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We all make mistakes. And saying sorry by sending apology emails is part of doing good business.Whether your site went down, you sent an email with incorrect content or your users experienced some kind of technical difficulty, it's important to know how to send an effective apology email. Email marketers know that saying sorry is key to being known as a trustworthy, responsible and humble brand.Today, we'll examine the art of saying sorry with these tips for designing and sending apology emails.

Saying sorry is key to being known as a trustworthy, responsible and humble brand.

When to send an apology email

First things first: Before we get into email design best practices, let’s talk about when you should send an apology email. Some situations warrant an immediate, heartfelt apology, but others might not. It's best to save your emails for the cases in which they’re truly needed so you don’t barrage your customers with constant apologies.Some suggest sorting your mistakes into categories ranging from errors that are merely embarrassing (such as typos) to real issues (anything that might hurt not only your customers but also your business). Small mistakes may not need full apology emails, while bigger ones do.If you made a minor mistake that doesn’t justify an entire apology email of its own, consider simply adding a few lines of text in your next scheduled marketing email to rectify the error. Some issues can also be fixed internally. For example, if you accidentally included a broken link, try redirecting the URL from the back end instead of sending a brand new email.So when should you send an apology email? You’ll definitely want to say sorry if you made a mistake that affected customer experience. For Lucky Brand, technical difficulties on the company’s website were an issue that touched the large majority of customers — so the brand sent this apology email:Subject line: Oops, our bad… 

Sweaty Betty accidentally sent its email list a message that included photos and links to out-of-stock products. This was a problem that needed a public announcement to clear up any confusion.Subject line: OOPS! We didn’t mean to send that

And here, The Grommet apologized for sending an email to the wrong segment.Subject line: OOPS: We made a mistake

Before you start sending off apology emails left and right, take a step back to evaluate the situation and make sure a new email is actually needed. If an apology is in order, use these tips to help craft your message.

#1. Be clear and specific about the correction

If you need to make a correction to an email that's been sent, be upfront about the change so readers aren't confused when they receive a second message. Clear things up right from the start by crafting a strong apology email subject line.In a correction email from True & Co, it’s easy to tell from the subject line that something went wrong. And once the email is opened, the apology is stated at the top of the message in just three sentences:Subject line: Oops… we’re sorry. Our bestselling bra is still $29

Positioning the correction and/or apology message at the top of the email makes it nearly impossible for readers to miss. This reduces confusion and builds transparency and trust. In the example below, Rebbl does a great job of this, too.Subject line: Oops - here’s the correct REBBL Sweepstakes link!

#2. Be humble and have a sense of humor

Showing a sense of humor is a great way to make your brand voice relatable. This can be especially valuable when issuing a correction or apology, which is one reason you see "Oops" often mentioned in apology email subject lines. This is a way of showing there's a human voice behind the brand and expressing that mistakes happen.This apology email from Peet’s Coffee brings a smile to your face. The photo couldn’t be more on-brand, and it gives the entire email a playful tone. And the special offer with code “Oops” makes it even better.Subject line: Oops! We're back online.

Keep your apology emails light and have a sense of humor about your mistake.

#3. Focus on the solution

All the apology emails we've collected here have something in common: They cut right to the chase. Keeping your apology message short means it's more likely to get read, and it also allows you to focus on what readers actually care about: the solution. Often, this is a special discount code or promotion.At the top of this message, Lucky Brand placed a quick apology before getting to the heart of the story: a 40% off sale. Remember, saying sorry isn’t about you. It's about your reader, so focus on the solution that will benefit them.Subject line: Sorry! Technically speaking, we messed up

Here, Credo Beauty gets straight to the point by including a customer support link to help with any unresolved issues.Subject line: Oops ?

Wrap-up: Creating apology emails

Issuing an apology doesn't have to be painful. Just focus on getting your readers a solution as quickly and clearly as possible (bonus points for humor!) and you’re golden. If you’re in a time crunch to get your apology email in inboxes ASAP, use the BEE email editor and our HTML email templates to quickly create effective apology emails. Start designing for free today!

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Do you incorporate gamification into your marketing emails? If not, now is the time to start! Increasing engagement, boosting conversion rates and cementing brand loyalty — the benefits of gamification email marketing are undisputed. And what’s more, gamification is a whole lot of fun. Here’s what you need to know about how to incorporate gamification as part of your email marketing strategy.

Your customers are more likely to support you if you’re honest and upfront about everything, especially during times of crisis.

What is gamification?

Gamification uses game principles in non-game contexts. Any time you apply elements of game playing (such as scoring points or participating in a competition) to activities that aren’t typically structured as a game, that's gamification. Gamification in email marketing might look like:

• Competitions
• Quizzes
• Tests

According to a survey performed by Reflect Digital, 93% of consumers think gamification marketing is effective. And one case study showed that using gamification can get three times more revenue from email marketing!The goal of gamification is engagement. It’s a great way to make things more fun and help your brand be as memorable as possible in the minds of your consumers.

Why does gamification work?

Lead magnets, freebies and discounts are great ideas. But in practice, they don’t always work. Many users sign up just to get these bonuses. Then they ignore or unsubscribe from any subsequent marketing emails.This is where gamification comes in. Gamification can grab your readers’ attention and increase engagement. And when people get engaged with your messages, they’ll be more likely to continue engaging with your brand.Gamification in email marketing isn’t necessarily meant to generate more sales. Instead, gamification boosts engagement. Increased sales are often a natural consequence from there.

When to use gamification in email marketing

Here are a few situations in which using gamification in digital marketing might be a good idea.

In-between major holidays

You might be inclined to use gamification on special occasions such as holidays. But we actually recommend saving gamification emails for other times of the year. On holidays, your consumers typically do expect (and prefer) discounts over other types of content — especially on big ecommerce holidays like Black Friday or Cyber Monday.So instead, try sending gamification emails during stretches of time between major holidays. Gamification can be a helpful tool to liven up the more monotonous times of the year.

As event marketing

Another good time to use gamification digital marketing is when you have a special event coming up. Gamification can help build excitement around your event, generating buzz and getting more people to sign up.

