the deciding factor in whether someone opens your email. Therefore, avoid repeating the same message as your subject line, as it would be a waste of space and might create the perception that your brand is lazy or sloppy.

Some best practices when it comes to your preheader include: 

• Incorporating a call to action (CTA)

• Expanding on the offer

• Using FOMO (fear of missing out)

However, if you can’t decide what you’d like to add, lucky for you—most email providers will automatically pull the first 40-50 characters from your email. Just make sure those opening words are action-driven and give your readers a reason to dive in further!

3. Create a Sense of Urgency

Creating a sense of urgency in your sales promotion emails is a powerful tactic to compel readers to act fast. The psychological principle behind this is simple—consumers tend to place a higher value on opportunities that are available for a limited time. 

To effectively create this sense of urgency, use time-sensitive language in both your email copy and CTA buttons. Phrases such as “Sales ends in 24 hours“, “Grab yours before they’re gone,” or “Last chance to claim your exclusive discount” suggest that delaying could result in missing out on something desirable.

The email below is an excellent example of how to create a sense of urgency in your messaging:

4. Use Visible and Clear Call to Actions

Think of your CTA as the handshake between your email content and your reader’s next move. Make sure it stands out and is easy to find, while remaining clear and not overly pushy.

It’s important to recognize that different CTAs pack different punches. For example, “Shop Now” is your go-to for immediate action, while “Learn More” is perfect for those curious clicks.

Additionally, to enhance the visibility of your calls to action, aim to use contrasting colors, bold fonts, or quirky shapes. Try popping one in the header for easy access or save it for the end to smoothly guide readers to the next step. You can also sprinkle them throughout your email, as long as each one has a clear purpose and adds a little flair.

For instance, here we have a great example of strategically placed calls to action:

5. Mind the Email Length

Depending on the promotion you’re running, your email’s body might be a quick read or a little more detailed. But remember, a wall of text is a fast track to the trash bin!

When crafting sales promotion emails, think of “less is more” as your mantra. Try to keep your text short and to the point, allowing the reader to focus on the offer and not get overwhelmed by details that might put them off.

The example below shows exactly that—how concise and clear copy effectively highlights the offer:

6. Balance All Elements (Text vs. Visuals)

It’s important to give your email elements some breathing room, as it helps prevent a cluttered or overwhelming appearance. Sometimes, the use of white space can improve readability and draw attention to the most important parts of your email, such as the headline, key benefits, and that all-important call to action, ultimately increasing your click-through rate.

Also, don’t forget about  the overall layout of your email—an aesthetically appealing email captures subscribers’ attention and also holds it, guiding them through your message and towards the desired action. 

Try  breaking up text into short paragraphs with headings or bullet points to make the content of your email more digestible.This way, the likelihood that your offer will be noticed and acted upon is higher. 

It’s also important to note that some email providers monitor the text-to-image ratio. Although there’s no strict rule, a commonly recommended ratio is 60% text to 40% images, or even higher text content, to help ensure your emails reach your intended customers.

Take a cue from the example below, where we have a well-balanced text-to-image ratio:

7. Sync The Email Color Scheme with Your Brand Identity

The color scheme of your email is a key player in your design game. Pick email colors that not only reflect your brand’s personality but also play nice together. A harmonious palette stirs up the right emotions and makes your content a treat to read.

For instance, incorporating a calming blue in a wellness center’s email promo can emphasize relaxation, while a vibrant orange in a fitness brand’s email can evoke energy and enthusiasm, highlighting an active lifestyle.

8. Use High-Quality Images

No email is complete without captivating imagery. Therefore, if you’re promoting a physical product, avoid using the same generic stock images that every company in your industry uses. Instead, show off your products from their best angles to highlight key features. When it comes to services, use photos that tell a story by featuring real people enjoying the service. This approach makes your offerings more tangible and relatable to your audience.

Remember, while images are important, they shouldn’t be the sole focus of your email. Aim for a sales promotion email that is exciting but not overwhelming, where images enhance rather than distract from your call to action. 

