How to Write a Professional Export Sales Email + Templates

An effective export sales email must answer four questions in the first ten seconds: what you sell, who is reading, why they should keep reading, and what the next step is. Most emails are ignored not because the English is weak, but because the writer talks about their own company instead of talking about the buyer's problem. Below is an eight-part structure, three templates you can use immediately, and a list of mistakes to eliminate.

By the Alibaba Vietnam specialist team

The article is laid out as a checklist so you can copy each item straight into your own letter-writing process. The three email templates in section 3 are written in English — the default working language of export transactions — with Vietnamese notes on what to customise. If you are reading this in translation, keep the templates exactly as they are: buyers expect to receive them in English.

Contents: 1. Six principles · 2. The eight-part structure · 3. Three email templates · 4. Seven common mistakes · 5. Six subject line formulas · 6. Quotations and attachments · 7. Ten-point checklist · 8. Writing to buyers who come from Alibaba · 9. Frequently asked questions

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1. Six principles of an effective export sales email

1. Write to one person, not to a list. An email addressed to "Dear Sir/Madam" is almost certain to be deleted. The company name, the person's name, the country, the products they already sell — the more specific, the better.
2. Talk about the buyer's problem before you talk about your factory. Buyers care about cost, delivery time, supply stability and risk — they do not care how many years of experience you have until they see that you understand them.
3. Shorter than you think. The goal of the first email is not to close the order, but to earn a reply. An email under 150 words has a far higher response rate than a three-screen letter.
4. One concrete, easy-to-answer offer. "Do you need a price list for product X?" is easier to answer than "We very much look forward to cooperating with your esteemed company".
5. Prove it with verifiable detail. Certifications, packaging specifications, monthly capacity, average lead time, reference customers. No self-praising adjectives.
6. Close with a clear next step. Propose one specific action with a time frame; do not leave the buyer to work out what to do next.

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2. The eight-part structure of a standard sales email

1. Subject line. State the product and the benefit, under 60 characters. This is the part that decides whether the email is opened at all.
2. A greeting addressed to the right name. "Dear Mr. Smith" or "Dear Ms. Tanaka". If you only know the surname, use the surname; if you do not know the name, use the job title.
3. An opening sentence that is directly relevant to them. One sentence that proves you have done your research: what they import, which market, which sales channel.
4. One sentence introducing yourself. Company name, main product, position in the supply chain. No more than two sentences.
5. Three bullet points of concrete value. Figures wherever possible: capacity, MOQ, production time, certifications, customisation capability.
6. One line of proof. Certifications you already hold, representative customers, or a readiness to send samples.
7. A specific offer. Price list, test sample, a fifteen-minute call — choose one, do not offer all three.
8. A full signature. Full name, job title, company, phone number with country code, website, address. This is the part that builds trust, so do not abbreviate it.

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3. Three email templates you can use immediately

3.1. Template 1 — Cold email to a new prospect

Use this when you have actively identified an importer and there is no prior relationship.

Subject: Rattan storage baskets — direct from our factory in Vietnam

Dear Mr. Weber,

I saw that [Company] distributes home organization products in Germany
under your own brand. Most of your range appears to be machine-made —
we produce the hand-woven version at a landed cost that is usually
10–15% below the machine-made alternative.

Three things about us:
- Factory in Ben Tre, 1,200 m², 45 workers, capacity 25,000 units/month.
- BSCI-audited, FSC-certified rattan, moisture-controlled packaging.
- Current lead time 25–30 days for 1,000–3,000 units.

We can send three samples with your logo tag within 10 days, at no cost
for the samples themselves.

Would it help if I sent our catalogue and price list for the four
best-selling sizes?

Best regards,
Nguyen Van A
Export Manager | ABC Handicraft Co., Ltd
+84 9xx xxx xxx (WhatsApp) | abc-handicraft.com

Vietnamese note: the second sentence is the most important part — it proves you have looked at their products. If you have not managed to find out anything yet, spend ten minutes on their website before you write. The figures in the example must be replaced with your own real numbers.

3.2. Template 2 — Replying to a request for quotation (RFQ)

Use this when the buyer has already sent a specific request and you are competing against several other suppliers.

Subject: Re: RFQ #2214 — 5,000 pcs cotton tote bags, quotation attached

Dear Ms. Rossi,

Thank you for the detailed specification. Quotation is attached; below
are the four points that usually decide this order.

1. Price: USD 1.85/pc FOB Cat Lai for 5,000 pcs, 280 gsm cotton,
   2-colour screen print on one side.
2. Lead time: 22 days production + 5 days for your artwork approval.
3. Sampling: pre-production sample in 7 days, cost refunded on order
   confirmation above 3,000 pcs.
4. Payment: 30% deposit, 70% against copy of B/L — or L/C at sight if
   you prefer.

Two questions so the quotation stays accurate:
- Do you need individual polybag and hangtag, or bulk packing?
- Is the print artwork final, or should we quote a second colourway?

If the price works, I can reserve production capacity for your
requested ship date this week.

Best regards,
Tran Thi B
Sales Manager | XYZ Textile JSC
+84 9xx xxx xxx (WhatsApp / Zalo) | xyz-textile.com

Vietnamese note: an RFQ reply must state price, lead time, sampling and payment right in the body of the email — do not make the buyer open the attachment to find the key information. The two questions at the end give you a reason to write again.

3.3. Template 3 — Follow-up email after the buyer goes quiet

Use this five to seven days after sending a quotation, when there has been no response.

Subject: Quick follow-up on the tote bag quotation (RFQ #2214)

Dear Ms. Rossi,

Following up on the quotation I sent last Tuesday. I know sourcing
decisions take time — no pressure on my side.

