Despite the rise of social media, messaging apps, and AI-driven communication, email remains a critical tool for marketers and sales professionals. It’s direct, cost-effective, and measurable. But email is only effective when it’s done right, and far too many businesses still fall into bad habits that alienate subscribers and damage their reputations.
To help you sharpen your strategy, here are some of the most egregious email behaviors you should avoid, along with best practices to replace them.
Table of Contents
Sending emails without permission
If you’re emailing people who never signed up or opted in, you’re not just being annoying—you’re likely violating spam laws. Worse, you’re burning bridges with potential customers before they even have a chance to know you.
What to do instead: Always build your email list ethically through double opt-ins, gated content, or lead generation forms. Email is a privilege, not a right. Permission-based marketing builds trust and long-term engagement.
Not honoring unsubscribes promptly
Few things frustrate subscribers more than hitting “unsubscribe” and continuing to get emails. This isn’t just bad etiquette—it can also trigger spam complaints and damage your sender reputation.
What to do instead: Make unsubscribing easy and immediate. Use one-click opt-outs when possible, and remove people from your list right away. Treat departures gracefully—some people may return.
Making it hard to unsubscribe
If someone has to hunt for the unsubscribe link, or worse, fill out a form just to stop getting your emails, you’re creating a hostile experience.
What to do instead: Your unsubscribe link should be clearly visible in the footer of every email. It should not require logging in, clicking multiple times, or confirming on another page.
Over-messaging
If you’re sending emails too frequently—especially to people who haven’t engaged in a while—you’re just another distraction in a crowded inbox. This leads to fatigue, unsubscribes, and flagging as spam.
What to do instead: Optimize your cadence based on engagement signals. Segment your list by activity level and throttle frequency accordingly. More is not always better.
Sloppy, overdesigned, or confusing emails
Emails that are full of typos, broken links, weird formatting, or hard-to-read fonts leave a poor impression. Overly complex layouts can also hurt deliverability and make the message hard to digest.
What to do instead: Keep your emails clean, scannable, and mobile-friendly. Use professional layouts and test across devices. Always proofread before sending.
Not optimizing for mobile
The majority of email opens happen on mobile devices. If your design doesn’t adapt, your message is likely to be deleted before it’s ever read.
What to do instead: Use responsive templates that adjust to screen size. Keep subject lines short, CTA buttons large, and images lightweight.
Misleading subject lines
Vague or clickbait subject lines might win the open, but they’ll lose trust. If your email doesn’t deliver on what the subject promised, you’re setting yourself up for unsubscribes or worse—being marked as spam.
What to do instead: Write subject lines that are honest, compelling, and specific. Treat them like headlines: they should preview real value and reflect the actual content.
Bait and switch content
If your subject line teases a discount, but your email only delivers a hard sell or redirects to unrelated content, you’re damaging credibility.
What to do instead: Match your content to the subject line. If you promise a 25% discount, deliver it—immediately and clearly. Respect your audience’s time and intelligence.
No personalization or relevance
Sending the same blast email to every contact is a surefire way to lose engagement. Today’s audiences expect messages to be tailored to their interests, behaviors, or past purchases.
What to do instead: Use personalization tokens and behavioral triggers. Segment your audience by demographics, location, or previous activity to ensure your message speaks directly to them.
No clear call-to-action
If your email leaves the recipient wondering what to do next, you’ve wasted the send. Confusion leads to inaction—and eventual disengagement.
What to do instead: Include one clear, compelling CTA. Whether it’s to download a guide, book a demo, or read a blog post, make it prominent and easy to follow.
Forced sincerity or overly salesy language
Hey friend or Just checking in emails can come across as disingenuous, especially if there’s an obvious pitch underneath. Audiences today are sensitive to tone and authenticity.
What to do instead: Speak like a human, not a marketer. Be direct, honest, and helpful. Build trust by being respectful of your reader’s time and intelligence.
Takeaways for marketers and sales professionals
- Respect consent: Start with a clean, opt-in list and maintain it with transparency.
- Focus on clarity and value: Design each message to be readable, relevant, and actionable.
- Test and segment: Analyze performance, A/B test frequently, and tailor your outreach by audience.
- Be consistent, not excessive: A regular cadence beats unpredictable spam bursts.
- Earn trust over time: Great email marketing is a long game—win it by treating subscribers like people, not leads.
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