The example below shows exactly that—how images can be used effectively to complement the overall message:

9. Make It Personal

Personalized emails nowadays go beyond simply using the customer’s name; they involve crafting a message that feels uniquely tailored to the recipient.

By referencing past interactions with your brand, such as previous purchases or items they’ve shown interest in, you demonstrate an understanding of their individual needs and preferences. Additionally, you can celebrate milestones, like the anniversary of their first purchase, with a personalized offer or a simple congratulatory note to make them feel valued and appreciated.

To make sure your emails are really landing, it’s important to keep an eye on your email marketing metrics. These insights reveal how your audience engages with your content, allowing you to refine your approach and create more impactful messages. With this data in hand, you can turn a generic email promo into a memorable message that leaves a lasting impression on your recipient.

10. Build Trust 

Sometimes a friend’s recommendation or even a random review on the internet can sway your audience’s decisions. That said, try to showcase testimonials, awards, or endorsements your product or service has snagged to improve your credibility and demonstrate authenticity and reliability. 

To add even more value to your sales promotion email, think of including some handy tips on how your customers can make the most of your service or provide a fun guide on using it like a pro. By doing so, you not only educate them but also demonstrate your commitment to their satisfaction and success. It also helps them get more out of your product—now, and hopefully as they return as customers!

11. Harness Gmail’s Promotion Tab Features (Bonus Step)

When Gmail introduced tabs in 2013, many email marketers were concerned. The new promotions tab meant that sales promotion emails could land there instead of the coveted primary tab, potentially reducing their visibility to subscribers.

However, the promotions tab isn’t the junk folder, so don’t treat it as the enemy. Instead, think of it like your trusty sidekick, helping your promotional emails stand out among the many messages your subscribers receive. In fact, 45.1% of users with this feature enabled check the promotions tab daily, and those users are more likely to engage with and make purchases from the emails they find there.

And while landing in the primary tab is every email marketer’s dream, trying to sneak your sales messages in there could backfire, as recipients might mark them as spam, damaging your sender reputation and deliverability rates.

Fast forward to 2019, when Gmail introduced annotations in the promotions tab—a feature that lets you include extra details about your offer right in the inbox preview, making your email more noticeable. Essentially, annotations are snippets of HTML code added to your email header, which you can easily modify to display desired information, such as your logo, business name, featured image, deal badge and more.

You can also opt for a simpler version with only text-based details like a promo code or expiration date, or spice things up by using product carousels that showcase multiple image previews for your promotion.

Overall, using Gmail annotations can only work to your advantage, allowing you to spotlight important information about your deal right in the promotions tab. Check out this guide for all the details on this feature.

Common Types of Sales Promotion Emails (With Examples)

While the perfect promotional email template doesn’t exist, by understanding different approaches, you can craft compelling messages that not only resonate with your target customers, but also effectively drive sales.

With that in mind, here are the most common types of email promos, paired with effective examples to help elevate your email marketing efforts.

1. Not an Offer, Just a Teaser

A teaser email is like a friendly nudge in your reader’s inbox, saying, “Psst, something big is on the way—stay tuned!” Whether it’s a new product launch, a major announcement, or in this case, an upcoming sale, these emails are all about building excitement.

Teaser emails usually keep it short and sweet, but don’t let their simplicity fool you—they can add a real intrigue to your promotional email campaigns. 

This  teaser email from Knix skillfully entices the reader to open with its promise of a sale potentially surpassing Black Friday—one of the busiest shopping days. Inside, it builds urgency by nudging them to mark their calendars for “What you’ve been waiting for,” while the “Unlock early access” CTA adds a hint of exclusivity, making the opportunity hard to miss.

2. Limited-Time Deal Promotional Email 

A limited-time deal email is a promotional classic that effectively taps into the natural fear of missing out. Essentially, they showcase offers available only for a set time, whether it’s a matter of minutes, hours, or even a few days or weeks. 

Limited-time deals work wonders when timed with special occasions, especially during holiday seasons, when people eagerly anticipate discounts and are more likely to take advantage of them.

In the email above, the subject line immediately grabs attention with a time-sensitive deal, encouraging quick action. The playful header “Make repetition your reputation” resonates with fitness enthusiasts, while the concise copy highlights the featured sneakers as essential for those pursuing continuous improvement.

