How To Create High Converting Non-Discount Emails

Hey, it's Max from the Inbox Newsletter.

I see a lot of brands that mess up their email design.

For example, they stack multiple offers with different products and overhwhelm the customer.

By the time someone scrolls to the bottom, they've forgotten why they opened it in the first place.

The best performing emails are usually the simplest ones. They have one core message, and every section is pushing towards the same action.

Let me show you what I mean by breaking down this email from The Conscious Bar.

Pillar 1: Strong Hook & Hero Section

The headline asks a question that challenges what most people believe…

Chocolate is viewed as a guilty pleasure, not a health food.

So when you read "Chocolate that's good for you?" your brain wants to know what's possible.

What really separates this is how a bite is taken out of the chocolate and the word “yup” answers the question.

THAT is what makes this a strong hook.

And most importantly… every hero section need a button.

We never want to bury buttons, we want them to be visible right in the customer’s face where they don’t have to scroll.

Pillar 2: Skimmable Infographic With Education

Avoid blocks of copy.

Great educational emails use infographics to educate… mixing punchy copy with smooth design.

Let’s check the example below.

Five health benefits, each with bold keywords for skimmability:

If someone skims this in two seconds, they still absorb the message: this chocolate is actually good for you.

The staggered chocolate images on the left create visual rhythm and guide the reader’s eye down the page. E

nding the section, there’s a big CTA button with after all the “chocolate is unhealthy” objections have been removed.

The "Taste the Dark Side" CTA is perfect here because it ties into the product, has personality, and is way more memorable than “Shop Now.”

Pillar 3: Social Proof

A great non-discount email will always have some social proof. You can never have too much of it.

The most common social proof section is the review section…

But you definitely can mess up your review section.

You need to be intentional with the reviews you include, or else they mean nothing.

These two five-star reviews tackle slightly different objections.

The first hits taste and quality: "I consider myself pretty picky when it comes to chocolate, and I can tell you that this is the best by far."

The second hits ingredients: "I love that it's made with clean, simple ingredients—no refined sugar, just cacao and dates."

One for the person worried it won't taste good. One for the person who cares about what's in it.

Pick two or three well-chosen ones that address specific concerns will outperform a bunch of generic “they are great!” five-star ratings.

And then of course, finish with a nice big and clear final CTA.

What They Didn’t Include

Just as important as what's in this email is what's not in it.

There's no secondary offer competing for attention, no blog link pulling people away from the purchase, no discount code or countdown timer trying to manufacture urgency.

Everything in the email either builds desire or removes an objection. Nothing distracts from the core action they want you to take.

That restraint is rare. Most brands feel like they need to cram everything into every email because they're not sure when the customer will open again.

But that thinking leads to cluttered emails that convert worse because readers have too many paths to choose from.

Next time you're building an email, ask yourself if every section is pushing toward the same goal.

If something doesn't build desire or remove an objection, cut it.

Email Inspiration Of The Day

Brand: Create

Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zXfim89K0MQX6_qR5-rhl-lblm37Tzoj/view?usp=sharing

Notes:
Fantastic email that highlights the problems of age-related muscle loss and sarcopenia. Then, educates how their product solves the problem. And finally, sells the desired outcome: “It’s about maintaining what you staying strong for what matters.” Makes the product feel like the logical solution to the problem.

Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.

Cheers,

Max Sturtevant | Well Copy

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