Skip to main content
Category

Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy

LGBTQ+ rainbow flag

LGBTQ Pride Month Email Templates - Ideas and Inspiration

By Gabrielle Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy

June is just around the corner, which means it's time to start considering your LGBTQ Pride Month email campaigns!

The Pride movement is one of great significance in the US as well as all over the world. In this guide, we will take you through the basics of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, including great examples of email templates for LGBTQ Pride and creative campaign ideas.

Jump to

Get expert email best practice tips delivered directly to your inbox!

What is LGBTQ Pride and why do we celebrate it?

LGBTQ+ Pride Month is an annual event taking place every year throughout the month of June. Like all international Pride events, this month celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and aims to promote equality and raise awareness of challenges faced by LGBTQ individuals across the world.

Why is LGBTQ Pride Month in June?

In the USA, Pride Month is celebrated in June. This is to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969 - a prominent turning point in LGBTQ history which paved the way for the gay rights movement across the world.

Although LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated in June in the US, many other countries also have their own dedicated Pride events throughout the year.

What should my business do for LGBTQ Pride Month?

As a business, showing your support for the Pride celebrations in your country is a great way to demonstrate inclusivity and a positive working environment for both staff and customers.

Alongside social media, email is also a great channel to use to support LGBTQ Pride. Many businesses spend time creating meaningful email campaigns to either promote a Pride event, spotlight important charities or show solidarity with their LGBTQ+ community.

Email Template Inspiration for LGBTQ Pride Month

LGBTQ Pride is most famously associated with the rainbow motif. The colors of the rainbow are representative of the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community and the symbol is frequently included in Pride Month email templates and other campaign materials.

LGBTQ+ rainbow flag

Other important elements of an effective Pride campaign may include:

  • Words of support for LGBTQ+ staff and customers
  • Promotion of LGBTQ+ charities
  • Special events like parades and festivals
  • Dedicated product launches
  • Information and awareness about issues in your local community

Here are some bold and colorful examples of Pride Month email templates which you can use as inspiration for your own campaigns.

Spotify

LGBTQ pride email by Spotify

Spotify take the rainbow theme seriously in this color-overload email design that perfectly captures the vibrant nature of the occasion.

Uber Eats

pride email design by uber eats

This campaign by Uber Eats is more serious and highlights what the company are doing to promote equal rights for all their employees and customers as well as what they wish to improve on.

YouTube

LGBTQ pride event email by YouTube

Events play a large part in Pride Month celebrations and in recent years, these have been both virtual and in person. YouTube's example of an exciting Pride event invitation is a lot of fun and helps get the recipient in the mood for a celebration.

Tripadvisor

pride email campaign by tripadvisor

In this email campaign, travel giants Tripadvisor use their platform to promote upcoming LGBTQ Pride events around the world. They also take the time to include some of the history of the Pride movement.

New Look

LGBTQ pride email campaign by new look

LGBTQ pride email campaign by new look

In this special Pride campaign, New Look shared the stories of LGBTQ individuals within their organisation to promote inclusivity.

Dr Martens

The Dr Martens team also incorporate the rainbow theme in this charity-focused email campaign, shining the spotlight on LGBTQ+ charities.

Goodreads

Goodreads used their platform to highlight books that are particularly relevant for the LGBTQ+ community and therefore perfect for Pride Month.

Reebok

LGBTQ pride email campaign by reebok

In recent years, many retailers have chosen to launch a themed Pride collection for LGBTQ+ Pride Month - often with the proceeds going to charity. Reebok have taken a similar stance in this rainbow themed campaign.

Canva

pride email by canva

Web designers Canva curated a Pride themed collection of templates which they showcased in this colorful email.

Creating LGBTQ+ Pride Month email templates in Mail Designer 365

We hope you're inspired and ready to start working on your email campaigns for LGBTQ Pride Month.

In need of some more inspiration? Mail Designer 365 offers a diverse collection of Pride themed email templates - perfect for a bold event invitation or a meaningful show of solidarity to the LGBTQ+ community.

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
Compatible from macOS 10.13 onwards

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

Best Mother's Day email campaigns

Amazing Mother's Day Email Campaign Ideas to Get You Inspired

By Gabrielle Uncategorized

Even if the current circumstances may prevent many of your customers from physically celebrating with their moms, creating a Mother's Day email campaign is a great way for you to show them how your business can help them thank their moms for all they do.

