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How to Apply Design Simplicity in Email

Emily Santos
Emily Santos
Sep 22, 2015
How to Apply Design Simplicity in Email
How to Apply Design Simplicity in Email

Welcome to our first workshop! We'll be looking at how to build better emails and apply our email design tips from our weekly Design Inspiration series with a new workshop every Friday. Let's get started!

In our first Design Inspiration blog post, we saw how General Assembly (GA) uses design simplicity in their emails to showcase their online courses. Here's what GA said:

@massiarri @beefreeio Super flattering and cool analysis, thanks!

— General Assembly (@GA) September 28, 2015

In today's workshop we'll be building the GA email in the BEE editor and showing you how to use the BEE editor and its many features, step by step. Once we've built the GA email, we'll be covering in much more detail a few email design tips and tactics from the GA email and see how to apply them, hands-on. Be sure to try these email design tips in your own email campaigns and see if they work! You can also quickly see how to apply them in our BEE editor (it's free, online, and requires no registration).Feel free to browse through the two sections of our workshop:

One of themost visually noticeable design tactics used in the General Assembly email is the equal-width, 2-column layout of the message, showcasing each online course in its own squared section. There are many other less noticeable, but nevertheless clever design tactics, including the use of different font styles for separate sections of the message (main title vs. paragraphs), and having heading text that's four times bigger than the paragraph font, for creating emphasis and contrast.

General Assembly email design simplicity

Let's get to work!

Getting started

We'll use the BEE email editor to recreate the GA email in this workshop. Use your favorite email editor, oropen BEE athttps://beefree.io/ and follow along!

Step #1: Choose your template

The closest template resembling the GA email layout of a two-column layout is a basic E-commerce template. Let's select this one and launchthe BEE editor.

ScreenShot1331

Entering the BEE editor, we can see that the template we picked has a good layout for what we want to accomplish: a header, a few image placeholders, and the 2 column layout.

ScreenShot1332

If you start with another template or from a blank message, simply use the structure panel to drag and dropa one-column row for the header, a couple of two-column rows for the main content section, and another one-column row for the footer.

Email simplicity workshop structure

Step #2: Customize or add your 2-column structure

You'll find a number of useful content blocks and structural elements on the right-hand side of theBEE editor. For example, to build a 2-column structure, you have a choice of predefined structural elements that organize content in two columns.

ScreenShot1334

Step #3: Start adding content!

Now that we have a basic layout in place, we can start adding content blocks, and recreating the General Assembly email.For the header, we need to drag from the Content panel into our top, one-column row a text block and two content dividers.For the title, we'll use another text block, and edit the font to set the type to Georgia and the size to a large value (here we picked 48px). We will also set the color to black.

Email simplicity workshop: the title

For the images, we can use the same images saved from the GA message we received (just for the purpose of this workshop: the images are theirs!), dragging and dropping them into the image blocks we positioned in the message.

Email simplicity workshop: adding images

For the text blocks, we need to take a few steps to achieve the clever look & feel used by General Assembly:

  1. Type in the text
  2. Using the text editing toolbar, highlight the section title and set font type to Arial and weight to Bold. Font size remains set to the default value (14px).
  3. Now highlight the rest of the paragraph and set the font type to Georgia and the font size to 16.
  4. Finally, increase the line height as shown in the screenshot below, using the corresponding setting in the Content Properties panel.
Email simplicity workshop: the text blocks

Things are looking good! Continue as above to add more rows to the message.

3 Design simplicity tips for email to try out

Now that we have covered how to get started, let's focus on how to apply some usefuldesign simplicity tips and tactics in more detail.

Tip #1: Use a 2-column layout, but make sure it's responsive!

