When it comes to sending B2B marketing emails, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. You might send too many emails to your contacts, you might use the wrong language or images, or you might send an email that simply isn’t helpful.
But, thankfully, there is a lot you can do to improve your B2B emails and turn them into something useful for your business and helpful for your clients.
Whether it’s using specific keywords in the subject line or removing certain negative words from the body of the email itself, there are many techniques you can use to make sure every email campaign is driving results forward.
In this article we’ll discuss some of these tactics and how they can help your business grow through better communication with prospective leads.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Eliminate negative language for positive impact. |
| 2. Choose words that resonate positively with readers. |
| 3. Frame content in an optimistic and solution-oriented manner. |
| 4. Maintain professionalism in email communication. |
| 5. Focus on clear, direct, and respectful language. |
| 6. Use confident language to convey authority. |
| 7. Provide context and solutions for sensitive matters. |
| 8. Strive for assertiveness without being overly negative. |
| 9. Replace negative words with positive alternatives. |
| 10. Craft emails that inspire confidence and trust. |
1. Avoid The Generic Greeting
If you’re a B2B marketer, you’ve probably received an email from someone who opened with “Hello,” or “Hi.” It’s not exactly groundbreaking. In fact, it’s kind of annoying.
If you want to stand out right off the bat, try something more creative and specific to your recipient: “Good morning” or “Glad to hear from you today!” are two examples that come to mind.
They’re both simple ways of showing that you’ve put some thought into your subject line 1. and they’re far more likely to grab attention than those generic greetings (like “Hello”).
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2. Don’t Use Words Like “Free” In The Subject Line
The word “free” should be used in the subject line when you’re offering something for no charge. For example:
- “Free consultation.” This lets your reader know that you’ll be providing them with some sort of service, and it implies that they’ll receive a benefit from it.
- “Free trial.” This lets your reader know that they can try out your product or service for a limited time without having to pay anything up front.
However, don’t use this word if you’re actually charging for something! Instead, find another way of describing what you’re offering:
Example 1: Don’t say…
3. Use A Simple Design
When designing your emails, avoid using a lot of colors and images. There are two reasons for this:
- You don’t want to overwhelm your reader with too much information, so there’s no need to put an image in every single email you send out. Instead, use one image per campaign or series of emails—ideally on the first page of your email (but not inside the body).
- The simpler the design of your content, the more likely it is that readers will want to read it all! Here are some best practices for creating simple designs:
- Use one primary color instead of multiple shades from different color palettes
- Use one font family (with different weights) instead of two or three different styles from two or three families
4. Use Specific Keywords
You want to use specific keywords that are in your prospect’s industry, job title and company name.
For example, if you are an SEO agency and your prospect has a job title of SEO manager at a Fortune 500 company then it is good to know that these keywords exist and that they can be used in an email (i.e., “SEO Manager – Fortune 500 Company”).
If you are talking about a specific person or group of people at the top of the organization, then you may want to consider incorporating those keywords into your subject line as well as throughout the email body.
This will help ensure that they see your email in their inboxes when they are searching for information related to those topics.
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5. Don’t Make Your Emails Too Long
You might be tempted to add everything you can think of in your emails, but it’s important to remember that your readers are busy people.
You want to keep your emails short and sweet, even if they’re a little too long. If an email is over 2–3 paragraphs, most people will simply scroll through it without reading anything.
I get it—you want all the information possible in there in case someone wants more details. But don’t take up too much space or make your reader feel like they have to read every word or else they’re missing something important (they won’t).
If you need more than one paragraph for something like an event invitation or monthly update about new products/services offered by your company, then consider breaking up what would otherwise be one long paragraph into two shorter ones.
6. Don’t Send Too Many Emails
When you’re sending B2B marketing emails, don’t overdo it. It’s important to avoid sending too many emails to your prospects and customers. If you send too many messages without a break in between, they might get annoyed or irritated by your constant bombardment of sales pitches.
It’s also important not to send too many messages in one day or week. Try sending one message per day instead of multiple messages for each prospect over the course of an entire week or month.