Email Campaign Ideas for Mother's Day

Come rain or shine, Mother's Day is an important occasion for us all, and an opportunity that your business shouldn't pass up on. Here are some different types of Mother's Day email campaign, plus examples for you to try out this year...

Get expert email best practice tips delivered directly to your inbox!

 
 
There was a problem registering your email address.
Please check and try again.
Thank you for registering! Please check your email inbox.
We've just sent you an email for you to confirm your email address, if you haven't already.

Creating Mother's Day Gift Guide Emails

Choosing a gift to signify just how special your mom is can be difficult. Provide your customers with a guide of your best products for gifting to help give them a little bit of inspiration.

Compiling these gifts on a separate landing page will make it even easier for your customers to shop and find the right items faster.

Here are some great examples of Mother's Day gift guide email campaigns...

Whistlefish

Nordstrom

GAP

Kate Spade

Mother's Day email campaign by Kate Spade

Sending Mother's Day Promotional Emails

A holiday like Mother's Day also provides your business with a great excuse to hold a promotion. At this busy time of the year, this encourages customers to choose your store over other competitors and should help drive sales.

Try offering a promotion which will be practical for your customers, such as free delivery, an extra gift with every purchase, or complimentary gift wrapping.

A percentage discount or sale is another great way to help you get the competitive edge when it comes to prices.

Here are some great examples of promotional email campaigns for Mother's Day...

Starbucks

West Elm

Avon

Mother's Day Reminder Emails

Last but not least, a friendly reminder email can make all the difference in securing a sale this Mother's Day.

It's easy for holidays and dates to slip your customers' minds. Sending out an email reminder not only helps them keep track of the date, it also applies a gentle sense of urgency and could help increase the likelihood of them purchasing from your store.

Here are some examples of reminder emails sent out as part of a Mother's Day email campaign...

Paperless Post

Mother's Day email campaign by Paperless PostJ Crew

J Crew email campaign for Mother's Day

More tips for your Mother's Day email campaign

Now you've got some ideas of what kind of Mother's Day email campaign to send, try out these quick tips when building your design in Mail Designer 365...

  • Use a floral theme: Flowers are a common Mother's Day gift and often associated with the special day. Browse the Unsplash library to find a fitting floral motif or background to use in your email design and set the tone.
  • Pick a vibrant color scheme: Using bright colors is a great way to create a feeling of celebration in your design - perfect for the occasion. Try using fun colors like pinks, purples and oranges to lift the mood.
  • Optimize the call to action: This is the most important part of your email design, as it will take your customer straight to your site, where they will make their purchase. Make sure the links are practical and direct and use a bold design to help them stand out from the rest of the email. Here are some great techniques you could try...
  • Mention Mother's Day in the subject line: Finally, you need to round off your email campaign with a powerful subject line. This will help your email stand out in a crowded inbox. Be sure to mention Mother's Day in the subject line so that customers on the lookout for a great gift will be tempted to open your email.

Creating Mother's Day Email Templates in Mail Designer 365

Mail Designer 365 offers a wide range of stunning seasonal email Design Ideas, including these ready-to send HTML email templates for Mother's Day:

Mother's Day promotion email template in mail designer 365

html email template for mother's day

Mother's Day gifting html email template in Mail Designer 365

We hope these examples of Mother's Day email campaigns have helped inspire you and that you will give these tips a go when building your own template in Mail Designer 365.

Not got a Mail Designer 365 plan yet? Sign up here for free and start creating amazing email templates for Mother's Day and the rest of the year!

Until next time,

Your Mail Designer 365 Team

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
OS X 10.11 - macOS Big Sur

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

First published: April 2020

Updated: April 2021

25 Fun Email Content Ideas to Try Out this Summer

By Gabrielle Uncategorized

Summer can be a challenging time for email marketers. After the influx of major holidays throughout the spring, it may be hard to find interesting subject matter for your summer email campaigns - especially if mentally you're lying on a beach with a mojito (definitely not us.)

This year (2023), the official astronomical summer season in the Northern Hemisphere runs from 21st June through to 23rd September. This still gives you plenty of time to map out a summer email strategy.

