Email Marketing 101:
How to Craft the Perfect Email for your outdoor or environmental brand
Email marketing remains a cornerstone for engaging and mobilizing your audience. To stand out in a crowded inbox, your emails need to prioritize valuable content and tell a compelling story. Over the past few years, we’ve helped guide environmental and outdoor brands to create engaging email campaigns centered around the content we delivered. Here’s a 3-minute read that will help you craft emails that capture attention and drive action.
1. Craft an Irresistible Subject Line
The subject line is your first impression. It should be clear, concise, and intriguing, giving recipients a reason to open your email. For an environmental or outdoor centered organization, a subject line could be:
Check out this email announcing the video project we created with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
“Join the Fight to Save Our Forests!”
“Discover How You Can Reduce Plastic Waste Today”
2. Personalize Your Message
Personalization goes beyond just using the recipient's name. Segment your audience based on their interests and past interactions. For instance, if a subscriber recently attended a beach clean-up event, send them an email with updates on that project or invite them to a similar upcoming event.
3. Tell a Compelling Story
Every email should tell a story. Begin with a hook to grab attention, provide relevant details, and finish with a strong call-to-action (CTA). For example, share a success story about a recent conservation effort: “Last month, thanks to your support, we removed 2 tons of plastic from our local beaches. Learn how you can help in our next initiative.”
4. Prioritize Valuable Content
Value is key in email marketing. Each piece of content should offer something meaningful. This could include tips on reducing carbon footprints, updates on local conservation projects, or exclusive volunteer opportunities. The aim is to ensure recipients find your emails worth their time.
5. Design for Readability
Your email design should be clean and simple, with plenty of white space. Ensure your text is easy to read on both desktop and mobile devices. Use headings, bullet points, and images to break up text and guide the reader’s eye. For example, an email about a tree-planting event could include a vibrant image of a previous event, a brief description, and bullet points on how to participate.
Here is the first page of a Spring ‘24 announcement email we put together for the outdoor clothing brand, Wise River.
6. Include a Clear Call-to-Action
Each email should have a clear CTA. Whether it’s signing a petition, donating, or attending an event, make your CTA stand out. Use action-oriented language, such as “Sign the Petition to Ban Single-Use Plastics” or “Donate Now to Protect Our Oceans.” Place the CTA multiple times throughout the email to increase visibility.
7. Test and Optimize
Always test your emails before sending them out. Look for any typos, broken links, or formatting issues. Use A/B testing to try out different subject lines, content, and designs to see what resonates best with your audience. Regularly analyze your email performance and adjust your strategy based on the data.
Conclusion
Email marketing is a powerful tool for environmental organizations. By prioritizing valuable content and telling compelling stories, you can create emails that not only capture attention but also foster deeper connections and inspire action. Start crafting your impactful emails today and watch your engagement grow!
