Your message has arrived. It’s in the inbox, but where does it go next? Straight to trash, or into the mind of the recipient?
In a saturated market how will your email grab the recipient’s attention? How will your communication woo them, entice them into double clicking, attract them into spending some time with your proposition?
Let’s not mince our words: it has to look good to be successful.
Templates
Templates help to maintain brand consistency. By following a consistent design, recipients can immediately identify your business’s communication. A successful template will focus on some key elements.
Above-the-fold.
Like an effective headline, this is the section at the top of an email that urges the recipient to read on. Above the fold information is often the first piece of text shown when an email arrives, be it the ‘New Mail Notification’ produced by Outlook or Entourage, or the preview on a mobile device. Getting things right above the fold will maximise view and conversion rates.
Multi-page.
This can act as a micro-site in every template. The first page of the communication is delivered as an email, while clicking links contained within the mail will open subsequent pages within a web browser. The benefits are numerous. Chiefly, it enables your business to track and measure interaction with your content, learning what is working and which messages are hitting the mark. Multi-page functionality also enables HTML content to display correctly on all email clients, and allows users of Outlook 2007 to submit responses.
Email client-optimisation.
If a particular programme dominates your client list you should ensure templates are optimised to be viewed as intended. Outlook 2007 has forced campaign designs to change radically. Heightened levels of security have resulted in difficulties for email marketers, such as forms being stripped of functionality. Similarly, users of Lotus Notes will know that HTML is rarely displayed properly. Be aware of the issues, be aware of how your audience is affected, and design campaign templates rich in the appropriate solutions.
Looking good?
Even if the constituent parts are in place, you’ve still got to make your email campaign look good for it to stand a chance of grabbing anyone’s interest. There are certain things the successful B2B marketer needs to consider to create an effective email campaign.
Grid-lock
Step back and look at your campaign. How does it look? A professional campaign will be uncluttered and conform to a grid. To achieve this, use tables with cell padding or empty columns to separate your page elements. Don’t be afraid of white space. Good copy is one thing, but great copy needs space to breathe.
Pecking order
Much like a successful spread in a magazine, the design of your campaign should adhere to a visual hierarchy, guiding the reader through the important elements of your message. Separate pieces of content should not compete for the reader’s attention; instead they should work cohesively to draw the eye diagonally from top left to bottom right.
Size matters
Use point size to attract the reader. Headings should have the largest font size; sub-headings will be smaller and bold, with the body copy the same size or smaller still and in a regular weight. However, be sure to limit the number of fonts and font sizes. Headings and sub-headings should only ever use one font.
Break it up
Avoid long swathes of copy. Nothing will put a reader off more quickly! If it’s unavoidable (and it rarely is – it’s likely just bad writing) highlight key words or phrases in a defined style, whether that be bold, underlined or italicised. If articles still appear text heavy, make use of images to break things up and provide space for the words to work effectively. There’s no point in burying your key phrase in mountains of text.
Image conscious
But do avoid the temptation of making your campaign too reliant on images – it can create the impression you’ve nothing to say. Try scaling large images to thumbnails or remove them altogether if the campaign looks too image-heavy. Ensure your imagery relates to the content, is consistent with brand guidelines and complements corporate colours. Also, bear in mind many email clients will block images, so consider how the email will appear in the inbox.
Beat the block
Image-blocking is an increasing frustration for email marketers, but there are some tips to work around the problem.
- Use email to drive people to the web. The environment is more flexible, allowing you to display images, play videos and drive interaction.
- Use text before imagery and use the company name. People will still be able to read an intro and know who the message is from.
- Use headlines well. Most people scan emails, so make sure your headlines are meaningful and highlight key content.
- Front load sentences. Use keywords and hot topics early in the paragraph – people don’t always read to the end of the line.
Write for the web
It should go without saying that text needs to be treated differently when it’s on the web. Paragraphs – and sentences – should be short to stop the reader straining to find information. The golden rule is: less is more. But there are other tips worth considering:
- Include essential information first
- Follow this with supportive text
- Consider the user’s goals – what will they want to know?
- Always use an active voice
- Use bullet points – they emphasise the main point, help the reader scan for key items and make your message more readable
Call to action
Avoid the dreaded ‘click here’. Instead, use brief but meaningful text links that explain what is being offered. Not only does this help with readability of your campaign, but it also helps readers who may be visually impaired. So, rather than: To download the best practice guidelines click here. The text should read: Download the best practice guidelines.
