You have an online shop, you run ads, you acquire customers – but somehow you're not generating any sustainable sales?
Then the problem often lies not with your product or your ads – but with what happens afterwards.
Because:
If you don't have a systematic email strategy, you're losing money every month without even realizing it.
What you will learn in this article
- The 3 biggest mistakes shops make when designing emails
- Why emails only generate revenue if they are properly structured
- How to create click-worthy emails in under 30 minutes – without starting from scratch
- The key area of every email: Using “above the fold” correctly
- How to structure your design so that the customer clicks immediately
The reality – why many shops use emails incorrectly
Hey, I'm Josh & over the last few years I've helped build email marketing for brands like Snocks, Inkster and Störtebekker.
And no matter how different the products were, I always saw one pattern:
Almost every shop has realized at some point:
Without email marketing, it will be very expensive in the long run.
Because customer loyalty doesn’t work through social media.
It works through recurring, thoughtful communication – and that happens via email.
But what is the problem?
Many shop owners believe they just need to “send emails regularly”
– The main thing is that it’s pretty.
But pretty emails don't generate sales.
They don't bring back customers.
They don't build a relationship.
They don't click.
And that’s exactly how sales remain.
The misconception – what emails are really supposed to do
If you want to generate more revenue through emails, you first need to understand what their actual purpose is.
Because the truth is:
Emails don't sell your product.
They sell the click.
If your email doesn’t convince within seconds, it won’t be read.
And if it isn't read, it won't be clicked.
And if it isn't clicked, it won't generate any sales.
Logical, right?
I experienced this myself:
My first emails at Snocks looked okay – but they didn't perform.
Only when I understood what really matters did the results change.
The solution – a clear system instead of empty drafts
I've now built over 500 emails for e-commerce brands – many of them have worked.
Others don't.
The difference was never about how good the emails looked.
But in the structure of the email.
One area in particular is crucial – the “above the fold” part, i.e. the visible area when opened.
If you don’t make it clear immediately:
- Who is this email for?
- What problem is being solved?
- What should happen next?
…then you lose the reader.
In the end, it’s pretty similar to the hook of a Facebook ad:
If the beginning doesn't work, the rest won't do you any good.
What should be included in a really good email (and what shouldn't)
1. The headline
It must immediately attract attention and communicate a clear benefit promise.
So not something like:
“Our toothpaste is now available as a subscription,”
rather:
“Fresh breath without having to think about it – toothpaste subscription”
“Save time & nerves – get toothpaste conveniently via subscription”
2. The subheadline
Complement the headline – with trust elements, guarantees or additional sales benefits.
3. The picture
Don’t just show the product, but the transformation: What does it bring for the customer?
4. Trust elements
Star ratings, short testimonials, numbers – everything that builds trust.
5. A clear call to action (CTA)
Visible in the above-the-fold area.
Not at the very bottom – otherwise you’ll lose most of the clicks.
Mobile First is mandatory
In virtually every account I've managed for various e-commerce brands, 70–80% of emails were opened on a smartphone . This isn't the exception, but the rule—and that's precisely why emails must be consistently optimized for mobile .
Not just: “It looks okay on the phone,” but:
- The headline is readable without zooming
- The CTA button is immediately visible
- The images are clearly structured
- Enough whitespace to allow content to breathe
Emails must work on mobile devices – otherwise they don’t work at all.
Implementation – why templates are the smart way
Maybe you're thinking now:
"Sounds logical. But when am I supposed to build all this? I have ads, products, support..."
That's exactly why I've been working on a system over the past few months that does all the preparatory work for you.
- Emails based on exactly this structure
- Completely pre-filled – from the subject line to the CTA
- Mobile-optimized and flexibly adaptable
- No more empty documents, no more design overkill
This allows you to focus on what really matters:
Send regularly – and generate sales.
