Stop wasting time staring at a blank screen. Learn how to build a swipe file that turns proven email formats, high-performing examples, and smart AI tools into your personal writing shortcut. Whether you’re sending cold outreach, nurturing leads, or following up, this system helps you write faster, better, and with more confidence.
Why Email Writing Feels Slow and Frustrating
You sit down to write an email—maybe it’s a follow-up, a pitch, or a quick intro—and suddenly, 20 minutes have passed and you’re still tweaking the first sentence. You’re not alone. Most people struggle with email writing because they’re starting from zero every time. No reference point, no structure, no shortcut. Just a blinking cursor and a vague idea of what they want to say.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- You’re trying to write a cold outreach email to a potential partner. You know what you want, but you’re unsure how to phrase it without sounding pushy or vague.
- You need to follow up with a lead who downloaded your guide last week. You want to be helpful, not annoying—but you’re stuck figuring out the tone.
- You’re onboarding a new client and want to send a welcome email that feels personal and professional. You’ve written something similar before, but can’t find it or remember what worked.
Each time, you’re reinventing the wheel. That’s the real problem—not your writing skills, but the lack of a system.
Let’s break down why this happens:
| Problem | What It Looks Like | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| No structure | You write from scratch every time | Slow writing, inconsistent tone |
| No reference | You don’t know what’s worked before | Missed opportunities, weak messaging |
| No reuse | You forget or lose past emails | Wasted effort, duplicated work |
Even when you’ve written a great email before, it’s often buried in your inbox or lost in a sent folder. You might remember it vaguely, but not enough to reuse it properly. And templates? They help a little, but they’re often too generic or rigid to be useful in real situations.
Now imagine this instead:
- You open a swipe file and search “follow-up after download”
- You find three strong examples with subject lines, openers, and CTAs
- You copy the structure, tweak the tone, and send the email in 5 minutes
That’s the difference a swipe file makes. It’s not just faster—it’s smarter.
Here’s how most people try to solve the problem (and why it doesn’t work):
| Attempted Fix | Why It Fails |
|---|---|
| Using generic templates | They don’t match your tone or context |
| Saving emails in folders | Hard to search, no annotations |
| Writing from scratch | Time-consuming, inconsistent results |
| Copy-pasting old emails | Risk of irrelevant or outdated content |
Instead, you need a system that helps you collect, organize, and reuse what works. That’s where swipe files come in—and when paired with smart tools, they become even more powerful.
Tools like Notion, Smartwriter.ai, and Flowrite make this easier:
- Notion lets you tag and organize swipe examples by goal, format, or audience. You can build a modular library that’s easy to search and update.
- Smartwriter.ai helps you personalize outreach emails using data from LinkedIn and websites. You can plug in swipe formats and get tailored versions instantly.
- Flowrite turns bullet points into polished emails. If you’ve saved a swipe-worthy CTA or opener, Flowrite can build the rest around it.
You don’t need to be a copywriter to write great emails. You just need the right examples, a simple system, and tools that help you move faster. That’s what a swipe file gives you.
What a Swipe File Actually Is (And Isn’t)
A swipe file isn’t just a folder of saved emails. It’s a working system—a curated, organized collection of email examples, structures, and snippets that you can pull from anytime you need to write something quickly and effectively. Think of it as your personal writing assistant that gets smarter the more you use it.
Here’s what makes a swipe file useful:
- It’s categorized by purpose: outreach, follow-up, onboarding, upsell, re-engagement
- It includes subject lines, openers, body formats, CTAs, and even tone notes
- It’s searchable and modular—you can mix and match parts from different examples
- It’s annotated with why each example works, so you’re not just copying, you’re learning
What it’s not:
- A static folder of old emails you vaguely remember saving
- A generic template bank with no context
- A one-size-fits-all solution that ignores your audience or goals
You’re not just collecting emails—you’re building a reference system that helps you write faster, with more clarity and confidence. And when you pair that with tools like Notion, you can tag examples by goal, format, or audience, making it easy to find exactly what you need in seconds.
How to Build a Swipe File That Works for You
Start with the emails you write most often. If you’re in client services, that might be onboarding and follow-ups. If you’re in partnerships, it could be cold outreach and check-ins. The key is to build around your real workflow—not someone else’s.
Here’s a simple way to structure your swipe file:
| Category | Subfolders | What to Include |
|---|---|---|
| Outreach | Cold, Warm, Referral | Subject lines, openers, personalization hooks |
| Follow-Up | After call, after download, no reply | Reminder phrasing, urgency cues, CTA variations |
| Onboarding | Welcome, setup, next steps | Tone examples, checklist formats, trust-building lines |
| Upsell | New offer, upgrade, renewal | Benefit framing, scarcity language, testimonial snippets |
Tips to make it usable:
- Use tags like “high response,” “short format,” “trust-building” to filter quickly
- Add a short note to each example: what worked, what didn’t, what to tweak
- Include both full emails and modular parts (subject lines, CTAs, openers)
If you’re using Notion, you can create a board view with columns for each category, cards for each example, and tags for tone, format, and performance. It’s fast to build and even faster to use.