Offering free trials is an effective lead generation strategy, as it lets potential customers experience your product or service firsthand, without the financial commitment. In this next example, a sleek, minimalist design keeps the spotlight on the offer, while a cleverly positioned CTA button guides them to a landing page detailing the promotion’s features and terms.

3. Back-In-Stock Promotional Email

Back-in-stock emails are perfect for prompting immediate action from customers who missed out on popular items. Letting them know that a product is available again provides a chance to re-engage them and encourage visits to your store.

These emails serve as reminders, creating a sense of urgency and excitement that can lead to quick conversions. Additionally, by personalizing them based on previous interactions, you can enhance their effectiveness even more.

We’ve already explored how the fear of missing out can drive consumer behavior, and Lululemon nails it perfectly. Their back-in-stock email starts with a subject line that picks the reader’s interest by hinting that a sought-after item has returned. It then uses a clever aviation-themed metaphor to create a sense of urgency, indicating that these popular products are ready to “take off” again.

For the plant lovers out there, this back-in-stock email from Sill kicks things off with a playful question that’s sure to catch their eye. With free shipping and a 30-day guarantee, it’s tough to resist. And if the visuals don’t convince the reader, they’ve cleverly highlighted key features to seal the deal.

4. Holiday and Seasonal Promotional Emails

A holiday without a sale just feels incomplete, doesn’t it? Holiday email promotions tap into the festive spirit when customers are more likely to shop. These emails can cover special occasions such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any other holiday you can think of. The better your offer matches a particular celebration, the more successfully you can engage your email subscribers.

Similarly, seasonal shifts offer perfect opportunities for businesses to connect with subscribers through enticing deals. Each season brings a new backdrop for campaigns that resonate with consumer moods, while seasonal store clean-ups provide a chance to offer exclusive discounts to clear last season’s stock.

If this holiday-themed email doesn’t make you raise a red ale and say “Sláinte,” we’re not sure what will. Designed to capture the festive spirit, the email features a sleek green monochrome palette that beautifully showcases the product. The prominent “Make Your Own Luck” slogan cleverly ties into the traditions of St. Patrick’s Day, subtly encouraging customers to seize the opportunity and make a purchase.

There’s nothing like shopping for your favorite person to spark a little excitement. The Valentine’s Day email above not only encourages action but also adds a charming touch by linking the featured jewelry to a deep, unforgettable love story. By weaving a narrative that resonates emotionally, the email helps create a connection between the product and the sentiment of the occasion.

This next email promo cleverly plays on the idea of seasonal renewal, prompting readers to consider refreshing their pet’s wardrobe. Additionally, it features a diverse mix of popular items, thoughtful gifting options, and enticing discounts to appeal to a wide range of customers.

5. Exclusive Subscriber Offer Promotional Email

Expressing gratitude to your subscribers for taking a desired action is a great way to keep them engaged. Instead of just a simple thank you, consider offering special deals that aren’t available to the general public. Such email promos foster a sense of privilege and appreciation among your subscribers. Plus, you can easily add them to your email automation sequences.

You can offer newcomer promo code, repeated purchases discount, members-only access, and unique product bundles—these little perks make your customers feel like the VIPs that they are. 

While there are certainly many exciting things out there, knowing something is reserved just for you can be quite appealing.  In this email offering an exclusive subscriber deal, The Pro’s Closet teases a special discount right in the subject line, inviting new customers to dive in and ultimately circle back to the website. Pretty straightforward, and effective. 

The next email masterfully blends a sense of exclusivity with a playful touch–a simple emoji. By incorporating a lighthearted tone, the email immediately sets a welcoming atmosphere. This tone is further enhanced with catchy images and vibrant colors that perfectly align with the brand’s personality, making the overall customer experience memorable and enjoyable.

6. Upsell and Cross-Sell Promotional Emails

With trust established, the upsell and cross-sell emails focus on encouraging customers to explore additional products or services. This is ever so important, as existing customers can be one of your greatest sources of business, and they ensure ongoing success. 

