Most emails get ignored because they solve nothing. This guide shows you how to write emails that feel useful, urgent, and worth opening. You’ll learn how to lead with pain, stack value, and use smart tools to scale your impact.
Why Most Emails Get Ignored — And What That Tells You
You’ve probably sent emails that felt important to you — maybe a product update, a new offer, or a helpful resource — and watched them land with a thud. No replies. No clicks. Sometimes, not even opens.
That’s not just frustrating. It’s expensive. Every ignored email is a missed chance to build trust, solve a problem, or move someone closer to action.
Here’s what’s usually going wrong:
- You’re writing from your perspective, not theirs. You’re thinking about what you want to say, not what they need to hear.
- Your subject line doesn’t promise a fix. It might be clever, vague, or too polished — but it doesn’t scream “this will help.”
- Your email doesn’t solve anything urgent. If it doesn’t feel like a solution to a real problem, it gets skipped.
Let’s say you run a small business and you send a weekly email with tips. One week, you write: Subject: “5 Productivity Hacks You’ll Love” Inside, you share a few general tips like “use a calendar” or “take breaks.” It’s not wrong — but it’s not solving anything specific. It’s not urgent. It’s not sticky.
Now compare that to: Subject: “Still wasting hours on email? Fix it in 3 steps.” That speaks directly to a pain. It promises a fix. It earns attention.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what people scan for when deciding to open:
| What People Scan For | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Relevance | Does this speak to something I’m dealing with? |
| Urgency | Is this something I need to fix now? |
| Clarity | Can I tell what this is about in 2 seconds? |
| Value | Will this help me save time, money, or stress? |
If your email doesn’t check at least two of those boxes, it’s probably getting ignored.
You don’t need to guess what problems your audience cares about. You can use tools that surface real frustrations and questions:
- SparkToro helps you see what your audience talks about online — what they complain about, what they search for, what they share.
- AnswerThePublic shows you the actual questions people ask around your topic. You’ll see phrases like “how to fix…” or “why does…” that you can build emails around.
- Typeform lets you run simple surveys that feel like conversations. Ask questions like “What’s your biggest challenge with X?” and use the answers to shape your messaging.
Here’s a simple way to reframe your email strategy:
| Instead of This… | Try This Instead… |
|---|---|
| “Here’s what we’re doing” | “Here’s how to fix what’s frustrating you” |
| “New features you’ll love” | “Still struggling with X? This update solves it.” |
| “Tips for better productivity” | “Tired of wasting time on Y? Here’s a shortcut.” |
When you start with pain, you earn attention. When you offer a clear fix, you build trust. And when you do both consistently, people start looking forward to your emails — not ignoring them.
How to Find and Use Real Pain Points That Make Emails Feel Useful
If you want people to open your emails consistently, you need to show them you understand what’s bothering them — and that you’re here to help fix it. That starts with finding the right pain points. Not surface-level annoyances, but the kind of problems that interrupt their day, slow down their work, or cost them money.
You don’t need a massive research team to do this. You just need to listen in the right places and ask the right questions.
Here’s how you can uncover the kind of problems that make your emails feel like a relief:
- Look at what people complain about in forums, reviews, and comment sections. If you’re in B2B, check LinkedIn posts, industry Slack groups, or customer support logs. If you’re serving consumers, Reddit and YouTube comments are goldmines.
- Use tools that surface real questions and frustrations. SparkToro shows you what your audience reads, listens to, and talks about. You’ll find patterns in what they care about — and what they’re tired of. AnswerThePublic gives you raw search questions like “how to stop wasting time on email” or “why does my CRM keep crashing.” These are ready-made subject lines.
- Run short surveys that feel like conversations. Typeform makes this easy. Ask one question: “What’s your biggest frustration with [topic]?” You’ll get answers you can build entire email sequences around.
Once you’ve collected pain points, organize them by urgency and frequency. You want to focus on problems that show up often and feel urgent.
| Pain Point | Urgency | Frequency | Email Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| “I waste hours sorting emails” | High | High | “Fix your inbox in 3 clicks” |
| “I don’t know which tool to use for X” | Medium | High | “The 3 tools that actually work for X” |
| “I keep missing deadlines” | High | Medium | “How to stop missing deadlines with this simple system” |
The goal is to make your email feel like a shortcut. You’re not just sharing tips — you’re solving something that’s been nagging them all week.
How to Write Subject Lines That Feel Like Solutions
Your subject line is the gatekeeper. If it doesn’t promise a fix, the rest of your email doesn’t matter.
