7 Strategic Tips for Designing Emails That Drive Sales

If you’re looking to exceed last year’s BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) email revenue, it’s time to rethink your email design strategy. Email marketing is not just about aesthetics - it's about driving conversions, boosting customer engagement, and maximising ROI. Here’s how you can leverage email design to achieve those goals.

1️⃣ Prioritise Key Information Above the Fold

All marketers should know that capturing attention within seconds is critical. Placing your most important information and offers above the fold ensures subscribers see your key messages immediately upon opening. This isn’t just about design - it's about strategic content placement to maximise conversions. Testing variations on what goes above the fold can provide insights into what your audience values most.

Impact: Boosts engagement rates by front-loading value, resulting in higher click-throughs during peak sales periods.

2️⃣ Use Urgency-Driven CTAs for Higher Conversions

Every email should have a clear Call to Action (CTA) that guides the subscriber toward taking the next step, whether it’s purchasing, signing up, or exploring a product. For high-stakes sales periods like BFCM, leverage urgency: “Sale Ends in 6 Hours” or “Limited Stock Available” CTAs can significantly drive action. Brands should think beyond generic CTAs and tailor them to align with customer motivations during high-intent shopping periods.

Impact: Drives immediate responses, improving conversion rates and accelerating sales velocity.

3️⃣ Create Scannable Emails for Better User Experience

Your emails must be designed for quick consumption. Using white space, bullet points, and contrast helps reduce cognitive load, making it easy for subscribers to grasp key messages instantly. This is particularly effective for mobile users who may only glance at your email before deciding to engage. Focus on a clean, uncluttered layout that aligns with your brand’s visual identity.

Impact: Enhances readability, leading to higher engagement rates, especially among mobile users.

4️⃣ Leverage Templates for Consistency and Efficiency

Scaling up email sends during peak seasons is challenging. If you’re not using a specialised agency (like us!) there’s no shame in the template game! Using well-designed templates not only saves time but ensures brand consistency across campaigns. Marketing teams should see templates as a way to streamline operations while maintaining a cohesive brand experience. A consistent visual presence fosters trust and familiarity with your audience.

Impact: Optimises efficiency and strengthens brand recognition, driving customer loyalty.

5️⃣ Implement A/B Testing for Continuous Optimisation

A/B testing should be an ongoing strategy, not just a seasonal effort. Experiment with subject lines, imagery, and CTAs to see what resonates best with your audience. Test not just for opens, but for actual conversions and revenue impact. Focus on identifying what small tweaks can yield significant uplifts in performance.

Impact: Provides data-driven insights to refine email strategies, enhancing overall campaign effectiveness.

6️⃣ Tell a Story to Build Brand Affinity

Today’s consumers are not just buying products; they’re buying into brands. Use your emails to tell compelling stories about your brand, its mission, or even the team behind the scenes. This humanises your brand and creates an emotional connection that goes beyond transactional interactions. Brands that successfully integrate storytelling into their emails often see higher customer lifetime value.

Impact: Fosters a deeper connection with your audience, leading to improved retention and loyalty.

7️⃣ Leverage Segmentation for Personalised Messaging

One-size-fits-all emails are a thing of the past. Use your CRM and ESP’s segmentation capabilities to create highly targeted campaigns. Segmenting your audience by demographics, purchase history, or even engagement behaviour allows you to send more relevant messages. You should always prioritise segmentation strategies that align with long-term retention goals.

Impact: Drives higher open and click-through rates by delivering content that feels tailored to the individual subscriber, increasing customer retention.

The Bottom Line?
If you’re serious about making this BFCM your best yet, focus on strategic design elements that enhance not just the look of your emails but their impact on customer engagement and revenue. By leveraging data, personalisation, and smart design, you can transform your emails into powerful sales tools that drive growth and customer loyalty.