{"id":5706,"date":"2025-07-28T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/?p=5706"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:10:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T13:10:20","slug":"what-is-the-ideal-length-of-a-sales-email-insights-based-on-40-million-emails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/nurseagence.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/what-is-the-ideal-length-of-a-sales-email-insights-based-on-40-million-emails\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the ideal length of a sales email? Insights based on 40 million emails"},"content":{"rendered":"
Like most people, I don\u2019t read all of the sales emails I get. When I do<\/em> open an email, I skim its contents and immediately close out long, rambling messages, which is exactly why the search for the ideal email length is like Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n It\u2019s not about nitpicking word count; it comes down to holding the reader\u2019s attention long enough to stick out in the never-ending sea of emails.<\/p>\n One analysis<\/a> of over 20 million cold emails found that the more people you email, the lower the open rates go. That statistic might as well say, \u201cthe harder you work, the worse the results get.\u201d But in reality, being successful in sales isn\u2019t about doing more \u2014 it\u2019s about being more effective. This makes learning how to write a sales email that people want to respond to<\/a> more important than ever.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at how email length can help you get the results you want from your email marketing strategy.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n For almost a decade, it\u2019s been said that the ideal email length is 50 to 125 words. The origin of this famous numeral is a 2016 Boomerang study<\/a>, which analyzed 40 million emails. Despite its age, that Boomerang study is still used as a benchmark thanks to the depth of research. They found the following correlations between email word count and response rates:<\/p>\n Boomerang also reviewed email sentiment and found that messages that expressed either moderate positivity or negativity evoked 10 to 15% more responses than completely neutral emails.<\/p>\n But, sales reps should know, the research discovered too much emotion in messages resulted in similar response rates as neutral emails. \u201cFlattery works, but excessive flattery doesn\u2019t,\u201d Alex Moore wrote in the report.<\/p>\n What\u2019s changed since this study\u2019s birth? Well, email still has incredible ROI. New tools, like our AI Email Writer<\/a>, help you write emails faster and more efficiently. But everyone is getting more emails than ever before, like a boat taking on more and more water.<\/p>\n Research by Constant Contact reinforces points of Boomerang\u2019s data, which you\u2019ll see below. Some more insightful 2024 data from Constant Contact: 40% of business owners surveyed in the Current State of SMB Marketing report<\/a> said that they put off managing email campaigns because of a lack of time.<\/p>\n More than half of the surveyed marketers said that they spent less than one hour per day on marketing emails, despite it being (on average) their second most-frequented marketing channel.<\/p>\n The truth is, word count<\/strong> is not the end-all <\/strong>when it comes to writing successful sales emails. These best practices, however, make a huge difference.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n A conversation about word count alone is only skin character-deep. Instead of sweating over an extra sentence or two, let these best practices steer the length of your sales emails.<\/p>\n Boomerang\u2019s data is supported by other research, like this study from Constant Contact<\/a>. In a study of over 2.1 million customers, they found emails with approximately 20 lines of text had the highest click-through rates:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n This translates to about 200 words, which is higher than Boomerang\u2019s data, but still provides a helpful range. When in doubt, shorter is generally better, so always err on the side of \u201cless is more,\u201d and keep your emails below 200 words.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of an ultra-brief two-line email template from Sam Wright<\/a>, head of operations and partnerships at Huntr<\/a>:<\/p>\n The subject line:<\/strong> [Company] <> Huntr<\/p>\n Email body:<\/strong> We helped [x, y, z, competitor] do Y, which led to Z results. I believe we can be helpful to you as well.<\/p>\n Sam shared this screenshot of the email open and reply rates:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Yes, short and direct emails resonated best with prospects and earned a response. (That\u2019s why former HubSpot account executive Dan Muscatello<\/a> writes short prospecting emails \u2014 two sentences long at most.)<\/p>\n However, Boomerang\u2019s numbers revealed a fine line: Emails that were 10 words or shorter got a response just 36% of the time. You don\u2019t want your emails to feel like you\u2019re just sending a text, or that you forgot the other half of the email before hitting send (been there).