Here’s what works:
- Lead with the problem, then hint at the fix. “Still stuck with [problem]? Here’s what works.” “Why [frustration] keeps happening — and how to stop it.”
- Use clear, direct language. Skip the clever wordplay. You’re not writing a headline for a magazine. You’re writing a lifeline for someone who’s busy and frustrated.
- Test variations to see what resonates. MailerLite makes it easy to A/B test subject lines. You can see which ones get opened and which ones get ignored — and adjust fast.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
| Subject Line Style | Example |
|---|---|
| Problem → Fix | “Still wasting time on email? Fix it in 3 steps.” |
| Question → Curiosity | “Why do most productivity hacks fail?” |
| Shortcut → Benefit | “The fastest way to clean up your inbox” |
| Mistake → Solution | “The #1 email mistake you’re probably making” |
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be clear. If your reader sees a problem they recognize and a fix they want, they’ll open.
How to Structure Emails That Build Trust and Get Read
Once someone opens your email, you have about 5 seconds to prove it was worth it. That means your first few lines need to feel personal, relevant, and useful.
Here’s a simple structure that works:
- Start with a relatable moment. “Yesterday, I spent 45 minutes trying to find one file buried in my inbox.” This makes your email feel human — not robotic.
- Pivot to the fix. “Here’s the system I now use to find anything in under 10 seconds.”
- Break down the solution in skimmable chunks. Use bullets, bold headers, and short paragraphs. People skim — help them do it well.
- End with a clear next step. “Try this system today — it takes 5 minutes to set up.”
You can use Notion AI to draft these emails quickly. Feed it your pain point and a few bullet points, and it’ll give you a clean, story-driven draft you can tweak.
How to Stack Value So Your Emails Feel Like a Win
If your email only delivers one tip, it might get read. If it delivers three useful things — a fix, a shortcut, and a resource — it gets remembered.
Here’s how to stack value:
- Start with the main solution. “Here’s how to stop wasting time on email.”
- Add a quick win. “Use this Gmail filter to auto-sort low-priority messages.”
- Include a tool or resource. “Try Mailmodo — it lets you build interactive emails that feel like mini apps.”
This format works because it respects your reader’s time. You’re not just giving advice — you’re giving them something they can use right now.
Writesonic is great for turning bullet points into punchy, value-packed emails. You can feed it your stacked content and get a clean draft that’s ready to send.
How to Automate Follow-Ups That Feel Personal
Most people won’t act on your first email. That’s not a failure — it’s just how attention works. You need to follow up, but in a way that feels helpful, not pushy.
Here’s how:
- Send a variation that tackles the same problem from a new angle. “Still stuck with email overload? Here’s a faster fix.”
- Use behavior-based triggers. If someone clicked but didn’t reply, send a follow-up with a checklist or shortcut.
- Make it feel like a continuation, not a repeat. “Last time I shared a system for inbox cleanup — here’s how to make it even faster.”
ActiveCampaign makes this easy. You can set up automations that respond to clicks, opens, and time delays — all while keeping the tone personal.
Encharge is another solid option, especially if you want deeper behavior tracking and smoother integration with your existing tools.
3 Actionable Takeaways
- Write emails that solve something specific — not just share updates.
- Use subject lines that promise a fix, not fluff.
- Stack value with a solution, a shortcut, and a tool your reader can use today.
Top 5 FAQs About Writing Emails That Get Opened
1. How long should my emails be? Short enough to skim, long enough to solve something. Aim for 150–300 words with clear formatting.
2. What’s the best time to send emails? Mid-morning or early afternoon on weekdays tends to work best — but test your audience.
3. Should I personalize every email? Yes, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Mention a shared problem or use segmentation tools like ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign.
4. How often should I email my list? Once a week is a good rhythm. Just make sure each email solves something real.
5. What if my open rates are still low? Revisit your subject lines and pain points. Use SparkToro or AnswerThePublic to find what your audience actually cares about.
Next Steps
- Pick one pain point your audience struggles with and write a subject line that promises a fix. Use SparkToro or AnswerThePublic to find the right language.
- Draft your next email using the stacked value format: one fix, one shortcut, one tool. Try Writesonic or Notion AI to speed up the writing process.
- Set up a simple automation that sends a follow-up if someone clicks but doesn’t reply. Use ActiveCampaign or Encharge to keep it personal and timely.
You don’t need to be a copywriter to write emails that get opened. You just need to solve something real, speak clearly, and respect your reader’s time. Once you do that consistently, your emails stop feeling like noise — and start feeling like help.