Industry insights

Originally published on July 12, 2019. Last updated October 1, 2021.Inactive subscribers are detrimental to the health of your email list. For e-commerce businesses, unopened emails mean fewer conversions and ultimately fewer sales. It may be tempting to clear out inactive subscribers, but before you hit delete, give them a chance to stay on your list with a re-engagement campaign.Re-engagement emails, also called win back emails, put the power back in the hands of your subscribers. Let them tell you if they want to be taken off the list, rather than preemptively deleting a potential customer. Considering that it costs you more money to gain subscribers than it does to keep them on your list, it’s best to make a final effort to activate them.Take a look at how to create a proper re-engagement email campaign to win back your customers.

What is a re-engagement email?

A re-engagement email is an email that focuses on bringing back inactive subscribers. These emails are also referred to as win back emails or reactivation emails.The goal of sending these emails is to increase subscriber engagement and retention.It’s important to send a re-engagement email because inactive subscribers influence your email deliverability and sender reputation. The result of a bad sender reputation is that your emails could end up being marked as spam.Because email marketing has a high ROI, it's best to make an effort to retain subscribers.

What should your re-engagement email campaign look like? 

To set up your re-engagement campaign, you first need to understand why your customers are overlooking your emails. Typically, it’s due to one or more of these reasons:

• Unengaging subject lines
• Not optimized for mobile
• Hard-to-follow design
• Too many emails
• Repetitive or insignificant content

These reasons signify that you're either not meeting the needs of your customer or they aren’t as interested in what you have to offer anymore. Understand exactly where you are going wrong by A/B testing your re-engagement email campaign.After pinpointing why customers might be disengaging, develop your re-engagement email sequence. Here’s what your customer winback email sequence should look like:

• “We miss you” email. Start your re-engagement email campaign with this reminder email to put your brand top of mind for customers.
• Ask about email preferences. Follow-up with an email urging customers to review their email preferences. Give them the opportunity to adjust the frequency in which they receive emails from you.
• Offer a freebie. Provide customers with a win back discount code or freebie to reel them back into your business. Be sure to state the offer in the subject line of your email. 
• Finally, part ways. If they don’t engage with the first three emails, send this final one as a goodbye before removing them from your email list. Show them how to unsubscribe, but also provide the option for customers to come back if they want to.

After designing this email sequence to fit your brand, make sure to use automation tools to make this re-engagement process easier.

5 great examples of e-commerce re-engagement emails

There are a number of best practices and re-engagement email tactics to create urgency and ignite interest in your subscribers. Implement the best practices and explore these e-commerce re-engagement email sequence examples that do a great job of winning back inactive subscribers.

1. Create urgency with a coupon offer end date

While many re-engagement emails offer coupons and discounts, this Crate & Barrel email amps up the pressure by offering a deal with an expiration date.Subject: Because we miss you! Here’s 15% off.

2. Don’t push too hard

OleHenriksen uses this re-engagement email to connect with customers and remind them of their brand’s value without being too pushy. They give readers an easy way to opt out. The brand hints that while the customer’s business would be great, they aren’t too dependent on it. They also support this with a reminder as to why customers should stick around.Subject: Not to be clingy, but…

They even included an on-brand animated GIF.

3. Get creative with communication

Creative copy and fun visuals go a long way when it comes to attracting customers. In this email, Lumosity recreates the intimacy of texting with a GIF to increase engagement. The GIF is paired with an eye-catching welcome-back offer that will surely lead to more conversions.Subject: You can come back for free

This emotion-inducing GIF makes it feel like your business has developed a personal friendship with the customer, while also putting the ball in their court as you wait for their reply to your message (the email).

4. Create in-person engagement

Reminding customers of a rewards or loyalty program will spark their interest, but getting them to come visit in-person strengthens the brand relationship even more. Here Paper Source is reminding its customers of all that its store locations have to offer, while also targeting its rewards program offer to in-store transactions.Subject: There’s Still Time!

5. Offer a timely gift

This re-engagement email from The Tie Bar came just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. By offering a four-leaf clover with every purchase, the brand boosts urgency and capitalizes on positive associations with the holiday.Subject: We Miss You! Here’s A Free Gift

Design with BEE Pro to increase engagement 

Ready to build your e-commerce re-engagement email sequence? Start with one of BEE Pro’s e-commerce email templates. Customize these templates with your logo and on-brand graphics quickly and easily. Edit and alter design elements however you like, and even export your win back campaign to your favorite integrated email marketing platform like ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp. Optimize your re-engagement emails and keep a healthy email list to ensure that your business will drive more sales.

A great coupon email is a must-have for any business marketing toolbox. Effective coupon emails communicate a specific, special promotion with a powerful subject line, beautiful design, and an irresistible call-to-action. Today we're taking a closer look at how eight different brands recently tackled coupon emails with these examples from our inbox. Let's dive in!

Chobani

Subject: Coupon inside!

This coupon email from Chobani stood out to us right away because of its design simplicity. The streamlined header (no navigation menu or clutter), can't-miss-it hero image, and live text copy all work together to communicate a succinct, compelling message. We might suggest getting a little more playful with the CTA button copy, and increasing the font size. A little personality can go a long way, even when your message is brief.

Staples

Subject: Recycle your old tech next week and earn a $10 off $30 coupon.

This dual-toned green-and-gray email from Staples takes a different approach to promoting its coupon: myth busting! The spot illustrations and their super short accompanying blurbs do a fantastic job communicating three points with simplicity. It's easy to scan this email and get the message. The CTA gets a little lost, though, and isn't the most compelling. Instead of "Learn More," it'd be interesting to see how a variation might perform, like "Find my nearest store" or "Recycle my stuff today" or "Claim my coupon."

Nest

Subject: Time is running out. Get up to $100 off Nest products.

The illustrated header in this coupon email from Nest Cam popped out as we browsed through dozens of messages in our inbox (and not just because it says "Save"!) The illustration is a simple design move but one that easily distinguishes itself from other email marketing coupon campaigns. There's great use of plain text here, too, and a photo grid with plenty of white space.

Baggu

Subject: For a limited time: Take $10 off your order

This bright and bold coupon email from Baggu is easy on the eyes. We love how the copy is large, legible, and left-aligned. Plus the earth-tone background color is just right for spring. And, bonus, check out the beautiful animated GIF:

REI

Subject: Member Coupon Alert! Extra 20% Off One Item

REI's recent missive is a great example of a promotional email that's straightforward but effective. The z-pattern photo grid caught our attention, along with the use of white space and padding. Many of the emails in today's post—this one included—also incorporate pale gray to distinguish content blocks. It's a simple and effective design move, particularly with HTML background colors that are friendly for inboxes and email clients.

99designs

Subject: Get over $100 off your next design contest

This discount email from 99designs is optimized with live text and a bulletproof CTA button, and it looks beautiful. The gray background color gives the email a boxed effect, and the cute GIF immediately grabs our attention upon open (plus, we finally see some fun, playful CTA button copy!):

SunBasket

Subject: We have a plan for you + $80 off Sun Basket.

Hungry, anyone? SunBasket's activation email says it all (almost) with a picture. The live text that follows is short and sweet (no header needed), and the CTA button is bulletproof with custom text. When your CTA button color matches your logo/header, it establishes design cohesion in your message and reinforces the brand.It's the same strategy Chobani, Staples and many of the other brands in this post use as well. Keep in mind, though, that deploying an "isolation effect" with an alternate color can be another effective option. (Read about how to choose CTA button colors here.)

