Great Email Example: Jotform’s Upsell Email
- Rachel Meyer
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Upselling is a great way to improve your customer's shopping experience and increase revenue from sales.
Upselling is when you try to improve a sale by offering an upgrade or higher-priced item that pairs well with the item your customer is about to buy. For example, maybe they put a cookbook in their cart, and you offer them a cookware set or a reduced subscription to your recipe app.
Not every customer will take you up on this, but it can be a great way to anticipate your customer's needs and learn more about them.
Today, we’re looking at an upsell email I got from Jotform after signing up for their free account. We’ll look at what they did, then break down how you can write an email like this for your small business.
Upsell Email Breakdown
Subject Line
The email starts with a subject line that creates scarcity and FOMO. Since I just signed up for an account, they wisely guessed I might be interested in an upgraded plan, especially since it's discounted.
Header
The email starts with a header that restates what the subject line said– for today only, I can get 50% off a Jotform plan. I love that it’s the first thing you see when you open the email without scrolling.
GIF Graphic
They have an adorable branded GIF of people “purchasing” Jotform plans to follow up on their headline. It’s cute, eye-catching, and helps you imagine yourself as one of the shoppers.
Copy
Now, we finally get to some words. Their copy starts by welcoming me, then once again stating their offer. Here, they expand on it a bit more, mentioning a few of the benefits I’ll receive if I sign up for a paid plan. It's short but effective.
Pricing
Below the offer, they include a quick overview of their pricing plans, including discounts. If you’re already considering buying, this helps hook you further. Nothing is more enticing than seeing how much money you'll save.
CTA
The email ends with a quick reinforcement of the limited nature of this deal and a nice, bright orange button asking you to save now. It leaves you with no question of what they want you to do.
How to Write an Email Like This
#1: Have a Clear Offer
Jotform’s offer in this email is clear– today, you can save 50% on a paid plan. They repeat this several times, so there’s no way you could miss it, even if you're skimming.
When offering an upsell, make sure your offer is clear. Be specific about what you're offering, whether an item or a discount. And don’t be afraid of repeating yourself a few times.
#2: Use Scarcity
Limited-time offers can be a powerful tool, especially if a customer is interested in a product. Jotform knows this, which is why they offer a one-day deal. That gives the reader (me) enough time to try their platform and decide if upgrading would be a good choice.
Upsells are effective, but especially if they're limited. If you can, include a countdown right on the buyer's screen. As long as you're not lying about your deals (which you shouldn't be), using scarcity isn't sleazy. It's a valuable marketing tactic.
#3: Include Benefits
I love that Jotform mentions what’s included in the paid plans right in this email. I do wish they’d elaborated a bit more on it, but they’re probably assuming that you've already browsed their plan page at this point.
It’s not enough to offer your customer a higher ticket item. You need to tell them why purchasing it is a good idea. Going back to our cookbook example, maybe you tell them that getting a subscription to your app (which is on a 30% discount for the next hour) will help them get started making recipes this afternoon.
#4: Remove Objections
Jotform’s free plan is great. But plenty of people probably sign up for it because they can’t justify spending the money on a paid plan. Offering them a discount hooks customers that wouldn't have bought otherwise.
What objections might customers have about your more expensive products? Can you offer them an upsell that overcomes those objections and gets them to buy? Once again, we’re not trying to be icky. We’re giving customers another chance to say yes or no.
Upsell emails are useful for any business, from physical storefronts to online services. They can get you more sales and build your relationship with your customers.
Do you need a writer to help create emails like this for your business? Hire me! Click the button below to learn more about my services and set up your intro call today.
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