We're all familiar with the typical email marketer's arsenal; you have the standard set of transactional emails, as well as the odd sales or promotional email, but there's one more thing which often goes overlooked - the email newsletter.
Although widely accepted as a key part of email marketing, the email newsletter is not something which is utilised by every business. This is a mistake! An engaging email newsletter is the perfect way to keep your customers up to date and informed about what is going on in your business. Unlike a generic sales or transactional email, the newsletter gives you the opportunity to combine multiple marketing elements into one email and, at the same time, provide your customers with interesting content about your field of business. Here are our top tips for crafting engaging email newsletters.
The eye-catcher
To kick off your newsletter, it's a good idea to include an eye-catching graphic or header image to set the tone of the email, and, most importantly, grab your reader's attention. This could be an image, text style, or a GIF, but the main thing to think about is whether it is fitting to your email message and on brand for your business. Don't forget to prominently position your logo at the top of the email design so that your readers know straight away the email is from you. In this Valentine's Day themed email from Philosophy, the brand's logo takes center stage at the top of the page, followed by a dazzling pink graphic which conveys the theme of the email straight away.
The colors in this vibrant design are great at generating attention
Introduce the theme
In an email newsletter, it can be beneficial to include a short and friendly introduction to give readers overview of the theme of your newsletter. This should get them on board from the get go. Make your introduction snappy, engaging and, most of all, interesting enough that customers will want to read more. In this example from Boots, the reader receives a nice welcome to the newsletter, giving them a quick overview about the theme of the email and enticing them to read on for more information.
Include a welcome message like this one from Boots to introduce your theme
Layout
The layout of your newsletter is important, as it determines whether or not your reader will be able to clearly follow the information you have provided. Too much text is long and boring, and too many images make the email difficult to load and may cause viewing problems in some email clients. Try to include a healthy balance of text and images in your email layouts. We would always recommend including at least one main text block so recipients who have disabled images in their email client can still see the main message of your email.
Try out the combi layout blocks in Mail Designer 365 to create a clear and stylish design.
Great content
Of course, the most important aspect of your email newsletter is the content you include. If this content does not interest your readers, they will be less likely to open your emails, and could even choose to unsubscribe. There are three key things you can work on to make sure your content is engaging for your email newsletter:
1. Relevance: Is this content relevant to my field of business and to my target audience? Your customers have most likely chosen to subscribe to your newsletter as they have an interest in the industry you are in and want to hear more about it. It is good practice to consider how relevant your newsletter content really is before deciding to include it in the final draft.
2. Variety: Is this content unique and interesting? There's nothing worse than sending dull and repetitive emails, your customers will soon get bored and lose interest. Try to make sure you have a good amount of variation when it comes to your newsletter. You can try switching between factual articles, review-style blog posts, featured product launches, news about your business, or other media such as gifs and videos, to keep things vibrant and interesting.
We like the variety included in this newsletter by Typeform.
3. Promotion: Is this content helpful in promoting my product or service? Although email newsletters go further than the standard sales email, the main goal is still to market your business. Make sure that your content always works to promote your product or service. You could include product reviews, customer testimonials, example of how your product could help solve a common problem in the industry, useful tips or tutorials, and more, to paint your business in the best possible light.
Call-to-Action
Your email newsletter goes way beyond the email itself. As with any marketing material, your newsletter should contain at least one CTA (call-to-action) to direct customers towards your website, online store, blog, or whatever it is you are trying to promote. This post will tell you more about how to create CTA buttons that shine, but the main thing is to remember to make them stand out amongst the rest of your content. The bright pink CTA buttons in this design from Oasis are standout and work great with the summery theme of the email.
Vibrant CTAs like these ones from Oasis are super effective
Don't forget the footer
Last but certainly not least, the footer. As well as giving you the chance to leave a lasting impression on your readers, this is also the most common place to insert any useful company information, disclaimers, and contact details, as well as the super important unsubscribe link.
We recommend that you always use a standard footer and only edit the information when absolutely necessary. That way, your designs remain consistent for your readers and you can be sure that you have all of the necessary information. Use the footer to link to your social media sites, your blog, or your customer support system.
Make sure your design footer contains relevant and essential information
This footer by H&M is informative and provides readers with all important links such as social media sites and the sign up page for a customer loyalty card. In addition, the company also protect themselves by including a legal disclaimer and an unsubscribe link.