Pact

Subject: How To Get a $20 Coupon

We love Pact's efficient use of subject line here, and that engaging tone is used throughout the email to call readers to act. (We love the CTA button text, of course!) The header text is part of the image, but this kind of format can also be achieved with BEE's text overlay feature, so you can use inbox-friendly live text on top of images (instead of creating an image-only email like this one, which might more easily end up in a spam folder). Interestingly, this email has a few competing calls to action at its close, including the linked text under the button, and the animated GIF near the footer (shown below). We'd be curious to see which generates the most clicks, and how a pared-down version might fare (a good opportunity for A/B testing!)

Ready to start building a coupon email of your own? You don't have to start from scratch! The BEE editor has a library of free, ready-to-use templates that are easy to customize, including a basic coupon templateand green events coupon template. Check 'em out, and happy designing!

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

The skin care industry is booming. And there are no signs of slowing down, especially as consumers reach for options from an ever-expanding market of natural and organic brands. So what can we learn from how these brands areapproaching email marketing? We collected dozens of skin care industry emails and are excited to share a few of our favorites with you. Scroll for inspiration and design tips, no matter your industry!

#1. Curology

Subject: Welcome to Curology

The first thing that caught our eye about this email was the tiny GIFs included throughout:

Aren't they sweet? Little touches like this really make an email stand out. These GIFs aren't necessarily demonstrating any useful information; instead, they're working to demonstrate a brand identity that's friendly, playful, and charming. Those things go a long way, making emails from Curology a treat to receive. Another notable design choice in this email is its color scheme. The combination of white, gray, and muted blue-green creates a soothing effect. Using a limited width or "boxed" message layout—with a gray border around the body of the email—adds to a warming effect, whereas all white throughout might come across as relatively more sterile.

#2. Panacea Skincare

Subject: Hit Refresh

We love how spare and stunning this welcome email from Panacea is. The beautiful asymmetrical layout of images is a design choice we're seeing more and more of lately. It makes the email feel modern and chic—almost like a print magazine—and the ample white space alongside photos and between content blocks offers a fresh vibe. Don't forget that in the BEE editor, live text and bulletproof call-to-action buttons can be positioned atop images for a mobile optimized design.

#3. Hims

Subject: SkinRx is here. your $20 offer inside.

There's nothing particularly extraordinary about this design, but it certainly stood out in our inbox. Too many emails are over-designed, with navigation menus, multiple typefaces and type treatments, and colors galore. However, this one from hims looks sharp in its simplicity. The color gradient between the photo and photo background color, plus the beige border color, creates a warm, monochromatic style that's super pleasing to the eye. The content is short and sweet, and, importantly, the text is live. CTA buttons are easy to spot, too. All well done.

#4. Supergoop!

Subject: "What is blue light?”Check out the cinemagraph that's the highlight of this email from Supergoop!:

Here it is in the body of the email—it's so quick that getting a still screen grab wasn't possible!

Cinemagraphs are "still photographs in which a minor and repeated movement occurs, forming a video clip." Here, it's published as an animated GIF, which as we know are rather email friendly. We don't often see cinemagraphs in email, but as we combed through skin care industry emails, we definitely noted they were somewhat of a trend in this corner of the email world. And it makes sense: They're a great, quick way to demonstrate how to use a product, as in this cinemagraph from another Supergoop! email:

Or this one from Milk Makeup:

#5. Moon Juice

Subject: What we love

Positive reviews can be incredibly impactful to consumers when evaluating products. And occasionally, we even see reviews from those inside the company itself, as in this message from Moon Juice. What makes it work well here is that each person's name and department is offered, making the reviews feel super personal. They're also only a sentence or two, which is appropriate for email.

#6. Saturday Skincare

Subject: Welcome to Saturday Skin!

This email from Saturday Skin is relatively "traditional," but they made a few sweet design choices that are worth pointing out. First, for a welcome email, that ultra large "hi!" at the header is attention-grabbing and feels warm. In case you forgot what you signed up for, they state what to expect in the opening lines and provide an image that showcases the products. That builds trust (and probably helps diminish quick unsubscribes). The modular design bolsters the modern feel (along with millennial pink, naturally), but we'd definitely recommend upping the live text here. It's so important to break up images with plain text content, especially for mobile devices—and to stay out of spam folders.

#7. Hey Day

Subject: Fall is coming...????????????

And speaking of live text, this email from Hey Day does a beautiful job of incorporating it alongside images. The circular cropped images and z-pattern layout are nice touches, giving this email an airy, pretty feel.

#8. Glossier

Subject: Feels good, smells good

Glossier tends to impress us on the email front, and we've written about the brand's email design style a few times before. Many messages are sleek and simple like this one, with a bold header, image, and CTA button that pops. Like Moon Juice, this one features a review from a Glossier employee. Do you find it compelling? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this email and others!And if you're feeling inspired by these skin care industry emails, we hope you'll check out a free trial of BEE Pro, where you can design stunning emails in our easy to use drag-and-drop editor. Style the perfect CTA buttons, arrange live text over images, create custom photo collages, and much more.

It's that time of year again! As Labor Day approaches, we've all got that back-to-school spirit—even if we're not all returning to the classroom. Brands are serving up special promotions to slough off summer inventory and introduce autumn's offerings. Back-to-school sales emails can be playful, nostalgic, and downright dazzling. Let's check out the designs that caught our eye!

Lumosity

Subject: This pop quiz comes with a prize!

This Lumosity email is a great example of a one-question in-email "survey." And the hero image is animated:

When readers answer the quiz by clicking or tapping on an answer button, they go to a landing page with their results—and an offer to take 25% off Lumosity Premium.

This is a cute and simple strategy that gives readers a chance to engage with the content and have a little fun. And, this goes to show that you can even get creative building a "survey."

Chubbies

Subject: i'm leaving you

We've gotta hand it to Chubbies for the clever copy. Their brand voice never fails to disappoint. The design of this email is pretty straightforward, but the tone of voice and text takes it to the next level. One interesting move Chubbies made was a three-tier call-to-action (with each one going to the same landing page). We haven't seen this used before in email, have you? (We're curious about the click rate!)

Cook Smarts

Subject: Back-to-school savings! 20% off everything????????

Here's the animation:

Cook Smarts has been sending out a series of back-to-school sales emails with eye-catching themes. There's nothing fancy, but excellent design best practices are in play here. We love the GIF, well-formatted live text, and custom CTA button.

Intelligentsia

Subject: Back to School Savings: 20% off????

"Back to the grind"... hehe, get it? This email makes great use of color to call our attention to important information. The CTA buttons are nice and specific (no boring "click here" CTAs) and the white space throughout makes this email feel like a breath of fresh air. But a little live text would go a long way here to break up those images and make this email more inbox-friendly.

BarkBox

Subject: Grab your Bark to School supplies!

We must have really needed a good laugh because punny emails are certainly speaking to us. This one from BarkBox made us smile (and it was pretty long — we had to trim it!). BarkBox always does a great job of mixing photography with illustration, which helps readers get an understanding of what they're looking at and creates some levity. Even more live text here—especially over the top of background images—would only make this email better!

Roxy

Subject:This Year, Head Back To School With Class

Hello, yellow! Doesn't this Roxy header text pop against the all black-and-white background? It's eye-catching, helping to draw readers in before the email switches to a more traditional product display layout.