To help lighten the load, we've compiled a list of 25 newsletter ideas that you can browse through to find inspiration for your summer emails - including some top class email templates and real life campaign examples. With ideas ranging from major holidays to out-of-the box events and even some unheard of gems, there's bound to be an "aha!" moment here that motivates you to kickstart your next campaign.

Remember, it's down to you to assess which of these ideas could be relevant to your target audience. However, with a little creativity, one small campaign idea can go a long way! Let's get started!

Get expert email best practice tips delivered directly to your inbox!

25 ideas for summer email campaigns

1st June, LGBTQ+ Pride Month begins (World)

In the USA, and many other countries worldwide, June 1st signifies the beginning of LGBT Pride Month.

In recent years, more and more businesses have been getting involved and showing their support for the LGBT Pride movement. Whether that be for their LBGT members of staff, LGBT customers, or simply to demonstrate the company's overall values.

Perhaps you also want to take this opportunity to hold a special Pride event, give LGBT voices a platform, or simply share a few words with your email subscribers about the importance of acceptance and tolerance.

happy pride month html email template in mail designer 365

LGBTQ+ Pride Month email template in Mail Designer 365

18th June, Father's Day (World)

Father's Day is an opportunity for you and your customers to celebrate the fathers and father figures in your lives. This could include a sale or special promotion, gift ideas, or an exclusive event for dads. Find more inspiration here.

happy fathers day email template in mail designer 365

Father's Day email template in Mail Designer 365

28th June, Eid al-Adha (Islam)

Eid al-Adha is the second of the major Islamic festivals to take place in the year and a huge occasion for Muslims worldwide. Consider sending out an email greeting or starting a promotion if relevant to your audience.

html email design for Eid al-adha

Eid al-Adha template in Mail Designer 365

1st July, Canada Day (Canada)

To kick off July, we've got Canada's national holiday on the first of the month. This is a great sales opportunity if you have a customer base in Canada and can also be a fun theme for a regular newsletter outside of Canada - e.g. Canadian cuisine and recipes, popular Canadian movies, travel tips in and around Canada...

Canada day email campaign

4th July, Independence Day (USA)

The Fourth of July is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in the USA - taking place at the height of summer. Many businesses take this opportunity to design an attractive promotion or launch a sale for this major holiday. Here are our top tips.
happy 4th of July html email template

Happy 4th of July email template in Mail Designer 365

14th July, Bastille Day (France)

Bastille Day is the national day of France and is celebrated by people all across the world - often with fireworks and music. This is also a unique occasion to hold an event or launch a sale - especially if you have a large French customer base. If relevant to your business, you could also give a nod to some classic aspects of French culture, like the French cuisine, fashion, or significant historical events.

20th July, FIFA Women's World Cup

There's not much that unites people in the way that football does and the World Cup is always a great opportunity to provide special email content for your subscribers. Whether you're helping them prepare to watch the big game at home with friends and family, or hosting your own viewing party.

24th July, World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

While Mother's Day and Father's Day are both widely celebrated, World Day for Grandparents often receives less attention. Think outside the box and use this occasion to put together a gift guide or dedicated promotion.

30th July, International Friendship Day 

For International Friendship Day, why not promote fun activities for friends to do together? Alternatively, a 2 for 1 offer could also be a great campaign to encourage sharing and spending time together.

5th August, International Beer Day

Cheers! Nothing unites a group of people like a nice cold beer. This is a great occasion for pubs, bars and restaurants to be aware of on their marketing calendar.

tgi Fridays email campaign for international beer day

8th August, International Cat Day

Thinking of a fun way to incorporate cats into an email campaign would certainly be an a-mew-sing way to celebrate International Cat Day with your subscribers: Come up with a cat-based design or punny slogan, show off your team's feline friends, support a cat protection charity, or maybe share a funny cat video.

15th August, Independence Day (India)

As one of the world's largest populations, today is a great day to celebrate the rich Indian culture: Including delicious food, history, dance, cinema, music, or travel tips.

19th August, World Photography Day

Ideas include showcasing poignant photos from history, recommending readers a prime location for stunning snaps, sharing photography tips, or holding a photography competition...

23rd August, International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and Its Abolition

This is a more serious occasion but of great importance. This provides your business with an opportunity to demonstrate your core values and use email as a platform to raise awareness for an important cause.

26th August, International Dog Day

Dogs are man's (and woman's) best friend so why not celebrate our four-legged companions this summer? Showcase some of your team's dogs in a fun campaign or show support for a dog-loving charity. The possibilities are endless!