For reactivation email campaigns

Gamification is also helpful for reactivation email campaigns. Your goal with these campaigns is reengaging users. So it makes sense that gamification would be a good fit! Try incorporating gamification into your next reactivation email campaign.

In your rewards program

Finally, try using gamification email marketing to put a spin on your rewards system or loyalty program. Customers are used to getting traditional rewards such as a small discount on a future purchase. But playing games to win rewards is often a new and exciting experience for consumers.For example, Expression Med Tape recently hid a virtual Elf on the Shelf on its website. Each day, the elf would move to a new page of the site. Any customers who found the elf would receive a special discount code.Set up your rewards system so that the more your customers interact and engage with you, the more points or rewards they get. That’s a win for you both.

Gamification email examples

Check out these real-life gamification email examples from brands for a little design inspiration.

Grammarly

Grammarly included some fun gamification elements in this weekly writing update. Readers can see their weekly statistics plus how they stack up against other Grammarly users. This is a fun way to get users engaged and interested in their progress.Subject line: Way to work those unique words!

Madewell

Quizzes are a great example of gamification in email marketing. They’re highly engaging pieces of interactive content, often shared hundreds of thousands of times on social media. Here, Madewell sends a “short quiz” (bonus points for the pun) to its customers. Readers can scroll through and choose their answers to get a personalized product recommendation at the end.Subject line: Pop quiz (!)

SendFox

This message from SendFox makes onboarding fun for new customers. The email starts out by presenting the user’s statistics from the past week; then an interactive checklist helps the user finish setting up their account. Using gamification in a welcome email series can encourage new subscribers to stick around.Subject line: Your stats for June 7th, 2020 - June 13th, 2020

Chili’s

Remember how we said gamification is a natural fit for a rewards program? This message from Chili’s is an excellent example! Chili’s designed a game based around three of its products or services (one example shown below). Then the restaurant challenged its customers to complete each activity and get a special reward. The big red CTA buttons reading “Activate” encourage the reader to start playing.Subject line: Hailey, your monthly challenges are waiting!

Wrap-up: Create your own gamification emails

Feeling inspired to incorporate gamification into your own email marketing? Use the BEE email editor to help! With a simple drag-and-drop interface and a full catalog of premade email templates, the editor is highly user-friendly, making it easy to create top-notch gamification emails. Sign up for a free trial of BEE Pro to access even more design features and gamify your email marketing!

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Everyone makes mistakes. When it comes to email marketing, these mistakes can have serious results — like decreasing brand awareness or losing revenue for your company. It’s important to fix email marketing mistakes. And luckily, this isn’t hard to do. Today we’re talking about seven common email marketing mistakes. Read on to see if you’ve made any of these mistakes before — and to learn how to remedy them!

When it comes to email marketing, mistakes can have serious results — like decreasing brand awareness or losing revenue for your company.

#1. Sending emails without a goal

Every email campaign you send should have a goal behind it. And every email in that campaign should have a goal, too. For example, your overall email campaign might have a goal of getting customers to purchase a new product you’ve released. The first email in that campaign might have a goal of introducing that product and offering customers the opportunity to learn more.Fix this mistake: Set a goal! The aim of this Sun Basket email is very clear — the company wants to get readers to place an order.Subject line: A celebration in a box

#2. Sending each customer the same email

Sending every person on your email list the exact same email can be an email marketing campaign mistake. Every person on your list is at a different stage in the customer journey. What’s more, they probably live in different locations, with different backgrounds and interests. That means your marketing emails shouldn’t be one size fits all.Fix this mistake: Segment your customers! This Bose email is advertising a specific pair of earbuds. Bose only needs to send this email to people who haven’t already bought that pair of earbuds. Customers who have already purchased this product should receive a different message promoting something else.Subject line: New Bose sport earbuds | Pre-order yours today

#3. Ignoring the GDPR

The GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation, carries a lot of significance for marketers. Under the GDPR, you can only send promotional emails to people who have opted in to receive them. If you breach or violate these terms, you might have to pay a fine. Don’t make this common email marketing mistake.Fix this mistake: Get informed consent from your customers! Your subscribers should understand what they’re signing up to receive from you. Each of your marketing emails should also include a visible unsubscribe link in the footer.

#4. Overlooking the subject line

Your subject line is important. A full 33% of people open emails because of good subject lines. That’s why overlooking this component of your message is a major email marketing mistake! Best practices for writing email subject lines that convert: Use the recipient’s first name. Try adding numbers or emojis. And keep it short (41 characters is a good rule of thumb).Fix this mistake: Make sure your subject line matches the rest of the email! This Paper Source subject line accurately conveys what’s inside the message. And better yet, it tells you how you can use the product.Subject line: New season, new planner, new plans ✨

#5. Creating an email that only works on desktop

More than 70% of people read their emails on a mobile app. If you aren’t optimizing your messages for mobile viewing, you’re making a major email marketing mistake. It’s essential to create responsive emails that look great no matter what device the reader is using.Fix this mistake: Preview your emails on both desktop and mobile! The BEE email editor offers hundreds of responsive templates to choose from, and it makes it easy for you to see how a certain email will look on either kind of device.

#6. Choosing the wrong colors

Did you know that for 90% of people, colors are the number one influencing factor in a purchase? Color can also help increase brand recognition, and they hold somebody’s attention for longer. So if you don’t already carefully consider the colors in your emails, this is an email marketing mistake you’ll want to fix! The “right” colors will look different for each brand and each email. Pick colors that go along with your branding and help cultivate the emotions you’re trying to elicit from readers.Fix this mistake: Carefully pick out your colors! In this Beauty Bakerie email, the colors are both on-brand and in season. The message would look odd with any other colors. In this context, this color scheme evokes just the right feeling.Subject line: Eyescream ? in Fall?! YASSSSS✨✨

#7. Having a weak CTA

One final email marketing mistake: overlooking the CTA. In many ways, your call to action is the most important part of your email. It’s the part of the message that gets readers to do something — like making a purchase. So it deserves a little more love! Here are a few aspects of your CTA you’ll want to consider:

• Placement
• Shape
• Text
• Color
• Font

Fix this mistake: Put some thought into your CTA! Boll & Branch includes several CTA buttons in this email. Each one is an attractive color with a simple-to-read font. The company also uses descriptive language to help you know what exactly will happen if you click on that CTA.Subject line: ☁️ The only bedding basics you’ll ever need

Wrap-up: Avoid email marketing mistakes with our templates

Have you made any of these common email marketing mistakes? Don’t worry — we have, too. Make things easier on yourself by using an email template instead of starting from scratch! With our catalog, you can choose from over 400 professionally-designed HTML templates that do the work for you. Just customize the templates with your details and design elements and then hit send. We can’t wait to see what you’ll create!

