Why Adding Plain, Authentic-Looking Emails To Your Mix Is Crushing Conversion Records

I'm about to save you thousands of dollars on email design AND show you how to make more money with your existing list. You're welcome.

Look, I've spent the last few weeks analyzing data from dozens of 7 and 8-figure ecommerce brands in my network (perks of running a newsletter with 18,000+ subscribers), and I've spotted something that's making me question everything I thought I knew about email marketing.

The ugly truth? Adding plain, text-heavy "ugly emails" to your existing campaign mix is driving insane results - we're talking 2-3X better performance than only sending beautiful, template-heavy emails.

Your Beautiful Emails Need Some Ugly Friends

I'll cut the crap: Your customers' inboxes are absolute war zones. They get bombarded with 100+ emails daily, and their brains have evolved to filter out anything that looks remotely like marketing.

Those gorgeous templates with perfect images and pixel-perfect spacing? They still have their place, but mixing in some intentionally plain-looking emails can dramatically boost your overall program performance.

One of my founder friends (runs an 8-figure accessories brand) told me: "We added two 'ugly' emails to our monthly mix and saw our overall program revenue increase by 18% with zero additional cost."

The "Ugly Email" Approach That's Printing Money

The smartest brands in my network are adding what I call "strategic ugliness" to their email mix - emails that look like you just fired them off to one person, not blasted them to your entire list. Here's the exact formula that's working:

1. Plain text or minimal HTML (think 2005-era emails)

2. Slightly messy writing with occasional typos

3. Zero header images (or tiny, simple ones if you must)

4. Single-column layout that looks like a regular email

5. Personal sender name (e.g., YOUR NAME, not "Brand Team")

6. Inconsistent formatting that looks somewhat rushed

The Results Will Blow Your Mind

We're actively implementing this exact approach 4x per month for our client, Fazit Beauty. The results?

• Open rates doubled (100% increase)

• Revenue jumped 33% per campaign

• Engagement metrics are through the roof

This isn't theoretical - we're getting these results consistently. It's working so well that we're now rolling out this 4x per month "ugly email" strategy across all of our clients at Bylders.io.

Another founder in Workspace6.io (a group I'm part of) ditched their templates for plain-text emails and saw revenue per email jump 180% in less than a month.

I'm not making this stuff up. This is happening right now.

The Exact Formatting Tricks You Should Steal

There's still some strategy to the "ugliness." Here's the exact formula I've seen work best:

• Use bold text sparingly (only for 1-2 critical lines)

• Keep paragraphs tiny (1-3 lines max, just like I'm doing here)

• Vary your spacing (some paragraphs close, others with gaps)

• Use simple text links (not fancy buttons)

• Keep hyperlinks default blue (they trigger the "click me" response)

• Sign off casually ("Talk soon" or "Cheers" convert better than formal closings)

Why This Works (The Psychology)

This isn't just random luck. There's solid psychology behind it:

1. Pattern interrupts: When something breaks the expected pattern (polished marketing emails), it commands attention.

2. Reciprocity: When it seems like someone took time to write to you personally, you feel obligated to at least read it.

3. Cognitive ease: Plain emails require less mental processing, making them easier to consume and respond to.

How To Do This Without Killing Your Brand

I'm not telling you to completely trash your beautiful emails—that would be stupid. Instead, create a strategic mix:

1. Add "ugly" emails to your monthly campaign mix (I recommend 3-4 per month)

2. Use them for high-intent messages (cart abandonment, win-backs, new product alerts)

3. Keep your branded templates for announcements and welcome sequences

4. Test a personal sender name + your brand (e.g., "YOUR NAME from BRAND")

5. A/B test gradually - start with adding one ugly email per week and measure the difference

The Nuclear Option: Intentional "Mistakes"

This is my secret weapon, and it borders on manipulative (but hey, it works): intentional "mistakes" in subject lines or early in emails dramatically increase engagement:

• "[First name], forgot to tell you this..." (subject line)

• "Crap, meant to send this yesterday..." (opening line)

• "Actually, we only have 29 left..." (correcting an earlier statement)

One founder in my circle added "Sorry, wrong link! Here's the right one:" to a follow-up email and saw a 43% click rate. That's INSANE.

This Won't Work Forever

The ugly truth about "ugly emails" is that they'll eventually lose effectiveness as more brands catch on. But right now, we're in the golden age where most companies are still sending 100% templated, beautiful emails - creating a perfect opportunity for you to mix in some "ugly" campaigns and absolutely CRUSH it.

Try adding 1-2 ugly emails to your weekly mix and watch what happens to your overall program performance. I guarantee you'll be addicted to the results.

Have you tried the "ugly email" approach? Hit reply and let me know your results. I read every email.