Email Campaign Design

A subscriber’s inbox is a noisy place, filled with the clutter of messages, folders and other distractions.

Due to the unique landscape of email, subscribers open and engage in five separate stages, judging each one individually before deciding to move on. The design, therefore, is a building view – not a static page view. Considering the following stages when approaching your next email design will not only be helpful in formulating a strategic email-building thought process for your brand, but also in delivering relevant content to your subscribers.

1. From Name
Deliver trust with recognizable name; 73% of subscribers click “Report Spam” or “Report Junk” based on this field. More on the “from name” with Al Iverson.

Email Subject line and From Name in Preview Pane

2. Subject Line (also above)
Next, the email is judged by the relevance and interest in the subject line – 69% of subscribers click “Report Spam” or “Report Junk” based on this line. Affirm the value of your brand by creating an engaging subject line. Listen to subject line wisdom from Nate Romance.

Preview pane of an email marketing strategy in the inbox

3. Preview Pane (above)
Is the key message visible, relevant and enticing in this space? Are you communicating key information that is visible even when images are turned off? Take a deep dive into the Preview Pane with Justine Jordan.

Full email with images on in the preview pane

4. Opened Email (Pre-Scroll, above)
Congratulations! Your subscriber has double-clicked on your email to open it, but does it entice them to scroll for more? Check out image-based email insight by Melinda Baxter.

5. Full Email
Depending on the length of the email, it’s usually impossible to view the whole email at once. Subscribers spend seconds viewing an entire email; only 11% of those who open will scroll below the fold! Let subscribers rule your design and content.