Muji

Subject: Thanks for being a fan - Here's 10% OFF for you!

Muji sent an illustrated back-to-school sales email design that stood out in our inbox amidst a lot of photo-heavy campaigns. Everything about this is simple and sweet!

DC Shoes

Subject: The DC Shoes Back To School Collection

DC Shoes often sticks to a nearly all black-and-white design aesthetic, which results in emails that always look polished and sleek. The black background with white type and white CTA button isn't something we often see, and the combination looks sharp. The primarily black-and-white color scheme gives the brand identity an edge—one that's underscored perfectly in the expression of the girl in the last photo.

Bodum

Subject: Up 75% OFF: Back to School + Back To Work

In addition to paper and pencils, coffee is an important school supply. :) And this email from Bodum, another coffee company, isreally easy on the eyes. All the gray tones offer a soothing effect, and the clean lines in the photo collage provide a sense of organization. This is all intentional, as the message of the email is to help readers "get organized and start the year a little less stressed." Well done, Bodum.

Puma

Subject: Your Kiddo’s New Kicks, Now 25% Off.

The unique highlighter effect in this email from Puma caught our eye. The hot pink adds an element of surprise and playfulness to a straightforward product grid email. The campaign is clearly well-thought-out and cohesive, from the hero image to the copy to the hand-drawn lines. Little touches like this make a big impact.

Bonus: A Template for Back-to-School Sales Emails

Ready for the back to school season? Get your readers excited by sending a well-designed and stunning email that includes a special promotion, deal, or new product offering! To make things easir for you, try BEE Pro for free—the drag-n-drop design tool is super easy to use, and all emails are mobile-responsive.Plus, you'll get access to free templates, including new back-to-school and end-of-summer templates.Here's a sneak peek...

Don't delay! Sign up right away and you'll be ready for September!

The health and wellness industry is booming in 2017 with no signs of slowing down. The phrase "There's an app for that" couldn't be more pertinent in a market where phones are one of our most valuable healthy lifestyle tools. We use technology to schedule doctor appointments, order a buffet of customized vitamins to our doorstep, listen to guided meditations, and so, so much more. In such a competitive marketplace, we wondered, how do health and wellness industry emails stack up? We gathered some of our favorite designs here.

#1. Care/Of

Care/Of helps you find the right vitamins and supplements for your goals, lifestyle, and values, and then delivers them to customers once a month. Founded in 2016, the brand has a modern, elegant identity featuring a mix of bright photography, line illustrations, and a healthy dose of millennial pink. Here's an email from their getting-started series.Subject: Introducing healthier living

Like most design-forward brands, Care/Of maintains a sleek, simple header (logo only) followed by a large, beautiful image. The zig-zag layout that follows features live text and pared-down monochromatic iconography. Interestingly, in lieu of CTA buttons, the brand chooses color-coded links in each module. If we were doing an A/B test, we might suggest an alternate email that skips the links and instead places a single bulletproof CTA at the conclusion of the email. It'd be interesting to see the results!

#2. Lumosity

Health and wellness is about keeping your mind sharp, too. Lumosity is a brain training app with games that help you flex your cognitive muscles when it comes to memory, attention, and speed. The brand identity is friendly and warm with flat illustration styles and a jewel-tone color palette. Here's a getting-started email from the brand.Subject: The next step on your training path

HTML background colors bring a liveliness to each module and clearly delineate one section from another. A slim line of white space creates a nice buffer, too. While the body text skews on the side of being too small, Lumosity does a good job choosing contrasting colors to enhance legibility.

#3. Lifesum

Lifesum helps you track what you're eating so you can achieve your weight goals, whether they're to slim down or bulk up. This recent welcome email from the brand walks users through how it works.Subject: Welcome to Lifesum

One thing to note right away is how action-oriented the email is. The opener—"Let's get going right away"—sets the tone immediately. After that, each module is stunningly simple, following an inverted pyramid layout to introduce a key image following by two lines of text and a call to action. The type and buttons are large—easy to read and tap. Plus, no two CTA buttons are the same (there's no string of "Learn more," followed by another "Learn more," etc.). Well done, Lifesum.

#4. Sustain

Sustain makes natural, organic health products for women. The brand offers a subscription service where shoppers can build custom kits with their choice of tampons, pads, and/or liners for direct delivery. Here's a recent promotion email from the brand.Subject: PERIOD STUFF

Sustain knows that showing the product itself is what will help convert customers. So it does just that, presenting an image of each, along with a 3-sentence description. The text adds up, but for readers on the fence about whether to click, this email might just provide the necessary information. We also love thepurple box-effect—it ties in perfectly with the images embedded in the email, giving the message a cohesive, monochromatic effect. Plus, it's easy to implement!

#5. Headspace

Headspace is a meditation app. Knowing that the practice of meditation might be intimidating for beginners, the brand employs a friendly, warm visual identity and tone. This recent onboarding email reflects just that.Subject: What is meditation?

Have you noticed the single-column design used in many of these emails? A single column is optimal for mobile screens and helps readers focus. Plus, it just looks good. Taking an encouraging tone, in this email, Headspace walks readers through their explanation of what meditation is. The easy-to-read live text is accompanied by cheerful illustrations. Instead of section breaks between modules, as we've seen done in other emails, there's nothing breaking the flow in this story-like sequence. The culmination is a clear and direct call to action that can't be missed. Brava.

#6. Quip

Quip makes sleek-looking electric toothbrushes, along with a line of oral care including toothpaste and replacement brushes. It feels like the brand's doing a big marketing push, because their advertising is everywhere we look! Their visual identity is super modern with plenty of white space and hardly a capital letter to be found. Here's their welcome email.Subject: Welcome to quip!

Quips's photo-and-illustration combo is gorgeous. Ample white space—hello email padding!—gives this send a fresh, airy vibe. And Quip saves its call-to-action for the end of the email. Unfortunately, the blurred text is super distracting. This is a common pitfall that brands face, often when images aren't retina-scaled, but it's an easy fix, though. Another easy way to avoid this issue is by choosing live text for most of your message. Format it well and the emial will look just as great.

#7. ZocDoc

ZocDochelps people find doctors nearby. You can use the app or website to identify doctors in-network and even book appointments. And once you're logged in, ZocDoc helps track your records. Attending a certain number of doctor appointments is what prompts an email like this one.Subject: CRUSHED IT.

The email reflects ZocDoc's usual fresh, friendly tone of voice. The encouragement is a nice touch, likely helping to drive customer engagement and brand loyalty. It's not every day readers get an email with a "congratulations" instead of a call to action. When it comes to design, the email is well thought out. The cheerful illustration incorporates part of the ZocDoc "Z" in a zero-to-one-hundred graph. Before all appointments were completed, a previous email included this:

The plain text is easy to read, and the boxed layout makes the message pop.

Our prescribed tips for your health and wellness industry emails:

• Create a boxed email effect
• Use bold HTML background colors
• Make each module pop
• Design the perfect bulletproof CTA button

Plus: Get more tips bytrying BEE Pro for free and have fun designing! All your designs will even be mobile responsive (no coding needed)!

Hey designers! The BEE team is heading to this year's Adobe Max conference, so we've definitely been thinking about all the different resources for email designers.We all know the internet can be a little... overwhelming, especially when you're on your own as a freelance or contract designer.It's time-consuming to track down what you needwhen you need them to work quickly and efficiently. That's why we've rounded up some of our favorite resources for email designers to help with collaboration, organization, and inspiration. Use these tools to work better, and let us know which ones you can't live without so we can add them to the list!Tools To:Work Smarter | Work Together | Work Faster | Think Bigger

Image by Raw Pixel via Unsplash

Work smarter.

