At its simplest, email is your voice, amplified. Forget the technology, forget the software. When you get right down to it, email is you, talking to an audience of 1 or 1000 or 10,000.

Which gets us to the starting point of any message: you. There are two key elements of a sales email: your message, and your voice. Both of these are important, for slightly different reasons, but I'd like to delve into the importance of voice in email marketing.

Why your "voice" matters

Email is often referred to as an "intimate" medium: the communication is one-to-one, regardless of how many people are on the receiving end. That means your recipients will consider your tone as a reflection on how you view your relationship with them.

When preparing your sales email, it's vital that you establish your "voice" before writing; this will help keep your message on track, and increase the likelihood your message will get through.

Think about when you receive email: don't you respond differently when you receive a message from a friend versus from a professional contact.

Here's an exercise to demonstrate: Write a quick, "professional" email. It can be on any topic; try to include at least two paragraphs. Now, in the "to" field, put your own email address, click "send".

When the email arrives, take a second to reflect on how you reacted emotionally to the message. I'm willing to bet you went through some sort of mental "inventory" when you saw the message, when you opened it, when you read it. This is the "frame of mind".

Every one of your email marketing recipients gets into some sort of specific "frame of mind" when they go through their email. Your goal as an email marketer is to break through the clutter, to get your contacts to really consider your message.

I recommend writing with a more personal voice.

Your voice should be clearly definable, with descriptive language that suits your message. It's important to find that balance between personal and professional. Go too far one way, and no one will read your message; go too far the other, and no one will take your message seriously.

All in all, your "from" is your voice, which has a significant impact on whether your audience even reads your message. If you want more sales, you need to ensure your contact list is not only receiving your emails; you want them to open them.