<\/p>\n Amanda DeLuke<\/a> is an email expert who has overseen the sending of tens of millions of bulk marketing emails. She echoed the importance of keeping emails brief, and also added this advice:<\/p>\n \u201cProvide a small visual representation (image, icon, etc.) to support each topic\/text and provide links out to external content for more details \u2014 this will save you a lot of space.\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot to say about how images can increase user engagement, but there\u2019s a fine line between attention-grabbing and attention-hogging. HubSpot research<\/a> suggests that as the number of images in an email increases, your click-through rate will decrease.<\/p>\n Constant Contact also found that imagery impacted click-through rate, with clicks dropping as images are added to an email.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Does using the term \u201cmobile devices\u201d make me sound old? Folks are checking their electronic mail everywhere these days: desktops, laptops, phones, tablets, and even smart watches (though getting an email on my wrist is an actual waking nightmare for me, personally).<\/p>\n Statistic<\/a><\/strong>:<\/strong> 64% of people primarily<\/em> check their inbox on mobile devices.<\/p>\n Smaller screens make the case for shorter messages<\/strong>, but there\u2019s also a hidden catch. When people use their mobile to check their inbox, it means that they\u2019re checking their email while multitasking. All the more reason to be brief, using bolded text and bullet points to help with scannability.<\/p>\n Make your message viewable at a glance on mobile. Your point should be clear with one look, without making readers scroll. Test this before sending. Large headers take up valuable space on mobile, so use them with care.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Why delay the transmission of one\u2019s message with a tedious turn of phrase?<\/em><\/p>\n Translation: Why make people\u2019s brains work harder by using fancy language? Writing at a third-grade reading level is a golden rule in all marketing, and email is no exception.<\/p>\n Boomerang\u2019s study found that third-grade level emails performed 36% better in terms of open rate than those written at a college reading level and boasted a 17% higher response rate than emails composed at a high school reading level. Free-flowing, informal emails are best for eliciting a response from recipients.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll show you a tool that can help you measure this below.<\/p>\n What is someone supposed to do after they read your email? The call-to-action (CTA) should be clear in every single message you send.<\/p>\n It\u2019s best practice to also include an \u201cask\u201d in every sales email you send, and reps often ask prospects for information in their messages. But how many questions are too many in an email?<\/p>\n We recommend asking one to three questions <\/strong>in your email. There\u2019s even a built-in safeguard against over-probing prospects (invasive) in the HubSpot email tool:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n If no one opens your emails, it doesn\u2019t matter how long they are, does it? That\u2019s a rather depressing realization, but it can inspire all of us to spend a little more time on this easily overlooked step.<\/p>\n Statistics:<\/strong> Subject lines with seven words<\/strong> have been found to have the highest open rate at 46.2%<\/a> (Regie.ai<\/a>).<\/p>\n The golden rule? Keep it short, to the point, and personalize it. Personalization is so important that it deserves its own call-out.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t put in the time to research your prospect and craft a valuable email, it doesn\u2019t matter if you achieve the perfect email length. Your prospect won\u2019t be interested in what you have to say because you haven\u2019t taken the time to say something that matters to them.<\/p>\n One easy trick: Use your recipient\u2019s first name in subject lines<\/strong>. One study found that subject lines mentioning someone\u2019s first name were discovered to have a 29% higher open rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our email tool has dozens of personalization options for the subject line, plus easy A\/B testing to drive conversions:<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n If shorter emails with simple language and clear asks are better, how do you ensure your emails are measuring up? Here are a few tips.<\/p>\n Copy and paste your email message into this app<\/a> and see what grade the readability tracks to, which phrases have simpler alternatives, and how many \u201chard to read\u201d and \u201cvery hard to read\u201d sentences your message contains.<\/p>\n Sales expert Jeff Hoffman<\/a> advocates that every conversation or email you exchange with a prospect should include a close. Whether you\u2019re asking for more time, contact information, or their business, always make sure you\u2019re asking for something. This makes it as easy as possible for recipients to respond.<\/p>\n Before writing your email, consider what your goal is for this communication and tailor your close accordingly. For example, if I want an email to yield a discovery call, I\u2019ll include that ask at the end, and build the rest of the email around it to support and encourage that close.<\/p>\n Your email opening line and greeting<\/a> are incredibly important, so don\u2019t waste them on \u201cHi, my name is.<\/em>\u201d Instead, try, \u201cHow can I make your life easier?