Email Marketing – Instructions & Tutorials (DF)

Overview

For this project, you will design one email marketing blast using the professional web app Mailchimp.com. Companies use email marketing blasts to reach customers directly with product announcements, sales, specials, educational information, how to use a product, and recipes.

I create my email blasts using Mail Chimp’s online web interface.


Grading checklist

  • Design one email marketing blast on Mailchimp.com
  • You will choose from a real product, service, or event you are passionate about. You don’t have to work for a real client, just a real product, service, or event. Make sure it’s class-appropriate.
  • Size: use the Mail Chimp template titled Graphic Design – Main Template
  • Design your own header in Illustrator – use the template/tutorial below
  • Get free photos on unsplash.com, pexels.com, or pixabay.com. Or use your own.
  • Participate in class presentations and critiques

Email marketing best practices

  • Use a managed service like Mail Chimp or Constant Contact
  • Focus on one main message per email blast
  • Use buttons for call-to-actions
  • Send one email per week
  • Use a responsive template
  • Schedule to send when your recipient most needs it (food = dinner time)
  • Why do people sign up for email newsletters?
    • Want more info on the subject or topic
    • Want a focused message delivered to them
    • Sales, coupons, deals

Student Email Examples


Industry Email examples

Below are several real email marketing examples from various companies. Notice how each delivers the company’s brand and focuses on one main message. Most use one main image and headline to draw the viewer in and show them where to start.

These examples also benefit from:

  • Logo to identify the company
  • Brand colors throughout
  • Consistent design style and layout
  • Consistent typeface
  • Lots of artwork

Avoid emails with too many images

Here’s what happens to your view if you only use images for your email content. Avoid this by using text for your header and opening paragraph. This will grab your viewer’s attention and get them to either wait for the images to load or click to view them.


Create your email (A step-by-step tutorial)

1. Log in to MailChimp.com

First, go to mailchimp.com and log in. We’ll all use the same class account. My login credentials are on the course Blackboard site under Assignments.


2. Review the Mail Chimp template

I made you a template to use in Mail Chimp. This template (shown below) is in MailChimp ready for you to use. It’s titled Graphic Design – Main Template. The tutorial video below will show you how to access and edit it.

Below is what the template in Mailchimp.com looks like. It also shows what you should include in your email design


3. Watch this Mail Chimp Intro video

Watch this video to get you acquainted with Mail Chimp and its web-based interface. This video will also show you how to set up your first email blast and how to edit it.

9:00 minutes


4. Choose your email’s topic

It can be pretty much anything you’re interested in or passionate about. Make sure it’s a classroom-friendly topic.

A few topic ideas to get your ideas flowing:

  • How about a local farmer’s market?
  • A favorite food you like to eat
  • A favorite brand of clothing or shoes you wear
  • A sustainability tip to share with your clients—how to save energy or water
  • The benefits of riding your bike to school or work
  • A local business or restaurant you like to eat at

5. Write your email first

Headline
This should be 3–5 words and tell your audience what you are trying to tell them in your email.

Body copy
Then write a few sentences that elaborate on your headline’s message.

Call-to-action
Lastly, write your call to action. This should come at the end of your email message. What do you want them to do once they read your message? Give them a coupon with 25% off? Send them to your website to find a retailer near them? Ask them to donate to your cause? Send them to a specific page on your website and have them start shopping?

Type these directly into your Mail Chimp email.


6. Choose six photographs

Once you have defined your message you’ll need to find six photos. These six photos will help communicate your email’s message to your audience.

Get these photos from unsplash.com or pexels.com. Or, you may use your own photos if they are good enough.


7. Make your photos web-friendly

The fastest and simplest approach to optimize your photos for use in your email (or on any website).

(2:19)

A slightly different approach to optimizing photos using Bridge and Photoshop. Watch this tutorial video that shows you how to make all of your photos web-friendly, 600×500 pixel images. It will also show you how to place them into your Mail Chimp email.

(10:00)


8. Create your own header

Download the header .ai template

This is the Adobe Illustrator template to use for your header.


Watch this video showing how to make a header, save it, and upload it

This tutorial will show you how to create your 600 x 200 px email header in Illustrator, save it as a web-friendly image, and upload it to your Mail Chimp email.

7:00 minutes


5:00 minutes

Once you finish and upload your header you should be done. That’s it! Your email blast should be done.


9. How to merge several screen captures together for your critiques

This video will show you how to take screen-captures of your final email blast in Mail Chimp, piece it together in Photoshop, save it for the web, and use it for your peer critique or post to social media.

9:00 minutes

Nice work!