10 Examples of Brilliant Email Marketing (and Why They're So Great)

by Ginny Soskey

October 31, 2013 at 11:00 AM

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At one point or another, we all need inspiration to do our jobs better. It doesn't matter whether you're a marketing veteran who has navigated through years of changing technology or a newbie fresh out of college -- we all need to see examples of outstanding content. It helps us get through creative ruts, make the case to our boss for experimentation, and make our own marketing even better.

Most of the time, inspiration is easy to find because most marketing content is publicly available. You can scour the internet or go on your favorite social network to see what your connections are talking about.

But there's one marketing channel that is really, really hard to find good examples of unless you're already in the know: email. There's nothing casual about it -- you either need to be subscribed to an email list or stumble on a roundup kinda like this one to find great examples of emails. And even if you're subscribed to good emails, you're often getting bombarded day after day by them, so it's hard to notice the gems.

Because of the difficulty to find good examples on email, we decided to do the scouring for you. What we found were 10 examples of effective email marketing. Read on to find out which emails we chose and get the lowdown on what makes them great -- or just keep on scrolling to get a general feel for each. However you like to be inspired is fine by us!

And if you want to learn what you need to create a five-star email, we've developed a handy guide to help you out!

1) BuzzFeed

I already have a soft, soft spot for BuzzFeed content (70 pictures of dogs in their Halloween costumes, anyone?), but that isn't the only reason I fell in love with its emails.

First of all, BuzzFeed has awesomely written subject lines and preview text. They are always short and punchy -- which fits in perfectly with the rest of BuzzFeed's content. I especially love how the preview text will accompany the subject line.

For example, if the subject line is a question, the preview text is the answer. Or if the subject line is a command (like the one below), the preview text seems like the next logical thought right after it:

Once you open up the email, the copy continues to be great ... but that's all been out-shadowed by something else. Just take a look at that glorious alt text action happening where the BuzzFeed logo and first image should be. The email still conveys what it is supposed to convey -- and looks great -- whether you use an image or not, and that's definitely something to admire.

Without images:

With images:

2) Brain Pickings

On first glance, you probably wouldn't choose this email as the best email you've seen in a while. If you're not an avid Brain Pickings reader, I'd guess you'd be incredibly overwhelmed when opening it -- I know I was.

But the reason I included this email here is because it's brilliant for its reader persona. People who read Brain Pickings are intellectual, avid readers. Chances are, they love classic literature or highbrow pop culture -- and maybe a bit of both. An email that takes you a full minute to scroll through and is also chock-full of interesting information is the perfect email for them. 

So if you're trying to improve your email open and clickthrough rates, try experimenting with different content lengths. Who knows? Your leads and customers may like something completely different than you imagined.

3) RunKeeper

Lots of people hate on email newsletters. There's too much going on! There's no focus! They're the worst emails ever! I'm not going to argue that there aren't bad email newsletters out there -- because there certainly are -- but more people are doing them right than most assume. 

Take a look at RunKeeper's email newsletter below, for example. Off the bat, it's just beautiful. The images used all evoke various emotions -- laughter, intrigue, happiness, or just plain admiration -- so you naturally want to click.

Honestly, I don't even focus on the copy in this email because the images are so awesome. The newsletter layout is also visually pleasing -- more prominent stories get more prominent space -- so you know what you should be clicking on. All in all, the email is just gorgeous.

Bonus: It's gorgeous on mobile too. The design is completely responsive and easy to use on my phone. I'm not scrolling for ages, and my fat fingers can actually click on the right things. 

4) 1-800 CONTACTS

When people talk about email marketing, lots of them forget to mention transactional emails. These are the automated emails you get in your inbox after taking an action on something on a website. This could be anything from filling out a form to purchasing a product. Often, these are plain text emails are those that you set and forget. 

Well, 1-800 CONTACTS took an alternate route. Its ordering process is long -- you have to order contacts, get your specific lens prescriptions filled, then get it shipped. So, to keep customers in the loop, 1-800 CONTACTS sends automated emails with a progress bar to tell you where in the ordering process you are.

With the progress bar, you don't even need to read the email -- you know immediately where you are in the whole process so you can move on to better things.

5) Salt House Inn

Like RunKeeper, Salt House Inn's emails have gorgeous imagery -- and on closer inspection, you can see that they didn't spend a dime on them. Oh, I'm not talking about the image quality -- that is way above par. But do you recognize the telltale square shape? Pretty filters? Yup, those images are from Instagram, and they're gorgeous.

The lesson here: Make use of whatever visual assets you have to make your emails look gorgeous. Whether you are using free stock photos, icons, or just images from your own Instagram account, you have the opportunity to make your subscribers notice and clickthrough on gorgeous graphics. 

