Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective and powerful digital marketing channels available to businesses today. Consider these statistics:
- The average expected ROI is $42 for every $1 you spend on email marketing. (DMA, 2019)
- 81% of small businesses rely on email as their primary customer acquisition channel, and 80% for retention. (Emarsys, 2018)
- 59% of marketers say email is their biggest source of ROI. (Emma, 2018)
When done right, email marketing allows you to build relationships, inspire engagement, and drive sales by reaching your target audience directly in their inboxes. In fact, consumers prefer email for brand communications, with 61% saying they enjoy receiving promotional emails weekly and 28% wanting them even more frequently. (Marketing Sherpa, 2017)
But what goes into an effective email campaign? These 31 examples from real brands across a variety of industries illustrate the very best in email marketing.
1. Airbnb
Airbnb‘s welcome email perfectly embodies several key principles of an effective welcome series:
- Timing: The email is sent immediately after a new user signs up to instantly connect while the brand is top of mind.
- Personalization: Using the recipient‘s first name in both the subject line and body copy creates a friendly, one-on-one feel.
- Clear CTA: The large, tappable "Search" button makes it easy and enticing for users to dive right into planning their next trip.
- Clean design: Plenty of white space, minimal text, and an eye-catching photo keep the focus on the main message and action.
Welcome emails like this one see 4x higher open rates and 5x higher click rates compared to other promotional email. (Invesp) By immediately delivering value and making a strong first impression, Airbnb‘s welcome sets the stage for a positive long-term relationship.
2. Casper
Abandoned cart emails are an incredibly effective way to recover lost sales. Case in point – this example from mattress brand Casper:
Several aspects make this campaign a home run:
- Engaging copy: The cheeky subject line "Come Back to Bed" and body copy "Having trouble sleeping?" are both playful and emotionally relevant.
- Benefit-focused messaging: The copy reminds shoppers of key benefits like free shipping and a 100-night trial to sweeten the deal.
- Unique design: The eye-catching animation in the CTA button perfectly embodies the brand voice while drawing the eye to the most important action.
- Clear CTA: Speaking of that CTA, "Add to Cart" makes the next step crystal clear and reduces friction by taking users directly to checkout.
Abandoned cart emails like this one are opened 45% of the time, with 21% of these clicks leading to recovered sales. (Moosend, 2020) With a conversion rate that high, this type of triggered email is a no-brainer.
3. Starbucks
Starbucks‘ holiday promotions are legendary, and their email campaigns capture all the festivity and warmth of the season:
Let‘s break down what makes this email so effective:
- Festive design: Bold colors, dynamic gift-tag image, and a tasteful sprinkling of snowflakes perfectly set the holiday mood.
- Seasonal product focus: Spotlighting their limited-edition seasonal drink lineup taps into the "fear of missing out" and inspires urgent action.
- Mobile-optimized: The prominent "Order now" CTA button is optimally sized and placed for fat-thumb tapping on mobile.
- Social proof: Positioning the drinks as "customer favorites" adds credibility and makes them more crave-worthy.
Paired with a subject line that evokes nostalgia and taps into holiday sentiments, this campaign hits all the right notes to drive seasonal sales.
4. Dropbox
Winning back inactive subscribers is a key objective of any email program, and Dropbox shows how it‘s done:
Here‘s why this campaign works so well:
- Attention-grabbing subject line: "Is It Really Over?" sparks curiosity and perfectly sets up the "breakup" theme.
- Empathetic copy: The body text is understanding, not pushy, and acknowledges the recipient‘s potential lack of interest.
- Benefit reminders: Copy like "free up space" subtly reminds inactive users what they‘re missing out on.
- Clear options: The CTA buttons make the user‘s path forward clear – log in to stay or confirm to go.
This respectful approach treats the inactive user‘s time and inbox with respect, while still opening the door to re-engagement. When done right, 45% of recipients who receive a win-back email like this one will open future emails. (Return Path, 2015)
…
31. Uber
Finally, this product update email from Uber shows how to turn a potentially dry subject into an exciting value proposition:
What makes this email a shining example:
- Benefit-focused headline: "Compliments are worth more than 5 stars" immediately communicates a meaningful benefit for drivers.
- Engaging product shot: The eye-catching, in-app screenshot brings the new feature to life better than words alone ever could.
- Customer-centric copy: Messaging like "You deserve the recognition!" positions the feature as a reward and celebrates drivers‘ great service.
- Crystal clear CTA: The "Update your app" button leaves no ambiguity about the action drivers should take next.
With 35% of users reporting they always open product update emails, according to Litmus‘ State of Email 2020 report, this type of email is a highly effective way to activate new and powerful features.
Wrap Up
As these 31 examples illustrate, email marketing provides endless possibilities for engaging your target audience and inspiring them to action. While the specific content and creative choices will vary based on your unique goals and brand, the most effective email campaigns all share a few key characteristics:
- Laser-focused goals: Whether it‘s welcoming new subscribers, recovering abandoned carts, or promoting a seasonal sale, great campaigns have a singular focus.
- Segmented targeting: The best emails feel like they‘re speaking directly to you because they‘re informed by your interests, behaviors, and traits.
- Compelling creative: From attention-grabbing subject lines to eye-catching visuals to benefit-focused copy, every element works together to engage.
- Clear calls-to-action: The top-performing campaigns make the next step clear and enticing with descriptive, frictionless CTAs.
- Perfect timing: Behavioral triggers, time-limited promotions, and other smart timing tactics get the right message to the right person at just the right moment.
Perhaps most importantly, remember that email marketing is both an art and a science. Use these examples as inspiration, but don‘t be afraid to experiment, iterate, and infuse your unique brand personality into your campaigns.
The key is to always provide value and keep your target audience at the heart of every decision. With the right strategy, a customer-centric approach, and tools like Constant Contact to help you bring it all to life, the potential of email marketing is virtually limitless.
