Some brands have such good marketing that you can’t help but pay attention.
And the funny thing is… you can’t always put your finger on what makes them special.
Yet, every time you see them, there’s something that grabs your attention.
Graza is one of those brands.
It’s genuinely impressive how they’ve managed to turn something as ordinary as olive oil into an exciting, playful brand.
Here in Spain, high quality olive oil is easier to find than in the US.
The problem is that every supermarket brand has the same packaging and promise the same thing.
I’ve never bought Graza’s olive oil, but I’d buy it if I could, purely because of their marketing.
I’m even more impressed with their email marketing.
Every time I search for email inspiration on Mailboard, I find myself stopping at one of their emails.
The emails feel human. Full of personality.
And that’s exactly what we’re diving into today.
But first, in case you’re new here:
What is Emails That Sell?
Each week, I break down an email from a DTC e-commerce brand. Some of these brands are absolutely killing it when it comes to email marketing.
My goal with this series is to challenge conventional email marketing. Expect to learn different copywriting techniques, sales psychology, and consumer behavior — everything that moves you away from hard-selling discount campaigns and other mass-market tactics.
If you have an email you want me to break down, send it over to me on LinkedIn or at marketing@siimpettai.com.
Let’s get into it now:
Subject line: Hi 🙂
Short and sweet. I like it.
Seriously, you don’t have to overthink subject lines these days.
What matters much more is the quality of your email content.
When you consistently deliver great emails, subscribers will open them anyway because they associate your brand name with a positive feeling.
I recently compiled a list of plain-text emails that every e-commerce should send.
These “status update” type emails are one of the easiest plain-text emails you can write.
You don’t have to “brainstorm” a campaign idea for several hours or anything. You just talk about what you’ve been working on behind the scenes.
“Document, don’t create” is what GaryVee says.
I bet this email took less than ten minutes to write and ship, and they probably made more money with this than with some other aesthetic email.
That’s really the beauty of plain text.
Anyway, onto the body copy:
The brand personality shines here.
This does NOT feel like a corporate email. It feels like it was sent by a friend whom you haven’t seen in a while.
Notice how it invites readers to respond.
Not only is it a wholesome interaction, but when you get people to interact with your emails, it also boosts your deliverability.
I also love the ending:
“P.S. ICYMI – We just launched “Frizzle.”
The email starts by mentioning what recipes they’ve been working on.
It then seamlessly transitions from recipes to asking for a sale.
“Ohh, btw we recently launched this cooking oil, want it?”
Even in these “behind the scenes” emails, you should never be afraid to ask for a sale.
Make selling an expected part of your email marketing strategy.
Just don’t make it the core of your emails.
Add value first by telling stories, entertaining, or sharing tips, and then transition to a sale.
Here’s another plain-text email by Graza:
Subject line: WE FOUND THE LOST UMBRIZZLES ☂️
This is a super effective back-in-stock email.
It tells a silly story about how FedEx had lost their umbrellas, but out of nowhere, they turned up in their warehouse.
It’s kinda funny and lighthearted.
Also, mentioning the exact number “72 umbrellas” is smart.
So many back-in-stock emails say the “Don’t miss out. These will sell out quickly,” but it always feels kinda tacky and fake.
When you include the exact stock number in your back-in-stock message, you add an extra layer of scarcity.
The CTA is just pure comedy:
“FORECAST LOOKS LIKE DRIZZLE GO GET AN UMBRIZZLE.”
I’m not sure if you already noticed, but there’s something important about both of these emails.
Wanna guess what it is?
They offer ZERO discounts!
That’s right… these emails are a prime example of using direct response copywriting and not being afraid to inject some personality.
People don’t want to be bombarded with ads stuffed with discounts in their inbox.
They want to hear stories. They want to feel included.
When you write emails like this, there’s no need to bribe people with discounts (even though you still could) because you’re turning them into loyal fans already with your content.
TL;DR
Key takeaway #1: Use short subject lines.
Key takeaway #2: Send a plain-text email status update.
Key takeaway #3: “Document, don’t create,” also applies to emails.
Key takeaway #4: Getting people to respond improves deliverability.
Key takeaway #5: Make selling an expected part of your email strategy.
Key takeaway #6: Exact stock number boosts back-in-stock scarcity.
Key takeaway #7: Inject personality into your emails.
What’s next
If you haven’t already, send a plain-text email to your list this week.
Make it conversational, inject some personality, and see how it performs. You should also subscribe to my email list and get notified of every Emails That Sell analysis + other good stuff.