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Do you use dynamic email content as a part of your marketing strategy? If not, now is the time to get on board with this trend. Dynamic content is the future of email — and more than that, it’s the now. Keep reading for a guide on how to use dynamic email content to fully engage your customers.

Dynamic content is the future of email — and more than that, it’s the now.

What is dynamic content?

A good dynamic email definition is any marketing email that changes according to individual subscriber data. If you’re sending a mass message to your email list and each subscriber’s first name is used in their individual email, that’s a basic example of dynamic email content.Statistics prove that dynamic emails work. Segmented email campaigns can increase revenue by 760% — and 82% of consumers said they’d probably purchase more items from a company if they received emails that were more personalized. Dynamic email content is a must for any business that wants to succeed.So how exactly does this work? Dynamic email content is all about personalization and segmentation. It can generally be approached in one of three ways:

• Demographics
• Preferences
• Email data

These are all methods you can use to personalize an email and make it specific to the recipient. Here are some dynamic content examples you can use for inspiration as you work on personalizing your own marketing emails, making them into dynamic messages that will get more conversions.

Dynamic content examples

There are several different directions you can go as you think about dynamic email content:

Location

One of the easiest (and most effective) ways to create dynamic email content is according to location. Sending dynamic content that’s based on location ensures that your emails are highly relevant to subscribers.For example, this Timberland marketing email references the weather, saying that its boots can handle a rainy forecast. This email would be much more relevant to somebody living in rainy Washington than sunny Arizona. (Timberland could also choose to segment this email based on subscriber gender and occupation — the product showcased in this message is a men’s work boot.)Subject line: Be weather ready: The work summit boot is here. 

Interests

Work on personalizing your emails based on subscriber interests. Like Masterclass, for instance, you could send a relevant message to people who are interested in dogs.Subject line: Celebrate National Dog Day with Brandon McMillan

Or, share back-to-school sales with the people who are most likely to be interested in discounted school supplies — parents!Subject line: Extra credit inside: You’ve been assigned savings on school supplies and more. ✏️

The ways you can segment based on demographic don’t stop with just location and interests. You can also use parameters such as:

• Gender
• Income level
• Education level
• Occupation
• Religion
• Ethnicity
• Age
• Family makeup

When you’ve decided how you want to segment your dynamic email content, it’s time to collect the information you need.

Email preferences

Preferences

Segmenting your emails according to demographics is effective when it comes to getting more conversions. Learn this information about your subscribers by asking them a few basic questions when they initially opt in to your emails.If you’re a pet store like PetCo, you could provide three choices for people when they first sign up: Would they like to receive emails about dogs, cats or both? Then send them the content they ask for.Subject line: 3 steps to the perfect meal for your cat

If your opt-in form doesn’t have those questions, you could also send an email asking subscribers to update their preferences. That way, they can tell you exactly what kind of emails they want to receive.Subject line: Update your preferences 

Data

In addition to directly asking your subscribers which emails they’d like to receive, you can use your email service provider to keep track of your customers’ opens and clicks. You can get a feel for what kind of content a certain customer prefers to see by tracking what they engage with and don’t engage with. You might learn things about your customers that they don’t even realize about themselves!For example, if one customer regularly engages with how-to content more than other types of emails, send them more of that type of content. Or if someone hasn’t opted into a sale yet (like this flash sale from ModCloth), keep sending them emails about that sale. If they do convert and make a purchase, they’d need to receive different emails — such as a “thanks for your purchase” message, or recommendations of additional products they might like.

Dynamic email content coding

Once you’ve figured out the basics of your dynamic email content, it’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts of creating the email itself. You can create dynamic emails in the BEE email editor using features like merge tags.When you add merge tags to an email, the system will replace that syntax with different text when the email is sent. To add merge tags in a block of text, simply click the “Merge tags” button along the top toolbar:

From there you’ll see a list of options (such as first name or last name) from various connectors (including Mailchimp and Campaign Monitor). Choose the one you need to insert the merge tag into the text.

You can also merge content to add non-text elements (like a list of product recommendations) to emails. With the BEE editor, you have the ability to drag and drop a dynamic content box into your email template.

Wrap-up: Create your own dynamic emails

With the BEE email editor, you don’t need a coding background to create dynamic HTML emails. Choose an email template from the hundreds of choices in our template catalog and then use the BEE editor to design beautiful and effective dynamic emails!

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Using AI in email marketing can do a lot for your business. By 2035, businesses are expected to see $14 trillion in additional revenue from AI, plus a 38% rise in profitability. And since only 17% of email marketers use AI email marketing automation tools, this is a space where you can get ahead. By tapping into the power of AI to analyze data, you can make smart decisions and send your customers emails they’re guaranteed to love. Here are a few ways that AI can help with your email marketing.

By tapping into the power of AI to analyze data, you can make smart decisions and send your customers emails they’re guaranteed to love.

Timing

Using AI in email marketing can help you automatically figure out the best timing to send emails based on your subscribers’ history. AI can analyze data from your customers to send emails at the time of day when they’re most likely to be read. If one of your subscribers tends to open their emails every morning around 9 A.M., that’s when your message to them will send. Thanks to technology, you can send each individual customer an email at the best time for them, ensuring you’re tailoring the experience for each person.

Automation

Use AI to set up automated emails — a drip campaign in which each message is sent automatically when a customer performs a specific trigger action. These emails are based on what stage someone is at in the customer journey. For example, Cracker Barrel automatically sends this welcome email when someone fills out their website form to become an email subscriber. Automated emails make your job easier and ensure you’re staying on top of things with each individual customer.Subject line: We’re so glad you’re here ?