A recent email design trend from a few years is modular design, which favors a simple, 1-column, 100%-width layout. Having said that, using multi-column email layouts can still be effective, such as in this GA email. As we'll see, however, a 2-column layout provides a few rendering challenges in mobile inboxes.The GA email works well in desktop and tablet view, as we can see from the preview section of the BEE editor:

ScreenShot1315

But for mobile, it's a whole other story. The original GA email has a noticeable flaw (and the only critique we have): the content blocks of the two columns are a bit too small too view. The GA email is somewhat mobile-optimized at best but definitely not responsive, which is a shame. This small example is an industry-wide phenomenon in which companies are still struggling with adopting email for mobile devices.

iphone_ga_email_view

The good news is that many email editors today allow you to build a fully responsive mobile email, including the BEE editor. For you HTML/CSS geeks, these editorsautomatically add CSS media queries and other code to make the email responsive across the most popular email clients.This is how the GA email would look like if it were responsive. As you can see,ourreplica of the message switches automatically to a one-column layout and looks much better on mobile:

www.GIFCreator.me_bcdpog

Reminder: Use an equal-width, 2-column email layout, but be sure to see how it looks on mobile. If it's responsive, the better!  Try it out and build it in our BEE editor.

Tip #2: Use different fonts to create emphasis, contrast, and spacing in your text

Notice the interplay between the two different fonts - Arial and Georgia - in the GA email.This is a simple, yet effective, typography tactic that creates contrast and spacing between the various text elements. This is achieved without more complex design tactics that may require additionalwork. If you decide to use the samefont size of 16px for all text, including the heading, body text, and linked text, the Arial font style shows as slightly bigger to the eye compared to the Georgia font style, hence creating that contrast and popping out! This may be the reason why the Arial font style is used in headings (and is in bold) throughout the GA email. Here's how you can recreate this typography tactic in the BEE editor:

ScreenShot1299

The BEE editor has 9 standard style fonts that correctly render in all inboxes. Unlike with web design (which has a wide number of web-standard fonts for the most popular web browsers), with email design we're limited to fewer "email-safe" fonts. Some font styles just don't render in some email clients (e.g.Outlook). So, don't over do it, and choose an "email safe" font!

ScreenShot1301

Reminder: Test different fonts in your emails. Be sure to customize the line height and padding as well.

You can also perfectly recreate the GA line height and padding settings in the BEE editor with a setting 2 for the line height and the flexibility to customize the top padding to 15 px, left and right to 10px, and a 20 px bottom padding.

ScreenShot1300

Tip #3: Use a 3x to 5x bigger font size for your heading text

We all know the importance of font size in PowerPoint presentations (if the text is too small, no one in the audience will be able to read your slides), in print ads, and in web design. All of this applies to email design as well. If your text in an email is too small (or too small in a smartphone), then we have a problem.A 16px font size is a good reference point for your body text, as the GA email has. What does stand out is the 62px font size of the heading text "Build Your Skills", which is almost 4 times bigger than the body text font size.

Reminder: Test a heading font size 3x to 5x bigger than your body text in your emails. Try it out!

Adding a heading text should be pretty easy for you. Simply drag and drop a text structure to your email body in the BEE editor:

ScreenShot1302

In the BEE editor we see that a 48px does the job.

ScreenShot1313

What we like about this heading is that:

  • It stands out... maybe too much, but for a good reason: it's the substance of what the email is about: think of it as your value proposition in one sentence, or better yet in only 3 words: you know the GA email is about how to "build your skills" with GA's online courses.
  • The heading is very concise: only 3 words. Because it's so concise, you know (or should test!) that the heading will be visible and optimized in mobile inboxes, shown in the same row.

Reminder: Shorten your headings (and subject lines) for mobile. You'll see an improvement in your email metrics. Try it out!

Bonus Tip #4: Test your call-to-action (CTA) position

As email optimization experts know well, the position of your CTA button in your email matters.Put the CTA too early, then none of your subscribers will click (because the email and CTA position doesn't follow a logical thought process that your subscribers follow). Drop the CTA at the bottom and your subscribers wont even see it.Notice that the GA email has its main CTA at the very end... maybe too far at the end.