26th August, Women's Equality Day (USA)

Women's Equality Day celebrates women receiving the right to vote in the USA - an important step forward for the feminist movement.

email template for women's equality day

Mail Designer 365 Email Template for Women's Equality Day

27th - 29th August, Notting Hill Carnival (UK)

London's annual Notting Hill Carnival celebrations attract thousands of colorfully dressed visitors each year and, as Europe's largest carnival, certainly gets everyone in the party mood. Can you reflect this in your campaigns?

31st August, Eat Outside Day

Calling all restaurants: Promote your outdoor facilities this "Eat Outside Day" and encourage your customers to come along and dine al fresco!

5th September, Labor Day (USA)

In the USA, Labor Day is the last big holiday of the summer. Most businesses celebrate big with a sale or promotion and it's also a popular time to take one last summer vacation.

HTML email template for Labor Day sales

Labor Day Sale email template in Mail Designer 365

5th September, International Day of Charity

Email marketing is a powerful tool for charities. Whether you are a non profit organisation or want to show support for a charity of your choice, this is a great day for a charitable campaign.

8th September, International Literacy Day

This UNESCO awareness day focuses on the importance of literacy and reading worldwide.

13th September, World Chocolate Day

Who doesn't love chocolate? This is a no-brainer for any businesses in the food industry but maybe there is another creative way you can tie the sweet chocolate theme into your campaigns? We're hungry already!

World Chocolate Day email campaign by Thorntons

World Chocolate Day email campaign by Thorntons

16th September, Mexican Independence Day

Got a large Mexican customer base? Send out a colorful celebratory email to recognise this important day. If not, there are many other ways you can celebrate the Mexican culture in your email campaigns like sharing some recipes, travel tips or interesting facts from history.

21st September, World Gratitude Day 

Say a big thank you to your customers on World Gratitude Day with a sale or special promotion.

23rd September, Autumnal Equinox

The official end of summer! This is a great opportunity to launch a fall collection, summer clearance sale, or new autumn-inspired menu.

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
Compatible from Mac OS X 10.11 onwards

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

Your 2023 Marketing Calendar - Key Dates and Events for 2023

By Uncategorized

It's no secret that a good email marketer always needs to be two steps ahead in terms of planning. Having your email content mapped out is a good way to stay motivated and reach your marketing goals.

With this in mind, now is a great time to start looking at your email marketing plan for 2023. When deciding on your campaign ideas for the year, it’s useful to have a clear overview of all key events taking place over the next 12 months. This will help you create email content which is relevant and interesting to your target audience.

We've created some handy resources to help you get started with your email marketing planning for 2023, available for you to download free:

  • Digital weekly email campaign planner - with important dates marked and space for planning your upcoming email campaigns
  • Email marketing calendar - 2023 email marketing calendar packed with all key dates

2023 marketing resources delivered directly to your inbox

Enter your email address below to unlock access to your 2023 marketing calendar and campaign planner!

 
 
There was a problem registering your email address.
Please check and try again.
Thank you for registering! Please check your email inbox for your free 2023 marketing calendar and email planner.

email marketing resources 2023

Make the most of your free resources:

Once you have downloaded your free 2023 marketing calendar, you can skim through all the most important dates, holidays and sales periods coming up in 2023. Use these dates and any others you want to include to fill out your  2023 email campaign planner.

Throughout the year, you can carry on noting down todos, campaign ideas, important links, etc. and keep track of all your campaign planning in one useful document. We’ve already provided you with some useful links to help you get started.

How to get started with your first campaign

  1. Build your email newsletter using the creative tools in Mail Designer 365.
  2. Upload design drafts to Mail Designer 365 Approval to get feedback and ideas from your team members.
  3. Once your team has approved your campaign, you can go ahead and export directly to use with your ESP.

Want more inspiration for 2023? Keep reading to discover more unique marketing opportunities your business can get involved in this year…

12 dates you need in your 2023 marketing calendar 

Every year has those key marketing dates that a marketer can't do without, such as Valentine's Day, Halloween, "Black Friday", etc. What really sets your business apart from the rest is getting involved with unique holidays and events that keep your campaigns fresh and interesting to your target audience.

Here's a monthly breakdown of exciting events coming up in 2023 that you can adapt for your own creative campaigns.

