10 Best Emails

of 2013 (So Far)

• Large image CTA’s• Question to engage subscriber• Lifestyle marketing

West Elm is an email marketing favorite of mine, and this email provides no exception. This email does a exemplary job of creating an experience for the subscriber that naturally ties in the consumer’s lifestyle in with the product promoted, with one focal question. Image call-to-action’s are an added, attractive bonus.

1.

• Unique VIP positioning• Simple yet sophisticated creative

Threadflip sent my favorite VIP position email to-date. What I appreciated most was their unique creative and ‘White Glove’ positioning that easily resonated a true VIP feel. I might have suggested using a more value oriented language, replacing ‘free’ with ‘complimentary’ and using a complimentary/triadic color for the CTA or CTA font (in this case green or orange), to lift click rate.

2.

• Content Value• Effortless CTA language• #truth

This email from Open Table really stood out among the inbox crowd during this high email traffic Mother’s Day. The copy is fresh and relatable yet still appropriate. The copy sequentially guides you down to a natural course of action. So many times the CTA can feel like a necessary afterthought. I’m sure the mother of this email marketer was proud.

3.

• 0versized, sense evoking image• Minimal text/promotion• Oh so pretty!

Sometimes I get an email that I want to post on my wall (and I do) just because it’s so, well, pretty. Email in it’s purest form is like a fine work of art. The purpose of this email was to introduce a incoming product, and to build brand image, in line with many of Lily Pulitzer’s emails. Receiving an email like this is always a breath of fresh air. Do notice that they were still able to use a promotional bottom banner.

4.

• Informational • Content Marketing know-how• Minimal promotion

Here is another creatively pleasing email, this one by Banana Republic. This email is great in that it offers easy tutorial-like creative on how their product can be used, creating additional value. Also, tying in the wildly successful content marketing tactic of utilizing a list format in the header as well as the subject line won this email bonus points.

5.

• Focus on offer AND product• Fun promo language

This email from Ann Taylor Loft, (if you can’t tell by now I have a slight, harmless bias towards fashion related emails), uses a very successful technique within value conscious audiences of focusing on the offer by enlarging it tremendously. They made it their own by layering the product/model shot on top, creating an interesting aesthetic, simultaneously keeping the focus on the product AND the offer, without having to choose one or the other as the focal point. Well done, Ann.

6.

• Related Copy & Creative = cohesive message

• Thoughtful transactional

This is a great example of an email that appears simple on the outside, but upon closer look is apparent that thought went into every simple detail. The transactional email is (sadly) often overlooked and very ‘transactional’ or institutional looking. Zulily really went one step further and created a cohesive experience, kudos for them to place emphasis on this vital step in the sign-up process.

7.

• Bullet point list• Relevant text-links• Brief author bio• Social icons placed by product image

This is a great example of a stand-out B2B email, a bright orange, beckoning buoy in a sea of B2B sameness. Optimized elements of this email include the easily digestible info in the form of bullet points. The fact that this whitepaper download included the author bio is a stroke of genius – helping to create a truly seamless experience from email to whitepaper, where this bio is most likely prominently displayed, and not to mention tie in with a personalized from name, utilized by Hubspot for that extra personal touch (and lift in open rate).

8.

• Tangible coupon code creative• Cohesive welcome series email • Seamless cross channel promotion

If this email didn’t say ‘Thank-you’, it would be difficult to tell that this was a transactional email. This is because of the attention taken to create this it as a part of a cohesive experience that ties in effortlessly with their website and promotional email creative message. Aldo does a great job of keeping their brand message consistent and concise in ALL communications. I enjoyed the tangible, cross-channel coupon, which is one of the few welcome email offers that I have redeemed to date. Aldo got me into their store using a well placed promotion in an otherwise basic email.

9.

• Story Teller• Teachers day promotion

Last but not least, our journey ends with Ann Taylor Loft, or is it just beginning? Loft creates a story in this email, one of the most effective tactics in any content marketing piece. An added touch is enhancing the story with a tie in with the editors personal trip there complete with an actual photo. I like that they were able to tie in a teacher’s day positioning in a way that worked (an apple icon + offer) and did not detract from the main message. My only less than enthusiastic comment regards the CTA, which could be more prominently placed, as it gets lost in the creative.

10.

Created by: Amanda KiviahoSee more complimentary email marketing info at: www.email360now.com1. "West Elm." E-mail to the author. 12 May 2013.2. "Threadflip.com." E-mail to the author. 11 June 2013.3. "Open Table." E-mail to the author. 11 May 2013.4. "Lily Pulitzer." E-mail to the author. 11 June 2013.5. “Banana Republic." E-mail to the author. 10 May 2013.6. “Ann Taylor." E-mail to the author. 11 May 2013.7. “Zulily." E-mail to the author. 02 April 2013.8. "Lily Pulitzer." E-mail to the author. 11 June 2013.9. “Hubspot." E-mail to the author. 09 May 2013.10. “Ann Taylor." E-mail to the author. 09 May 2013.