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Design Tips For Email Deals And Discounts

Beefree team
Beefree team
Dec 8, 2015
Design Tips For Email Deals And Discounts
Design Tips For Email Deals And Discounts

Originally published on December 8, 2015. Last updated December 3, 2021.The holiday season is the best time to snag hefty deals and discounts. According to the NRF, 82% of shoppers felt the deals this Thanksgiving weekend were the same or better than last year.Many of those discounts, deals and offers are delivered by email. With businesses small and large offering product discounts, free shipping, bonus gifts and more—great email design is a key differentiator among brands, making or breaking a discount email’s ability to stand out, communicate well, and get conversions on those discounts.Let’s first approach what a promotional email is and then take a deep dive into an example done right.

What is a promotional email?

A promotional email is a specific email that businesses send to boost their products or services. Their short term goal is to convert visitors to customers, and in the long term to increase customer loyalty. The purpose is to get customers to buy from your business more than once, whether that be with multiple product purchases throughout the year or continuation of an annual subscription.Let’s see what types of promotional emails work to achieve these goals.

Types of promotional emails to try

Promotional emails will take on many forms, but no matter the type, they all work to achieve conversions. Here are a few promotional emails to implement into your promotional campaigns.

  • Product Launch. The hype around new releases or product updates get customers excited.
  • Seasonal Campaigns. The holiday shopping rush is a guarantee every year. It's a great time to promote products. 
  • Freebies or Giveaways. The free products or rare giveaways drive engagement and bring in new visitors and customers. 
  • Limited-Time Offers. The exclusivity of products or services intrigues customers and visitors.

Now that you have some types of promotional emails to keep in mind when building your promotional campaign, let’s approach an in-depth example to understand more details on how these campaigns work.

Example: Promotional Email from BarkBox

Today, we’ll look at a recent promotion email from BarkBox, provider of subscription-based pet products, breaking down what makes this discount email effective, with must-have tips to incorporate in your own discount email design.Here’s the email from BarkBox:

barkbox discount email design

Tip #1: Create urgency

The subject line of BarkBox’s email reads “Last Day: Save Big on BarkBox,” and the first thing subscribers see when they open BarkBox’s email is a message that reinforces that sense of urgency: there are only a few hours left to get the deal.

barkbox discount email design header

It’s a call to action that tells subscribers to act now. The bright red color choice makes the message stand out, while the dog illustration balances the immediacy of the text with a playful component. It’s a busy time of year, inboxes are flooded with emails—shoppers need a reason to act now, and BarkBox delivers that message right off the bat.

Tip #2: Leverage your visual brand to communicate

Visual design carries the story in BarkBox’s email. The first section has a bright, friendly photo that shows the product and is true to the BarkBox brand. It incorporates its characteristic font brand colors and eye-catching animated GIF details.

barkbox discount email design gif

The second half of the email contains an on-brand illustration that communicates the deal again in a simple way:

barbox illustration discount email design

Together, the photography, illustration, color, and branded font perfectly reflects the BarkBox brand. There’d be no mistaking the sender of this email for any other company. The visual storytelling reinforces the BarkBox brand, building trust with readers.While this approach allows BarkBox to leverage its brand identity to create a beautiful, compelling story in multiple formats—improving reader comprehension of the discount—the drawback is that the entire email is image-based. For users without image-viewing turned on, BarkBox’s cute email could show up like this:

bark box no images

BarkBox makes good use of ALT text—an email design best practice—but the message is still compromised without image-viewing enabled. When making design decisions like this, it’s essential to know your audience and understand the number of recipients in your database who may have these preferences. When in doubt, follow our recommendations for avoiding the pitfalls of image-only emails.

Tip #3: Get to the point. Be clear. Repeat.

Check out the content of this emailin plain text:

You only have a few hours left to save big on BarkBox!

Get a free membership to our extra toy club!

Save up to $108!

That's an additional free premium toy in every BarkBox for new multi-month subscriptions.

Get a free premium toy in every BarkBox in any multi-month subscription.

Save $9 a box - that's up to $108 a year!

No coupon needed -- just click 'yes' when prompted for a free extra toy.

Get BarkBox + free extra toy club!

The sentences are short and easy to understand, and they use the same words or phrases multiple times. Repetition is a common tactic in marketing. It’s impossible to miss the fact that BarkBox is offering a great deal.All effective emails should have a single focus and objective, but discount emails are a great opportunity to be more straightforward than ever. The message should be simple: give readers a reason to act (a great deal) and an incentive to do it now.Don’t overcomplicate or distract with multiple calls to action or more information than is needed. The only “extra” information BarkBox provides, to give the reader further instruction is placed at the bottom of the email where it doesn’t detract from the main point:”No coupon needed — just click ‘yes’ when prompted for a free extra toy.”

Tip #4: Tell the story... and then tell it again

To drive home the email’s key message, BarkBox uses a modular structure to clearly define each section and organize their story. Here’s what we mean:

barkbox discount email design

The modules mirror themselves: Sections 1 and 2 are book-ended with the BarkBox logo and intro and closing summary boxes are similarly formatted (each with two lines of bold white text on a brightly colored background). The two main sections tell the same story (Get a free toy with a multi-month subscription and save up to $108) in two formats: first by animated GIF, then by illustration. The format works well on mobile, too, with each section fitting nicely within the screen of an iPhone:

barkbox mobile 1
barkbox mobile 2

BarkBox uses two visual stories to communicate the deal, driving home the offer to readers. Using repetition to communicate discounts increases subscribers' likelihood of understanding—and acting upon—an offer.

Wrap up: Best practices for promotional emails

There's plenty we can learn from BarkBox's promotion email to incorporate when designing our own discount emails. Here are the takeaways for you to implement in your promotional emails:

  • Create a sense of urgency
  • Communicate visually
  • Repeat your key message
  • Make the same offer twice

Are you trying any new design best practices in your discount emails this holiday season? Let us know in the comments, and try using BEE Proto createmobile-responsiveemails that are easy to design withdrag-and-drop modules.

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#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.

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Why product reviews matter

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  • 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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