6) Nosh.On.It

I've been a huge fan of Nosh.On.It for a while -- the company sends yummy yummy recipes to my inbox every day. But I didn't just include it because of its delicious recipes ... I'm truly a fan of its emails. I love its layout: it features three distinct sections (one for the chef, one for the recipe, and one for the tip) in every single email it sends. This means you don't have to go hunting to find the most interesting part of its blog posts -- you know exactly where to look after an email or two. 

I also love Nosh.On.It's "Forward to a Friend" call-to-action in the top-right of the email. Emails are super shareable on -- you guessed it -- email, so you should also think about reminding your subscribers to forward your emails to friends, coworkers, or heck, even family! 

7) Eurostar

After I got this email, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: win a trip of a lifetime to London and Paris. Why? You can probably guess: Besides the gorgeous pictures of two beautiful cities, Eurostar also has some pretty in-your-face CTAs in this email. I love how a CTA is featured above and below the fold to take the same action -- it appeals to both the impatient and the scrupulous. 

The writer in me also loves how Eurostar opens its email. "Bonjour," it says, immediately making you think of walking the streets of Paris, maybe popping into a creperie. That simple language choice spoke more about the marketing offer than the entire email did. 

8) AT&T

I normally hate on AT&T (and pretty much all phone companies), but I thought this example fromMarketing Land was a brilliant use of responsive design. Yes, the imagery looks great on both devices -- the colors are bright, and it's not too hard to scroll and click -- but the mobile email actually has features that make sense for you to do if you're on mobile.

Notice the "call now" button -- on the left (the desktop), it's a written out number. On the right? A simple CTA that lets you call someone now because you're already on your phone. It's also given more prominent placement than "shop now" because people call on phones much more often than shop. Smart, smart marketers.

9) Brit + Co

An essential element of an email subject line is to set expectations of the email inside. For example, if you're going to offer a coupon, you want to let your subscribers know that the email contains it right in the subject line. Seems simple, right? It's not always.

Setting expectations -- and then delivering on them within the email -- can be difficult. Thus, why I love this email from Brit + Co. Here's the subject line:

And then here's the email:

When Brit + Co said "Look No Further" in the subject line, the company wasn't kidding. Right away, you see nine costume ideas -- of course, in gorgeous photos. Even though you have to click through to see all of the costumes, you believe the promise that you won't have to do more research for costume ideas -- and then, feel okay clicking on the email.

I'd take a guess that Brit + Co's CTR on this email was huge. Delivering on expectations set in the subject line is definitely a best practice we all should follow. 

10) Uber

Last, but certainly not least, we have Uber's email. Design-wise, this email takes the cake. It's super easy to scan, making it easy for you to digest what it's about without reading any of the copy at all.

Give it a quick once-over -- what do you notice? The "better faster cheaper than a taxi" slogan that appears above the fold, the neon blue box that says Uber X is 30% cheaper than a taxi, and then the new rate ... which is exactly what Uber wants you to know.

Because this email is about driving awareness of a new product rather than converting someone to become a lead or customer, that's all you really should be noticing. So hats off to Uber forusing design to better communicate its message!

These are just some of our favorite emails. Who sends you emails that you love? Share your favorites in the comments, and we'll check them out for future posts like these.

Emopulse Smile SmartWatch goes up for pre-order

Emopulse Smile SmartWatch goes up for pre-order:

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Samsung’s Digital Village debuts in South Africa

Samsung’s Digital Village debuts in South Africa:



'Using solar power to promote healthcare and education is the concept behind Samsung’s Digital Villages, a project recently launched in South Africa as the kick-off a larger plan that includes units in Ethiopia and Gabon by the end of 2013. The Digital Village is also designed to help local traders develop their business with a sustainable and low-cost alternative to fossil fuels.

One of Digital Villages' components is called Tele-Medical Center to provide healthcare to inhabitants of remote villages who lack access to this type of service. The center covers basic operations such as diagnosis and prescription. As it is connected to a database and a server, patient data can be shared and managed online.

Another section, Health Center, provides more technical health care with eye, ear and dental treatment, blood analysis and diagnosis. Education is also part of the project with the Internet School. Teachers have touchscreens at their disposal, which are powered by the solar panels installed on the roof. Students have access to solar-powered netbooks for their multimedia classes.

Samsung is not working alone on this initiative, having forged several partnerships to carry out the project. It has drafted in support from government, civil organizations, local health authorities, universities, relief NGO World Vision (healthcare) and UNESCO (education).

"We will work together with governments and international organizations to ensure that the potential of these Digital Villages is fully realized." Hong SungYong, Head of Samsung Electronics Africa Headquarters, said at the South Africa launch, according to a press statement. "We will deliver better education opportunities, greater medical access and improved economic self-sufficiency for people in Africa."