Final thoughts
If you stick to these tips, you should be well on the way to crafting amazing email newsletters full of engaging content that your recipients will want to read. To go one step further, it's great practice to also stick to a regular sending schedule (i.e. once a week every Tuesday or the first of each month.) This will help to get your customers used to your email newsletter and look forward to your emails, and also helps you to provide consistent content and plan better. Happy Designing!
Until next time,
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
Give Mail Designer 365 a try today for free...
Mail Designer 365 helps you create stylish, professional HTML emails on your Mac. Download for free to see what you can achieve.
As the world's #4 email client, it’s safe to say that Apple Mail is a huge part of every email marketer’s life, and has been ever since its introduction in March 2001 under OS X Cheetah. Since then, it’s really come a long way...
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It was inevitable, something we all saw coming. Following months of updating data protection and privacy policy, and not to mention frantically sending out opt in campaigns, GDPR came, saw and, well... conquered. As a result, many of you have probably seen a significant drop in your email subscribers, but don't worry, there's still hope! Here are some tips and tricks to help get you back on track and rebuild your email lists.
Out with the old and in with the new
In some ways, GDPR has actually done you all a favour. It's a known fact that quantity does not equal quality, and having a large list of email subscribers isn't necessarily a good thing for your email marketing campaigns. In fact, it can almost be quite detrimental if a large proportion of your list is made up of inactive, disengaged subscribers. Inactive subscribers negatively impact upon your open rates and click-through rates and prevent you from seeing how effective your email campaign really is. In removing such subscribers from your lists, you'll have an email list made up of customers who want to receive your emails and are much more likely to actively engage. Great news, right?
With this in mind, you can now go forward with a more positive outlook. Focus your efforts on gaining new, interested email subscribers who have actively chosen to opt in to receiving your content.
Promotion is key
The first way to ensure people will sign up to your email lists is by promoting your email newsletter wherever you can. There are many opportunities to do this, but one of the most effective ways is to include a prominent sign up box on your website or blog. If a potential customer is already looking through your website or reading your blog, they're most likely interested in your content. Make the most of this opportunity by pointing out your newsletter as a way for them to stay in touch with you. This cooking blog has a prominent sign up box in the sidebar, prompting readers to subscribe for even more content.
Include a sign up box on your website or blog
If you don't have a blog, make one!
A blog is a great way for you to show your customers what kind of content they can expect from your business. It is also another way for you to promote your product or service without having to invest too much time, energy, or money. The more engaging your blog content is, the more likely your readers are to want to sign up. You can encourage blog visitors to subscribe to your email list to receive updates whenever you publish a new blog post. This is enticing, as they will already know that the content they will receive emails about will be of interest to them and won't be spam. 1Life make sure their subscribers will never miss out on a new blog post:
Create a blog to get customers interested in your content
Use social media
Social media is a quick and instant way to communicate shorter blasts of information to your customers. It's possible that many of your social media followers may not be aware of the fact you have an email newsletter. Take this chance to inform them that more detailed news about your business, promotions, or releases is available in your email newsletter. It's likely that many of your followers will take interest, because, again, they are following you for your interesting content. Check out this example from Hydrogen, which could have been made even better with a link!
Use social media to promote your email newsletter
Upload older newsletters to your website
Just like with the blog, by uploading previous newsletters, you're showing potential subscribers what they are in store for if they sign up to receive your newsletter. Although you may be concerned that making your newsletter available online might deter people from subscribing, it's actually a lot more effort for them to have to search for it online than it is to conveniently receive it in your inbox. You can also choose to not post your latest newsletters until the next one is sent out. It's a good idea to show that you include exclusive special offers, promotions, and current news to generate FOMO (fear of missing out) and push customers to subscribe. reallygoodemails.com have an archive of their old newsletters to encourage new customers to sign up:
Archive older newsletters so customers know what to expect when they sign up
With these tips in mind, it should be easy for you to get back up on your feet after the initial GDPR shock. As the saying goes, keep calm and carry on and you should be fine!
Until next time!
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
Give Mail Designer 365 a try today for free...
Mail Designer 365 helps you create stylish, professional HTML emails on your Mac. Download for free to see what you can achieve.
The big day is almost upon us... Tomorrow, after months of planning and preparation, the EU General Data Protection Regulation will finally be enforced upon businesses across the world. We're sure that most, if not all of you, have been overwhelmed with masses of email opt in campaigns from businesses willing you to stay subscribed to their newsletters and keep receiving updates (guilty ?.)
To find out how effective these opt in campaigns really are, and, in particular, what their impact would be on the average person who has signed up to multiple email newsletters over the years, we decided to carry out some research of our own...