Tools That Make Swipe Files Smarter and Faster
You don’t need to do all this manually. Smart tools can help you collect, organize, and even generate swipe-worthy content based on your goals.
Here are three that work well together:
- Notion: Ideal for organizing your swipe file. You can create templates, tag examples, and build a modular system that’s easy to update and search.
- Smartwriter.ai: Great for turning swipe formats into personalized outreach. It pulls data from LinkedIn and websites to tailor your message, so you’re not just copying—you’re adapting.
- Flowrite: Perfect for turning bullet points or swipe snippets into full emails. You feed it the structure, and it builds the message around it in your tone.
You’re not replacing your swipe file—you’re supercharging it. These tools help you move faster without sacrificing quality or relevance.
How to Curate Swipe-Worthy Material
You don’t need to wait for great emails to land in your inbox. You can actively collect swipe-worthy content from:
- Newsletters you subscribe to (especially onboarding and upsell emails)
- LinkedIn messages that catch your attention
- Cold emails you receive that actually make you reply
- SaaS onboarding flows that guide you clearly and effectively
When you find something good, save it immediately. But don’t just save—annotate. Ask yourself:
- What made this email work?
- How did it open?
- What tone did it use?
- What was the CTA?
Use a simple format like this:
Subject: “Quick question about your team’s workflow” Why it works: Conversational, curiosity-driven, low pressure CTA: “Would it make sense to hop on a quick call next week?”
Over time, you’ll build a swipe file that’s not just useful—it’s strategic.
Using Your Swipe File to Write Faster and Smarter
When it’s time to write, don’t start with a blank page. Start with a goal.
Let’s say you want to follow up with a lead who downloaded your guide last week. You open your swipe file, search “follow-up after download,” and find three examples. You pick one with a strong opener and a clear CTA, tweak the tone, and send it in minutes.
Here’s how to use your swipe file effectively:
- Search by goal, not just format
- Mix and match parts: opener from one, CTA from another
- Use tools like Flowrite to turn your outline into a polished message
- Use Smartwriter.ai to personalize based on the recipient’s profile or company
- Keep testing and refining—your swipe file should evolve with your results
You’re not just saving time—you’re improving your messaging with every email you send.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even a great swipe file can become cluttered or ineffective if you’re not careful. Here’s what to watch out for:
- Saving too much without filtering—quality matters more than quantity
- Copying without adapting—context and tone still matter
- Ignoring performance—track what gets replies, clicks, or conversions
- Letting it go stale—review and prune monthly to keep it sharp
Your swipe file should be lean, relevant, and ready to use. Treat it like a living system, not a static archive.
3 Actionable Takeaways
- Build your swipe file around real goals—outreach, follow-up, onboarding—not just generic formats.
- Use smart tools like Notion, Smartwriter.ai, and Flowrite to organize, personalize, and deploy swipe content faster.
- Annotate every example with why it works—this helps you learn and adapt, not just reuse.
Top 5 FAQs About Swipe Files and Email Writing
What’s the difference between a swipe file and a template? A swipe file is a curated set of examples with context and annotations. Templates are static formats. Swipe files are more flexible and strategic.
How do I know if an email is swipe-worthy? Look for clarity, structure, emotional hooks, and strong CTAs. If it made you read, click, or reply—it’s worth saving.
Can I use AI tools to build my swipe file? Yes. Tools like Smartwriter.ai and Flowrite help you personalize and generate emails based on swipe formats. Notion helps you organize them.
How often should I update my swipe file? Monthly is ideal. Remove low-performing examples, add new ones, and refine your categories and tags.
Is it okay to reuse parts of other people’s emails? Yes, as long as you adapt them to your audience and context. Swipe files are for inspiration, not blind copying.
Next Steps
- Start by collecting 5 emails you’ve written recently that got replies, clicks, or positive feedback. Save them in Notion and tag them by goal.
- Try Smartwriter.ai to personalize one of your swipe examples for a new outreach campaign. See how it adapts tone and structure based on the recipient.
- Use Flowrite to turn a bullet-point outline into a polished email. Feed it a swipe-worthy opener and CTA, and let it build the rest.
You don’t need to be a copywriter to write great emails. You just need a system that works. A swipe file gives you speed, clarity, and consistency—and when paired with smart tools, it becomes a serious advantage in your workflow. Whether you’re reaching out, following up, or onboarding, you’ll write faster and better every time.