AI email subject lines

Create subject lines using AI and boost your open rate. AI tools analyze your previous performance, considering the subject lines you’ve used in the past and their open rates. (Many AI email subject line tools take your brand guidelines into account, too.) Then, these tools can generate new subject lines based on this information. AI email subject lines are always data-backed and often highly effective.

Segmentation

Segment your emails based on the data your customers provide when they sign up. Use your opt-in form to ask your customers a few questions about their interests, preferences and what kind of emails they’d like to receive from you. Many brands will also send an “Update your preferences” email to allow existing subscribers to change their preferences.Subject line: Update your preferences 

In addition to gathering this data directly from customers, you can use website cookies to see what webpages your customers are visiting. This can help you know when it’s time to send a re-engagement email — like this message from Keen Footwear.Subject line: 20% off to say we miss you 

You can also use AI in email marketing to craft product recommendation emails. For example, in this email from ProFlowers, the company could use AI to track which products a certain customer has viewed. Then you can populate the email with the same products that customer recently looked at.Subject line: Up to 30% OFF ? The Rose Sale starts today!

Personalization

Thanks to how AI is reshaping email marketing, email personalization now goes a lot deeper than just adding someone’s first name. AI technology can help you tap into the power of smart personalization. This kind of tool analyzes consumer behavior, studying your customers’ data and interests so you can send them emails that are as relevant as possible.What sort of personalized emails can you use AI to create? The sky’s the limit: Send browse abandonment emails, product recommendation emails, cart abandonment messages and more. Allergy-friendly food brand So Delicious sends its customers a message on their birthdays.Subject line: Bee, $1 to indulge on your birthday 

AI can even help you tailor marketing emails to your customer’s personality. Personality AI that analyzes information available online can help you get a feel for someone’s personality and what kind of email would resonate with them. For example, someone who’s analytical and scientific would probably enjoy hearing about the details of how your product was created. But a person whose personality is more spontaneous and happy would be more likely to read an email explaining what makes your product fun.Using AI in email marketing can help your company in a myriad of ways — through boosting open rates, increasing conversions, improving customer relationships and more. And as AI evolves, the ways you can use machine learning for email marketing will only continue to expand.

Wrap-up: AI-based email marketing

AI in email marketing can do a lot. But when it comes to designing an email that will evoke emotion from your subscribers, that’s still your responsibility. Use our professionally-designed HTML email templates as a starting place to create impressive emails that will get more conversions. Then send out those messages automatically with the power of AI.

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In order to do email marketing, you have to collect a lot of personal data from your customers. It’s your responsibility to keep that data private and safe — and that’s where the GDPR comes in.As an email marketer, you’re probably familiar with the GDPR. But it’s essential to double check that your business is complying with GDPR email marketing best practices. If you need to brush up on the guidelines for GDPR marketing consent, keep reading to learn more about these regulations and what your GDPR emails should look like.

In order to do email marketing, you have to collect a lot of personal data from your customers. It’s your responsibility to keep that data private and safe — and that’s where the GDPR comes in.

What is the GDPR?

The GDPR, or General Data Protection Regulation, is a set of rules for marketers that aims to protect consumer data. These regulations went into effect on May 25, 2018. They apply to all businesses and online consumers located in the EU. Under the GDPR, businesses need to take extra steps to ensure they’re protecting their customers’ personal data and keeping it private. Keeping track of this data is your responsibility, not the responsibility of your email service provider. And businesses that breach the GDPR or don’t follow its guidelines may have to pay a hefty fine.

How does the GDPR affect email marketing?

GDPR email marketing is all about receiving consent. As an email marketer, you need to obtain your customers’ explicit and freely given consent before sending them any promotional emails. When someone new signs up for your email list, they need to be well-informed about what they’re going to receive from you and what you’re going to do with their personal data (namely, keep it private).It’s also important to analyze your current email list and make sure you have proof of consent for every subscriber. You should know how, when and why your current subscribers got on your email list. Keep a screenshot of your opt-in form, the date and time someone filled it in and what source they came from. According to the GDPR, if you don’t keep a record of consent, the consent itself is not valid. If you can’t prove how your current subscribers gave their consent, you’ll need to send a re-engagement email to ask for their consent again.

GDPR email marketing best practices

Here’s what you should know about GDPR marketing consent and how to abide by the GDPR in your marketing communications.

Get permission

GDPR email marketing starts before you ever send a marketing email. The first step is getting informed consent from subscribers. This means that your customers need to understand what they’re signing up for and how you’re going to use their data. For example, pet food company Canidae provides the following message for its website visitors:

Use a double opt-in

Many businesses decide to use a double opt-in to get consent from users. While a double opt-in isn’t mandated under the GDPR, it can still be a good way to make sure you’re doing everything by the book.With a single opt-in, a user fills out a form and gives their consent to receive emails, and that’s it — they’re all signed up. With a double opt-in, however, there’s one more step: Users fill out your website form, receive an email double-checking that they want to sign up and then give their final consent through that email. Abilitee Adaptive Wear sends this simple email for its double opt-in.Subject line: Confirm your subscription 

If you send several different types of content, you’ll need to get separate permission for each one. You can do this by adding several individual checkboxes to your opt-in form. Don’t bundle everything together for one-click consent — this violates the GDPR.

Add a visible unsubscribe link

After you obtain consent, your job isn’t done. Your everyday marketing emails need to comply with the GDPR, too. For example, every email you sent needs to have a clearly visible link where the reader can opt out of receiving your emails. Your unsubscribe link should not only let the reader unsubscribe from your marketing communications — include the option to unsubscribe from all of your communication, too. And when someone requests to be unsubscribed, honor their request immediately.Zoe’s Kitchen has an “Unsubscribe” link in the footer of this email. Since most brands include a similar link in their email footers, readers are used to looking for it there. Another GDPR email marketing best practice is to give your customers access to your privacy policy in your emails (not just on your opt-in form), which Zoe’s Kitchen also does in its email footer.

