How to Write a Marketing Email: A Step-by-Step Guide With Examples

Write marketing emails people read and act on: pick one goal, nail the subject line, write a clear body and call to action — with a full example and template.

In short: Decide the one thing you want readers to do, write a subject line that says what's inside, open with the reason it matters to them, keep the body short and specific, and finish with one clear button. Then read it on your phone before you send.

New to email marketing? Start with the complete beginner's guide. Most marketing emails fail for the same reason: they try to say everything. The emails that get clicks do one job, for one kind of reader, in plain words. This guide walks through writing one from a blank page, step by step, with a complete example at the end.

Step 1: Choose one goal

Before you write a word, finish this sentence: "After reading this email, I want the reader to…" — book a table, shop the new collection, register for the workshop, reply with a question.

One goal gives you one main button, one main message and a clear way to judge whether the email worked. If you have three announcements, lead with the most important one and give the others a single line each at the bottom — or save them for next week.

Step 2: Know who you're writing to

Picture one real customer on your list. What do they care about? What would make them stop scrolling? A bakery writing to regulars sounds different from an accountant writing to new business owners.

If your list mixes very different people (for example new subscribers and loyal customers), consider sending them different versions. Even a simple split — "has bought before" and "hasn't bought yet" — makes your words fit better. See email segmentation for beginners.

Step 3: Write the subject line and preview text

The subject line's only job is to get the email opened by the right people. The clearest subject lines say what's inside and why it matters:

Specific beats clever: "Our fall menu starts Friday 🍂" tells people more than "You won't believe this!"
Front-load the important words: phones show roughly the first 30–40 characters.
Never mislead: a subject line that oversells creates unsubscribes and spam complaints — and in the US it can break the CAN-SPAM Act.

The preview text (the grey line after the subject in most inboxes) is your second headline. Use it to add the detail the subject didn't have room for: "Pumpkin soup is back, plus two new vegan dishes." More ideas in subject lines that get opened.

Step 4: Open with what's in it for them

The first sentence decides whether people keep reading. Skip "We're excited to announce…" and start with the reader's benefit:

Instead of "We're excited to launch online booking" → "You can now book your next appointment in 30 seconds, any time of day."
Instead of "Our sale starts today" → "Everything in the store is 20% off until Sunday — including the coats you asked about."

Step 5: Keep the body short and scannable

Most people skim email on a phone. Help them:

Short paragraphs of one to three sentences.
Bold the two or three phrases that carry the message.
Bullets for lists of features, dates or options.
Specific details instead of adjectives: "ready in 15 minutes" beats "quick and easy".
One image that helps (the product, the dish, the event), with alt text — not a wall of pictures.

A promotional email is often 50–150 words. A newsletter can be longer if every section earns its place.

Step 6: Write a call to action people want to click

Your button should describe what happens next, in the reader's words:

"Book my table" rather than "Submit"
"See the new collection" rather than "Click here"
"Save my seat" rather than "Register"

Put the main button near the top for people who are already convinced, and again at the end for people who read everything. Make it a real button (not just a link in text), at least 44 pixels tall so it's easy to tap.

Step 7: Sign off like a person

Emails from a person get more replies and feel more trustworthy than emails from "The Team". Sign with a name ("Maya, owner of Corner Bakery") and invite replies: "Questions? Just hit reply — I read every one."

Step 8: Check the legal basics

Every marketing email needs:

Who you are: your business name and a valid postal address.
A working unsubscribe link that's easy to find.
Honest sender details and subject line.
Permission — in Canada, consent before you send (see CASL explained); in the US, follow CAN-SPAM.

Good email platforms add the address and unsubscribe link for you.

Step 9: Test before you send

Send a test to yourself and read it on your phone. Check that:

The subject and preview text make sense together.
Every link goes to the right page.
Personalization works (no "Hi {first_name}").
The email still makes sense with images turned off.
There are no typos in prices, dates or addresses.

A complete example

Here's a short promotional email for a neighbourhood café, written with the steps above:

Subject: Breakfast is back on weekends ☀️
Preview text: Saturday and Sunday from 8 am — plus a free coffee for subscribers
Hi Sam,
You asked, we listened: weekend breakfast starts this Saturday, 8 am to 11 am.
On the menu: buttermilk pancakes, a veggie breakfast bowl and our new breakfast sandwich on house-made sourdough.
Show this email for a free filter coffee with any breakfast this weekend.
[Reserve a table]
See you Saturday,
Maya — Corner Café, 12 King St.

It has one goal (weekend visits), one specific benefit, one incentive, one button and a human sign-off. That's the whole formula.

A fill-in-the-blanks template

Subject: [What's new or useful] + [when or why now]
Preview text: [The detail that makes it worth opening]
Hi [first name],
[One sentence: the benefit to the reader.]
[Two or three sentences or bullets: the specific details — what, when, how much.]
[Optional: the reason to act now — a date, limited spots, a subscriber perk.]
[Button: what happens when they click]
[Sign-off with a real name]

Common mistakes to avoid

Burying the point under a long introduction.
Three equal calls to action that compete with each other.
All-caps subject lines and piles of exclamation marks — they look like spam to people and to filters.
An email that's one big image. Text inside images can't be read by screen readers, often doesn't load and hurts deliverability.
Writing about yourself instead of about the reader.

In Reepio

Reepio's AI writer drafts a complete email from one sentence — subject line, preview text, body and button — in your brand's voice, using the facts in your brand profile so it doesn't invent offers or prices. You can then improve, shorten or change the tone of any block, and the Review step checks links, the unsubscribe footer and spam-trigger patterns before you send. Start free.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a marketing email be?

Most promotional emails work best at about 50 to 150 words: enough to explain the offer and give one reason to act. Newsletters can be longer if every section is useful. Cut anything that doesn’t support your one goal.

How many calls to action should an email have?

One main call to action. You can repeat the same button near the top and at the end, but several different requests compete with each other and usually lower clicks.

Should I use images in marketing emails?

Yes, one or two that help tell the story — the product, the dish, the event — with alt text. Avoid emails that are a single large image: they often don’t load, can’t be read by screen readers and can hurt deliverability.

Can AI write my marketing emails?

AI is very good at first drafts, subject line ideas and rewriting for tone. Give it your real facts (offer, dates, prices) and always review before sending, so nothing inaccurate goes out.