How to Design Attractive Marketing Mailers Using Outlook?

It goes without saying that a good old mailer is the best way to engage with your customer. As per a research from ExactTarget, majority of consumers (nearly 58%) check their e-mails first thing in the morning. E-mail is one of the most widely used medium of communication with 2.6 billion unique users worldwide, and this number is only expected to increase over to 2.9 billion by end of 2019. Despite its huge reach, it is still difficult to see a good conversion rate through e-mails. This is because most of the mails fail to register strongly in the consumer's minds OR create an impact.

Given that a recipient's Inbox is packed to the gills with numerous mails, it is no less than a war to divert attention of your customer to a specific sales missive. So, you need to have a mail that is visually appealing and reader-friendly.

Another sad and stark reality is that Outlook still has many limitations when it comes to HTML. So, how do you work around those limitations if you do not have the budget to purchase professional e-mail builders?

In this post, l will focus on how to create compelling mailers using Outlook's in-built features and NOT any external e-mail template builders or codes.

Design Your Layout By Including the Most Important Information First:

Prioritize what you want your customers to see first. Decide if you want to introduce yourself first and then place the key information along with a CTA (call-to-action), or vice versa. Usually, it helps when you design your layout in a way that arranges the most vital information first. Also, place content in a way that the users do not have to scroll down to look for more information. In the below example of an Outlook mail, all the important information has been arranged horizontally and in a way that it is easily visible to a reader without having the need to scroll.

Use Attractive Visuals:

Include visuals so that your content can be easily understood. Visuals can attract eyeballs quickly and help retain information better.

Did you know that the latest version of Outlook comes with a unique icon / 3D model library? Go to Insert > Icons or Insert > 3D Models > From Online Sources to access these rich assets.

Outlook also includes the SmartArt feature that can be used to enhance the visual value of your content. One word of caution: Avoid using background images in Outlook. These could be potentially removed by Outlook at the time of rendering.

Categorize Information:

As per research, people can process some 2 to 3 pieces of information at a given point of time. Therefore, it is important that you divvy up the content into categories while including not more than 2 to 3 of them in an e-mail. Also clearly define sections either by providing a heading or creating borders for every piece of message.

One of the easiest methods to categorize information is by utilizing the tables function in Outlook. Inserting images and content in a table will tack those items in place and prevent floating. Usually, Outlook removes photos and floating text while rendering if they are not placed in tables. Given below is a snapshot of a mail that categorizes information and also uses the 3D model features of Outlook.

Numbers, Highlights, and Links:

Numbers and statistics can really capture attention and keep the readers hooked on to your content. At the same time, it will show that you have researched the content well enough. In addition, when you highlight certain portions of content, you are drawing reader's attention to them.

Including links to an external site will improve reader's knowledge of the subject and also add a lot of value. Given below is a demonstration of how numbers, highlights, and links can be used effectively in an e-mail.
Psst...want to know a secret? The below image was created using an external photo editor and inserted directly into the body of an Outlook mail. The entire image was hyperlinked to the external site (and not just the hyperlinked area).

Find that Perfect Width:

The ideal width for the content included in the Outlook mail is between 550 to 600 pixels. This is considered as a safe width to be displayed in all kinds of browsers and devices. Given this width, your mail can turn out to be long (if you need to insert a lot of content). Remember to keep the most information at the top (give a short preview preferably). This preview must either include all of the key messaging that would prompt the users to scroll down further OR set the tone for the entire content on display. Here is an example of a mailer that run long and includes different messaging elements.

Psst...another secret..including a screenshot of the video within a media player (as shown in the above image) almost hoodwinks the readers into believing that they will view the video within the mail itself. This prompts them to click on it.

I hope these tips and tricks will help you communicate your marketing content more effectively through e-mails. I will be posting more such tips in my next article. Do keep your suggestions and ideas coming!