Lindsey Raine of Communicator Corp writes I received an email from TK Maxx last week where the subject line and content of the email created intrigue, leading me to open and then go on to click through to their website.
I was really impressed with the way TK Maxx did this, but there were some elements of the message that could have been improved. I’ll share with you how I would turn TK Maxx’s good email into a great email and how you could do the same.
The Subject Line
The subject line TK Maxx used was “Kidswear (HUGE DESIGNER NAME) Flash Sale NOW ON”. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how competitive the inbox is becoming. Creating subject lines that are relevant and that motivate your subscribers to open can be a challenge, especially as your subject line will be the first element of the message recipients will see.
What was good about it?
The subject line created intrigue. Huge designer name?! Tell me more! I was very intrigued and felt compelled to open the email to find out who the ‘huge’ designer name was. Creating intrigue with your subject lines is a great way to provoke curiosity and get your recipients to open. TK Maxx also used the word ‘Kidswear’ to ensure the subject line was relevant to the content within the email.
How could it have been great?
If TK Maxx had captured my preferences when I signed up to their newsletter, they could have sent this message to me knowing I had explicitly expressed an interest in receiving newsletters about kidswear. As TK Maxx don’t capture this kind of information when a subscriber signs up, or offer subscribers the opportunity to update their preferences, I think it’s likely that there will be a high proportion of recipients who won’t have opened the message, purely because they aren’t interested in kidswear – it’s not relevant to all subscribers. Relevancy is key to good response rates!
Email Header
Here is the a screen shot of the email header:
What was good about it?
The header contains the essentials like a WebView link and asks me to add TK Maxx’s From Address to my address book. There are links to TK Maxx’s pages on social networks, and there is a navigation bar similar to the one they use on their website, meaning the emails are consistent with the brand. TK Maxx also used a super subject line to highlight what was in the email before scrolling down to find out more.
How could it have been better?
The copy that asks me to add their From Address to my address book is underlined, but it isn’t actually linked. I’d recommend linking this copy to a page that has specific instructions on how to add TK Maxx’s From Address to a recipients address book or safe senders list, for all of the different email clients.
Email content
Ok, so TK Maxx intrigued me and I’ve opened the email. Their content still didn’t tell me who the designer name was:
What was good about it?
The call to action of this message is strong and clear, even with the continued suspense. I have to admit that at this point, my curiosity was elevated and I just had to click through.
How could it have been great?
I would recommend using a good balance of text and images, rather than using one large image like TK Maxx has here. If recipients had images switched off within their email client, the image would not have displayed and the link would have been disabled, meaning the value of the content would have been lost. A bulletproof button would also have worked really well here, especially as the email is visually quite plain.
Email footer
Here is a screen shot of the email footer:
What was good about it?
The footer contained the legal information to ensure the communication complied with UK law such as the unsubscribe link and company details, as well as a link to TK Maxx’s privacy policy. I liked that the links were red, making them easy to find.
How could it have been great?
The email preference form I mentioned earlier could sit in the footer. I’d recommend adding a simple line of copy that contains a link to the preference form. For example, “Want to update your preferences?” or something more specific like “Email not relevant? Click here to update your preferences”
In case you are wondering, the designer name in question was Stella McCartney! If you would like any advice on how to make your campaigns great, get in touch or speak to your Account Manager.
About: Lindsey Raine
Lindsey has a strong background in digital marketing and at Communicator Corp she works closely with clients across a range of industries to deliver email, mobile and social marketing campaigns. Through her expert consultancy and project delivery, Lindsey helps clients to make the most of all consumer touch points, increase the effectiveness of their digital campaigns, and maximise consumer engagement with the implementation of integrated cross-channel communications.