7 Email designs to inspire your 2019 campaigns

Here at Emma, we do our best to provide the best tips and tricks to improve your email marketing. From all the best drip campaign strategies to the necessary how-tos, we strive to make your email campaigns the most successful they can be.

Emails are our thing. So when we find a few emails that inspire us, we want to pass them along and show how to implement a similar strategy into your own messages.

Here are 7 emails you to inspire your next send

1. Cava

We love what this Mediterranean culinary brand has done within their back-to-school email that went out over the summer. They remind parents that there are delicious options available for school lunches that are also healthy for their kids.

They give them a step-by-step process showing them how to put together a nutritious lunch that has a cultural flair. Each step provides a clear image and small description of what to do and the vertical layout of this process encourages their users to keep scrolling down.

They lead their users to a CTA that provides a clear solution–"Order for them." Talk about an easy morning.

Parents are always rushing their kids out the door to get to school, and lunch is commonly forgotten. This provides ease to their users with kids in school and offers a healthy meal that won’t have kids coming home complaining about a boring lunch.

Image: Really Good Emails

2. Scratch

Now in this email promoting Scratch dog food, there is a lot to rave about. From compelling images to interesting content, they really knock it out of the park.

They begin this email by claiming their excitement for the release of Scratch. This product is new, which means their email list may not be so familiar with the brand itself, let alone their products.

The image they include right away is one you can’t ignore. Two bulldog puppies–need I say more?

They also include some cardboard boxes in the background, which make it clear that this is probably a subscription-based product.

You'll find within the content that they provide a subscription dog food plan that provides "Everything your dog needs and nothing they don’t.” The founders sign the email themselves and give their users’ the opportunity to ask them questions or offer their thoughts.

Scratch users will know that the brand cares about them and their furry friend, and when it comes to email, that type of relationship is your end-goal. Scratch does a great job of showing what they have to offer, and including some popular pain points that some of their users may be enduring.

They provide all of the information you need with a personable twist. Well done, Scratch.

Image: Really Good Emails

3. Moo

Moo, an online print and design company, take their B2B email to the next level with simplicity and sarcasm.

They put together this email to market their business cards to businesses and include a feature that their competition doesn’t have.

They demonstrate their ability to round the corners of their business cards with a stylistic GIF and use some sarcastic humor within their copy. They don’t use any fancy fonts or outrageous images in order to support what the copy is claiming–“subtle differences… stand out.”

You can tell that Moo takes that statement and applies it to their email design. When it comes to B2B emails, you don’t want to waste your user’s time. Moo kept it simple and got to the point fast without sacrificing design quality or lack of information.

Image: Really Good Emails

4. Red Wing Shoes

When it comes to the best email designs of 2018, you need to recognize the emails that supported the brand through and through. Red Wing Shoes offers work boots for vigorous industries including mining and construction.

In this welcome email, Red Wing Shoes utilizes a color pallet that works with the products they offer. They section off their first part of the email with blocks of images and text, making it easy for you to understand and absorb.

They provide a section where you can browse their inventory and even provide a section dedicated to customer reviews for new users to access. Because we all know we almost depend on others' experiences when making decisions for ourselves. 

From the first section of this email, the brand already provides the information that new users will want to access right away when deciding if it is a brand they are interested in.

A CTA is then inserted further down the email that allows you to learn more about the company. The description above it conveys how long they’ve been in business by insinuating they have a “century under [their] belt.”

This is a creative content tactic that draws in those who are looking for boots for their job. When users are shopping online for work-related products, bringing the email back to the work mindset will show users what they are looking for.

This email does a great job focusing on the working man/woman and laying out their email in a well-constructed manner. They don’t include any funny business, but they make their design approachable and engaging. 

Image: Really Good Emails

5. TunnelBear

TunnelBear provides the privacy everyone wants and needs on the internet, and it’s something your users want to be sure they have on hand all the time.

In this email, they sent out a friendly reminder to those who were still operating on an older version of the app.

These users were informed that the older versions would no longer be able to connect after a particular date, and then provide a step-by-step process on how to maintain a connection. They offer the processes for both Apple and Android phones to make it easy for their users and provide convenience.

The white space used within this email makes it easy to absorb and understand what needs to be carried out. And the image they include delivers their message clearly—and delightfully.

Everyone is aware that a wrench image means adjusting your settings within an app so when this illustration is used in the email, you’re able to detect that your TunnelBear app needs some fixing. 

And no one wants to be unprotected on the internet–it’s a scary place out there. But don’t worry, TunnelBear even goes the extra mile to ensure you that you’ll be back up and running in seconds.

Their copy makes it clear that while they are asking you to perform a task, that it won’t take up too much time. They also make the effort to explain what to expect if you fail to do this and how it will affect your ability to access the app. They provide all of the information their users would need in a short and simple manner.

They do what it takes to not waste your time. We can all appreciate that. 

Image: Really Good Emails

6. Whiskey Loot

Whiskey Loot sends out a witty email once a user has abandoned a cart for a certain amount of time. Rather than coming off as pushy to complete their order, they take a lighthearted approach to remind their users of their unfinished checkout.

For those that are still interested but aren’t sold quite yet, Whiskey Loot then offers a list of things you could do with the package of miniature whiskey bottles. They offer a number of humorous tips, including "Ponder life like a poet with a dram" and "Use them as collateral in peace negotiations."

Whiskey Loot channeled their inner clown in this email and provided a silly list of suggestions, but this strategy really brings smiles to users’ faces. Plus, as you imagine yourself in each of these ridiculous scenarios, you find yourself craving for a sip of whiskey.

Hello, Whiskey Loot, I’m ready to proceed to check out now.

Image: Really Good Emails

7. Artifact Uprising

Artifact Uprising consistently sends great emails, but this one is one of our recent seasonal favorites.

They took a break from promoting their print designs and photo books to show how much they value their customers.

When you have turned your prospects into customers, your goal from there on out is to nurture that relationship. And if it doesn’t do that, we don’t know what does. The design of this email with their image choice really sets the tone for the type of email it’s going to be.

They place you in the scene where you’re about to enter a family holiday party. It’s a cold night that has a warm, toasty room to enter. It gives you the holiday comfort that this time of year always brings. 

All of that is communicated solely through the image. Wait until you read the copy!

They bring a sense of nostalgia for being around the table during the holidays. You share stories and memorable times with those that you hold closest to your hearts. They claim that while you are thankful for those around your table, they are thankful for you, their customer.

During Thanksgiving, Artifact Uprising makes it clear that you would have a seat at their holiday table because you mean that much to them. Now we call that value and gratitude, and it warms our hearts!

Can we be invited to the table? We’ll bring food–we promise. 

Image Source: Really Good Emails

Wrap up

When looking for email marketing inspiration, sometimes you don't have to look any further than your own inbox. Pay attention—What messages did you open? Which ones did you send to the trash?

Use that insight to inform your strategy, and collect your favorite messages to refer back to from time-to-time. Tell us—what companies are sending the best email design these days?

About the Author

Emma Email

Emma is an email marketing platform that gives you all the tools you need to send campaigns that really connect with your subscribers. Unlike other email providers, Emma puts their customers first. It's email marketing that works for you.

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