Here's the full email:Subject line: The starter of the summer

Be honest

One final component of GDPR email marketing is to make sure all of your marketing communications are honest. Be transparent about who’s sending the email. Include your company’s address to identify yourself, and don’t send any fraudulent content.This welcome email is very obviously from Halo Top — the sender’s email, brand logo, the address at the bottom and all of the other aspects of the message signal who it’s from. In compliance with the GDPR, Halo Top clearly states what readers can expect and offers multiple unsubscribe options in the footer.Subject line: Halo, is it me you’re looking for?

Wrap-up: GDPR email templates

Need to send a re-engagement email to make sure you have your readers’ consent? Use our GDPR email templates! This colorful message, designed by Martin Nikolchev, lets customers opt in with ease:

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

We also have a creative Opt In Again email template, created by Galina Grahovska and meant for users who need to resubscribe:

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Follow these key GDPR email marketing best practices to make sure your business is doing everything by the book!

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Establishing your brand identity is extremely important for any business. But it takes careful, consistent work — and for small businesses, it has the potential to get expensive. Luckily, email marketing lets you boost your brand awareness for free or cheap! Email marketing for brand awareness should be an essential piece of every brand’s overall marketing strategy. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide on how to increase brand awareness through your marketing emails.

Email marketing for brand awareness should be an essential piece of every brand’s overall marketing strategy.

Why is brand awareness so important?

Brand awareness is the single most important goal for many marketers. And there’s a reason for that: It works.The term brand awareness refers to how well your customers are able to recognize your brand. The more familiar they are with your brand, the more likely they are to purchase from you — so cultivating as much brand awareness as possible will work in your favor.Here’s how to get started with your own email marketing for brand awareness.

Set your strategy

Be consistent with your branding emails. Sending them on the same day of the week and/or at the same time of day can help your customers know what to expect with you and get a better idea of who you are as a brand.Here are a few brand awareness campaign ideas that may be right for you:

• Include plenty of graphics to help the emails convert well
• Do split tests
• Create a matching, on-brand landing page that goes with the email
• Personalize and segment your emails

Remember, too, that long-term consistency is essential. Brand awareness is not built with one email. You’ll need to place a heavy focus on email marketing for brand awareness over time. But a brand awareness campaign is a good place to start. Let’s take a look at some brand awareness email examples so you can figure out where to start.

Choose good email subject lines for branding

Your brand awareness begins in your subject line. This is your customer’s first impression of you, so it’s essential to make sure it’s a good one. Optimize your subject line for brand awareness by including your company name or product, making it clear who the email is from and what it’s about. The language in your subject line plus any emojis used should also line up with your overall brand tone of voice.

Strategically place your logo

Make sure your logo is highly visible so your subscribers will immediately recognize your brand. Yard House includes their logo at the top of the email so it’s the first thing you see. Think about size, too — it’s important to find that sweet spot where your logo isn’t overwhelmingly large, but also isn’t so small it goes unnoticed.Subject line: Late night happy hour is here! ?

Use your brand colors

Colors are huge when it comes to how to increase brand awareness, improving awareness by up to 80%! What colors are in your logo and represent your brand? Incorporate those colors in your emails, as well as complementary colors that you've selected for your brand.Take a look at this message from the Silos Baking Co., which is located at Magnolia Markets, brainchild of Chip and Joanna Gaines. Magnolia’s color scheme is very minimalist — it includes lots of white, black and leafy greens. This Silos Baking Co. email stays true to this base color scheme, but includes some additional soft pastels appropriate for both a bakery and a birthday.Subject line: Silos Baking Co. is turning 4!

Select memorable fonts

Your brand fonts should be unique and memorable. But the body fonts in your email need to be easy to read, too. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen does a good job of balancing font types in this message. The subheaders in this email are fun to read, with the bright, curly yellow and orange font and the more staid black balancing each other out. The body font is basic and easy to read — and the fonts used for the prices look similar to the typography used on Cheddar’s menu.Subject line: Experts say this 1 one thing improves your day ☀

Think about your tone of voice

If you haven’t already established a strong brand voice, now is the time. What are some adjectives that describe your brand and its product or service as a whole? Is your brand funny, casual and playful? Sophisticated, elegant and stylish? Or something else? Use the attributes at the core of your brand identity to guide the tone of your marketing communications.For example, Juice Press has established a fun, happy tone of voice in its brand communications. This email uses casual language and just the right amount of exclamation points. And a quick look at the @juicepress Instagram account confirms that this tone is consistent across all Juice Press channels.Subject line: “Almost” FREE avocados — holiday super special!

Optimize your email footer/signature

Squeeze a little more brand awareness in the footer or signature of your email so readers will see it before they click away. Like American Girl, you might choose to include your social media links, other contact information and throw in your logo one more time.Subject line: Say hello to the newest Truly Me additions and outfits! ?

Decide what to include

Email design is important. But make sure to put some thought into the actual content of the email, too. Your email needs to offer true value to the reader or your email design won’t matter at all! A few good brand awareness email campaign ideas include free resources, discount codes or exclusive bonus content. Musicnotes offers an exclusive 25% off code to new email subscribers.Subject line: Your exclusive 25% off code is inside!

Wrap-up: Create your own brand awareness campaign

Now that your brand awareness strategy is ready to go, it’s time to start designing. Use the templates in the BEE template catalog to help. Choose one of these professionally-designed HTML templates and customize it with the BEE editor, adding the fonts, colors and other details that back up your brand. Then save the template so you can use it again later, building off of that foundation to make sure your branding is consistent every single time.

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Dark mode is becoming more and more popular. Many consumers view their texting conversations, social media feeds and email inboxes in dark mode to save their battery life and make it easier on their eyes. Are you mindful of this trend as you design marketing emails? Getting on board with dark mode email design can make a big difference in your email marketing. Optimizing your emails for dark mode ensures that everyone can properly view your messages. Here are a few key tips to help.

Optimizing your emails for dark mode ensures that everyone can properly view your messages.

What is dark mode?