Keep your design knowledge and skills sharp by tapping into great resource aggregators: email design blogs. These blogs cover all things email design and routinely put out inspiring, useful content. Of course, the blog you're reading right now, our very own Email Design Workshop, is intended to be a place where you can get inspired and learn how to build better emails. We're grateful to have you as a reader. Here are some of our other favorite resources for excellent email design content.

#1. Really Good Emails

The name says it all. Really Good Emails is a go-to resource for finding hundreds of inspiring emails all in one place (though Pinterest is great too). Created by MailChimp, the archive is searchable by keyword and category. Plus, the blog also has a resources sectionwith posts on email marketing and design. We're fans of the RGE newsletter, too.

#2. FreshInbox

FreshInbox creator Justin Khoo says he created the FreshInbox blog when he realized that "email is finally growing up and is starting to adopt cooler new capabilities such as media queries and interactivity." The FreshInbox blog is where he writes about just that. With posts going back to 2013, the blog has tons of in-depth goodies for email geeks, from responsive roll-over images to CSS animations. It's a must-read.

#3. The Better Email

Litmus project manager Jason Rodriguez is the mastermind behind the Better Email, a blog and resource destination for email designers.Rodriguez's resource list includes a treasure trove of links to email design tools, courses, blogs, and more.

#4. Litmus

There's no question Litmus is an email industry giant. From theLitmus Live conferences to webinars to the blog, Litmus is a valuable place to keep up with the latest in email.

#5. Emma

The Emma blog is a great place to find email marketing tips and strategies, plus plenty of fun email examples to draw inspiration from.

Work together.

When it comes to pulling off a great email marketing campaign, collaboration is critical. Designers need to coordinate with developers, project managers, art directors, clients, and others. There's a lot to juggle—which means it's super important to be organized and to communicate well. Here are a few of our favorite resources for staying on top of project coordination and communication.

#6. Trello

Trello is a free and easy way to keep track of what you're working on. Designers can use it to prioritize to-do’s, set due dates, and manage their workflow. Plus, you can collaborate with others and do everything you need to on the move with the mobile app.

#7. Google Drive

If you or anyone you know uses Gmail, chances are, you also use Google Drive. It's an incredibly easy, intuitive place to create, share, and store docs, spreadsheets, presentations, and more. (We personally love the ability to create in-email surveys). It's a powerful resource for storage, creation, and collaboration.

#8. Slack

Slack seems to be everyone's favorite communication tool. It's free and intuitive to use. Plus, it integrates well with Trello and Google Drive, giving you a powerful combo of team organization and communication.

#9. Workfront

Agencies and enterprises often opt for a robust cloud-based project management tool that can be used across teams—like Workfront. The tool helps teams collaborate and work better with visual calendars, custom dashboards, and time-tracking features.

Work faster.

What about the tools to help you work faster and better when it comes to actually making good design? We've got a few ideas. If you missed our previous post,21 Email Design Tools to Transform Your Emails, here's a quick roundup:

#10. Font, icon, and stock photo tools

#11. Photo editing tools

#12. GIF and meme tools

#13. Prototyping and video tools

#14. Chart, graph, and survey tools

Plus, here are a few apps designers told us they liked: Sketch(a design toolkit) and Coda (HTML Editor). And there's even more at DesignResources.Party.

Think bigger.

The design industry is huge and amorphous, with email design occupying one particular niche. There's a lot going on. Occasionally—or regularly, depending on your preference—email designers need to tap into the bigger picture for perspective and inspiration. We do that by listening to great voices in the design industry on a few fantastic platforms, including:

#15. AIGA

Conferences, job boards, conversation, meet-ups—when it comes to design thought leadership, AIGA has it all. After all, it has earned the claim of being the oldest and largest professional membership organization for design.

#16. HeyDesigner

HeyDesigner has hundreds of posts and resources on everything from typography to mood boarding to product design and beyond. You can opt to receive their newsletter on a daily or weekly basis to keep your finger on the pulse of all things design.

#17. Skillshare

Need to brush up on your design skills? Sometimes a YouTube tutorial just won't cut it. Skillshare offers a huge selection of classes you can take from home at your convenience—including design courses aplenty.

#18. Adobe

No designer can do his or her job without coming into contact with an Adobe product, from Photoshop to InDesign to Spark and more. You can find tutorials, guides, and instructions for any of their products on the site, plus a wealth of info on their digital marketing blog.

#19. Dribbble

Dribbble is "show and tell" for designers. But it's more than a website: don't miss design expertise extolled via its podcast, blog, or in meetups.

Share your go-to resources for email designers

The design universe certainly stretches to the far reaches of the internet, but we hope this is a valuable starting point for your must-have email design resources. Let us know your favorite resources in the comments!

Originally published on August 14, 2017. Last updated August 19, 2021.

Going back to school ranks as the second busiest time of year for retailers behind the hectic holiday season. Focusing on a clear email marketing design strategy is crucial for businesses to stand out amidst the sales and leverage the back to school excitement.The National Retail Federation is expecting a record-breaking $37.1 billion in shopping profits this year, with consumers purchasing everything from notebooks to technology. Promoting your business through email is the best method to gain a share of these profits since about 90% of Americans are email users. There are endless opportunities to reel in your target audience through email.Explore these email design best practices to stand out in the inbox during the back to school season.

1. Kate Spade’s elegant going back to school product display email

Part of what makes Kate Spade’s email feel so elegant is that it sticks to a color scheme: millennial pink, gold tones and hints of green. The email pitches back to school products, and it also harnesses the school spirit with an a-b-c product display in the second module. Because the quiz theme is so easily recognized, it doesn’t even require set-up text. The final result is a spirited, minimalistic email that’s easy and entertaining to read.

2. Tarte’s beauty product “pop quiz” email design

It’s not just Kate Spade putting readers to the “test.” Tarte sent a pop quiz email that’s a little more obvious but just as sweet. The video snapshots links to product-promoting videos, while the second module offers quick links to individual products, if you’re ready to move quickly to your shopping cart.The whole message is set against a bulletin board background with a wide-ruled paper that appears to be torn from a notebook. Even though its products aren’t school-related, Tarte creates a message that instantly evokes a classroom feel while maintaining its colorful and bold brand style.

3. Blue Mercury lists their top products for their back to school email

Going back to school means it’s time for supply checklists, but spiral notebooks and No. 2 pencils aren’t on Blue Mercury’s list. Instead, the brand displays their products alongside playful back to school marketing copy. “A+ exfoliation” for a facial peel, “extra credit hydration” for moisturizer and other creative tie-ins. The design is simple and clever with the lined notebook paper motif and colorfully illustrated checkboxes. This proves that no matter your product, there’s always a way to show back to school spirit with a few smart design choices.

4. Cook Smarts packs an animated back to school lunch design

The meal plan subscription service Cook Smarts sent a back to school email with the perfect animated GIF:

In addition to their back to school sale, they also included a flattering testimonial from a parent. This is compelling to subscribers because it provides proof that people love their services. Parents will trust a brand that’s backed by other parents. These great design features will push readers to click, especially parents planning for the school year ahead.

