Email Marketing: The Unsung Hero of Your Toolkit.

Content Tips:

Subject Lines That Actually Get Opened
(Not Just Ignored):

• Forget clear and concise, we’re aiming for “blimey, I’ve got to click that.”
• Instead of the dull “Newsletter,” try: “Hi, [Your Name], 20% Off Your Next Order” or “Sneak Peek: New Bits Just In, Exclusive to You.”
• Sprinkle in some oomph: “Discover,” “Exclusive,” “Limited-Time Offer.”.
• Keep it snappy – under 50 characters, or it’ll get chopped off on mobiles.
• Have a go at A/B testing: try two different subject lines and see which one gets more opens?

That Little Snippet After the Subject Line?
Don’t Waste It (Preheader Prowess):

• Instead of the dull “Newsletter,” try: “Hi, [Your Name], 20% Off Your Next Order” or “Sneak Peek: New Bits Just In, Exclusive to You.”
• Think of it as a teaser. Example: “Summer style tips and a cheeky discount inside.”
• Keep it brief – around 100 characters.

Making Your Email Easy to Read
(Because Nobody Likes a Wall of Text):

• Forget “short and sweet,” think “easy to scan, like a newspaper.” People are busy.
• Use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists. Break it up a bit!
• Short paragraphs are your best friend – 2-3 sentences max.
• Stick to simple fonts like Arial or Helvetica. Give the eyes a rest.
• Add a bit of space between the lines.
• Use bold or italics for key points, but don’t overdo it.

Tell People Exactly What You Want Them to Do
(The CTA):

• Ditch “strong CTA” and go for “clear as day.”
• Use action words: “Grab Your Discount,” “Download the Guide,” “See the Deals, Now.”
• Make that button pop! Bright colour, big enough to tap, please.
• Put it where people can see it – top, middle, bottom, wherever.
• Make sure the button has plenty of room around it, so it is easy to tap.

Personalisation That’s Not Dodgy
(But Actually Useful):

• Don’t just use their name. Know their stuff. Segment your list.
• Show them details they’ll actually like. If they looked at shoes, show them more shoes.
• Set up emails that send automatically based on what they do on your site.

Design Tips:

Mobile First, Always
(Responsive Design):

• One column layout – it’s your best bet on phones.
• Make it change size depending on the screen.
• Test, test, test! Use tools like Litmus or Email on Acid, give it a go.
• Make sure your pictures don’t look wonky.

Pictures That Don’t Slow Everything Down
(Image Optimisation):

• “High-quality” doesn’t mean massive files. Make them web-friendly.
• Compress those images (under 1MB, if you can).
• Use JPEGs for photos, PNGs for graphics.
• Add alt text (in case the images don’t show up).
• Specify the image size in the code.

Making Sure Your Email Looks Like You Designed It
(CSS & Compatibility):

• Email clients are very fussy. Put your CSS right into the code.
• Use a CSS inliner – it’ll save you a headache.
• Keep your CSS simple. Not everything works in email.
• Old-school tables are still your best bet for layout.

Fonts That Actually Show Up
(Font Fallbacks):

• Stick to the basics: Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, is your safe bet.
• Have a backup font in case your main one doesn’t work.
• Test how it looks on different computers and email programs.

Don’t Hit Send Until You’ve Checked Everything
(Testing & Previewing):

• Use email testing tools.
• Send test emails to yourself and your team, to make sure.
• Check for broken links, bad pictures, and messed-up layouts, give it a once over.
• Pay extra attention to how it looks in Outlook. It’s a bit of a pain.

In short, make sure your emails are useful, easy to read, look smart, and always, always, always test.