When was the last time you opened a marketing email only to be appalled by the shockingly terrible design? (Think <blink> and <marquee>, wacky images, oversized fonts).
In 2009 there is no excuse to not think about design in every single email campaign you create. Resources for good email design are everywhere. One of my personal favorites is the Email Standards Project. As stated on their site, the goal of the Email Standards Project “is to help designers understand why web standards are so important for email, while working with email client developers to ensure that emails render consistently.”
Remember that black marker with the word relevant on it? And the piece of paper where you wrote “Relevant” in big letters? It’s time to pull out that marker and paper again. Below the word Relevant, write Design. Your paper should now look like this:
Now, as you plan for your next email marketing campaign, ask the following questions.
1. Have you designed your email to render properly in all (or at least the major) email clients? (Tip: Reference the Email Standards Project).
2. Have you sent several test messages – to yourself, your peers, your boss – to ensure the message pops? Does it look solid with images turned on and off? (Tip: Set up a test list).
3. Are you using a third-party inbox preview tool to get an idea about email look and feel? (Tip: Check out Return Path’s Campaign Preview or Pivotal Veracity’s eDesign Optimizer).
4. Would you open your own message? (Tip: Take off your email hat and put on your consumer hat).
Similar to some of the challenges of making your email campaigns relevant (not entirely in your control), you may also get some push back when you suggest modifications to the look and feel of your emails. Fight the urge to do they easy thing – status quo. Remember your goal and my challenge to you:
Ensure at least 25% of your emails this quarter are relevant, timely, targeted email to those who have asked for it. If you are already at 25%, try 50%. And so on. By the end of the year, that number should be 100%.
Note the improvements in your metrics. Take these numbers to your boss. Write them down using your black marker and set them on his or her desk. Use the numbers as proof that relevant emails work.
Stay tuned for the other 2 Email Marketing Goals of 2009:
Choice
Test
In case you missed them:
4 Email Marketing Goals for 2009
Goal #1: Relevant
DJ Waldow
Director of Best Practices & Deliverability at Bronto
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Ofcourse look and feel of template influence over successful email campaign.We got to give prominence for usability.
Waldow,I have just come up with new post”Is there anyone who can help me to get opt in email lists?” If possible participate on this debate.