5. DC is going back to school with a sleek z-pattern product display

Skate and snowboard brand DC maintains a clean and sleek email with a simple black and white email. This back to school email has streamlined simplicity, which is why it caught our eye. Using high-quality images and minimal text, their product display takes on an z-pattern that’s easy to scan. The z-pattern means the images alternate sides from module to module, creating a zig-zag effect. Not many brands pull off this effect so elegantly. This email uses ample white space and minimal text to maintain their polished style.

6. Grammarly runs a fun-fact themed back to school marketing campaign

Grammarly is a tool that spot checks grammar to help people improve their writing. This brand didn't take a straightforward marketing approach like: “Get Grammarly, and write better this school year.” Instead, Grammarly launched an email drip campaign that sends fun facts about school. They use a content-enriching approach by sending more emails with valuable content rather than creating salesy back to school marketing campaigns. The content they provide is valuable because teachers, parents and students can apply these fun facts to their work. This meaningful content helps build brand loyalty with users.

7. Poppin animates their back to school marketing ideas with pops of color

Office supply company, Poppin, created a series of brightly-colored GIFs as part of their back to school email designs. Emails with GIFs are best optimized when coupled with plain text. Layer plain or live text on top of an image or GIF to avoid a cluttered appearance. This balance of image and text will optimize the email for mobile devicesand all inboxes. Poppin sets their GIFs up in this way to attract their subscribers without causing overwhelm, which is helpful during such a busy shopping season.

8. La Colombe’s back to school caffeine fix is framed in a boxed layout

Even coffee can be an important ingredient on the back to school shopping list. La Colombe created a beautiful photographic email with a grey background color. The grey color gives their central message a “boxed” effect. This limited-width tactic is a popular design best practice to help frame your content for a clearer, more intriguing reading experience.

9. Ban.do is going back to school with millennial pink

Online store, Ban.do, used a gorgeous color palette for their back to school email. The trendy millennial pink is a great way to appeal to a range of subscribers. The collage, layered appearance with different colors, textures, and design elements draw the reader’s eye to each headline and CTA. The email is bright and fun, which differentiates the brand from other emails in the inbox. An image-heavy email like this is a perfect example of one that would benefit from live text layering over background images.

Design with BEE Pro 

You don’t have to sell school supplies to showcase your back to school spirit. Putting thought into your designs will help you stand out and take advantage of the season’s shopping rush.Design your going back to school campaign in BEE Pro, the best mobile-responsive drag and drop editor. Start out by choosing a design from our template catalog to create and send out fresh emails even faster.

Hosting a great event is a powerful way to build your audience—especially if you can keep peopleinterested after the event is over. Event follow-up emails are a critical step in keeping new and existing audience members engaged with your brand. Here are three tips for turning your eventattendees into loyal followers.

Tip #1: Create an in-email survey

Asking attendees to complete a survey is acommon way to follow up after an event. Surveying readers canbenefitboth parties: it allows you to get direct feedback to make improvements, and it allows readers to communicate with you. However, it's still a big ask to get busy, on-the-go subscribers to stop what they're doing to offer input.That's whymaking your survey as easy and simple as possible is super important. One way is to ask just one question—directly in the body of the email. It's the approach CourseHorse, the class offerings site, takes in this event follow-up email:

By clicking on a star, the reader can provide feedback right in the email itself, and then the survey is over. There's no need to click a CTA button or go to a landing page. Here's another similar example from Delta:

A well-labeled rating scale is a common and simple way to survey readers—one that's easy to create simply with linked text or a series of CTA buttons.By comparison, General Assembly invitesattendees to share their thoughts in an external survey.

The email is well designed, and the call to action is clear, but email marketers have to ask themselves if subscribers will be more or less likely to answer a survey that takes them away from their inboxes. One way to get a clear answer is to create an A/B test, though our hunch is that the in-email survey might see better results.

Tip #2: Be clear about your call to action

It's not enough to email event attendees just to say "thanks." Often, event follow-up emails include one or more of the following calls to action:

• Take a survey or leave a review
• Browse and sign up for another event
• Act on an offer to get a discount on another product or event

But whatever you're asking attendees to do, it has to be clear in order to see results. In this Barclays Center email—an event space in Brooklyn—the CTA doesn't pass the squint test. It takes a moment to understand the purpose of the message.

Switching to a single-column design, cutting down on text, and making the survey either in-email or linked via a CTA button would all improve the clarity and readability of the email. By contrast, check out how easy it is to understand what Rover, the pet-sitting service, asks its readers in this follow-up email:

The CTA is clear and simple, and it's in the top third of the email. Plus, Rover gives readers three reasons why they should act, which might help get those clicks rolling in.

Again, by contrast, look at how it's also confusing to understand the CTA in this email from BAM, another event space:

Since that chat bubble button/icon isn't easily recognized (like how a traditional CTA button is, with the right color), it's hard to tell what BAM expects readers to do. "Put it all in context" is also a bit unclear. What does that mean? Something like, "Tell us what you think" might get more engagement.

When in doubt, make sure your CTA is a recognizable, strategically-designed button with concise, clear text.

Tip #3: Make an offer based on personalized reader data

As we've noted before, emailpersonalizationcan increase open and click-through rates, boost interaction, and generate revenue.It’s a strategy thatpresents readers with relevant contentbased on their behavior. And, subscribers who have just attended an event might be even more likely than the average reader to respond to a personalized email. So, it's smart to take this opportunity to customize your event follow-up message.Here's a recent follow-up email from Course Horse that includes a relevant, customized selection of upcoming classes for the subscriber, based on a previouslyattended event.

In another email, Course Horse uses the previous event location to offer a discount for upcoming events at the same place. Plus, a preview of upcoming classes is shown visually, too.

TicketLeap, the online ticket sales company, asks recent event attendees to create their own event (instead of just buying tickets to existing events). It's a smart upsell, but the email could use some design improvements to increase clarity. We'd recommend a strong header, less text, and moving the explainer video preview up to the top of the email.

Bonus tip: Follow up promptly!

Your follow-up emails should be ready to go before your event even happens, especially if your subscribers attended an event like a conference or trade show where there are multiple presenters. This can go a long way in being the first to follow up. In the graph below, the marketing agency Marketo shows how much more likely readers are to click through an email when you're the first vendor to follow up.

Source: Marketo

Design your next event follow-up email and go Pro!

Ready to create your own event follow-up emails? What about event invitation emails and event reminder emails? Sign-up for a BEE Pro free trial! No HTML knowledge is required, and you can use and edit professionally-designed templates. Plus, your email will be mobile responsive.Save

Not everything can be accomplished in a single click. Keeping customers engaged throughout a path to purchase can seem like a daunting feat. Along the way, browsers get closed, emails go unopened, carts are left behind. And often, users walk away from the registration process. Enter abandoned registration emails. Similar to cart abandonment messages and re-engagement campaigns, these emails reestablish contact with readers who’ve become stuck in the registration path.The great news about abandoned registration emails is that they're likely to get opened. Recipients are already interested in your service—they just need a little nudge to progress. If you aren't already sending these emails, here are 6 tips to help you get started!

