Email is one of the most effective ways to consistently reach your audience. And, fortunately, email is also among the most affordable marketing tools. Research by HubSpot found that every dollar spent on email marketing yields a $36 return on investment (ROI). To help with your marketing, here are some tips and tools that can help you create a winning email campaign.
Types of email templates for your campaigns
Using the right email template is crucial: It will help you engage your target audience and produce unique content to retain customers.
If you’re not sure where to begin, try these five helpful email marketing templates to get your next campaign rolling.
Welcome email
Your welcome email template is arguably the most important template you have to get right. According to MarketingProfs, subscribers who receive welcome emails show 33% more engagement with the brand. The welcome email is the new subscriber's first impression of your brand, so it’s essential to establish a strong relationship from the outset.
To create a strong first impression, make sure to include the following elements in your welcome email template:
- A sincere “thank you” message.
- More information about your company, such as your history and core values.
- An overview of your products, services, and/or upcoming promotions.
- A call to action to help subscribers engage more with your brand.
[See more: Tips to Gain Results from Email Marketing]
Promotions and sales
According to Adobe’s Consumer Email Survey Report, 61% of consumers prefer to receive promotional information via email. The problem is that other brands compete for attention in your subscribers’ inboxes, making it a widely contested territory. In order to capture their attention and avoid the dreaded spam folder, include the following elements in your email template:
- High-quality images or videos.
- How and why your products or services are beneficial.
- A compelling call-to-action.
Event invitations
Hosting and attending events are great ways to network and drum up business for your company. If you regularly host events, such as community classes, live demonstrations, or industry summits, your email marketing strategy is your most valuable resource for attracting attendees.
Here are a few tips to make a strong event invitation template:
- Create an announcement email and send it to your subscribers as early as possible. Give them plenty of time to lock your event in their calendar.
- Send follow-up emails to your subscribers with more information, such as a schedule and list of speakers.
- Consider offering discounts to your email subscribers, such as an early bird discount.
- Send a post-event email summarizing the event, including pictures, videos, presentations, and a list of any upcoming events to help build awareness.
Informational newsletters
An informational newsletter can take many different forms, such as a deep dive industry report or a summary of your latest blog posts. However, these newsletters must first and foremost provide value to your subscribers. Limit your promotional messaging and instead focus on what your subscribers want to know and what they need to know.
Celebrations and milestones
Holidays and individual subscriber milestones are excellent opportunities to keep your subscribers engaged and loyal to your brand, as well as re-engage inactive users. If you’re creating a template for an upcoming holiday, keep your messaging simple and straightforward. For individual subscriber milestones, make sure the milestone you set is meaningful to the user.
What makes an effective email template?
Look for a template that’s simple, scannable, and can easily be edited to reflect your branding.
The best email templates are flexible and designed to be easily integrated into your email marketing platform of choice. Templates are usually HTML files that you can customize with images, links, and branding. While this may sound technical, the most effective email templates can be created once using simple drag-and-drop tools and then updated for each campaign.
“Instead of having to rewrite an entire email from scratch for every send, you can simply add copy, images, and links to an existing template before testing and sending it to your subscribers,” wrote the experts at Litmus.
Many email templates are simply blank slates that require updating to suit your industry. Dynamic elements and personalized content can make your email template feel relevant and appropriate for your audience.
You also want to use a template that’s optimized for readers using both mobile and desktop devices. “More people read emails on their phones than on desktops, so prioritizing mobile-friendly email design is a must,” wrote Constant Contact.
In terms of formatting, look for templates that use email design best practices: easy-to-read fonts, scannable layouts, and your brand colors. Templates that include customizable fields, such as pulling the contact’s name in the greeting, are also good for boosting engagement.
Email tools with out-of-the-box templates
Check out the following resources for easy-to-edit templates you can use in your next email campaign.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is one of the biggest names in email marketing, and it’s easy to see why. The site offers tons of resources to help you learn more about email design, audience segmentation, tips for increasing conversions, and more. Plus, Mailchimp offers ready-made templates that can be customized in its email builder tool. There is also a range of editing tools for beginner, intermediate, and advanced users. More advanced users can code their own custom template or import HTML. Mailchimp offers a free subscription plus additional templates in its paid options.
