Why do eCommerce brands spend thousands on design – only to land in the Promotions tab and lose the sale in seconds?
You obsess over fonts, colors, and images. You split test subject lines. You A/B your way into irrelevance. But no one buys what they can’t see.
Most brands are writing emails for people. But before your customer sees it, Gmail does. And Gmail is not a person. It’s a filter. A gatekeeper. A silent judge.
Chase Dimond (one of the most prolific email marketers in eCommerce.) and Val Geisler (expert in email strategy for SaaS and eCommerce) have both said it:
If your email doesn’t read like it came from one human to another, you’re already invisible.
Deep down, you probably know your emails sound like everyone else’s. You just don’t know why they keep failing.
Here’s why your “high-converting” emails aren’t converting anymore – and what to do instead.
1. Gmail isn’t a reader. It’s a robot – with rules.
You’re not just writing to a human – you’re writing through a machine. And Gmail is scanning your message before a single customer opens it.
Formatting, sentence structure, link density, tone – it reads it all. And if it smells even slightly like a promo? Straight to Promotions. Do not pass Go.
Chase Dimond calls this “accidental spam.”
Even great copy can get flagged if it’s overdesigned or overformatted. Bold everything? Link every sentence? Emojis all over? You just told Gmail you’re a marketer. Not a person.
Val Geisler’s fix? Strip it back. Write like you’re texting a friend – then hit send.
The best email in the world is worthless if it never lands. So clarity isn’t just for your reader. It’s for the algorithm watching over their inbox.
If you ignore the filter, you never even get the chance to be ignored.
2. If your email sounds like marketing, Gmail already knows it is.
Every “LIMITED TIME OFFER” and “ACT FAST” might feel like urgency. But it reads like desperation.
You’re not being persuasive. You’re being filtered.
Val Geisler has sent emails with no offer at all – just helpful copy – and they’ve outperformed discount-heavy blasts. Why? Because they sound like help, not hustle.
Chase Dimond says: if your copy screams “I’m selling something,” Gmail listens. It knows when your tone is off. And so does your customer.
Ask yourself: Would I open this if it landed in my own inbox?
Less hype. More honesty. More relevance. More real.
The most persuasive emails are the ones that don’t feel like they’re trying to sell anything.
3. If your email is doing 10 things, it’s doing nothing.
Ever sent an email that pushes 3 products, has 4 links, and ends with “follow us on socials”? Of course you have. And it probably underperformed – and you blamed the subject line.
Chase Dimond simplifies everything down to one clear CTA. Val Geisler calls it “one email, one job.” Because the second you give your reader options, you lose control of the outcome.
You wouldn’t build a checkout with 5 buttons. Don’t do that in your email either.
More products = more confusion. More CTAs = more drop-off. More ideas = fewer conversions.
A clear email is like a guided funnel. A cluttered email is a digital shrug.
Bonus: Most email audits skip the most important thing: tone.
Brands will test subject lines, color schemes, even button shapes. But tone? Rarely touched. And yet tone is the first thing your reader feels.
Chase Dimond teaches brands to read their emails aloud. If it doesn’t sound like something a person would say, it gets rewritten. Val Geisler says your tone should match your customer’s voice – not your brand guide.
Spammy tone isn’t just about what you say. It’s how you say it.
Clarity starts with writing like someone they trust – not someone trying to sell.
Clear Writing Makes Money. Everything Else Costs You.
Still think your design is the problem? Still blaming your subject line? Still wondering why open rates are down and revenue’s flatlined?
It’s not your tools. It’s not your layout. It’s how clearly you communicate.
Write like someone trying to connect, not convert. Format like Gmail is grading you. Speak like you’re talking to one reader – not writing a press release.
Because here’s the truth:
The best emails don’t feel like marketing. They feel like a conversation you actually want to have.
If this resonated, here’s what to do next:
→ If you’re tired of content that fills space instead of driving sales, let’s talk. Schedule a quick demo.
→ If you’re ready to turn product pages, email flows, landing copy, and more into silent salespeople for your brand, subscribe to either our Unlimited Standard Plan or Unlimited Professional Plan to get started.
Your story deserves better than generic copy.
We make it unforgettable.