January 11th - International Thank You Day

January 11th is International Thank You Day and poses the perfect opportunity for your business to show your gratitude to customers in whichever way you see fit.

One idea could be to launch a "thank you" sale or promotion, allowing customers to save money after the costly holiday period. You could also hold a special event in store, offer a free gift with every purchase, or simply send out a warm thank you email to all your subscribers. Tip: Here are some great ideas for thank you emails.

Say thank you to your customers this January on International Thank You Day

February 20th - Start of Carnival Season

Traditionally, in Christian countries, Carnival is known as a pre Lent celebration (the time leading up to Easter.) However, Carnival events are celebrated today by people of all backgrounds and are a great excuse to dress up, take to the streets and have some fun.

Carnival Season presents many opportunities for email marketers and potential email campaign ideas range from travel tips, events, costume and fashion inspiration, hair and make up services, street rood recipes, etc.

Incorporate the Carnival spirit into your email designs by opting for bold. bright colors and eye-catching fonts.

carnival masks display

Encapsulate the Carnival spirit in your email designs with bright colors

March 25th - Earth Hour

There's never been a more important time to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. The Earth Hour movement is all about taking time out to reduce our impact on the planet and switching off the lights to reduce global energy usage.

There are so many ways your business could get involved in raising awareness for this cause, for example by using your platform to share tips and ideas and to get the word out there. The Earth Hour website also has plenty more ideas and resources for you to explore.

Earth Hour is an extremely important movement that your business should be part of.

April 23rd - UNESCO World Book Day

Everyone loves a good book! Celebrate the power of reading by recognising World Book Day in your email campaigns this year, whether you have a book to promote yourself, are selling books in your store, or want to advertise a reading event.

World Book Day is also a great opportunity for a charitable campaign, such as raising money tor reading-related causes or holding a book drive for disadvantaged communities.

Celebrate the power of books and reading on World Book Day 2023

May 15th - European Song Contest Final

This year, the ESC final will be taking place in Liverpool, as the UK host for last year's winners, Ukraine.

Eurovision is a major celebration of diversity and culture and is also a great excuse for a party! Campaign ideas could include holding a Eurovision themed event at your venue or sharing tips and party ideas for customers watching at home.

This year, the Eurovision Song Contest is being held in Liverpool, UK

June 1st - LGBT Pride Month begins

In the USA, and many other countries worldwide, June 1st signifies the beginning of LGBT Pride Month. During this time, events and parades are often held to celebrate LGBT people and promote tolerance and equality.

In recent years, more and more businesses have been getting involved and showing their support for the LGBT Pride movement. Whether that be for their LBGT members of staff, LGBT customers, or simply to demonstrate the company's overall values.

Perhaps you also want to take this opportunity to hold a special Pride event, give LGBT voices a platform, or simply share a few words with your email subscribers about the importance of acceptance and tolerance.

Outline your business's core values this Pride Month by promoting tolerance, acceptance, love and equality for everyone

July 20th - FIFA Women's World Cup

There's not much that unites people in the way that football does and the World Cup is always a great opportunity to provide special email content for your subscribers. Whether you're helping them prepare to watch the big game at home with friends and family, or hosting your own viewing party.

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is a great opportunity to celebrate the uniting power of football

August 8th - International Cat Day

Cats are an internet sensation and a funny cat meme or video can be the ideal addition to liven up an otherwise standard email campaign. Of course, if your business is related to cats in any way, or you are a cat charity, then this is also a very important date for your diary.

Stuck on ideas? Try incorporating our feline friends into your campaigns in August for International Cat Day!

September 8th - Start of the Rugby World Cup

Rugby is hugely popular in Europe and many other countries worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

This major sports event will take place in France and is set to run up until October 28th. The tournament could present a unique marketing opportunity for your business: Think live stream events, viewing parties, travel offers, sporting equipment sales, etc.

Celebrate the Rugby World Cup in September 2023

October 10th - World Mental Health Day

The importance of taking care of your mental health is something which is being emphasised more and more. World Mental Health Day allows your business to use your platform to raise awareness.

You could run a social media campaign inspiring people to open up and support one another, or set up a charitable campaign encouraging donations to leading mental health organisations. Alternatively, sharing tips and resources on dealing with common mental health problems is another useful way your business can help show support.

