More Than a Newsletter: 5 Email Types to Try Now

In the last few years, there has been a roaring debate over how to best reach marketing audiences. Whether privacy concerns or ad uncertainties, few platforms seem to be able to promise that one-on-one interaction that companies crave. Enter, email marketing.

Many, if not most, brands have some sort of email interaction with their customer base, but what if the traditional newsletter isn’t working for you? We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite non-newsletter email ideas for your next digital campaign.

1. Welcome Emails

Starting with the underdog of email marketing, the welcome email. It can be easy to dismiss these as basic confirmation emails, they shouldn’t provide too much information or reach too far. That may be a good guideline, but this may also be the only email someone ever opens from your company before they all end up in the ‘Promotions’ black hole. The best way to make the most of your e-calling card is to be useful and visual.

• Be Useful – This can really be applied to every email, but if you’re going to vie for real estate in this person’s inbox, make sure you provide a solution or information that is valuable to them!
• Be Visual – Being visually appealing can be as simple as utilizing bright colors or eye-catching designs, but consider including photography from your business.

Trello does a great job of being both useful and visual in the example below. They call attention to an eye-catching graphic, welcome the reader, and immediately engage them with helpful resources.

2. Standalone Emails

Staring down a fully-fledged campaign can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t interacted with your audience over email for a while. Whatever the case, a single, focused email can have as much impact as a multi-step campaign!

Standalone emails are a great way to put out new service offerings, seasonal promotions, or even updates to your company and team that you think they may enjoy hearing about. For example, if your company is celebrating a milestone, send a note from the team thanking your clients for their support over the years. By reminding readers that you are present and reliable, you stay top-of-mind in their choice of businesses.

3. Re-engagement Emails

If a user hasn’t interacted with your content in some time, you will need something to get their attention. Re-engagement emails are sent out to users who have been inactive for anywhere from 30 days to 6 months depending on the length of your sales cycle.

As a message that is supposed to draw attention, it’s important to approach these emails differently than all of your other content – if they wanted to see more of what’s already been sent, they would have interacted with it already. Try changing up your subject lines and preview text; include capitalizations, numbers, and 1-2 emojis if that’s out of the norm. A frequent winner are promo-driven subject lines such as:

• west elm: 💡 THIS SALE IS LIT 💡 20% off all lighting
• Dollar Shave Club: Save money. Don’t leave the couch.
• L’Occitane: Beauty You’ve Had Your 👀 on, Now with $20 OFF!

4. Video Emails

The backbone of every marketing strategy is being strategically thrifty with your content by getting the most out of it. One of the better multi-tools is video.

Perhaps your team just purchased a beautiful new brand anchor video and you’ve already posted it on social media, your website, and YouTube. It’s easily forgotten how dramatically it can impact other marketing channels – such as email. According to a WebinarCare study from October 2022, ‘An email including a video can increase your email click-through rate by up to 300%’. Those are numbers you can’t afford to leave in the inbox!

Make the most of your digital assets by including a video in your next email and mentioning it in your subject line.

5. Email Signatures

Okay, okay, this isn’t technically a type of email, but it is likely one of the communications most viewed by your customers. Whether you are a service vendor setting up appointments or engaging in product sales, your email signature can say a lot about your company.

At PHOS, we use signatures as a way to communicate milestones, show holiday spirit, and showcase our ‘Business+Fun’ attitude! Here’s one of our favorite signatures from the last few years, it included a video link highlighting a major update to our website.

Consider including links to a recent project your team has completed or highlight a blog that’s relevant to the industry. You’d be surprised what will resonate with your customers the most.

Transform Your Business with Email

With more than 4.3 billion emails being sent in 2022, businesses need to work much smarter to stay visible to their customers. It’s important to find innovative ways of leveraging this tool to keep users engaged with the content you’re putting out there. It can be tricky to think outside of the inbox, but don’t be afraid to try something new!

There is a world of possibilities for your email marketing strategy and how it can transform your business. If that seems daunting and you don’t know where to begin, our team of marketing experts would love to help you get started.