Many people now use dark mode, or dark theme, on their mobile or desktop devices. Several apps (including Slack, Twitter and Facebook Messenger) support this setting. With dark mode, you see light-colored text on a dark background instead of the other way around. This setting has a few core benefits: It makes the text easier to read and isn’t hard on your eyes. Dark mode can also extend your battery life because the screen isn’t as bright.In the following images from Counter Culture Coffee, you can see how the same email looks when viewed in both dark and light mode. (The images used in this email could use a little tweaking to optimize the message for dark mode, but we’ll get to that in a minute!)Subject line: Decaf is for lovers ?Optimizing your emails to be read with dark mode can go a long way in helping your email marketing succeed. Here are some things to keep in mind.

1) Consider different email clients

Several email clients have started offering dark mode as an option for users. For example, Apple Mail and Outlook 2019 allow you to enable dark mode on desktop. You can also make the switch with the Gmail and Outlook apps for Android and iOS.Keep in mind, however, that each email client will render emails a little differently. Some email clients will show an email the exact same way regardless of whether the inbox is set on light or dark mode. Others recognize an email with a light background and automatically switch around the color scheme so the background is dark instead. Still others will actually take emails that were made for dark mode and make them become light!All of these caveats can certainly make dark mode email design confusing. Here's how each email client works:

• Fully inverted: Gmail iOS app; Outlook 2019 for Windows
• Partially inverted: Gmail Android app, Outlook Android app, Outlook iOS app, Outlook 2019 for MacOS, Outlook.com
• Unchanged: iOS Mail, Apple Mail

2) Use transparent images

For dark mode email design, your images should be transparent. That way, when the background color changes from white to black, the email will still look natural. If an image’s empty space is filled with white, it won’t matter in light mode — but in dark mode, this will stick out like a sore thumb. For example, take a look at this Seasons 52 message. In light mode the email looks good:Subject line: Fireworks are great, but have you tried this red?

But when viewed in dark mode, it’s clear that the image backgrounds are not transparent. See how the logo doesn’t blend in with the rest of the message?

If your image isn’t transparent, use a simple online editor to tweak the image before dropping it into the BEE editor. Or if your images do have solid backgrounds, add extra padding so the transition from the image color to the background color isn’t as jarring.

3) Outline black text in white

If there’s any black text in your message, it won’t show up when the email is viewed in dark mode. To get around this, highlight the text in white so it will still show up when the background becomes black. In this Land’s End email, the brand’s navy-colored logo doesn’t show up well in dark mode. This could have been avoided by highlighting the text in a lighter color.Subject line: You half to see these dresses: 50% off tonight only!

4) Test your dark mode emails

When you’re finished designing your dark mode email, remember to test it in both dark and light mode to see what the message will look like on each. You can test emails with the BEE editor by clicking “Actions,” “Send test” and then entering the email address(es) where you want to send the message. If you have a Gmail account and an Android device, for example, you can send the email to yourself and view it in both dark and light mode to make sure you don’t need to make any changes. You can also send the email to a tool such as Litmus to conduct further testing from there.

5) Go with plain text

Finally, you can play it safe and go with plain text. Since plain text emails only include, well, plain text, you don’t have to worry about design elements rendering incorrectly. Plain text emails are black on white, so they easily invert. And these emails have lots of other benefits, too — they’re appropriate for serious or important situations and can bypass spam filters more easily than HTML messages.Subject line: Make your reservation 

Wrap-up: Dark mode email design

Does dark mode email marketing still feel overwhelming? Don’t worry! With free tools like the BEE email editor, you can get your dark mode email design off the ground. Use the BEE editor to add metadata, create transparent background images, test your messages and more. Check out the professionally designed HTML email templates in our template catalog to get started with dark mode email design.

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How do you feel when someone gives you a heartfelt “thank you” message? Most likely, you feel pleased, happy and valued. When someone tells you thanks, that makes you feel important. And that’s why it’s so essential for brands to say thank you to their customers.According to the stats, thank you emails pay off big. With a 42% open rate and 14% CTR, one study showed that emails created to say "thank you!" are twice as effective as traditional marketing emails!Thank you emails make your customers feel valued. That strengthens your customer relationships, helping to ensure your customers will keep coming back to your brand long-term.Let’s take a look at some thank you email best practices that can help you craft your messages.

Thank you emails make your customers feel valued. That strengthens your customer relationships, ensuring your customers will keep coming back again and again.

When do you send thank you emails?

Any type of email can become a thank you email. Welcome emails, purchase confirmation messages, survey requests and more can all turn into the perfect opportunity to add a little gratitude. Personalizing these messages can make them sound particularly heartfelt, even if your thank you emails are actually automated.Let’s talk about a few specific times you can send thank you emails and what those emails should look like when you do:

#1. Include a coupon code

What better way to say thanks than a coupon code or an exclusive discount? Coupons are highly popular among consumers: 60% of customers enjoy receiving digital coupons, while 68% feel that coupons help produce brand loyalty. Allergy-conscious food brand So Delicious recognizes the power of sharing coupons and includes a $1 off coupon in its “Thanks for signing up” message, hooking the reader by mentioning the discount in the subject line. Try doing something similar to strengthen your customer relationships.Subject line: Save $1 on So Delicious as thanks for signing up

#2. Create a sense of exclusivity

When someone signs up for your newsletter or makes a purchase, send them a thank you message that makes them feel as if they’re now part of an exclusive group. This snazzy email from Converse confirms that customers are now part of the family and notes all the benefits consumers will receive. The primary message? Converse is glad you’re here.Subject line: Thank you for creating an account.

#3. Add a strong CTA

For some thank you emails, it’s most appropriate to simply express your gratitude without making an explicit ask. But in other cases, you might want to find ways to upsell your customers by including a solid CTA. In this welcome email, David’s Bridal uses a sparkly white-and-rose color scheme to thank customers for signing up. The company also includes two strong CTAs to get customers onto their website — a “Shop Now” button to go with a discount code that arrives via text, and a “Book Virtual Appointment” button to schedule a meeting with a stylist.Subject line: Hey there! Thanks for signing up!

