How to design an effective email marketing

by Moises Hamui October 23, 2023

Email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for reaching your audience in a personalized and direct way.

However, designing a campaign that truly captures your subscribers' attention and drives them to action requires strategic planning.

What is email marketing and what is it used for?

Email marketing is a digital communication strategy that allows companies to send personalized messages to a list of subscribers via email. Its main objective is to foster a closer relationship with customers, generate conversions and maintain constant communication.

Its main uses include:

Promote products or services.
Report company news.
Offer relevant content, such as blogs or news.
Generate leads or retain existing customers.

What are the key elements of effective email marketing?

A successful email is built from several elements that, when properly combined, can achieve a higher opening and conversion rate. Here are the essential aspects:

Attractive subject : It is the first thing the recipient sees and should arouse curiosity or interest.
Clean visual design : Use a design that is aesthetically pleasing but simple, making it easy to read and navigate.
Appropriate segmentation : Personalize emails based on your subscribers' interests and behavior.
Valuable content : Offer useful, relevant information that provides value to your readers.
Clear calls to action : Although we won't be putting CTAs here, it's important for an email to have a clear purpose, such as getting the user to click on a link or purchase a product.

How to write a subject line that increases open rates?

Your email subject line is key to attracting your audience's attention. To get more people to open your emails, follow these tips:

Be short and direct : Use between 6 and 10 words.
Generate curiosity : Make the reader want to know more without giving away everything in the story.
Personalize : Emails with subject lines that include the recipient's name typically have higher open rates.
Include numbers or dates : This adds a sense of urgency or clarity (E.g., “Last chance to get 20% off”).

How to structure an email marketing email?

The structure of your email is critical to ensuring that your message is clear, engaging and persuasive. Follow this basic outline:

Header : It should reinforce the message of the subject and grab attention at first glance.
Featured Image : An attractive image can make content more dynamic and visually interesting.
Body of the message : This is where you offer the main value. Keep paragraphs short and clear. Use lists or bullet points to make it easier to read.
Call to Action : Although we are not doing CTAs in this article, it is important to remember that any effective email should include one, inviting the user to take action (such as visiting a website or purchasing a product).

How to segment your audience for an email marketing campaign?

Segmentation is the key to getting your emails to the right people. Some criteria you can use to segment your list are:

Demographics : Age, gender, geographic location, etc.
Behavior : What products they have purchased or what pages they have visited.
Interests : Based on preferences they have shown in previous surveys or interactions.

Effective segmentation allows you to send more personalized and therefore more effective messages.

What tools should you use to improve email design and delivery?

There are several platforms that make it easy to create and send email marketing campaigns. Below are some of the most popular ones:

Mailchimp
One of the most popular platforms, ideal for managing subscriber lists, designing emails and analyzing results.
Sendinblue
Offers automation, segmentation and visual email design solutions.
HubSpot
Known for its advanced personalization and automation capabilities, allowing you to send highly targeted and effective emails.
GetResponse
Another great option with advanced analytics and segmentation features.
Constant Contact
Ideal for small businesses that need a simple solution to manage their email marketing campaigns.

How to measure the success of an email marketing campaign?

After sending a campaign, it is crucial to evaluate its performance. The main metrics you should analyze include:

Open rate : How many people open your email.
Click Rate : How many people click on the links within the email.
Conversion rate : What percentage of recipients took the action you were looking for (such as a purchase).
Bounce rate : Emails that did not reach the inbox due to some problem.
Unsubscribe Rate : People who unsubscribed from your mailing list after receiving a message.

Optimize your email marketing campaigns for better results

To design an effective email marketing, it is essential to combine precise segmentation, an attractive design and relevant content that provides value to your audience.

With the right tools and strategies, you can create emails that not only get opened, but also drive positive results for your business.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.