One thing that may be useful: our cotton price is locked until the end
of this month, so the USD 1.85/pc figure holds only for orders
confirmed before then. After that I would have to re-quote.

If the specification needs adjusting — heavier fabric, different
handles, lower MOQ — tell me which direction and I will send a revised
version the same day.

Best regards,
Tran Thi B
Sales Manager | XYZ Textile JSC

Vietnamese note: the principle of a follow-up email is to create a genuine reason to reply, not to repeat "have you seen my email yet". A price locked to a deadline, a season, or a production schedule are the three most honest and most effective reasons.

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4. Seven mistakes that get sales emails ignored

1. A vague subject line. "Introduction letter" or "Cooperation proposal" says nothing and is often flagged as spam.
2. Opening with a long self-introduction. Three paragraphs about company history before you mention the product is the fastest way to lose the reader.
3. Sending one email to hundreds of addresses. Without personalisation the response rate is close to zero, and your domain risks being blacklisted.
4. Attachments that are too heavy. A compressed catalogue of several dozen MB is easily blocked. Use a PDF under 5 MB or a download link.
5. The wrong name, the wrong country, the wrong product. A copy-paste error such as sending a timber quotation to a plastics company cannot be fixed with an apology.
6. No contact information outside email. Buyers usually want to check you on a website, LinkedIn or a phone number before they reply.
7. No next step. The email ends with "Looking forward to hearing from you" — a sentence that generates no action.

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5. Six subject line formulas

1. Product + origin: "Bamboo cutting boards — direct from Vietnam factory".
2. Product + numeric benefit: "Ceramic mugs at 12% lower landed cost — 3 sizes".
3. Answering a specific request: "Re: RFQ #2214 — quotation for 5,000 pcs".
4. Product + certification: "Organic cashew W240 — HACCP certified, FDA registered".
5. Product + timing: "Sample in 7 days, production in 22 — cotton tote bags".
6. Follow-up with a reason: "Price locked until 30 June — your tote bag quotation".

Keep the subject line under 60 characters so it is not cut off on a phone. Do not use all capitals, and do not use wording that feels like cheap advertising.

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6. Handling quotations and attachments

1. Give files a meaningful name. `Quotation_ABC-Handicraft_ToteBag_2026-06-15.pdf` is better than `quotation_final_final2.pdf`.
2. One file for one purpose. A separate price list, a separate catalogue, a separate company profile. Do not merge everything into one heavy file.
3. State four pieces of information in the email body, not only in the file: price, MOQ, production time, payment terms.
4. State the validity of the quotation clearly. "Prices valid until…" both protects you and creates an incentive to reply.
5. Check the file before you send it. Open it on a phone first — most buyers read email on mobile.

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7. Ten-point checklist before you hit send

1. The subject line is under 60 characters and includes the product name.
2. The recipient's name, the company name and the country are correct.
3. The first sentence is about the recipient, not about you.
4. Total length is under 200 words for a first email.
5. There is at least one concrete figure (price, MOQ, capacity, timing).
6. There are no spelling errors in proper names or product names.
7. The attachment is under 5 MB and has been opened and tested.
8. There is exactly one offer at the end.
9. The signature is complete, with a phone number including the country code.
10. You have checked again whether the email landed in the spam folder.

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8. Writing a sales email when the buyer comes from Alibaba

When you export through Alibaba, the sales email has a different characteristic: the buyer has already seen your storefront before reading the letter. They have compared prices, they have looked at the photos, and they have usually messaged several suppliers at the same time.

Four adjustments are necessary:

1. Refer back to the context of the conversation. "Following our chat on Alibaba about the 5,000 pcs order" helps the buyer remember who you are among dozens of messages.
2. Answer exactly the question they asked in the chat window. Do not restart from the beginning with a company introduction.
3. State clearly whether you are a manufacturer or a trader. Buyers scrutinise this point more and more; being direct reduces suspicion and reduces the risk of disputes later.
4. Keep the whole conversation on the platform until the order is confirmed. This is how you protect yourself on documentation and gives you a basis if you ever need to file a complaint.

On the Alibaba scam concern — the phrase appears frequently in Vietnamese search, but most incidents come from transacting outside the platform, transferring money to a personal account, or skipping the seller verification step. As a seller you also need to protect yourself: verify the buyer, keep the entire exchange history, and present documents only through official channels.

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9. Frequently asked questions

How long should an export sales email be? The first email should be under 150–200 words. An RFQ reply can be longer, but it must still state price, MOQ, production time and payment terms in the body of the letter.

Should I attach a catalogue to the first email? Yes, but it must be light and relevant to the industry. Heavy files or generic catalogues reduce the response rate.

How soon should I send a follow-up email? After 5–7 working days. A maximum of two follow-ups per sales email; after that, switch to another channel or stop.

Should I use English or the buyer's local language? English is the default. If you can write a few sentences in the local language in the greeting, that is a plus, but do not use a translation tool for the entire technical content.

How do I keep email out of the spam folder? Use a company domain with email authentication configured, do not send in bulk, do not attach unfamiliar files, and avoid excessive advertising language in the subject line.

Should I quote a price in the first email? Yes, quote a price range or an indicative price based on MOQ. Failing to mention price usually leads to a long question-and-answer cycle and a lost opportunity.

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10. Conclusion

A good sales email is an easy one to reply to: short, concrete, backed by figures, with one offer and a clear next step. Three things to do right away: rewrite your email template using the eight-part structure, standardise the naming of your quotation files, and set up an automatic follow-up schedule after 5–7 days.

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