Mental health matters: World Mental Health Day falls on October 10th

November 25th - Small Business Saturday

Everyone's heard of Black Friday but have you heard of Small Business Saturday? As the name suggests, this is a day to show support for small, independent businesses in the run up to the holiday sales season.

If you are a small business owner, this is a great focus for your main seasonal sales campaign to drive more customers to your physical store or website.

Taken from the US Chamber of Commerce website:

"Small Business Saturday... encourages consumers to support local businesses by shopping small. American Express launched this shopping holiday in 2010, at the height of the Great Recession, as a way of redirecting holiday shopping to local stores. A decade later, it’s observed in all 50 states, and in 2011, the Senate passed a resolution recognizing Small Business Saturday."

December 6th - St Nicholas Day

St Nicholas Day is a Christian celebration based on the origins of Father Christmas. The holiday is celebrated in many countries throughout Europe, including France, Germany and Belgium, and provides a chance for your business to get super festive in early December. Especially if you have a big target audience in Europe, holding a sale or special event around this time could be a great warm up for Christmas.

Celebrate St. Nicholas Day in the run up to Christmas.

Getting started with Email Marketing in 2023

We hope we have given you some ideas and inspiration for your 2023 email marketing calendar. Alongside the regular holidays and events in your planner, these events should give you some fresh and interesting new subject matter to create engaging emails with in 2023.

Don't forget to enter your email address to get our free resources for your 2023 email marketing calendar delivered straight to your inbox. The extensive email campaign planner and downloadable events calendar are both completely free and a great way for you to get your campaigns organised this year.

Need help building awesome email templates to use with your campaigns? Check out Mail Designer 365. Sign up free today to discover all the Design Ideas, creative tools and resources you need to create amazing emails in 2023…

Until next time,
Your Mail Designer 365 Team

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
Compatible from macOS 10.13 onwards

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

Check Out these Epic Email Fails You Should Avoid at All Costs

By Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy, Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy, Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy, Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy, Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy

To us email geeks, it seems like common knowledge that an all-image email is just not the way to go when it comes to email design best practice... So why is it that so many businesses (big and small alike) are still making this mistake as well as a variety of other "rookie" design errors?

To find out how big the problem really is, we've scoured the web for some of the most *facepalm* worthy email design fails and what you can do to actively avoid them!

Mobile respon-what?

In this day and age you'd think it would be obvious that anything digital/HTML based (we're talking websites, emails, etc.) should be optimized for viewing on smartphones. Mobile responsive design is massively important, as studies show that 81% of consumers check their emails most often on their smartphones. If this really is the case, why are businesses still forgetting to make their designs mobile-friendly?

I hope you've got your magnifying glasses at the ready, because here are a few painful examples of brands who did not get the mobile memo...

If you're wondering how to avoid this mishap without using any complex coding methods, Mail Designer 365 automatically creates a mobile optimized version of every email design. Switch to the mobile view and you can create content especially for people viewing your email on a smartphone. Clever right? Things like shorter text segments, single-column layouts, and mobile-friendly fonts are all great for your responsive design.

Mobile view preview

A picture DOES NOT speak one thousand words...

...If your customer's email client doesn't automatically display images! We know it's tempting to create email designs that are all image based. They look cool and you can probably enjoy more design freedom, but it's not good practice.  Here's a few reasons why you should avoid image based emails where possible:

They're way more likely to end up in the spam folder
Spam filters are getting stricter and most spam filters are programmed to watch out for all image emails; probably because it's not good practice and not something to expect from a pro designer! Once your emails start landing in the spam folder, your deliverability rates are going to start going downhill, and the content you spent so long working on will be missed. Is it worth it? Definitely not!

This email design from Mara Hoffman sure looks cool, but it would have been 10x more effective if it didn't land in my spam folder.

They load much slower
It's fairly clear that an image (especially a high resolution image) will load slower than text. This is why we always advise a healthy balance of both image and text in email newsletters. The images keep things interesting, whereas the text ensures readers still have some content to consume if the images take too long to load - especially important when using a slow public WiFi or mobile data.

Obviously an all-image email won't provide this balance, and if it doesn't load, you're left with something like this...

...Not really a great selling point for your product.

If you want to create a similar effect to the previous design from Mara Hoffman, try using a photo background. This way you can still incorporate real text in your email, as well as creative, colorful design.