Since you’ve already convinced these customers to buy from you, now’s the time to leverage your emails to highlight complementary items or premium options that not only might address other customer pain points, but that can even enhance the initial purchase.

Simple and to the point is how we can describe this upsell email example. Linktree not only offers a free trial of their premium plan but also cleverly emphasizes that there are no strings attached—it’s entirely on them. And just in case the reader misses the bright pink CTA button, the big, bold promo code is right there, ready to remind them of what this email is all about.

Back-in-stock or new arrival email promos often fall into the cross-sell category, as they encourage existing customers to enhance their previous orders with complementary items. For example, Crocs’ charming message to “give the little ones a new reason to smile” is a perfect illustration of this strategy. By highlighting the joy and excitement that new colors can bring to their kiddos, the email tugs at parents’ heartstrings, prompting them to explore additional options.

7. Special Occasion Promotional Email

Celebrating special moments like birthdays, personal milestones, or even your brand anniversary can make your customers feel special. Including a unique offer, such as a discount or complimentary product, can enhance their experience with your brand. Plus, it’s a great way to encourage them to engage with your brand and make additional purchases.

This anniversary email is a warm invitation to REI Co-op members, fostering a sense of community while making them feel extra special. By highlighting the “Biggest Sale,” it promises impressive discounts, stirring excitement and encouraging recipients to explore the deals. The splash of red is no accident—it’s strategically used to create a sense of urgency, motivating customers to take action quickly.

In this next example, Starbucks uses the customer’s birthday to offer a free drink. The email conveys excitement about giving the customer a special treat, making them feel valued by the brand. Redeeming the offer is easy—just visit any participating store on your birthday to enjoy your drink!

8. Event Promotion Email

Whether you’re hosting an in-person seminar, a workshop, or an online webinar, the goal of event promotion emails is to increase attendance and generate excitement among your email list. These emails should capture the essence of the event, spotlighting key speakers, topics, and activities that will pique the interest of potential attendees.

By providing a glimpse into the unique experiences and valuable insights that await them, you create buzz that encourages recipients to register. 

Engagement can kick off with a simple question, especially when you’re asking subscribers about their needs or spotlighting a problem they might encounter. This approach not only captures attention but also demonstrates that you understand their concerns and are eager to provide solutions. Take a cue from Salesforce’s event promotion email, which promises to tackle customer challenges with expert insights, all while promoting new features!

After unveiling the event, you need to keep your readers hooked by playfully reminding them of the perks of attending and by revealing the star speakers—just like this email from Pilot does.

9. No Offer, Just a Reminder

While it would be great if your recipients acted upon your offer immediately after the first email, the reality is, unfortunately, different. Many factors can distract or delay a subscriber’s decision to engage with your offer—from a busy schedule to simply forgetting about the email. That’s where a gentle nudge comes in handy. A well-timed follow-up email, even without introducing a new offer, can serve as a friendly reminder of the value you initially presented.

However, while many of us are used to setting reminders for ourselves, sending them to others can be a bit tricky. You want to avoid coming across as pushy or naggy, yet ensure the reminder is memorable.

A cheeky joke can make your brand feel more relatable and increase engagement. For example, a self-aware quip about rarely using the word “nigh” adds a quirky personality that aligns perfectly with Surreal’s playful brand voice. This lighthearted approach helps break the ice, making the communication feel more like a conversation with a friend rather than a sales pitch.

Start Converting Readers into Clients

Sales promotion emails are your golden ticket to reaching out to your subscribers and saying, “We’ve got something special just for you!” Whether you’re unveiling a new product, marking a milestone, or offering a seasonal discount, the goal is to capture attention and inspire action.

By leveraging the strategies and examples shared in this article, you’ll be well-prepared to craft email promos that not only intrigue your audience but also convert that interest into sales.

And remember, as you embark on this journey, the use of personalization, catchy yet relevant CTAs, and a visually appealing design are your best allies. Tailor your messages to resonate with your recipients, and ensure your offer is communicated clearly, keeping the benefits it delivers in mind.

This article was originally published in August 2024 and updated in February 2025.