Source: Samsung

Science's 10 Most Beautiful Experiments

Science's 10 Most Beautiful Experiments:

Coin-sized Retrievor solar-powered GPS tracking device:

Coin-sized Retrievor solar-powered GPS tracking device

By David Szondy

October 23, 2013

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Retrievor is solar powered and roughly the size of a US quarter

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If you've ever wondered where you left the laptop or how your dog came home smelling like a frog pond, then a GPS tracking device might seem like a good idea. The trick is to find one small enough to be practical and doesn't need its batteries replaced every day. The Retrievor RET-100 is a self-contained, solar-powered GPS tracker no wider than a US quarter that is looking to find a way to market via a crowdfunding campaign.

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According to its creators, the Retrievor tracker uses the smallest, fully integrated GPS module with on‐board antenna available. Measuring only 28 mm (1.1 in) wide with a thickness of 10 mm (0.3 in), it weighs only 12 g (0.4 oz) and tracks objects using a combination of GSM, GPRS, and GPS to provide redundancy and locate objects with an accuracy of to within 1.5 m (5 ft).

Retrievor is powered by a SiRFstarIV GPS processor, which allows the unit to work in areas that are often difficult for GPS to reach, such as indoors, thanks to firmware that detects changes in temperature and satellite signals, and updates its internal parameters to aid near-continuous navigation availability.

The unit is waterproof to a depth of 3 m (10 ft) and power for the Retrievor comes from an integrated solar panel and motion charger feeding a 3.7 V lithium-ion battery, which can also be charged via micro USB.

The Retrievor works with free Android, iPhone and web apps that allow users to set “Geo-Zones” and have the device send a text, email or ringtone once it moves out of a predesignated area. The app also maps the Retrievor's location, including speed, distance traveled, and route taken, and can track several units at one time. There’s also a multi-purpose attachment clip that hooks the tracker to things, such as pet collars.

A $169 pledge to the indiegogo campaign that is running through November 14 is the minimum to reserve a Retrievor device. Deliveries are expected to begin in January, provided the campaign reaches its goal. If the campaign is successful, the retail price will be set at $299.

Use of Retrievor will require a US$1.79 monthly subscription fee charged annually in advance, with tracking of additional units to cost $1.59 a month. However, supporters of the indiegogo campaign will have their subscription fee waived for the first year.

The video below introduces Retrievor.

Source: Retrievor

(1) Etherlogic

(1) Etherlogic:

Amazing Photo Technique Reveals Water Like You've Never Seen It Before | Wired Design | Wired.com

Amazing Photo Technique Reveals Water Like You've Never Seen It Before | Wired Design | Wired.com:

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Amazing Photo Technique Reveals Water Like You’ve Never Seen It Before

• BY KYLE VANHEMERT
• 08.19.13
• 6:30 AM

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• Image: Moses Hacmon

It’s easy to lose an hour staring into a campfire. Water, that other life-giving thing, doesn’t often captivate us in quite the same way. Sure, everyone can get behind the majesty of the ocean, but that’s because it’s the ocean. When was the last time you looked at your bathtub and were entranced by the sheer elemental beauty of the stuff inside it? Probably never. These photographs by Moses Hacmon, however, show just how entrancing water can truly be. Using a novel process that captures the movement of water directly, instead of just documenting the light bouncing off it, they give us an intimate look at the most familiar of liquids.

Water is everywhere. Over half of our bodies, over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, yada, yada, yada. Most of us are over it. But Hacmon, who lives in LA and was trained as an architect, has spent the last several years obsessed with it. On a molecular level, he says, it’s “nature’s most sophisticated builder.” Eager to get a better understanding of its movements and behaviors–something beyond the standard vocabulary of drips, drizzles, waves and splashes–he started looking for ways to document it that went beyond conventional photography.

Dang, water. Photo: Moses Hacmon

Hacmon worked out technique involving a layer of liquid iron.

Ultimately, Hacmon worked out technique involving a special type of film with a layer of liquid iron that records the movement of the water itself. The film leaves Hacmon with a full-size negative, which he then develops into pictures like the ones here–an analog process from start to finish.

He’s collected the resulting images in a series called Faces of Water,” and they’re uniformly striking. All of the photographs look like water, but no two are quite the same. In some, we see tubes and rivulets–scenes that sing with motion. Others look like glaciers frozen in time. But they also evoke other forms–gaseous celestial bodies and weird deep sea organisms.

It’s true that Hacmon has to push the water a bit to bring out these spectacular shapes–he experiments with different tools and substances to coax and cajole the subject into motion–but at the end of the day, it’s hard not to find the results pretty amazing, considering they’re the exact same stuff that’s sitting in the plastic cooler at work.

Originally trained as a sculptor in Israel, Hacmon eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he trained as an architect at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. But he doesn’t hesitate to put his fascination with water in more metaphysical terms. “Water holds the full spectrum of all possible characters, personalities, and identities,” he explains. “I hope with Faces of Water to deepen our connection to our source of life, both spiritually and physically. Seeing is believing, and this is the first time we truly see water in its pure form.”

Hacmon’s currently raising money to make some large scale prints of his images–around 4 by 8 feet–to exhibit publicly. Read more here.

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