We think you’ll agree: if there’s one big difference between the old Marketing days and now, is that marketers are able to reach audiences beyond their very own backyard. All of this, of course, is possible thanks to the concept of being able to send out emails. All you’d need to know is someone’s Email address and it won’t matter which part of the world they are in. This type of outreach though is quite the double-edged sword. As helpful as it is, a lot of other brands and companies are doing it too. In fact, a study made by campaignmonitor.com shows that on an average workday, office workers get about 121 emails per day. Within these emails are promotional emails, deals, offers and others that would help brands get more customers.

Knowing this now, it then begs the question: as marketers, how do we create great marketing emails that will stand out above the rest? Lucky for you, the gang might just have the solution! In these next few minutes, you’re going to learn about six parts of an email that would make you an exception to the rule. After all, aren’t we all trying not to get seen-zoned and our emails are thrown into their inbox’s trash bin?

If you’re curious about these six crucial portions of what makes a great marketing email — read on!

First impressions last

And we’re not talking about your next Tinder date. We’re talking about how you need to make full use of the subject line of your email. This is the most crucial part of your email and one part you need to nail out of everything else. Not only would you need to appeal to your audience, but your subject line also needs to encapsulate everything you want them to know in one go.

Having a stellar subject line all depends on how eye-catching it is — plain and simple. If it will not stand out among the thousands, there is no use in sending out your email. So for this part, it is best to let people know what’s in store for them if they click on your particular email. If you’re offering discounts, freebies, or any sort of benefit-driven packages for the ones receiving your email, you need to put that out there through your subject line. By doing so, you’re setting the expectation and letting people know what’s in it for them. Because let’s face it: who doesn’t love freebies?!

A design that isn’t too distracting

While it is fun for us marketers to build our newsletters or email campaign design, it’s best to keep in mind that you should never let the design take the attention of the person on the receiving end. Design is important, yes. But if it’s something that completely distracts your recipient or if it has some designs that are not related to you, your brand voice or design, then there is no need to put too much. After all, they clicked on your email to see what you have in store for them, not to see if the email design fits with their life aesthetic.

A minimalist copy? Yes, please!

That being said, you need to be able to convey your message as quickly as possible. If your subject line is what’s going to reel people in, then your email copy is what is going to determine if they stay or not. If, let’s say, you put up an offer in your subject line and it convinces people to open what you sent them but they don’t see how they can redeem that 30% off of their next purchase as soon as they open the email, then they are most likely going to pull the plug really quick.

Easy to read and straight to the point, you need to convey your goal for sending out the email as quickly as possible.

The power of the alt text

Now, this is something people seem to neglect a lot. An alt text provides context on the images that come with your email, just in case they don’t load fully. When writing it, you need to be able to accurately and concisely describe what the image is so that people can still visualize it in their heads even if something goes wrong in the loading process.

Not only that, an alt text is what visually impaired subscribers use with screen reader programs so that they could get a description of the image. So the next time you add images into your email, make sure the alt text field is something you consider filling out.

Crystal clear call to actions

Keep in mind that most people who open an email in their inbox have one question plaguing them: what exactly am I doing here? You need to be able to address this question through call-to-action. Call to action buttons are essential, especially if you want to urge your readers to do something or steer them a certain direction. Make it clear, simple and bold, you do not want them to be scrambling around, scrolling up and down just looking for the purpose of your email.

Below is an example of a great CTA button, it is straight to the point and it commands full attention.

Give them a way out

Great marketing emails will always have this present. Having the unsubscribe option is not only legally required, but it’s also a courtesy gesture. It is important that you give people the choice to opt out always.

Finally, don’t forget to send out test emails to yourself or anyone in your company. Make sure all the links and the buttons work, there are no typos in your copy and all the images have been optimized for alt text — the last thing you want to do is send out a faulty email to the people you’re reaching out to.

So before you send out your next marketing email, make sure that you have all of these elements present. Make a good first impression, make sure that you go straight to the point, but also give people the chance to opt out. As long as you keep these six things in mind, sooner or later, you’re going to see conversions that are for your benefit.

Want more tips for email marketing campaigns? The gang has got you covered right here! Have other questions related to digital marketing or do you need help with email marketing campaigns? Contact us!