If you think this is bad, even big name brands are guilty of it too! Yes we're looking at you Google.. This all-image email design is definitely not on point.

HTML horror stories

Many common email mistakes often arise from bad HTML or coding gone wrong. HTML can be tricky to work with. Even if you make one tiny mistake, it can have massive consequences on your email design. To save time and money, there are quite a few businesses who attempt to use DIY coding methods which don't always go to plan. This paired with a lack of proper testing can lead to email blunders such as this one from West Elm... This is exactly why a WYSIWYG editor is always a good idea guys!

Segmentation Gone Wrong...

Segmentation can also be a huge problem when it comes to email marketing. Just one wrong click and your email could be sent to a completely different target group than what you expected. Take this example from PopSugar: "Win a trip for 2 to Sri Lanka" - sounds pretty exciting, right?! Too bad you can't enter because of your location... Oops!

Another shudder-inducing example was the infamous baby registry email from Amazon a few years back. A harmless transactional-style email designed to inform parents-to-be of a new gift went terribly wrong and turned into a PR nightmare for the global brand. Instead of sending the email to expecting couples, it went to people not expecting a baby at all! Awkward for Amazon and another reason to pay close attention when hitting that send button.

Catastrophic Call-To-Actions

Any email marketer will tell you that the call-to-action (CTA) is the heart of your newsletter. If you get this wrong, then your email isn't likely to succeed. Despite having this drilled into them since day one, many designers still manage to get it wrong. Generally speaking, your CTA should be prominent and easy to find. In this design from Macy's, there are so many different CTAs that the customer doesn't know where to look (or click.) If it were me opening this email, I wouldn't be inclined to click through to their website. Too much choice is never a good thing when it comes to email marketing...

On the other hand, with this email from Tom Ford, it seems the designer was trying a little too hard to be minimalistic. So much, that the reader can barely find the CTA.. Your customers definitely won't click on your links if they can't even see them in the first place!

Hopefully you've found these epic newsletter fails somewhat amusing if not helpful! If you come across any more cringe-worthy email fails you want to share with us, drop us a tweet or send us an email!

Until next time!

Your Mail Designer 365 Team

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
Compatible from macOS 10.13 onwards

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

How to create anniversary emails

How to Create Awesome Anniversary Emails - Plus Examples We Love

By Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy

A key factor behind successful email marketing is the ability to produce interesting content for your subscribers. One popular trend which has really taken off over the past few years is sending anniversary emails as a way to keep subscribers engaged with your business.

In this guide, we're showing you step by step, how to create awesome anniversary emails and sharing our favorite examples from the past few years.

Get expert email best practice tips delivered directly to your inbox!

 
 
There was a problem registering your email address.
Please check and try again.
Thank you for registering! Please check your email inbox.
We've just sent you an email for you to confirm your email address, if you haven't already.

What is an anniversary email and why should I send one?

An anniversary email is sent to commemorate a special event or milestone. This can either be a customer's own personal milestone, or a general business milestone. Typically, the main aim of these emails is to maintain the relationship between your business and your email subscribers.

Here are some great advantages of sending an anniversary email:

  • Make customers feel special. Anniversary emails can easily be integrated into your existing automated email workflow and sent out after certain triggers (e.g. 1 year after signing up). This is a great way to use email to make the customer journey more personalised.
  • Create a new sales opportunity. Many businesses take anniversary emails as an opportunity to launch a sale or offer a discount code.
  • Showcase your achievements. Use your anniversary email as a way to share your success with customers and other key stakeholders.
  • Provide interesting email content. An anniversary email gives you the chance to put a unique spin on your typical marketing emails and provide new content.

Anniversary emails for customer milestones

Every business has a unique customer journey and aims to create a specific experience for both new and existing customers. This plays an important role when considering which milestones to celebrate.

Anniversary emails are a great addition to your automated email strategy, as they are unique to the recipient and therefore offer much more potential in terms of open rates and clicks.

Examples of customer anniversary emails

Here are some great examples of emails sent by businesses to celebrate customer anniversaries.

Grammarly

In this fun, birthday-themed email design by Grammarly, the customer is offered an exclusive discount. We especially like the way the white space in the design makes the messaging even clearer.

Anniversary email by Grammarly

ModCloth

Keeping to the birthday theme, this email by ModCloth uses a colorful center graphic to win over customers and get them shopping on their site.