You can always set up multiple streams (or “lists”) within HubSpot so that each person gets their own stream and only sees their emails at specific times during the day (such as once every 24 hours.)
7. Don’t Use Non-Business-Appropriate Images
When it comes to images, you want to make sure that your images are relevant. If you’re writing a blog post about the benefits of CRM software, try not to use an image of someone with a laptop that says “Marketing Manager” on it.
Instead, if you know what kind of industry your prospects are in or what kind of work they do (e.g., salespeople), find an image that is related to those things and use that instead!
Also consider the audience when choosing images: If they’re a B2B company and their customers are primarily male executives, don’t choose an image of two women holding hands;
instead opt for something with more masculine tones like a man playing golf or one who looks more aggressive.
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8. Avoid Using Negative Words In General
You can’t eliminate every negative word from your emails, but you should attempt to do so. You just need to be a bit more conscious of when and how often you use them.
Avoid using negative words in general. The goal is to write for the recipient, not for the writer (or yourself). “Don’t use words that make me sound like I’m avoiding something,” suggests marketing consultant Neil Patel on his blog QuickSprout.
“If you’re writing a sales email and say things like ‘avoid,’ ‘don’t,’ or ‘stop,’ then it looks like you’re trying too hard.”
Use specific keywords over general ones, if possible.* For example: Instead of saying “I don’t know” or “We’ve never done this before,” try something more specific such as “I can’t tell what kind of company you are” or “We don’t have enough experience with this type of software.”
9. Never Send Unqualified Leads Content
When you send a marketing email, you’re sending it to someone who has opted in to receive your emails. You have their permission to send them content because you’ve given them an easy way to opt out (clear messaging and instructions) with each new email.
But that doesn’t mean they want to hear from you at all times of day or night; so don’t ever send unsolicited content.
This goes double when it comes to content that’s not relevant or helpful for the person receiving it. If it doesn’t solve any problem they have, why would they want to read it? And if they are not currently looking for a solution, then what problem do they have?
This is one reason why B2B companies are required by law in some states including California to make sure there’s an “opt-in” process in place before sharing information with prospects who haven’t been directly asked if they want more information from those brands.
10. Focus On Solving Problems Rather Than Listing Benefits And Features
When writing emails, stop talking about how great your product is and instead focus on the problems it solves. Your reader knows what your product does they want to know how it’s going to help them.
Start with the end in mind: know what you want the reader to do next. If it’s not clear to you why someone should click through or sign up for your offer, then how can they possibly be convinced?
The customer always comes first not you or your brand! So make sure that every sentence in every email makes their lives easier by solving a problem they have right now (even if it’s something so small as providing additional information).
11. Keep Your Language Professional And Clear
The words you choose will determine the tone and professionalism of your email, so it’s important to keep them professional and clear. While you may have a friendly rapport with your contacts, that doesn’t mean they want to hear from you all the time.
To help you stay on task when writing B2B marketing emails, here are some tips for keeping your language clear:
Avoid jargon (words or phrases specific to a particular field), slang (slang terms used in everyday conversation), acronyms (abbreviations formed from initial letters), contractions (shortened forms of two words such as “don’t” and “can’t”) and first-person pronouns (“I” and “we”).
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12. Focus On Value, Not Lead Generation
When writing B2B marketing emails, it is important to focus on the value of what you’re offering. This can be hard because most people use these things as a way to get leads or sales.
They aren’t always thinking about how they’re helping their readers achieve their goals and solve problems.
For example: instead of selling your product or service, why not highlight how it helps someone solve a problem? Instead of talking about discounts and promotions, why not emphasize the money you’ll save them if they buy from you?
And most importantly, instead of focusing on your product itself (or even what it does), why not talk about all the benefits that come from using it?
In short: when writing B2B marketing emails, focus on value instead of lead generation or sales for that matter!
13. Keep It Short And Sweet
The key is to keep it short and sweet. The best emails are written in a way that makes them easy to read, and they don’t waste the reader’s time. It should be obvious what you want from them, with no need for further explanation or over-explanation.
