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Tutorial: Start 2019 With a Perfect Winter Email Design

Beefree team
Beefree team
Jan 14, 2019
Tutorial: Start 2019 With a Perfect Winter Email Design
Tutorial: Start 2019 With a Perfect Winter Email Design

It's a new year! For many brands, that means vying for customer attention while clearing out post-holiday inventory and setting the stage for the year ahead. Our inboxes are loaded with dazzling marketing campaigns and innovative designs. We took a closer look at post-holiday emails and chose one of our favorites for today's tutorial. We'll walk you through how to whip up a stellar winter email of your own, so you can promote, announce, or invite readers to your next big thing, all while staying in sync with the cool and cozy vibe of the season. Start 2019 off with a bang and follow along step-by-step in this video:

Winter email inspiration: Blue Apron

In this tutorial, we're going to show you how to build a winter email like this one we recently received from Blue Apron.Subject: Spice up your life! ????️

winter email inspiration by blue apron

These are the design choices we love about Blue Apron's email:

  • Single-column, modular design ideal for mobile
  • Bold blue HTML background color
  • No navigation menu or clutter at the top
  • Large, skimmable headers in live text
  • Bulletproof CTA buttons that are easy to spot

Here's a look at the mobile view, so you can see how nicely an email like this renders on a smaller screen:

blue apron post-holiday email marketing mobile

Ready to build your own? It's easy!

Tutorial: Build a perfect winter email

Step 1: Log into BEE and choose a blank template

If you don't have BEE yet, try a free BEE Pro trial. You can use our templates or build an email of your own from scratch, then send away!

choose a winter email template in BEE

Since this email has a simple, single-column design, customizing a blank template will be a cinch.

Step 2: Adjust the setting for the whole email

Before we start building the structure of the email, we can set the HTML background color and default typeface so that anything we build will be customized to our choices.Navigate to the Settings menu on the right. There, we'll choose a bright blue HTML background color for the content area and white for the background color (this will create a fixed width effect).Blue Apron's email uses two email-safe fonts: Arial for body text and Georgia for headers. We'll set Arial as our default, then switch to Georgia as needed once we're in design mode.

Formatting an email for business in BEE

Step #3: Build the structure of the header and first module

To start, let's set up the layout for our email's header content and the first module.

blue apron email marketing ideas for after the holidays

In BEE, we'll pull in two empty rows—

text block in winter email template

Then we'll drop in our content placeholders. The first row will have the Blue Apron logo (image), followed by large header text and body text. The second row will need to hold an image, body text, and a button.

How to format a marketing email in BEE

Step #4: Add and format images

Now let's add our images! We saved the photos from Blue Apron's email, then drag-and-dropped them into BEE. Here's how they look unformatted—

blue apron post-holiday email marketing

Let's adjust the image widths. Simply tap on the image you want to adjust. We'll start with the logo. Use the Content Properties menu on the right to uncheck the auto-width setting and move the slider down to about 20%.(Don't forget to also check Full width on mobile so the logo isn't tiny on a mobile screen.)

Make sure your image is full width on mobile

After adjusting the following image down to 90%, both images are now in correct proportion—

blue apron winter emails for business

Step #5: Add and format plain text

Now we'll simply copy-and-paste (or type out) the content from Blue Apron's email. First, we'll format the "Dig into..." header. To achieve a similar look, we changed the font to Lucida Sans, increased the size to 38, chose a navy blue color, bolded the text and center-adjusted it, as shown—

Header for winter email for clients

The body text below it can then be formatted to be larger, white, and also center-adjusted—

how to format your email template

We will also adjust the padding on either side of the text box so that the column of text is narrower than the full width of the email.

adjust padding in your email design

After formatting the rest of the text, here's how our email is shaping up—

blue apron email marketing tutorial

Step #6: Format CTA button

Now let's make that bulletproof CTA button pop! Simply tap the button, then format using the menu in the right panel. There are three things we'll do:

  1. Change the background color to dark blue
  2. Achieve rounded edges by adjusting the border radius
  3. Elongate the width of the button by upping the content padding to the right and left
how to format the bulletproof CTA button

And here's how our button looks—

best bulletproof CTA button

Step #7: Duplicate your module for fast designing

Now that our first module is perfectly designed, we can employ a handy BEE shortcut. All we need to do is duplicate it, then update the image and text. We can repeat this process for the rest of the email, making it super easy to complete your design.

Duplicate module in email design

Step #8: Preview on desktop and mobile

Once you've finished designing the rest of your modules (or at any point!) you can preview your message using the Actions menu in the upper left. Select Preview, then toggle between desktop and mobile. Here's how ours looks—

always preview your business email on desktop and mobile

Voilá!!Are you ready to build your own winter email? Sign-up for aBEE Pro free trialand check out our cozy new winter email marketing templates:

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

You'll get access to all of these features, along with free stock images and easy-to-use tools to make your email look perfect! And of course, if you're looking for more winter email design inspiration, we've got you covered!

Use this template in Beefree!

Use this template in Beefree!

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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.

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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.

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