Anniversary email design by ModCloth

Twitter

This anniversary email by Twitter has a prominent CTA (call to action), prompting the recipient to spread the word on Twitter right away.

Anniversary email by Twitter

Uber

In this anniversary email, Uber reminds drivers of all they've achieved during their time together. Celebrating those key moments is an important part of improving the user experience for all and helps motivate drivers.

Anniversary email by Uber

Playstation

In this mesmerising anniversary email design by Playstation, the customer is rewarded with fun bonus content. Thumbs up for the use of personalization in the main design of the email!

Anniversary email by Playstation

Anniversary emails for business milestones

As well as gaining access to the latest information on your products and offers, many customers signed up to your mailing list to learn more about your business. For this reason, sending out updates on important milestones your business achieves can also be very interesting to your customers.

These emails differ greatly from the customer-specific email examples we just showed. Generally, a business event such as a birthday or sales milestone is a big occasion and an excuse for a grander, one-off mailing.

Examples of business anniversary emails

Here are some examples of firms who have used email to creatively celebrate their anniversary with customers and stakeholders:

Casper

Casper stay nicely on brand with this fun anniversary email, sent out to celebrate their 2nd birthday.

Anniversary email by Casper

Fitbit

The Fitbit team takes a slightly more formal approach in this email statement celebrating their 10th birthday. This kind of email is great, as it is also suitable for investors and stakeholders. We love the numbers section in the middle which recognizes their achievements so far.

Anniversary email statement by Fitbit

DAVIDsTEA

This anniversary email by DAVIDsTEA is unique, as it combines the customer's personal milestones with the anniversary of the business. This helps the customer to feel like part of the business and strengthens the B2C relationship.

Anniversary email by DAVIDsTEA

Harley Davidson

Harley Davidson sent out this impressive mail to celebrate the anniversary of one of their classic products. Releasing a unique, anniversary edition is one creative way to get more customers on their site.

Product anniversary email by Harley Davidson

Best Practice Tips and Ideas for Anniversary Emails

Now you've seen some great examples of anniversary emails, here are some best practice tips to abide by.

Use personalization

Emails are proven to be much more effective when speaking directly to the recipient. Use personalization in your anniversary emails to capture the reader's attention and let them know it's all about them.

Adding a first name placeholder is a simple way to ensure your automated email will address each recipient personally. Mail Designer 365 supports a wide range of placeholders, including Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor, and custom placeholders.

Offer a gift

Every anniversary is a special occasion and warrants a gift. In this case, it's just the same. Say thanks to your customers for their loyalty over the years and reward them with a free gift or special offer.

Anniversary email promotion by Vimeo

Vimeo offer customers an exclusive discount to celebrate their anniversary.

Highlight your shared experiences

As we mentioned, the customer experience is an important part of how your business connects with users. Particularly in service-based businesses, it's a good idea to celebrate your shared experiences with customers to help them feel more connected to you.

In this email by theSkimm, customers are reminded of their personal experience with the business over the last 5 years.

Anniversary email by theSkim

Reflect on shared experiences with customers to help strengthen their connection with your business.

Include a CTA

Every email needs a clear call to action and anniversary emails are no exception. Include a prominent CTA button in your email design to show the reader what their next steps are.

Here are some ideas:

  • Shop now (i.e. with discount or promo code)
  • Refer us to a friend
  • Log in (i.e. to your service)
  • Share the news (e.g. on Twitter)

How to Create an Anniversary Email in Mail Designer 365

Got a big anniversary coming up? Mail Designer 365 makes it easy to celebrate your success with customers and stakeholders.

Choose from one of our many HTML email templates, or use the drag & drop editor to build your own design using an impressive set of creative tools.

Once you've finished building your design, check out the huge range of export options to send your template to your chosen email service provider for a mass, one-time mailing, or a long term, automated campaign.

Not got a Mail Designer 365 plan yet? Download your free trial to get started.

Get started with Mail Designer 365 today

Start your 7 day free trial and use your Mac to create stylish email newsletters for your business.
No credit card required
Compatible from Mac OS X 10.11 onwards

Enjoyed this post?

Get more inspirational tips, tricks, and best practice examples in the Mail Designer 365 Newsletter Academy -
your one stop hub for all things email marketing strategy and newsletter design.

Close Menu
Privacy Settings / Datenschutz-Einstellungen