The marketing communications team at ExactTarget has twenty-seven emails scheduled for the month of March. 

No, that is not a typo.  And no…it doesn’t include every email our company sends to clients.  The number 27 represents the sends we know about in advance that my team is responsible for sending to our customers and prospects.

What does this have to do with email marketing design?  Nothing.  And that’s exactly the point.  With so many emails on the calendar, sometimes it’s hard to take a step back and focus on email design optimization.  Like many of you, our resources are tight.  Some days (and honestly, some week and months) our efforts are dedicated to getting our messages out the door while trying to juggle a multivariate testing plan, dynamic content, extensive segmentation, rendering tests, etc.  Phew.

So where does design optimization fit in?  The answer is that it fits wherever you make it.  The more you’re trying to juggle as an email marketer, the more you have to work to make design a priority…especially if you don’t have an eye for design yourself.  Trying to tackle design optimization can seem daunting – so my recommendation for busy marketers is to break it down into smaller pieces.  Remember that effective email design doesn’t magically happen with the snap of a finger (even our designers could attest to that!)  So start with a plan of where to take your email design, and then break it into digestible pieces you can integrate into your workload on a regular basis.

For example, one month you can ensure your call-to-action is in the upper left quadrant of your marketing messages.  The next, focus on redesigning your headers with your design team to ensure they accurately represent your brand and achieve optimal rendering for your subscriber base.  Then dedicate time to conducting tests for your images, colors, or copy to maximize your click-through rate. Focusing on one element at a time can be an easy way to ensure you’re making ongoing improvements – and that you’re giving design the attention it deserves as an integral part of your overall email marketing program.

If you’re looking for someplace to get started, our new email marketing design whitepaper provides excellent recommendations for both marketers and designers alike…no matter how many emails you have on your calendar.*

*Now here’s the kicker…we already have 28 scheduled for April.



Cheers,

Ashley Sales
Manager, Marketing Communications