There are two diverging paths you can take when it comes to email marketing: the eye-catching eblast with design elements and links, or the simple text-only, conversational email. The path you choose depends on your situation and the relationship you have with your target.

THE FANCY EBLAST
This is likely your choice if you’re a big company with flashy new offerings and a large email list to hit. The content will need an informative and catchy subject line, engaging imagery and design elements, exciting copy, and a strong call to action, like the example below.

This series of eblasts are an on-going project for the sanitation equipment provider Carometec. The subject lines appeal to business owners by pertaining to relevant changes in the industry, such as updated health code standards, and the content motivates click-through conversions by being witty and informative. The fact that the equipment is showcased as a sort of Godsend further positions Carometec as the solution to the new standards preempted in the subject line.

THE SIMPLE HELLO
A second, and nearly opposite approach is the conversational email. No flash or pomp here. The subject line must relevant, straightforward, and pertaining to the content of the email. In the body of the email, address your subject by name. Casually let them know about your new offerings, provide the necessary links, and close in a personable way.

HOW TO CHOOSE
The email marketing path you choose depends on what best represents your brand, and each has pros and cons. With an eblast, the HTML used can mean a higher chance of it getting flagged as spam. To alleviate this, remind your prospects to add your company’s email address to their contacts when they sign up for your updates. By doing so, you will represent your business as a company with the resources to supply customers what they need. If you choose the casual email, you position yourself as personable, but may appear low budget.

Choose the eblast if:

– You have a large contact list
– You’re relationship with contacts isn’t as personal
– You make contact on a monthly basis
– You want to be positioned as well-equipped to handle your target’s needs

Choose the casual email if:

– You have a smaller, more manageable contact list
– You have a closer relationship with your contacts
– You get in touch every 2-4 weeks
– You want to be positioned as accessible and attentive