Tip #1: Remind readers of the registration benefits

Your readers might abandon the registration process for any number of reasons. If it’s an event, they may not want to double check their calendar or book a babysitter. If there’s a purchase to make, they may still be on the fence about spending money. Or, maybe they simply missed an email or unintentionally overlooked a step. The blocker could be anything, and it’s okay that you don’t know. The important thing is to remind readers why they began the registration process in the first place.In other words: give readers reason to complete their registration.For HBO, that means an email with three modules, and each one offersa reason to complete your sign-up. We pointed them out with pink arrows:

Reminding readers how great your product is can help nudge them along the registration path.In a more subdued way, The New York Times also shows people the extra features they'll have as aregistered user:

Hulu takes a more visual approach. Instead of listing perks, they're shown as movie and TV covers:

Whichever approach you take, don't assume you already have readers on the hook. Instead, take the opportunity to remind them why your service is great.

Tip #2: Empower readers with the info they need to move forward

It’s possible readers haven’t moved forward in the registration process because the next step seems like a big one. A reader might be asking himself, Can I really commit to an all-day workshop? or, Do I really want to spend this amount? Or, in a case like Indiegogo, a reader might be unsure about how to move forward when it comes to undertakinga project.That’s why Indiegogo provides tips and resources about how to move forward.

Tip #3: Always use a descriptive CTA button

Your button should remind readers what they’ve abandoned. Don’t assume your audience remembers an event, promotion, or sign-up process they may have been considering. If readers only read one thing in your email—your CTA button—that should be just enough information. The CTA buttons in the email examples we've included so far are all self-contained:

Call-to-action language works best when it includes an action verb ("complete" "start"), personal pronouns ("your," "my"), and just a few words. These are all excellent examples. And, visually, they pop on the page. Also, be sure to read more about how to optimizeCTA button colors and bulletproof CTA design.

Tip #4: Show the CTA in the top third section of your email

Your readers are soclose to completing their registration, so don’t bury the lede! Make sure the next step is obvious and easy. CTA buttons are perfect for making that next step clear.Take this example from Resy. The email is beautiful, but if you do the squint test, can you tell what the call-to-action is?

Without a button, the call-to-action is not clear, and it's too easy to miss the underlined "click here" text. Compare Resy with the other emails—like the message below from Indiegogo—and you can see what a differenceit makes to include a CTA button in the first module.

Tip #5: Say what you mean (in the subject line)

Like the CTA button, the subject line should communicate your message in a few words. Here are some examples from our inbox:

• Offer reminder: Credit towards any album on Google Play
• Save yourself from being waitlisted by logging in!
• Do what you do even better — with a pro plan.
• Your free trial is waiting.
• Forget Something?
• Welcome to Resy

Just like the subject lines ofcart abandonment emails, these are important considerations to make for registration abandonment emails:

• Grab attention: Can you personalize or customize it?
• Check it out on a mobile screen: Should it be shorter?
• Know your audience: Is the voice and tone on-brand?
• Stand out: Try asking a question, being silly, or using an emoji.
• Create urgency: Mention short timing or imply “FOMO” (fear of missing out), like the waitlisting example above.

Tip #6: Don't overcomplicate it

You don't need to reinvent the wheel with your abandoned registration emails. Keeping it simple is perfectly okay, too. Evite uses a basic template, for example, to nudge readers to complete registration:

The no-frills approach works with just a header, a single sentence, and an eye-catching CTA button. Just glance at the message, and we immediately know what to do.

Wrap up: Abandoned Registration Emails

Get readers through the registration process with an abandoned registration email that's beautiful, simple, and actionable. Keep in mind these tips:

1. Tell readers why they should register (again)!
2. Provide more information or details that make it easy to move forward.
3. Use a descriptive, action-oriented CTA button.
4. Bring your CTA button to the top third part of your email.
5. Say what you mean in the subject line.
6. Keep it simple!

Design your abandoned registration email and go Pro!

Design your next abandoned registration email in our easy-to-use, drag-n-drop BEE editor. No HTML knowledge is required, use and edit professionally-designed templates, plus your email will be mobile responsive. Sign-up for a BEE Pro free trial!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's the perfect time of year to say"thank you!" with customer appreciation emails.Smart brands thank customers with these emails at least once a year, and the approaching holidays are a popular time to do it. Still, there are plenty of ways—and occasions—to say thank you. We combed through our inbox and found inspiringexamples of howbrands have shown appreciation for customersin the past year.But before we review each email, here's a snapshot of some subject lines of customer appreciation emails.Mentions of "thank you," "special,"and "gift" are abundant. Most of all, many emails focus on one thing:"you" (the customer). Putting your customers front and center bymaking them feel special is the key to good customer appreciation emails.

Now, let's check out seven ways to send customer appreciation emails by looking to inspiring brands.

1. Create your own Customer Appreciation Day

There's no official "national customer appreciation day," but plenty of brands invent their own. When you createan event specifically forthanking customers, they will feel special. Plus, your brand is positioned as one that's genuine, appreciative, and thoughtful. Here's a sample email from the male grooming siteBirchBox Man, which starts with the subject line "Happy You Day!":

Similarly, organic skincare site Juice Beauty creates a one-day customer appreciation event, offering readers 20% off (subject line: "20% Off Today Only! Customer Appreciation Event"):

Design Tips:

• Add intrigue to your call-to-action. BirchBox doesn't reveal in the email what the gift is; readers must click the CTA to find out.
• Design an email that passes the "squint test." Squint your eyes and look at each of these emails. Which one is easier to understand in a quick, blurry glance? BirchBox does a good job of making its message uncluttered and visual so that readers get the memo in just a second.

2. Make your "welcome" a "thank you" message

Welcome emails are some of the most-read messages that land in an inbox. So it's no surprise that brands take advantage of the high open rate to incentivizereaders to get shopping right away. One way to do this graciously is to start with a "thank you." Show your gratitude that a new customer has signed up for your mailing list—turn your welcome emails into customer appreciation emails instead. Here's one example from Bliss, the spa and retail company (subject line: "Welcome To Bliss! Instant Offer Inside"):

Likewise, Moo, the business card creation platform, thanks readers with 10% off in its welcome/thank you email (subject: "Welcome to MOO"):

Design Tips:

• Organize content in an inverted pyramid. Both emails structure content with the trusty inverted pyramid layout. The top of the pyramid is a large image or header, followed by text, leading to the CTA button.
• Use color to make your call-to-action pop. There should always be a CTA button in a bold color that contrasts against the background. Get a full breakdown on how to choose the best CTA button color for your emails.

3. Use the holidays to say thanks (and motivate shoppers)

It's a no-brainer to show gratitude around the holidays. Lots of brands and businesses take the opportunity to thank customers with special emails and promotions. Here's a unique one fromMailChimp—free custom socks!

Terrain, which focuses on home and garden products, gives "a treat to say thank you for sharing a very merry season with us" in the form of a 15% off discount.

Even J.Crew sends letter-syle emails—no promotion, though—that includes a heartfelt note from the CEO:

And in mid-December last year, Food52 offeredreaders a surprise gift: a code to enter at checkout for a mysterious discount (which doubles as an incentive to shop!):

Design Tips:

• Keep it simple. MailChimp and J.Crew both execute simple, elegant design in their emails. This means the message doesn't look like a website, is easy to scan, and won't get clipped.
• Use a single-column, modular layout. Terrain and Food52 each send long emails that feature multiple products. A great way to make those emails organized is by using a single-column, modular layout; each module should present a contained chunk of content. Ideally, the email should be mobile-friendly and responsive.

4. Send a "thanks for stopping by" abandoned cart email

Plenty of cart abandonment emails start with a subject line that reads"Forgot something?" or "Complete your purchase!" But CampSaver, the camp supply retailer, takes another approach. To bring readers back to its site, an email is sent with the subject line "Thank you for visiting!", with a "Thanks for stopping by!" header image. This clever approach makes customers feel seen and appreciated—and may even encourage them to complete apurchase.