ScreenShot1310

So, what's the best advice? The only reliable answer is through testing! As an optimization tip, I would test the "Get Started" CTA and integrate it at the beginning of the email (and perhaps eliminate a few secondary CTAs or additional links to click on).To keep things simple, I would actually test a CTA in the form of just simple text "Get started >" after the heading text. Something really easy to do and test. Who knows, this simple change could increase my click-through rates (or could also have a negative impact). The key is to test your hypothesis out! Here's where the CTA could be positioned:

ScreenShot1314

As you can see, with an editor likeBEE, it's very easy to quickly create multiple versions of the same email and use them in your tests.

Did you find these email design tips useful? Let us know in the comments below! And stay tuned for a new workshop every Friday!

Email strategies you’ve likely heard of but haven’t implemented yet

While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 
Kruti Shah
Feb 5, 2025

How to Leverage Email Campaigns to Gather Sincere Product Reviews

What do customers think about your brand’s products? The best way to find out is to ask them directly, which you can do via strategic email campaigns. Keep reading to learn how!
Beefree team
Jan 22, 2025

How Beefree is Helping Email Makers Scale Their Production

2024 was a banner year for email markers everywhere. From sleek newsletters to interactive promos, you flexed your creative muscle to new heights and did it with a level of speed and efficiency that made crafting award-worthy emails look easy. Let’s dive into the numbers, trends, and stories that made this year unforgettable for email makers like you.
Beefree team
Jan 6, 2025

Email strategies you’ve likely heard of but haven’t implemented yet

While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 
Kruti Shah
Kruti Shah
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Now, let's be honest—you’ve likely heard about all of these rotating for the last few years. While email marketing has come a long way and is changing faster than ever, there’s only so much you can do within 600x1,500 pixels. However, there are no limits to where your creativity can take you. 

Let’s get into it.  

#1. Unique, tailored experiences 

Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says, “We faced the challenge of connecting meaningfully with an audience that expects more than one-size-fits-all communication.” 

When we speak about crafting tailored emails we mean going beyond the recipient's first name in the subject line. We’re talking about optimizing your entire email strategy to design multi-stage touchpoints to nurture leads across the customer lifecycle. As well as, leveraging data to send hyper-personalized, relevant, and engaging emails that feel less like a broadcast message and more like a conversation. 

Many are using AI machine learning algorithms and AI automation to analyze customer interactions, past purchases, browsing habits, website visits, and even social media behavior to curate engaging email content that resonates deeply with the real-time needs of recipients.

For PetLab Co this looked like including content such as an individual’s pet health history or product usage timelines. Damian Grabarzyk expands, “This approach transformed the conversion rate and strengthened customer loyalty. As we look ahead, I see brands in 2025 moving beyond generic personalization to adopt strategies that make customers feel truly understood and valued.”

On the other hand, many are leaning into user-generated content (UGC) for crafting tailored experiences. Customers today are more likely to trust the opinions of peers over branded messages. UGC like customer reviews, testimonials, videos, and photos are the best form of social proof depicting real people using and benefitting from your products or services. 

We see the benefits of using both AI and UGC to get the most out of your email conversions ;). 

#2. AI tools as an addition, not a substitution

Experts at NordPass state, "AI-powered content generation tools are not here to replace email copywriters and marketers. These tools make us more efficient. The smarter the tool is, the better equipped we are to create high-performing email content that drives results." 

AI tools can support us by significantly enhancing the speed, precision, and effectiveness of your emails. For instance while traditionally A/B testing has required a lot of time to analyze small variations with AI you quickly implement and test multiple email elements and make adjustments based on real-time engagement data. There are AI algorithms that can even predict which variations are most likely to resonate with different audience segments, leading to more accurate targeting and faster optimization.

In short, AI tools are revolutionizing the way we craft and optimize our email’s deliverability. There are many different types of AI solutions so we suggest finding the right one for your needs. 