<\/em>\u201d or \u201cI noticed your company recently \u2026<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n Similarly, make your email closing lines<\/a> powerful and intriguing with statements like, \u201cI love ramen as well. Have you tried [restaurant name]?<\/em>\u201d or \u201cDid the ebook you downloaded change the way you think about [topic]?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n We tend to add extra words to our writing to soften our message (especially when we\u2019re asking for something or providing constructive feedback). Before sending your email, review for unnecessary language.<\/p>\n For example, here\u2019s a sentence before and after removing filler words:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at some great examples that embody these best practices (and, bonus: are editable for you to use yourself).<\/p>\n If you\u2019re working on a sales team, I think it\u2019s important to be consistent with language, CTAs, and offers. Using a template builder tool<\/a> can ensure consistent messaging and provide a jumping-off point for individual reps in their outreach.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n The email examples below are all templates included in HubSpot\u2019s email template library. This is a free part of our Marketing Hub<\/a>! Set up only takes a few minutes, and you can use our software to send out professional sales emails through your work email address.<\/p>\n When you input a contact\u2019s details (like first name and company name), your emails will automatically be customized. This means that you\u2019ll never input the wrong company or misspell a name (even my first name gets butchered).<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019m ordering these email examples by length: shortest to longest. First up is the \u201cWhat would need to change?\u201d email. At only 36 words long<\/strong>, this email gets right to the point by asking a prospect what would need to change in order for them to want to discuss working together. It\u2019s a short, cold email that doesn\u2019t waste anyone\u2019s time beating around the bush.<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Why this follow-up email works:<\/strong><\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of an email following up with an inbound lead. You can see the template screenshot directly below, and my personalized version underneath (length: 91 words). I\u2019m an SEO writer who works with businesses to build their blogs, so my email is written from that perspective.<\/p>\n Fun fact:<\/strong> This breakup email has a 33% reply rate. If only all breakups went that well!<\/p>\n Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Hi [name],<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve tried to reach you a few times to go over suggestions on improving <\/em>your website traffic<\/em><\/strong>, but haven\u2019t heard back, which tells me one of three things:<\/em><\/p>\n Please let me know which one. I\u2019m starting to worry!<\/em><\/p>\n [Your Name]<\/em><\/p>\n Why this email works:<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s address the elephant on the screen: This email is longer than most. When the template is populated, this email runs at more than 100 words (mine is 106, to be exact). This is longer than most sales emails, but it brings a lot of value to the recipient.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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Ideal Email Length<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Email Length Best Practices<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Don\u2019t go over the maximum email length.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Avoid making your emails <\/strong>too<\/em><\/strong> short.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Use visuals to break it up.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t be heavy-handed with images.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Plan for mobile devices.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Head back to the third grade.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Include clear CTAs and ask 1-3 questions.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Shorten email subject lines.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Do your research and personalize.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Tips for Ensuring Ideal Email Length<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Use the free Hemingway App.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Always add a close.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Don\u2019t waste important real estate.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Remove excess language.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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5. Create team email templates.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Great Sales Email Examples<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n
1. The Simple Next Steps Email<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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2. Breakup Email<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. Inbound Lead From Content Follow-up Email<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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