#4. Thank customers for their feedback

Customer feedback is hugely important for your business. Consumers are more likely to trust a brand that has lots of reviews. And if those reviews are good, they’re more likely to buy. So when you receive feedback, don’t forget to say thanks! When a customer reviews a product on Amazon, for example, Amazon sends a simple message with a copy of the review and a couple of sentences thanking the customer by name.Subject line: Thank you for reviewing Come Matter Here: Your Invitation to Be Here in a Getting There World on Amazon

#5. Say thanks in sensitive situations

When times are tough — whether for your company in particular, or for everyone — it's a good time to remember to be grateful. J. Crew recently crafted this simple thank you email in the wake of COVID-19, expressing thanks to its customers for being part of the J. Crew family. There’s always a reason to thank your customers. And when you express your genuine appreciation, your customers will be more likely to stick by your side — even during hard times.Subject line: A thank-you from our CEO

#6. Automate your thank you emails

Once you’ve decided when to send thank you emails, you can set up these messages to send automatically. With welcome emails, post-purchase emails and event emails, for example, it’s easy to identify a specific action that should trigger the sending of an email. (Pictured here: Our Thank You For Your Purchase email template by designer Navid Nosrati.)

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

Wrap-up: 'Thank you for your purchase' email template

Ready to design your thank you emails? You don’t need to start from scratch — use our thank you email templates to get started. In our template catalog you will find over 1,000 professionally designed email templates, on this and lots of other topics. All the emails are responsive and can be edited for free with our friendly email builder.

Thank You email templates

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Email marketing in a crisis can be tough. When it comes to serious topics or crisis situations, it’s difficult to know what to say — and your brand might be feeling the pressure. How can you focus on empathy in email marketing so your company helps, not hurts? Here are some strategies and examples to keep in mind.

When it comes to serious topics or crisis situations, it’s difficult to know what to say. Focus on empathy in your email marketing so your company helps, not hurts.

What is empathy marketing?

The idea behind empathy-based marketing is simple: Remember that your customers are humans, not just numbers, and then focus on connecting with them as such. Empathy marketing puts your customers and your community first.This type of marketing is especially essential in times of crisis. During a worldwide crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic or amid the rise of vital movements such as Black Lives Matter, don’t keep promoting your products or pushing your own agenda. Instead, take a step back. Assess the crisis and think about what your customers need from you.Empathy in email marketing is a must. And using simple design in serious situations is key. Heavy moments aren’t the time or place for flashy design elements; consider using plain text emails so the message can stand out.Here are a few examples of how to use your heart as you design your email marketing strategy.

Elle Johnson

Black-owned skincare company Elle Johnson Co. sent a simple yet powerful Black Lives Matter email to its subscribers. The email focuses on one central BLM graphic centered against a pale peach background and then closes with an impactful message from Elle Johnson herself, the company founder.Subject line: ✊? Black Lives Matter: We stand together

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The Brooklyn Botanic Garden sent this simple text email to keep its customers and supporters informed of reopening plans. In the body of the email, the Garden expresses gratitude to its supporters and then explains the new hygiene precautions being implemented in light of COVID-19. The email also includes two frequently asked questions as larger subheads so people can easily find the information they want.Subject line: An update from Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Lunya

Lunya’s plain text Black Lives Matter email focuses on one all-important message: Change starts now. The email is entirely made up of black-and-white text with a simple frame around the words. Thanks to the lack of design elements, the reader’s focus is honed in on the copy and the important information that Lunya shares.Subject line: Change starts now.

Juice Press

Juice Press is committed to helping its community, and in a recent COVID-19 email, the company shared what it’s doing to support healthcare workers and other charities. The company also introduced its new matching program in this empathetic email and invited its customers to get involved.Subject line: Introducing JP Cares matching program

Generation Good

Generation Good, a social media platform for parents, sent a response to COVID-19 that encourages its customers to stay connected as they learn to live with a new normal. The message has an empathetic email subject line that matches the tone of the copy inside. Generation Good also manages to incorporate color without it being overwhelming or inappropriate — the light green used throughout doesn’t detract from the main message of the email.Subject line: Coming together when it matters most.

Wrap-up: Empathy in email marketing

These empathy marketing examples all have a few key things in common:

• They use plain text and little design. These messages are either mostly or completely composed of text — few images and no graphics or GIFs are needed.
• They go light on color. Black, white and other neutral tones are most appropriate for email marketing in times of crisis.
• They get CEOs and founders involved. A personal note from your CEO is a good way to create a personal connection with customers and demonstrate your commitment as a company.
• The emails share resources and next steps. Finally, it’s helpful for crisis emails to share educational resources that help readers and to lay out any actionable next steps the company is taking.

Use these strategies to create your own empathetic emails during times of crisis.

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Shipping delays are a common issue for ecommerce brands, especially right now. USPS, FedEx and UPS are all experiencing shipping disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can’t always control how quickly your orders reach their destination. But you can control how you address the situation in your email marketing. Best practices for shipping delays? Send your customers late delivery emails explaining what’s going on. Here are a few strategies that can help.

You can’t always control how quickly your orders reach their destination. But you can control how you address the situation in your email marketing.

Admit your mistake

The most important rule of thumb when it comes to sending late delivery emails is to just do it! Honesty is the number one thing consumers want from brands. In your apology email, freely admit your mistake and spell out what you did wrong. Crane Stationery accomplished this by sending an “Our Bad” email that apologized for website glitches. Even if your problem is due to shipping delays outside of your control, it's best to take ownership of the situation and not sound as if you're passing the buck.Subject line: Our sincerest apologies

Explain what happened

Take a few lines in your email to thoughtfully explain what happened. Don’t make excuses — just spell out the facts. This is another way of being honest and transparent with your customers, and that can pay off big-time down the road as consumers remember your commitment to keeping them in the loop. Baublebar sent a genuine apology email to customers that explained why its website crashed (too much traffic) on Cyber Monday.Subject line: We’re sorry: 35% off is extended

Empathize with customers

Recognize how delays will impact your customers’ lives. Empathize with them in your late delivery emails by saying you understand that this is going to disrupt their plans. The Tie Bar, for example, included a simple line saying, “We’re sorry for any inconvenience that this caused.”Subject line: We’re sorry, let’s try that again…

Keep it simple

Your late delivery email to customers doesn’t have to be long or wordy. It just needs to be genuine and real. The point of this message is not your flashy email design. Instead, the focus should be on your sincere apology. In some cases, a plain text email might be a better choice for your late delivery email format. Your message can hit home without the distraction of colors, different fonts or other HTML elements.Subject line: Sorry for the outage 

Provide a solution

How are you going to fix this issue? Let your customers know, outlining the plan of action you’re taking to make things right. It can be nice to also offer an extra gift (like a coupon code) to cement your apology. That’s what Milligram did in this cute late delivery email sample.Subject: We’re sorry!