#3. Even more transparency around data

With AI continuing to rise, folks are more and more concerned about where their data is going. That’s where zero-party data collection becomes a key strategy in email marketing, allowing you to gather data directly from customers rather than relying on third-party sources. 

Zero-party data includes information that consumers willingly share, such as preferences, interests, and purchase intentions. This data is often collected through surveys, preference centers, quizzes, or interactive content and is highly valuable because it is shared explicitly, ensuring accuracy and deeper personalization without privacy concerns associated with third-party tracking.

As privacy regulations tighten, zero-party data will empower you to deliver hyper-personalized email experiences while respecting user privacy. This approach will help you build trust, as customers feel more in control of their data, and you gain insights that lead to more relevant and engaging email content.

#4. The death of static emails

With attention span getting shorter day after day, digest-format emails are expected to rise in popularity in 2025. Presenting email content in an easy-to-scan, organized, and minimalistic layout will surely help deliver the most relevant information in a fraction of the time. 

Additionally, interactive emails will allow recipients to directly engage within the email without having to visit a landing page or website. Interactive elements like product carousels, polls, and quizzes create a dynamic experience that keeps subscribers engaged, especially in visually driven industries like fashion brands

So what now? 

You’ve heard these strategies before, but now it’s time to actually put them into action. The brands that win at email marketing in 2025 won’t just be sending emails—they’ll be creating experiences. Whether it’s hyper-personalized content, AI-driven efficiency, zero-party data collection, or interactive emails that break the mold, the key is to stay ahead of the curve.

So, what’s the first strategy you’ll finally implement? Your inbox (and your audience) are waiting.

How to Leverage Email Campaigns to Gather Sincere Product Reviews

What do customers think about your brand’s products? The best way to find out is to ask them directly, which you can do via strategic email campaigns. Keep reading to learn how!
Beefree team
Beefree team
22 Jan
2025

What do customers think about your brand’s products? The best way to find out is to ask them directly, which you can do via strategic email campaigns.

Email makes gathering authentic product reviews quick and easy. By collecting sincere feedback, you can build trust, increase sales, boost loyalty, and innovate product improvements. 

That said, requesting reviews via email requires precise timing, personalized messaging, and lots of engagement optimizations. But don’t worry—we’ll walk you through some key steps to create email campaigns that deliver the valuable feedback you need.

Why product reviews matter

Product reviews do more than confirm that you're meeting customers’ needs. Sincere feedback drives loyalty and sales, offers valuable customer insights, and helps you develop a strategic product development roadmap.

  • Fosters customer loyalty: Requesting and listening to feedback makes your customers feel valued and heard. It demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction, which helps you build stronger, long-term relationships. Review requests also act as re-engagement emails by starting new conversations with customers.
  • Increases sales: Social proof drives sales. According to a recent survey by Power Reviews, 90% of potential customers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. In fact, reviews have more influence over purchasing decisions than product prices. Turning product reviews into customer testimonials and encouraging reviews on third-party sites can significantly boost sales.
Image sourced from powerreviews.com
  • Builds Customer 360 insights: Customer feedback delivers insights into customer needs and sentiments, enriching Customer 360. Exactly what is Customer 360? It’s a unified, 360-degree view of customer data. It empowers you to tailor products and customer experiences to meet individual needs and preferences. 
  • Drives product improvements: Sincere customer feedback reveals what target customers like/dislike about your products. It provides key insight into their value, functionality, and usability, unlocking large-scale development opportunities.

How to create an email campaign to collect product reviews

Want to unlock the power of product reviews? Let’s explore how to create email campaigns that encourage customers to share their feedback.

Segment your audience

Like promotional emails, product review requests shouldn’t be sent to every subscriber.

If subscribers haven’t had the chance to try your product, product review requests will feel irrelevant and may trigger unsubscriptions. So, only send review email requests to customers recently trying your product.

You can do this by segmenting your email list based on where customers are in the buying cycle. Target loyal customers, recent purchasers, and first-time buyers with tailored email campaigns. This ensures that you’re sending emails to customers most likely to respond with insightful feedback.