BEE
BEE is a great resource for small businesses. The site offers a library of more than 1,280 free HTML email templates. The platform has a basic drag-and-drop editing tool that allows you to customize your template with elements that suit your needs. And it’s compatible with virtually any email marketing tool. Simply edit your template, download it in HTML format, and then add the file to your email marketing platform to send it to your audience. BEE can also connect you with professional designers if you need additional support. BEE accounts are free, with additional paid options available.
[Read more: How to Create a Newsletter for Your Business]
Litmus
Litmus is a marketing platform that also happens to offer free email templates for a variety of purposes. Like BEE, Litmus templates are platform agnostic, meaning you can download a file and send it from anywhere. Any of the Litmus “announcement” templates can be tailored for a company newsletter. There are also options for launching a product, managing client accounts, or selling a product. Litmus templates are free, although you will have to create a Litmus account to access them.
Moosend
Moosend is an affordable option, with templates starting at $7 per month. Moosend’s prebuilt templates can be customized with images, videos, and other interactive elements without any HTML knowledge necessary. It integrates with stock photo platforms, Instagram, Giphy, Facebook, and more to make it easy to create attention-grabbing, branded emails. And, like Mailchimp, there are simple ways to personalize each email so your audience always feels a connection to your company. Sign up for a 30-day free trial to see if it’s the right fit.
[Read more: 4 Steps to Starting an Email Newsletter for Your Business]
Campaign Monitor
Campaign Monitor templates are beautifully designed, with a library of professional graphics, fonts, and colors to choose from. Campaign Monitor offers a drag-and-drop editor if you want to create a template from scratch; alternatively, you can choose an existing format and get started. In addition to newsletter templates, there are options for welcome emails, deal and special offer campaigns, event emails, and more. Ultimately, this resource provides an easy way to keep all your email outreach consistent and cohesive.
To get started, Campaign Monitor will ask for your website’s URL. It uses this information to pull your logo, brand colors, and font, which can immediately be imported into your editing dashboard. It’s a fast and easy way to get your email newsletter started. Campaign Monitor pricing starts at $11 per month; templates are free.
How to customize templates for different industries
Many email templates are simply blank slates that require updating to suit your industry. Dynamic elements and personalized content can make your email template feel relevant and appropriate for your audience. Incorporate content blocks to tailor information based on your recipients’ actions or preferences. For instance, an e-commerce email might show purchased products in order confirmation emails.
“Tailor the content and design based on your subscribers' preferences, demographics, or past interactions. Use dynamic content blocks or merge tags to insert personalized information into the email, such as the recipient's name or relevant product recommendations,” wrote Faster Capital.
It’s also smart to find a layout that suits your industry’s communication style. A financial services firm will benefit from a concise, regulatory-compliant layout compared to a transactional, information-rich e-commerce email. CTAs should be tailored to your specific user journey (such as “Book an appointment” or “View order”). For highly regulated industries, like health care or finance, make sure your template complies with the relevant rules.
Regardless of your industry, look for an email template that accurately and consistently reflects your branding.
Free vs. paid email template tools: Which is best for you?
Choosing between free and paid email template tools depends on your business needs, budget, and desired level of customization and professionalism.
Free tools are often ideal for individuals and startup ventures with limited budgets and small customer bases. These tools often limit the number of people you can send emails to, as well as the customization features available. Free tools may also give you a set number of users; as your team grows, it gets harder to collaborate on email campaigns.
Paid tools are great for businesses seeking advanced features, higher customization, enhanced branding, better support, and scalability as they grow. Paid email templates are designed for high-volume campaigns and business growth, with fewer restrictions. If you’re in a highly regulated industry, a paid tool may have the enhanced security, privacy, and compliance features you need.
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