Tips for creating the perfect e-commerce email

By Arturo Saavedra, Marketing Automation Specialist — Flint Group

Creating ecommerce emails that stand out takes more than good design – this guide covers expert tips on high-level copy, imagery, promotional overlay and CTAs. These tips will set you apart from your competitors by bringing customers down the funnel where it makes sense.  

Step 1: Understand your catalog (reformat layout of text)  When creating an eCommerce email, layout may be dependent on your catalog size: 

1. Large catalog (500+ products): Highlight key product categories to help customers easily navigate your offerings. 

2. With segmented historical data: Feature high-converting products and/or items your customers have previously viewed. 

3. No historical data (just starting out): Highlight a few categories that have shown strong interest in other marketing campaigns.

Step 2: Design your email 

In this example, we can talk about outdoor grills. You have propane, wood-fire, pellet and my favorite, charcoal grills. Let’s say next week is the beginning of the charcoal grill sale for the month and the sale is $30 off. Your focus for the email should be showcasing your charcoal grill with a header image that includes the discount on the image at a 4:1 ratio (1/4 copy and the rest imagery). Too much copy on your images can be distracting and you’ll lose the reader’s attention. Clear and to the point should be the goal. Address the sale event right away. Preferably, showcase the cheaper option of the charcoal grills, so you’re able to persuade clicks.

Pro tip: People tend to respond better to dollar-off discounts for items priced over $100, while percentage-off discounts are more effective for products under $100. However, A/B testing with your audience will provide the most accurate insights for your audience. 

After you’ve highlighted your main product image, create some content that gives a brief description of the sale and attempt to create urgency in your writing. Following your sale language, do your legal team a favor and add an asterisk to the copy and to the bottom of the email with something like “deals and offers*” that links to your deals page on your website. There, you can show details extensively.

Remember, emails are only the segue to converting your recipients.

Your goal should be to have the reader go to the site as quickly as possible to convert. All of the heavy writing should already be in your category pages or PDPs. By doing all this, it alleviates confusion on the customer side, and on business side so your brand isn’t liable for something.  

Step 3: Craft effective CTAs 

Next up is your CTA. In this case, we’ve selected “Grill Big Savings”. Your CTA should be three words or less. Any more words and it’s too lengthy and may look like a banner, in my expert opinion. Stay away from boring CTA like “learn more” and “read more”. There is a time and a place for these and it’s called your competitors’ emails 😉. I encourage you to have fun with your call to actions to make them punchy and conversion-friendly.

Step 4: Segmentation and data 

Following, let's add the categories to this example (propane, wood-fire, pellet and charcoal) as CTAs. We do these so recipients have other browsing options if they don’t want to purchase charcoal grills.   

Note: If you have historical data on the customer segment, you are still able to showcase the sale but, instead of the categories, display products that could be accessories to the products they already have or, if you know the purchasing cycle, you could showcase products they have already run out of (pellets, seasonings, etc.).  

Your Finished Piece:

Here's what your email could look like after the steps are complete.

Crafting the perfect e-commerce email requires a deep understanding of your catalog, a well-thought-out design and a strategic approach to CTAs and segmentation.

By highlighting the right products, creating visually appealing designs and writing clear, compelling copy, you can drive your audience toward conversion more effectively. Remember, the goal is to guide your recipients seamlessly from the email to your website, where the sale is made. Testing and refining these elements will ensure your emails stand out in a crowded inbox and bring real results for your e-commerce business.

Happy grilling! 😉