Ask for forgiveness

After you explain what happened and how you’re going to fix things, ask for your customers’ forgiveness. There’s no need to get on your knees and beg, but just including a simple phrase in your late delivery emails (“Please accept our apology”) can go a long way in customer relationships.

Craft a good late delivery email subject line

The subject lines for your late delivery emails to customers can be simple. In many cases, just “We’re sorry” or “Our apologies” can do the trick. At other times, you may want to explain that the problem is now resolved (“Our website is fixed now!”). And finally, if you’re offering a coupon code or other special perk, mention that in the subject line to entice people to open the message.

Wrap-up: Late delivery emails

Every e-commerce brand should understand how to craft an apologetic late delivery email when necessary — especially during unpredictable times. If you need a little help getting started, use one of our email templates. The Apologize Email or the Apology Fashion email template by designer Martin Nikolchev can easily be customized to meet your needs.

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

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Cold email marketing campaigns can have a lot of benefits for your business: These unsolicited emails are scalable and effective. But if you don’t handle them correctly, your cold emails might be marked as spam.Ready to launch your own campaign? Keep reading for more information on how to write a cold email that lands in the recipient’s inbox.

Cold email marketing campaigns can have a lot of benefits for your business: These unsolicited emails are scalable and effective.

What Is a Cold Email Marketing Campaign?

Cold emails are a type of email marketing that delivers a personalized message to a recipient with the goal of starting a conversation. These messages are different from a bulk email sent to hundreds or even thousands of customers; cold emails target a smaller subset of people. Generally, you’ll only send a cold email to a lead that you’ve researched and defined as a quality prospect.Cold email campaigns are effective: Companies have seen up to 60% response rates and 80% engagement rates from cold emails. Small businesses in particular can see huge benefits from sending well-written messages. Bottom line — cold email marketing campaigns can pay off big-time.However, if you’re going to launch a cold email marketing strategy, it’s important to do a little research first on best practices. These campaigns are sometimes mistaken for spam. Today, we’re highlighting a few of the best tips on how to write a cold email so your messages land safely in the recipient’s inbox and do their job.

#1. Follow the rules

Play by the book and follow the Federal Trade Commission’s rules for sending emails to people you don’t know:

• Don’t include false information. Your “From” information should accurately describe who you are.
• Don’t use misleading subject lines. Cold email subject lines need to be clear about what’s in the message.
• Identify the message as an ad. Be upfront about the fact that your email is an advertisement.

• Include your physical address. If you don’t have a street address, use a P.O. box.

• Explain how to unsubscribe. Allow recipients to opt-out of future emails. (We recommend including this option in the footer or email signature.)

• Promptly honor any unsubscribe requests. If someone asks to be unsubscribed, take them off your list within 10 business days.

• Pay attention to what others are doing on your behalf. If another company is taking care of your email marketing, remember that you’re still legally responsible.

Not following these guidelines can result in costly fines and legal troubles. But if your cold email marketing campaign abides by these rules, you’re good to go.

#2. Decide on your email address and “From” line

Many businesses choose to create a new email address to send cold emails. When you’re first getting started, cold email marketing will probably take some trial and error, and you might put the reputation of your current domain at risk. That’s why creating a new domain can often be a smart choice.Once your email address is ready, decide on what your “From” line will say. You can try your company’s name, publication name, a person’s name or a mixture of the above (see a few examples from our inbox below). Test a few different “From” lines to figure out which ones work best.

#3. Personalize your emails

Personalization is an effective strategy to use with any type of email campaign. But with cold emails, it’s especially essential. Personalizing cold emails can help differentiate them from spam. Use the recipient’s first name and find other ways to make a personal connection, too.For instance, you might open the message by saying, “I noticed you’re located in Chicago — we work with hundreds of customers there” or “I see on LinkedIn that you work with [name.] He/she’s a good friend of mine!” Personalized emails get higher open rates and click rates.

#4. Use plain text

Cold emails are typically plain text emails, not HTML. HTML messages are designed and formatted with images, links and more. Plain text emails are just text on a page and are far less likely than HTML emails to be identified as spam. What’s more, plain text emails perform well on mobile devices and load more quickly. Most importantly, plain text emails feel more personal because they look like emails you’d get from a friend.Subject line: Low-cost writers

#5. Cold email subject lines

Your cold email subject lines should be personalized and clearly explain what’s in the email. Keep the subject line short and conversational. Using the word “your” or asking a question can also make people curious.Here are a few cold email subject lines sourced from our inbox:

• What you’re missing in the Den this week
• , you’re invited
• Are you making these mistakes?
• My biggest mistake
• , just a heads-up

These subject lines all invite curiosity, encouraging the reader to open the email and find out more.

#6. How to write a cold email

When you sit down to write your cold email, there are a few things to keep in mind as you structure it. The basics: Make a personal connection, explain what the email is about and end with a call to action inviting the recipient to chat further.As you explain your proposition, make sure to be clear about what’s in it for the reader. How would they benefit from saying yes to your ask? When you close, ask for a simple response (such as an email back) and make sure your email signature includes all of your relevant information.

#7. Remember to follow up

Don’t forget to follow up on your cold emails. One study showed that campaigns with 4-7 emails per sequence received three times more responses than campaigns with only 1-3 emails in a sequence. Send your follow-up emails several days apart so they don’t seem spammy. And if your follow-up process is automated, remember to cut it off once you get a response.

Wrap-up: Cold email marketing

After you successfully connect with a plain text cold email, you'll probably want to create future emails for your audience with more HTML design elements! Choose from one of the hundreds of HTML email templates in the BEE catalog or create your own from scratch with our drag-and-drop email editor. Cold emails have huge potential when they’re done the right way. With these tips, you’re ready to help your business grow!

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