Design Tips:

• Show the product in question. To encourage click-throughs, CampSaver shows the product the reader viewed on the site (without including the price), to offer a visual reminder. Visual communication like this is ideal for encouraging action.
• Include relevant upsell content. Relevant products are shown to appeal to customers. It's important to de-emphasize this additional content (don't be too pushy), and it's a wise choice to include a grid of smaller images.

5. Be thankful when reaching an anniversary or a milestone

If your business had a phenomenal year, you know who to thank: the customers that made the success possible. If you've reached an anniversary or a milestone, let readers know but also thank them. Casper, the mattress company, sent this cute email celebrating its second birthday, which also included a special discount for readers:

And to celebrate the milestone of reaching 10 billion shares, the Swarm appsent a straightforward thank you note to users with the promise of bonus coins:

Design Tips:

• Make your CTA button bulletproof. Both of the emails above use bulletproof CTA buttons, which are built with HTML code, so they will always show up. This is a design must.
• Skip the nav menu. Each of the emails also has a super clean header showcasing just the brand's logo. Decluttering your email header—no extra links, ads, or call-outs—improves the overall design and lets readers focus on the main message.

6. Pick a special day that's relevant to your brand

Of course, you don't need to wait for the holidays or for an anniversary to thank customers. BarkBox wisely chooses a holiday that's perfect for its brand—National Dog Day—and celebrates by thanking readers (who also want to thank their dogs) with a coupon.

Design Tip:

• Not every email needs custom art. This email is short and sweet—and effective. Remember that you can skip the custom photography and design work in order to send a timely, thoughtful email with spot-on content.

7. Say "thank you"...just because

Sales and promotions also don't need to be centered around a new product, holiday, or a particular event. Instead, brands can position a promotion as just a simple thank you. That's what The New York Times often does. Here's a recent email example (subject line: "We'd Like To Thank You For Being A Times Reader - Enjoy This Special Offer!"):

Design Tip:

• Pare down text. There isn't a single block of text—or even a complete sentence—in this email, yet the message registers with readers almost immediately. All you can need are a few key phrases and descriptive, plus well-written CTAs.

The takeaway for customer appreciation emails: Say thanks!

There are endless opportunities and ways to thank customers. If you haven't expressed your gratitude yet this year, start planning one or more customer appreciation emails for Thanksgiving. Take time to let readers know that you value them, and add offers as incentives to shop, click, or buy this holiday season. And usethe free BEE editor tool(which doesn't requireregistration) to help you send some thanks.SaveSaveSaveSaveSave

It's easy to leave an onlineorder. We've all been there. In fact, 68% of online shopping carts are abandoned, according to research from the Baymard Institute. As a result, email marketers are presented with the challenge—and opportunity—of saving sales via email. Enter cart abandonment emails.Cart abandonment emails are messages sent to customers who have recently put items in a cart without completing the purchase. The email reminds them their product is waiting for them, and some even offer an incentive to complete the purchase (like free shipping). When done well, these emails aresuper effective. According to other research by BI Intelligence and Listrak, emailssent three hours after a consumer deserts a cartaverages a 40% open rate and a 20% click-through rate. These emails are critical for any online retailer. To determine when to send yours, test the response rate and conversion rate you receive with your customers at various intervals—either a few hours later, or a day or two later. Some brands send a series of emails in a cart abandonment email sequence (though be careful not to flood inboxes). Today, we'll offer our top design tips to optimize your cart abandonment emails.

Tip #1: Start with an attention-getting subject line

Write a short, on-topic subject line that conveys urgency. Here are somecart abandonment email subject line examples from our inbox:

• You Left Something in Your Shopping Cart at Walmart.com
• There's still time to finish your booking for Seattle.
• ✔ Nobody likes to miss out. Are you still interested in Ancestry?
• Did you forget to finish your order?
• Complete Your Purchase!
• Your shopping cart misses you!
• Oops, you forgot something
• Your shopping cart is so needy...
• Shopping alert! See what's in your bag...
• One less lonely bag in the world

Most are short and direct, which means they're optimized for phone screens (where most of us check email). Some ask questions (Did you forget to finish your order?) or make exclamations (Your cart misses you!). As you design and test your own subject lines, here are some considerations to make:

• Grab attention: Can you personalize or customize it?
• Check it out on a mobile screen: Should it be shorter?
• Know your audience: Is the voice and tone on-brand?
• Stand out: Try asking a question, being silly, or using an emoji.
• Create urgency: Mention timing or, like Ancestry does above, imply "FOMO" (fear of missing out).

Tip #2: Show the actual products

We all know the old adage: show, don't tell. Cart abandonment emails provide the perfect opportunity to put that oft-heard advice into practice. When you show a shopper what's still in her or his cart, it works as a visual reminder that's easy to scan and absorb. Thrive Market, the healthy grocery startup, asks readers if they're still interested in the items in their cart, then shows themwhat's there.

The "Buy Now" call-to-action buttons that bookend the messagestand out against the white background. Plus, the email adds a coupon code to amplify the discount and encourage readers to take action. The email is clear, simple, and visual. As a result, the message is optimized for readers who are on the go and reading on mobile screens.

Tip #3: Add customized, targeted content

Whenever a marketing email feels like it's from a person and not a robot, that's a win. With increasing amounts of subscriber data at their fingertips, email marketers are wisely designingemails that feel individually-tailored to readers. Cart abandonment emails provide a perfect opportunity to use the data you have to customize content and take advantage of industry best practices.Take this cart abandonment email from Starwood, the hotel company, for example. Its subject line reads:There's still time to finish your booking for Seattle. Mentioning the reader's specific destination in the subjectimmediatelyindicates the message isn't generic. Here's the full email:

The intro of the email is all about reminding the reader about the benefits of completing the order. Exclusive rates. Wi-Fi. Starpoints. But in case that isn't convincing enough, Starwood follows up with events and offers available at the specific hotel for the specific dates of interest. By putting its data to use, Starwood is able to offer relevant, customized content to encourage the sale.Similarly, Ann Taylor, the women's fashion retailer, provides "upsell" content in its cart abandonment email, below.

The key call to action to "View my bag" is still prioritized at the top, but Ann Taylor also presents customized images of additional possibilities. In other words, this email says, Keep shopping! The retailer may beplaying off the idea that the cart was abandoned because the shopperwasn't satisfied with what she'd picked out. So, why not offer something new to catch the eye?

Tip #4: De-emphasize prices

When you look at the data forwhen carts are abandoned, it helps revealthe reasons whycarts areleft behind. According to BI Intelligence, here are the reasons why consumers leave their carts:

• 46% occur at the payment stage
• 37% occur at checkout login
• 36% occur once the shoppers see shipping costs
• 21% occur when the user needs to enter their billing address
• 20% occur when the user needs to enter their shipping or delivery address

It's a lot about hassle factor. The easier checkout is, the better for shoppers.What's also interesting is that only one reason has to do with price(shipping costs). Still, retailers often strip product pricing out of cart abandonment emails. That way, brands can focus onreminding readers about the things they want while de-emphasizing the costs associated with them. While the Thrive email does list prices (and discounts), the emails below from Amazon and Snapfish are product-focused and leave pricing out:

Emails from both Thrive Market and Amazon focus on presenting readers with item images in their carts. But sending cart abandonment emails with and without pricing is an easy thing to test. Try it, and trackhow readers respond.