Write a compelling email subject line

According to Superoffice, 33% of people open an email based on the subject line. 

Image sourced from superoffice.com

To get the click-through rates you want, your email subject lines should be personalized, relevant, and engaging. Here are some examples:

  • Did you love [product]? Or hate it? Let us know!
  • We value your opinion — help us improve!
  • We want YOU to help us make our product better!
  • Up for a discount? Share your feedback for 10% off! 

Learn more > Tips for writing open worthy subject lines.

Optimize for customer engagement

A successful email marketing strategy relies on customer engagement. Here are some key email elements you need to encourage interactions.

  • An attractive email design: With the right layout, color scheme, typography, and images, you ensure easy readability and promote interaction. Use these engagement-boosting email design best practices to help you create a design that boosts conversion rates.
  • Gratitude and value: Thank customers for reading the email and explaining why their feedback is so important. Also, consider including a personalized Gmail email signature with your content details to build trust and encourage customers to engage with your review request. 
  • Personalized, relevant content: Personalized email content motivates engagement. Use customer data platform (CDP) data to tailor messages to individual customers. What is a CDP? It’s a centralized platform that collects and unifies customer information, building comprehensive customer profiles. 
  • Incentives: Offering a small discount can motivate customers to leave reviews, especially first-time buyers. That said, incentives can (sometimes) generate insincere reviews, so stress the importance of honesty. 
  • A strong call-to-action (CTA): Your CTA should direct readers straight to the reviews submission page. Use clear CTAs with bold buttons and typography to make it stand out.
  • Mobile responsiveness: If your emails are slow to load or don’t display correctly on mobile devices, your bounce rate will spike. Leverage solutions that offer advanced mobile optimization features — such as Beefree— to create responsive emails every single time.

Ask specific, concise questions

Complex, drawn-out questions that are too open-ended can disengage customers. So, get straight to the point with concise, direct questions. Here are some examples:

  • What did you think of [specific product feature]?
  • How often do you use our product?
  • What are your favorite/least favorite features?
  • How likely are you to recommend this product?
  • What could we do to improve our product?

Use a mixture of closed and open-ended questions to increase your chances of receiving meaningful responses.

Make it easy to respond

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more responses you’ll receive. So, make the process as seamless and convenient as possible. One way to do this is with survey emails.

Email surveys have high response rates. They can be completed within the email with minimal effort, which is a big plus for busy customers. And, they can generate a wealth of quantitative data and metrics that are quick to analyze, leading to faster improvements. BeeFree has an extensive collection of email survey templates to suit every need.

For longer review requests, include a CTA that directly links to the review submission page. Review forms should use simple, clear language, be optimized for mobile, and have a progress bar. 

You could even provide your telephone contact details to allow customers to leave a review via telephone. It’s the preferred communication method for 55% of Baby Boomers according to Hubspot, so it’s worth considering. 

Leverage small business telephone services from Vonage to access call center capabilities like virtual receptionists and CRM integrations, streamlining processes.

Also consider directing customers to leave reviews on popular review sites, such as Google and Amazon.

Optimize email timings

If you send product review requests too early, there’s a chance your customers won’t have tried your product yet. But if you send them too late, your customer might have forgotten their experience. 

So, when’s the best time to request reviews? 

Aim to send review requests within 7-14 days post-purchase. This gives customers a chance to try the product a few times, leading to more sincere, meaningful reviews. Plan for seasonal surges such as Black Friday and incorporate them into your schedules.

Key takeaways

Do email campaigns work for gathering valuable product reviews that drive improvements, boost trust, and increase sales and loyalty? 

Absolutely — but they need to be strategic.

To generate sincere reviews and valuable data, ensure your marketing emails are personalized, engaging, and optimized for convenience. And, use email list segmentation and marketing automation to ensure they’re sent to the right customers at the right time.

Stay informed on all email trends

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