Despite
some opinions to the contrary, your sales
email layouts are just as important as your
subject lines or copy. A visually appealing,
organized, and clean email layout can draw
customers into reading more, visiting your
site, and spending their hard-earned dollars
in your online (or brick and mortar) store.
So, how do you make your sales and product
emails jump out from a sea of other ones
-- all competing for your customer’s
attention? Just keep reading: |
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When you design your layout, assume that
a) no one will scroll down and read to
the bottom, and b) that you only have
a few seconds to get your message across.
Keep your marquee items - new product
pics and sale announcements -- "above
the fold" (or scroll line) in your
email. If you can’t put everything
above the fold, use that space to entice
readers into scrolling downward.
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Vibrant and heavily contrasted colors
in email layouts work, period. Use contrasting
color in your header, sidebars and links
to make your layout "pop" when
your customers open it.
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Long paragraphs tend to turn the reader
off. If you must have paragraphs, do what
you can to break them up. This gives the
reader the illusion that they're doing
less work. Think two sentences to a paragraph,
maybe three if the sentences are very
brief.
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Bullet points are extremely effective
at grabbing the eye of the reader. Of
the two next examples, what would be more
likely to grab your attention and keep
it?
Our travel agency specializes in trips
the Greek Islands. These island tours
include trips to Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodos,
Imia and Delos.
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| The Greek
Islands are our specialty. Tours include: |
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Santorini |
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Mykonos |
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Rhodos |
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Imia |
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Delos |
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Go beyond the usual strategy of linking
back to your home page. Create sub-categories
and tabs that take recipients right back
to specific pages on your site. For instance,
if you sell camping products, make sure
you include a tab or link with the word
"tents" that takes customers
to that very section of your site. The
key is to make the experience as targeted
as possible.
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The average email inbox displays a width
of 65 characters. Anything wider can distort
your email or force the reader to stretch
out their window to see everything. Don't
let this happen. Keep your emails no wider
than 65 characters.
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Inventory info, shipping terms and other
fine (boring) print should sit beneath
your colorful capsule layout. For instance,
if you're selling shirts at 50% off, your
dynamic photos, "look at me"
sales copy and large-scale text announcing
a hefty discount should all fit neatly
in that capsule. Underneath this contained,
eye-popping space, put your unsubscribe
link and other miscellaneous items. Click
here to view an example.
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There’s no reason whatsoever to
put an expanded (or even condensed) version
of your terms of use or detailed shipping
info in your email. Instead, create pages
on your site that feature this info and
use links to send customers there if they
want to see more. These links should open
an entirely new window. Thanks to the
widespread use of blockers, avoid pop
ups whenever possible.
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