Ready to start your email campaign, but don’t know how to? An excellent starting point is to look at some of your favourite email newsletter samples and cherry-pick what it is you like about them. There’s a reason why these particular emails don’t head straight to your trash can. Figure out what you love about them, and work from there to emulate it.
Here we take a look at 10 popular examples and pin down what gives them the wow-factor, as well as what would work better.
- Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster newsletters pack a punch. They literally list everything that’s up and coming. The imagery is awesome and the calls-to-action are clear with buttons through to each event.
Whilst there is a great deal to love about Ticketmaster emails, they are also insanely long. Given that Ticketmaster must have user preference data easily to hand, as well as clear past purchasing histories, the emails could be more tailored and more segmented.
- Graze
Graze emails really do make you want to sample its snacks. The imagery takes pride of place, but the branding is also very clever. The fun, informal feel, along with a healthy kick, speak loud and proud.
Furthermore, the content itself is quite limited. There’s no extra padding word-wise, just short, sweet messages. Graze focuses on the benefits of its products but also trusts the consumer to know what they want.
Graze also does well with personalisation. Its email newsletter samples typically mention snacks that the consumer has previously enjoyed.
Graze emails also get the social media links spot on. They are subtly building engagement in their brand.
- Hamleys
Hamleys makes its way into our favourite email newsletter samples as an example of how to get branding spot-on, combined with an intriguing enticement to take action. This can be a tough balance to achieve, but there’s no doubting that this email is fun, vibrant, speaks volumes of the brand, and gives the reader a clear course to follow.
We would, however, add a little more value to the reader right then and there. It’s a little too salesy for some.
- Bella Italia
Another business that lets its imagery speak volumes is Bella Italia. It combines fantastic images of its food with a gentle approach to branding consistency.
However, what stands out for us, as something to emulate, is the discount which sits striking and loud, you simply cannot avoid it. You want to act, and it gives you the means to do so.
- Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl clearly takes time to craft email newsletters which appeal to its reader’s sense of fun. Being in the entertainment industry, it makes use of seasonal ploys to enhance its message.
Notably, Hollywood Bowl uses competitions in its call-to-action. Customers love the chance of a fun freebie, so this makes perfect sense. However, this is cunningly balanced with some urgency to funnel the customer through to making a booking.
- The White Company
The White Company has a very classic and clean image to portray, which could easily get lost in an email newsletter. However, it has succeeded in remaining true to its branding, whilst not scrimping on its message.
The company does this by balancing beautiful imagery with simple wording and design, making sure the functionality is absolutely faultless.
As a retailer, it has made the sensible decision to make an offer stand out right from the start. This should encourage readers to carry on through the whole email, where the reader gains value through information which isn’t straight up selling.
- Money Saving Expert
Money Saving Expert relies hugely on its email campaigns, yet it has a huge hurdle to scale with the amount of content the website is trying to get across. Understandably, these are therefore text-heavy emails.
However, that’s a good thing here. These emails are designed to inform and educate. This is broken down for the reader, who can quickly skim through the list of topics, clicking through where needed.
Nonetheless, very few businesses will have the strength of authority where they can ‘hammer’ their audience like this. If your newsletter is aimed at educating, you can learn from MSE, but pare it down a bit.
- Farrow and Ball
Farrow and Ball hasn’t got any leeway when it comes to ensuring its email newsletters are every bit as luxurious and artistic as you expect their paints to be. They achieve an elegant look through careful colour schemes.
Farrow and Ball newsletters are also interesting because they don’t sell hard at all. In fact, the focus is on providing their audience with inspiration. They know that if they can pique curiosity, this will inspire sales in itself.
- Amnesty International
Amnesty International clearly has a large number of messages to convey, each with its own call-to-action. The organisation has succeeded in creating a good balance between the text and the images, which works to both inform and inspire.
Despite the quantity of information and campaigns, they have succeeded in keeping the branding consistent throughout the email.
- Twycross Zoo
Twycross Zoo offers an excellent example of how to use dates effectively within email newsletter design. For many businesses, particularly attractions like Twycross Zoo, getting the message out about dates is very much the main reason for the email.
However, a staid list of dates won’t inspire people to join in. Twycross distinguishes between each date, with none detracting from another. Reading it, you definitely feel compelled to find out more.
Take what you love from the email newsletter samples above and also take a look in your own inbox. What emails do you regularly open and read? Which do you actively look forward to? Then also take a look at your spam folder and your trash can. What is it about these newsletters that you don’t like?
Take these lessons from email newsletter samples and then use the templates available in Postman where you can emulate the newsletters you love, and use them to create your own fabulous email campaign.