In your subject line, use action words like “act now” and “open now”; with a call to action (CTA), like “shop now” or “download this free ebook today!”; with a sense of urgency (e.g., “today only!”); or even just by using numbers (e.g., “7 ways”).
This tells readers what they can expect from the newsletter without having to open it up first–and makes sure they’re intrigued enough by what you have written for them to take action immediately after clicking through!
14. “Please Let Me Know If There Is Anything Else I Can Do For You”
Avoid asking questions that you already know the answer to.
If you’re selling something, it’s unlikely that a prospect would need to ask if they could pay via PayPal or check. If they do ask, consider whether it means they have some reservations about your product/service and are looking for reassurance. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Is a great way of ending a conversation when you want to close off an email without sounding too pushy! However, this question should only be asked in response to specific offers or requests from users:
“I’ll send over the invoice today by 5 pm EST and let me know if there is anything else I can do for you today… thanks again!”
15. “We’re Offering Something Special”
Avoid using the word “special” in your marketing emails. Instead, focus on conveying the value of your offer. For example: “We’re offering something unique and valuable that no one else has access to.”
Using this approach can be especially effective if you want to avoid sounding like a salesperson and instead showcase the quality of what you’re selling.
You can also use this strategy when you have limited space in an email subject line or headline and it’s especially important if writing for B2B companies where “special” is likely to make readers think twice about clicking through (in fact, do some quick research on how many people are already using this word).
16. “Hopefully This Helps”
Don’t use “hopefully.” I know it’s tempting to start an email with the word, but it’s a red flag for many readers. Instead of hoping that your content is what they’re looking for, make sure you’re confident in your pitch.
Don’t use words like “free,” “new,” and other words that might be construed as sales-y in the subject line. These words are only useful if they apply to something real don’t just throw them out there without meaning or intent.
Don’t send non-business-appropriate images through your emails (that include memes). If possible, have someone else on your team look over any images before sending them out into the world you never know who might take offense!
Avoid using negative words in general; they’ll be distracting from your message and could put off some readers without even realizing what happened! For example: don’t write ‘I hate’ instead say ‘I dislike’ instead of ‘disliked’… You get the point right?
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17. “I Just Wanted To Check-In”
“I just wanted to check in”: This phrase is negative and should be replaced with a positive one, such as “Just wanted to touch base” or “Let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you.”
“Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.”:
This phrase is not business-appropriate and should be removed from your copy because it makes the reader feel like they are getting an automated response from a machine instead of from a human being who cares about their needs and wants.
“We’re offering something special”: This statement is used frequently in marketing emails but should not be used at all (or only sparingly).
Because it paints your company in a negative light by implying that everything has already been discounted or sold out which doesn’t make anyone want to buy anything!
18. “It Would Be Great To Connect”
This phrase is too vague. You should be specific about what you want to do, and you should ask a question that requires a response.
The goal of a marketing email is to get something done, whether it’s filling out a form or making an appointment, or responding with questions or comments.
A better way to say this would be: “I’d love to see how we can help you do X.” If they’re not interested in doing X, they’ll respond with something like “No thanks” or “I’m not there yet but I’ll keep your offer in mind.”
If they are interested, they’ll respond with something specific about how they plan on doing X (for example: “We are looking for more leads on our website.”)
This way all parties know where everyone stands so that no one wastes time sending follow-up emails if there isn’t mutual interest in working together at this point.
19. “Check Out This Article”
You’ve probably heard that it’s important to send articles and information when you’re marketing to B2B customers. It’s true, but certain phrases can kill your email marketing strategy before it even gets started.
One of those phrases is “check out this article.” If you use it in your emails, you’re saying that the only reason someone should be interested in what you have to offer is because of the information they’ll get from reading the article.
This isn’t necessarily true and even if it were, why would anyone want to read an entire article on something they don’t yet have an interest in? It’s way too much work for most people!
21. “It Would Be Great If”
Avoid phrases like “It would be great if.”
