Free email marketing templates are probably one of the most significant reasons companies pick a particular provider. After all, that’s one aspect of email marketing that requires little input. You are presented with a form where all you have to do is pick the colour, insert a header and then it’s down to heading, copy and images.
It is all done for you. You could go on that way forever, just changing the words and pictures depending on what you are trying to move. After all, these templates are designed by clever people who have been specially hired for their expertise. To change things would be an affront.
It is, rather obviously, not the way to go. You need to put in some effort.
If you put a dozen different templates in front of twelve people then a proportion will pick one of them as ‘best’. However, there will be a variety of choice and one or more will pick a particular example you did not like. That’s customers for you. As always, discovering who responds to what is down to testing.
The good news is that testing doesn’t require inspiration. Honing templates to give better returns is basically a matter of fairly logical steps, each one simple to understand. Your subscribers will do most of the work.
But how to test?
All aspects are in the frame, but let’s take colours. Displays of brilliant hues of red are not likely to get me to read further on a Monday morning. I’m sorry, but I switch on slowly. A bold headline can be a bit off-putting, but I only have to read it once. Colours are impregnated through the email.
One problem with colours is that appreciation varies with fashion. If you are not one of the in-crowd, how are you going to know what’s happening with those who are in there where it’s happening?
Test a change of colour on a segregated email marketing list. Go through the Laura Ashley catalogue rather than just the rainbow. Remember that it is not only the overall result that matters, it is more the nature of those who responded better to the change. If a group with certain metrics clicked through, then you know what to do.
One of the most difficult decisions is the proportion of text to images. The layout in the email marketing template might well opt for the generally accepted 80:20 balance of, respectively, text to image. Whilst most say this is optimum, in fact, it is a good basis for you to experiment.
You might find that some on your email marketing list prefer more space for images. Discover what makes them different to those who prefer 80:20 and split your lists accordingly in future campaigns. Many reckon that placing an image directly under the header limits completions. However, you might find that it varies with the product.
As with all things email marketing, you must test, and that includes email marketing templates. Whilst they have been prepared by experts, they have been designed to be flexible and they need to be tested.
