Foreign trade development letters are “over” before they “start”？

You’ve clearly put effort into writing your emails, but when there’s no positive feedback after sending them out—once or twice is fine, but if it happens every time, it can really shake your confidence.

Of course, there are many reasons why customers might not reply: bounced emails, spam folders, unread messages, or even your email being blocked. So, what can we do to avoid these issues and improve both the delivery and open rates of our emails?



1. First, Confirm: Did the Customer Actually Receive the Email?

Many foreign trade professionals aren’t even sure whether their emails have been *seen* by customers. If you can’t guarantee this first step, then all follow-ups might be in vain. The first thing to check is whether your email was mistakenly marked as spam.

Common reasons why emails end up in spam folders include:

1. Sending the same content repeatedly (often flagged as mass mailing)
2. Using unsafe or overused bulk email tools
3. Being reported by recipients
4. Poor reputation of the sender’s email domain

These issues can trigger automatic blocking by the recipient’s system. So even if the recipient's email address is valid, it's important to optimize your sending practices to reduce the risk of being flagged as spam.

2. Improve Email Content to Boost Open Rates

Once you're sure the email is deliverable, the next goal is to increase the chances that the customer will actually open and read it.

1) Avoid Overusing Images and Links

To make emails look “premium,” many people add lots of images, links, or even design the email like a digital brochure. But this can backfire:

* Large images slow down loading
* Too many links can trigger spam filters
* Long image layouts make reading uncomfortable

It’s best to limit both the number and size of images. If there’s too much content, consider attaching a file instead.

2) Keep Subject Lines Straightforward and Professional

Creativity isn’t wrong when writing subject lines, but it’s better to keep them professional and clear. Avoid exaggerated language like:
Unbelievable Offer Just for You!
High Quality Best Price OEM ODM Factory China Manufacturer...

These are not only likely to get caught by spam filters but also look suspicious to recipients. Instead, go for direct and informative titles, such as:
New Collection for 2025 | Women’s Cotton Tops
[Buyer’s Name] – Fabric Proposal from \[Your Company]

We’ve previously shared more tips on writing great subject lines—check out this article: [How to Write Irresistible Email Subjects (CN)]

3) Keep the Body Text Clear, Sincere, and Valuable

A great outreach email doesn’t need flashy writing—it needs to deliver  value . Avoid excessive praise, unusual fonts, or heavy use of bold/red text. Keep things clean, consistent, and concise.

Write from the customer’s point of view so they feel you truly understand them. Avoid asking for too much upfront. Instead, share useful insights—like competitor data, market trends, or collaboration suggestions. This builds trust and positions you as a helpful resource.

Also, professionalism isn’t about saying “we have 10+ years of experience.” Real cases and specific results are far more convincing. For example:
We sell this product successfully to Walmart. They love the finish and patterns so much that they reorder several times a year, with quantities from 8,000 to 10,000 units per order.

Such examples not only show you’ve worked with big clients, but also hint at your product’s market credibility—making the customer more likely to take notice.