This phrase is your biggest writing enemy because it’s asking for something that you don’t already know the answer to. Asking for things you don’t know the answers to is a waste of time and creates unnecessary friction between you and the person receiving your email.
It makes them feel like they’re being put on the spot and leaves them feeling pressured and defensive.
They’ll resent doing their best work if they feel like they have to defend their actions every single time they want to do something different than what’s been suggested by someone else (you).
You should never use this phrase in any kind of communication. It turns people off right away because makes them feel defensive right away. Instead, try asking questions that give insight into what matters most about your products or services.
For example: “What does success look like?” Or “How can we help?”
22. “I Thought This Might Interest You”
If you’re writing an email in which you’re sending information or asking a question, be specific.
Don’t say things like “I thought this might interest you” or “I thought I’d send this over to see if it was something that would help your business.” You want to be clear about what exactly is going on and why they should care.
People don’t want to feel like they’re being pushed into something or tricked into doing something they don’t want to do.
They also don’t want their time wasted with emails that could easily have been automated by some sort of software system (like the ones we discussed earlier).
Make sure that your emails are personalized and relevant for each person who receives them, so they know exactly.
How much time and effort has gone into making sure that what you have to say will be useful for them not just another generic sales pitch from someone who doesn’t care at all about whether or not what they sent makes sense for anyone other than themselves
23. “I Can Send Or Connect You With”
Connecting your audience to someone else is an important part of providing value to them. However, when used as a marketing tactic, it’s easy for this to come across as disingenuous or overused. As such, it’s best not to use this phrase if possible.
The key difference here is that the word “with” implies something about both parties and how they relate.
It’s also more objective than just saying “connect” because it shows that there is some kind of relationship between the two people being connected–something which cannot necessarily be assumed from simply using the word “connect.”
“Let Me Know If You Want To Learn More”
When you’re writing an email, it’s important to remember that you want your recipients to feel comfortable. You want them to be able to trust you and believe what you are telling them. For this to happen, there must be no confusing parts of your emails.
One way that can help in this regard is by ending each sentence with a question mark or an exclamation point (!). This will help signal to the reader that something has been left unsaid, so they may ask questions in their response email.
This is a good way for closing because it shows respect and courtesy towards your recipient while also leaving open the opportunity for further conversation if needed
Conclusion
The truth is that you’re never going to have the time or money to focus on every single piece of content you send out. So instead, start by understanding your audience and what they want to read about.
Then, make sure all of your email content follows these guidelines to avoid using negative words in marketing emails. This may seem like a small change, but it will make your writing feel more positive and personal at the same time!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to enhance your understanding of crafting effective marketing emails:
Bad Words to Avoid in Email Marketing Short Description: Learn which words to steer clear of in your email marketing campaigns to ensure your messages resonate positively with your audience.
12 Words That You Should Never Use in B2B Emails and Their Replacements Short Description: Discover a list of words that are best avoided in B2B emails, along with suggestions for more effective alternatives.
How Do You Write an Aggressive Email? Short Description: Explore strategies for crafting assertive and impactful email communication without crossing into negativity.
FAQs
What are some common negative words to avoid in B2B email marketing?
Negative words can hinder your message’s impact. Instead of using negative language, focus on framing your content in a positive light.
How can I replace negative words with more positive alternatives in my B2B emails?
Choose words that convey optimism and solution-oriented thinking. This approach helps maintain a positive tone while effectively conveying your message.
Are there specific words that should be avoided in aggressive email writing?
Yes, aggressive emails should strike a balance between assertiveness and professionalism. Avoid overly confrontational language and focus on clear and direct communication.
What are some tips for maintaining professionalism while writing assertive emails?
Maintaining professionalism involves clear and respectful communication. Choose your words carefully, provide context, and offer solutions when addressing sensitive matters.
How can I ensure my email conveys authority without being overly negative?
To convey authority, use confident language backed by facts and expertise. Avoid excessive negativity and instead focus on demonstrating your expertise and leadership.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.