The power of good ol’ plain text emails

Hey there,

Don’t let those plain text emails fool you. You might look at them and think: We can do SOOO much more than that. And there’s no denying it. With the plethora of design options out there, of course you can make an email LOOK way more interesting and exciting. But effective? You might want to give pause before you nod yes. 

Why?

Because plain text emails can serve a purpose or two. For instance, one of the top revenue generators of NIA Body Kit (our client) was a plain text email.

🧠 When to Use Plain Text Emails (Spoiler: Not Just When You’re Feeling Lazy)

They may not win design awards, but plain text emails are: 

✅ Personal
✅ Authentic
✅ Less likely to end up in spam
✅ More likely to get replies

Use them when you don’t want to push a sale—but want your audience to engage, connect, or feel seen.

Here’s what you can use them for:

📬 1. Getting to Know Your People

Want to know what keeps your customers up at night (besides scrolling through reel after reel)? Just ask.

Example: Carl from MailCharts used to send a plain text email where he literally introduced himself like a normal human (gasp) and asked the recipient to hit “reply.”

No flash, no dazzle—just a guy, an inbox, and a question. And guess what? People replied. Because it feels like Carl actually exists (which he did; that was the founder’s first name).

👋 2. Making a Killer First Impression (Without Screaming “SALE!”)

You’ve got new subscribers. Yay! Instead of blasting them with a 10% off coupon and a rainbow of product shots, try this:

Send a chill, plain text email from you (yes, you, the glorious founder or cool team member). Tell them why your business exists, what you believe in, and maybe throw in a fun fact about how your dog is your VP of morale.

It builds connection. It builds trust. It builds long-term customers who don’t ghost you.

Then drop in the deets about those discounts.

💸 3. Running Promotions—But Make It Sneaky

Here’s a little-known secret: plain text emails are like the ninjas of your inbox. They sneak past spam filters, dodge the promotions tab, and land right before your customers’ eyeballs.

Quad Lock, a real-deal brand, sent a plain text Cyber Monday email with just a code and a link. No graphics. No fanfare. Just a good ol’ fashioned deal—and it crushed!

Try A/B testing a plain text vs. a fancy template next time you run a sale. You might be shocked (in a good way).

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 4. Keeping It Fresh + Personal 

Let’s be real: if every email from your brand looks the same, people will start to tune out. Fast.

Mix in some plain text charm—especially for:

• Welcome series

• Win-back emails

• Requests for reviews/testimonials

• “Hey, just checking in” notes

Sign them off with a real person’s name (bonus points if they’re actually from your team), and watch those replies roll in like it’s 1999.

🎉 TL;DR – Embrace the Plain (Text)

Plain text emails might not win a beauty pageant, but they’re authentic, personal, and refreshingly simple.

So the next time you’re crafting your next email campaign, ask yourself: Could this be more human? Could this be… plainer?

And to help us help you get started, book your free strategy session now!