Tip #5: Make the CTA obvious and inviting

Just like with any email, the call-to-action should be front and center: easy to spot, easy to tap, easy to act. Ancestry.com does a great job of making its CTA button the central component of its cart abandonment email.The orange pops against the black-and-white image, and the CTA language used is much more action-orientedthan "Click here" or "Learn more."

Think abouthow easy it is to act upon the Ancestry email compared to one that omits a button altogether, like the one below from Walmart:

With three hyperlinked phrases—"shopping cart," "Free shipping," and "Help"—in all the same color, size, and style, the reader can be overwhelmed about where to click. A bulletproof button would makethe email so much more effective!

Bonus tip: Get cheeky with cart abandonment emails

Many brands also get cheerful and playful with cart abandonment emails. And there's good reason: they don't want to be annoying! It's easy for these emails to seempesky or even slightly intrusive. To combat that, email marketers often keep the messages very simple withcheeky copy. Take the message from makeup retailer Glossier, which is a play on the "If a tree falls in the woods..." joke:

Similarly, Thrive opens up one of its cart abandonment emails by personifying its products to coyly ask: Did you miss me?

If being silly is within your brand voice, try getting clever with your email copy to lighten the mood and appeal to readers.Do you need to improve your cart abandonment emails in a snap?Check out our BEE editor—it's a free-to-use drag-and-drop tool that will get your beautifully designed email up and running in no time! Plus, BEE comes with free email templates that you can customize and send in minutes. Try a template and get your abandoned cart email up and running in no time.

Spring fever is heating upour inboxes. With the change of seasons, retailers and ecommerce businesses are shifting gears from winter sales to spring promotions. The email designs we're seeing for these emails reflects the freshness and newness of the season. We're inspired by the creativity, color, and clever copy we're seeing in retail email right now. Check outthe best retail email designtips we gathered from messagesshowcasing products in unique ways.

Focus on one special product

Instead of showing a breadth of new products, zero in on one that's really special, and go behind the scenes to show what makes it so great. That's exactly what Sperry did in this messagefeaturing their customer favorite Gold Cup shoe:

Coupling graphics with up-close product images, Sperry walks readers through what a great shoe they've produced, emphasized its quality, comfort, and small customizations that make the shoe a favorite. It's not enough to tell readers to buy your product; you have to tell them why. This deep-dive look at the design behind this shoe is a smart way to visually show customers exactly why it's great.

Feature great customer feedback

There's nothing more persuasive to potential customers than seeing how excited and satisfied existingcustomers are with your products. Show off great reviews you've received to demonstrate how happy your clients are. Bumble & Bumble pulled great customer reviews in this recent email campaign, The Best of the Best, featuring some of their favorite products:

Pairint high quality images and those recognizable 5-star ratings, this email proves potently clickable.The technique isa great way to reinvigorateattention towardexisting products and take advantage of content that already exists.

Think outside the box with photography

One way to grab readers' attention is to present your products in a way they haven't seen before or didn't expect. Not only is it a fun approach, but it shows readers your dedication to email design that's both playful and sophisticated. You're positioning yourself as a brand that pays attention to the details, thinks creatively, and knows how to engage its audience. Here's a recent email from Moo, where they've strung up their new business card line like lightbulbs:

It's simple and cute, and it grabs our attention because it's not how we'd expect to shop around for business cards.TOMS, similarly,had fun turning their shoes into hearts this Valentine's Day:

We wouldn't normally think of business cards are lights or shoes as hearts, but that's exactly what makes these emails work. Take the time to plan an eye-catching email campaign with creative photography, and readers will take note!

Show your digital product in action

Maybe your product isn't one customers can hold in their hands. If that's the case, you might have to get creative with how you can liven up emails and show readers how your product functions and how it can improve their lives. Animated GIFs—easy to implement in email and powerful for catching reader attention—are a great option for "intangible"products. Noble Desktop, the training school, often includes GIFs in its emails to showcase coding tips in a snappy, visual way, like this one in fromrecent message:

Here's the module for context:

Lackingtime or resources to create a GIF? Simple, high-quality screenshots are a good option, too. Grammarly, the writing enhancement platform, uses multiple shots of its product in action to show readers exactly how it can help:

Headers tell readers each featured benefit, followed byscreenshots that tell the rest of the story. The story is well-told with a balance of text and images, and with a quick scan we get an understanding of how the free extension functions.

Engage readers with a clever CTA

BirchBox, the makeup subscription service, wants readers to sign up to receive its products. But instead of the expected structure of presenting a product, showing why it's great, and giving readers a clickable CTA button, Birchbox reframes the whole CTA. The subject line of this recent email reads "Choose Between Two Rifle Paper Co. Boxes," and the email shows readers how they can choose between two makeup options ifthey sign up today:

Instead of the option of whether to subscribe or not subscribe, readers are instead focused on which option to choose when they subscribe. It's a smart customer engagement tactic on Birchbox's part, and it benefitsreaders when they have an opportunityto customizetheir experience.

Create a curated list

Presenting readers with a small selection of hand-picked products can call attention to items in a new way. Inspire customers with a product they might have otherwise skimmed over by showing them how to pair it with other products or by calling attention to it in a special email. It's an especially useful approach in the fashion industry, where retailers seek to inspire customers with how, where, and with what to wear their clothing.Anthropologie, for instance, sent a recent emailwith the subject "New uniform: kimono, kimono, kimono" and focused on—you guessed it—inspiring readers with ways to wear kimonos.

Instead of featuring different ways to wear a single item, Ann Taylor chose five special items to feature in an "essential pieces" email:

Showing readers a shortlist of items inspires and creates focus. It's a dynamic approach thatretailers can recycle in multiple ways in spring campaigns.

Optimize for mobile screens

The weather's warming and we're all coming out of our winter shells—which means we're on the move! It's so important that spring email campaigns are optimized for mobile devices where we're most likely to see them.While the featured emails we reviewed above are beautiful, the image-only approach isn't an email best practice. A great alternative is to break up your email into modules and use HTML background colors with stunning photography to build a responsive email that looks stellar on all devices.We spotted Lord & Taylor showcasing a new coat in an email module like this:

It's a perfect way to show a high-quality imageof a product while breaking up the email with responsive-friendly design. The column on the right is easy to make with email-safe fonts, an HTML background color, and a well-styled bulletproof CTA button. Check out our tutorial, How to use HTML colors alongside images, to recreate the look.

Wrap up: Retail email design tips for spring

Spring is a time for fresh starts—and for having fun. Get inspired with these creative ways to showcase your products, and let us know how it goes in the comments!

• Choose one product and feature it. Go deeper to tell a story, add infographics, and show readers why it's worth the buy.
• Need content? Use customer reviews. Show readers your 5-star ratings and give them a reason to experience your product's benefits along with their peers.
• Photograph your product in unexpected ways. Catch readers off guard and get them talking—and shopping!—with playful product photo ops.
• Visualize digital products, too. If your product lives on a screen, you can still show it off with screenshots and animated GIFs. Whenever possible, show, don't tell.
• Change up your CTA. Engage readers with a call-t0-action that's unexpected, interesting, and beneficial to them.
• Curate must-have items. Too many choices might lead readers to click on nothing. Instead, offer a small list, and get customers thinking about your products in new ways.
• Use responsive design best practices. It's a must! Make this spring the time you go fully mobile optimized!