For your American customers, May means it's almost time for Memorial Day. This holiday gives consumers a three day weekend, and there's nothing quite like a long weekend to get business booming!
Before you fire up the grill, or pour yourself a drink, check out our 5 tips for creating a sizzling Memorial Weekend email campaign.
Go stars and stripes crazy
As this is a super patriotic holiday, you should do your best to try and represent this in your email design. This makes the theme of your email clear from the get go, as well as making things a bit more fun and interesting for your email subscribers. Try to incorporate red, white and blue into your color scheme, and bonus points for you if you can include some American flag imagery in there, too!
In this example, Ralph Lauren have got their color scheme down to a T and the inclusion of the stars and stripes flag is a great way to get the theme across to customers.
The stars and stripes in this Ralph Lauren email are super patriotic
Use a sense of urgency
As one of the oldest tricks in the marketing playbook, the sense of urgency is always a good way to engage your customers into participating with your sale or special offer. As the Memorial Day holiday is only spread across a couple of days, it provides your business with the perfect opportunity to have a quick-fire sale or event.
This bright design from Aldo definitely creates a sense of urgency with its "Today only" graphic. Try something similar in your designs to get customers rushing to check out your sale.
Including the "ends tonight" line adds a sense of urgency to this email
Inspire subscribers to make the most of their time off
Remember your email campaign does not have to begin on Memorial Day weekend, you can get started right away! Encourage your subscribers to start planning their backyard BBQ in advance, or suggest fun activities to do at home over the family weekend.
There's loads of ways to get involved and it doesn't have to be a themed sale. Get creative and it will pay off. Your customers will definitely thank you for the inspiration! Check out this example made with Mail Designer 365.
Give your customers ideas for things to do to celebrate the holiday
Use a summery theme
For many of your customers, Memorial Day weekend is the start of their summer. The weather is getting warmer and many of them will not have to go to school or work. Your subscribers will have summer and sun on the brain, so the more you highlight this in your email campaign using a summery theme, the more likely they are to click.
This cute and summery design from Revolve is a clever way to inspire your customers to start shopping for the summer.
This packing theme from Revolve gets customers in the mood for a vacation
Don't forget what the day is all about
As with all holidays and special occasions, it's easy to forget the true meaning of the celebration. It's good to include a reference to what the day is all about. This will not only make your business come across more genuine, it's also a sign of respect to your customers who may have lost loved ones fighting in the military. You could do this by inserting a short but heartfelt message or by hosting a special event and donating to a veteran's charity.
This design from Alex and Ani has got the balance just right. We love the patriotic heart!
A heartfelt design saying thanks to American troops for all they've done
Tip: Don't forget to segment your email lists for this one! It may seem obvious, but it is important you only send your Memorial Campaign out to your US customers.
Until next time!
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
Give Mail Designer 365 a try today for free...
Mail Designer 365 helps you create stylish, professional HTML emails on your Mac. Download for free to see what you can achieve.
Research shows that it takes just 0.05 seconds for a web page to make an impression on the average person; whether this is a good or bad impression is up to you. The visual appearance of your email is crucial in determining how readers will respond to your campaign. Here's how you can effectively use color schemes to optimise your email designs...
Monochromatic color schemes
A monochromatic design is made up of the different shades of just one main color. It's particularly effective if it highlights something within your email design and indicates a clear theme. Try this out for colors which are seasonal (e.g. red at Christmas or orange at Halloween) or for targeted product promotion.
This example from Morphe is highly effective. Not only does the hot pink stand out to readers, it also does a great job of promoting their lipgloss of the same color:
Monochromatic color schemes are a brilliant way to highlight the vibrant, colorful nature of your product.
Complementary color schemes
Complementary color schemes are made up of colors which are directly opposite each other in the color wheel. Some complementary pairing examples are red and blue, yellow and purple, and pink and green.
These colors create a strong contrast, but, when pulled off correctly, can add something special to your design. For example, this design from Cotton On utilises a complementary color scheme by clashing red and teal together to create an interesting effect for their otherwise ordinary sale advertisement.
Use a vibrant complementary color scheme to bring an otherwise simple design to life.
Achromatic color schemes
For a particularly sleek and serious design, you should consider using an achromatic color scheme. This refers to color schemes made up of shades of black and white. In terms of branding, this is a sleek and stylish option for those of you striving to maintain a more sophisticated look in your emails.
Hudson Jeans are looking chic as ever in this achromatic welcome email. This design does a great job of introducing subscribers to the fashionable nature of the brand and remaining interesting at the same time.
