Development emails are crucial for newbies in foreign trade to explore customers. This article focuses on practical operations, disassembling the writing methods of titles, main bodies, and endings with formulas like STAR and PAS. Coupled with industry - suitable templates and tools, it helps newbies write development emails with high response rates. For example, using '3 Ways to Solve the Inventory Problem in the XX Industry' as the title and a 3 - paragraph main body to talk about pain points, solutions, and actions can improve the response rate.
In the foreign trade field, having effective development email formulas can significantly increase the chances of getting a response from customers. Let's take a look at two important formulas:
The STAR formula follows the logic of 'Pain Point → Solution → Action → Result'. For instance, 'How to Reduce Procurement Costs by 30%? We've Customized a Lightweight Solution for European Customers. Click to View Cases. We've Helped Over 50 Customers Optimize Their Supply Chains'. A newbie in a textile trading company once used this formula. Before using it, his response rate was only about 10%. After applying the STAR formula in his development emails, he clearly pointed out the high - cost pain point of the customer's raw material procurement, proposed a solution of sourcing from a new low - cost but high - quality supplier, and encouraged the customer to click the link to view successful cases. As a result, his response rate increased to 30%.
The PAS formula is suitable for customers with clear pain points, following the sequence of 'Pain Point → Amplify the Problem → Provide a Solution'. For example, 'Are Your Suppliers Delayed in Delivery? Delays Lead to Inventory Backlog and Customer Loss. We Have a 15 - Day Emergency Order Channel'. A young foreign trader dealing with electronic products found that many of his customers were troubled by supplier delays. He used the PAS formula in his development emails. First, he pointed out the delay problem. Then, he emphasized the serious consequences such as inventory backlog and customer loss. Finally, he presented his company's 15 - day emergency order channel. His previous response rate was around 15%, and after using this formula, it jumped to 35%.
You have only 3 seconds to catch the customer's attention with the title. Use numbers or benefit points, like '3 Ways to Solve the Inventory Problem in the XX Industry'. Avoid high - frequency words such as 'Free' and 'Cheap'. For example, a newbie used the title 'Get a 50% Increase in Productivity with Our New Technology' instead of 'Free Product Trial', and his email open rate increased from 20% to 40%.
Keep the main body short and powerful, within 5 sentences divided into 3 paragraphs. Start from the pain point, then move to the solution, and finally the action. Avoid starting with 'Our company is...' and use 'Your challenge might be...' more often. For example, in a development email for a furniture company, instead of starting with 'Our company is a leading furniture manufacturer', it started with 'Your challenge might be high - cost furniture procurement'. This made the customer feel that the email was more targeted, and the response rate increased from 12% to 25%.
Write like you're chatting with a friend. Use the passive voice. When writing to customers in small - language countries, start with their local language. Don't attach PDF or pictures in the first email. Use short links or cloud storage. For example, when sending an email to a French customer, starting with 'Bonjour' made the customer feel more welcome. And by using a short link instead of attaching a large PDF, the email was more likely to reach the customer's inbox, increasing the response rate.
Highlight the improvement of production efficiency and product stability, such as 'OEE Increase Rate / Reduction of Faulty Downtime'.
Development Email Example: 'Dear Sir/Madam, Your manufacturing process might be facing low efficiency and high downtime. Our advanced technology can increase your OEE by 20% and reduce faulty downtime by 30%. Click the link below to learn more about our solutions.'
Emphasize user activity and satisfaction, such as 'DAU Growth / CSAT Score Improvement'.
Development Email Example: 'Dear Sir/Madam, Your SaaS platform might be suffering from low user activity and satisfaction. Our solution can increase your DAU by 30% and improve your CSAT score by 25%. Click here to see a demo.'
For decision - makers, focus on ROI and strategic value. Development Email Example: 'Dear Decision - Maker, Your company's investment in the current system might not be yielding the expected ROI. Our solution can provide a 50% increase in ROI within a year. Let's have a call to discuss the strategic value it can bring to your company.'
For the technical layer, attach API documentation or technical white - paper links. Development Email Example: 'Dear Technical Expert, You might be facing challenges in system integration. Our solution comes with detailed API documentation. Click the link to download the technical white - paper and see how it can solve your problems.'
For the procurement department, highlight MOQ discounts and payment terms. Development Email Example: 'Dear Procurement Officer, Your procurement cost might be high due to unfavorable MOQ and payment terms. We offer a 15% discount for large - quantity orders and flexible payment terms. Contact us now to get a quote.'
There are several useful tools for writing and sending development emails:
To avoid pitfalls, use tools like GlockApps to measure your email score. Also, verify the customer's procurement scale with customs data and LinkedIn. This can help you target the right customers more accurately.
If you want to start writing high - response development emails right away, click the button below to download our free development email template package and start your foreign trade customer exploration journey!
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