Getting started

Before you start writing any copy for your email, it’s good to write a plan that sets out who the users are, and what you’d like the email to achieve.

Try to include this information:

• What’s the product/campaign and how does this link back to the wider strategy?

• Who are the users?

• Where does the email come in the user journey?

• What’s the objective of the email?

Writing down the answers to these questions will help you clarify the purpose of the email. It’ll also help you tailor the email content to the users and keep the content focused on the purpose.

You could use the answers to these questions to write a user story. For example:

As someone who has signed up to the upcycling Facebook challenge for Shelter

I want some help with my fundraising

So that I can raise enough money from my challenge for Shelter

Once you’ve got a plan you can design and write the email content

See more information about user needs and user stories.

How people read emails

The average person reads 200-250 words per minute with a comprehension rate of around 60%.

We jump from chunk to chunk pausing long enough to make sense of what we se. Users decide whether to stay or go in seconds. Nielsen Norman Group say: ‘Often they scan first only the text and those elements that they believe will help them to quickly understand content and to progress in their task.’

What makes a good email

• achieves its objective

• accessible to all

• easy to read (scannable)

• one clear message, one call to action

• relevant and tailored to the user

• as short as possible

• compatible and accessible on all devices (mobile, tablet, desktop)

• on brand

Related

Read our other content guides

Read our brand guidelines

Contact us

Have a question or comment about email or other digital topic? Found a bug? Or maybe you’d like to contribute to the framework? Use our contact form to get in touch.