Achromatic color schemes add an element of style and edge - particularly for fashion brands.
Analagous color schemes
An analagous color scheme is made up of one main color and then the two colors either side of it on the color wheel. For example, red paired with deep orange and hot pink or blue paired with indigo and turquoise. This is a great color scheme to try out on a more standard design like a transactional email, where you don't want to be too experimental.
This brand have created a soft, yet effective color scheme for this design. The red paired with pink and orange is a nice way to incorporate color without going overboard.
An analogous color scheme is a subtle yet stylish way to introduce different colors into your email designs.
We hope you take these color schemes into consideration for your next email campaign. Together with an understanding of seasonal trends and the effect of different colors, this is a great way to make sure your email design is effective as possible.
Until next time!
Your Mail Designer 365 Team
Give Mail Designer 365 a try today for free...
Mail Designer 365 helps you create stylish, professional HTML emails on your Mac. Download for free to see what you can achieve.
Mother's Day is a great marketing opportunity for your business, as it's a day which practically all of your customers will find relevant in some way. Here are some of our top ideas for how you can build an effective Mother's Day email campaign.
Give moms the reward they deserve!
One fairly straightforward way to kick off your Mother's Day marketing campaign is by giving Moms a special treat to show your appreciation. Not only does this show the compassionate side of your business, it will also help to build up a customer relationship and entice all the mothers you rewarded to come back to your business throughout the rest of the year.
Whether it's a discount code for your store, or a free drink or dessert in your restaurant, try to include a kind gesture in your email campaign. Check out this example we made in Mail Designer 365:
Offer moms an exclusive reward to show them your appreciation.
Think floral
Flowers are often associated with Mother's Day, as they are a popular way to show someone your love and appreciation. Try to incorporate a floral theme into your email design to help readers make the clear association with Mother's Day.
Moreover, if your business happens to sell flowers of any kind, make sure to come up with an eye-catching, unique design to stand out from your many competitors on the day. We love this colorful GIF from Terrain inspiring customers to be creative and put together a custom plant pot for their moms.
Incorporate flowers into your design for a traditional Mother's Day vibe.
Create a gift guide
Help your customers show their moms how much they are loved by creating an inspiring gift guide full of products from your store. This is super effective, as it directly shows your customers why your business is relevant for Mother's Day.
Whether you sell clothing, make up, garden accessories, or electronics, you're bound to have the perfect gift for a deserving mother. This example from Apple shows that Mother's Day gifts can take many shapes and sizes.
Invite moms to a special event
One way to get customers to come to your physical store is by holding a special Mother's Day event. Something simple will do the trick like a bake sale or a mini cocktail for each customer. Depending on the nature of your business, there's many different opportunities which you can use to attract moms to your store.
This clever tea party example from J Crew is a sure fire way to get customers to stop by and look around.
Hold a special Mother's Day event to build on your customer relationships.
Don't let your subscribers forget!
With so much going on around us, it's understandable that the date may slip some customers' minds. Send out a reminder to your subscribers and encourage them to browse your store for the perfect gift. Chances are they'll be so anxious not to forget, they'll click straight on your CTA and start shopping. Bonus points if you provide them with free delivery!
Chocolatier Thorntons did a great job in this email of reminding customers when their last chance to order is:
Send out last minute reminder emails to create an extra sense of urgency and get customers clicking.
Get personal
Often, the email campaigns which work the best are those with a more personal touch. It's great when customers can relate to you on a more one-to-one level. We found this campaign from Shopbop inspiring where individual employees paid tribute to their moms by doing a feature on the fashion from their generations.
Add a personalised, sentimental touch to your emails to make them Mother's Day appropriate.
You could try something similar by doing a mini-feature on your team's moms. Do you have a cooking blog? Share your mom's best tips and secrets for the perfect apple pie! After all, moms know best!
Spread the love
Whether it's supporting disadvantaged mothers in your local area, or children who have lost their mothers, working for a good cause is a great way to build on your CSR and gain support from customers, as well as being a genuinely good thing to do.
In this email campaign, Charity Water had the clever idea to use the big day as a fundraising opportunity for those less fortunate.
Use Mother's Day as a chance to spread the love and give back to those in the community who may be struggling.
We hope you found these tips for Mother's Day email design useful for creating your Mother's Day email campaigns. Remember to be positive and spread the love, and your customers will be more than happy to share this special day with you!
Until next time,
Your Mail Designer 365 Team