Email Design Breakdown 👨🏼‍🎨

Hey, Michael here.

We’re back with another edition of The DTC Letters.

In today's newsletter, we are going to over:

• An email breakdown of an account we just audited

• The top 3 design mistakes I see brands make

• The A/B test of the week

• Some of the most interesting links I’ve found this week

If you haven’t already, check out this new training I posted on YouTube about Creating a HIGH Converting Post Purchase Email Flow (Klaviyo Tutorial (link)

A/B Split Test Idea of The Week

The Test:

The image above is from a Welcome Email #1 test we are currently running for a client of ours.

Version A is a design email showcasing the 10% Discount, a customer holding a product and a brief “welcome to the brand”.

Version B is a plain text email with a personal welcome from the founder, the 10% Discount, and a mention of the 60 day risk free return + money back guarantee.

What did we learn?

Well this test is still live (we are letting it run another 400 sends) however it’s already given us some valuable insights.

Although the click rate of the plain text email is lower than the design email, the plain text is converting more of the subscribers who click into purchases.

On top of that, its generating a higher AOV. ($63 vs $49)

Based on these numbers, variation B is looking like a winner. We plan to run another test to see if we can get the click rate up on the plain text also to really boost the revenue per send.

This is going to have a substantial impact on the CPA for this brand.

Give this test a shot and see what the results are for your brand.

The Best Links

Here are some of the best links I've found since last time I emailed you:

• Another winning A/B split test idea to try (link)

• Our client generated over $64k with a flow you wouldn’t expect (link)

• The 3 biggest split testing mistakes I see 7 figure brands making (link)

• 12 minute training video on how to balance different types of content in your Klaviyo campaign emails (link)

• Personal story tweet I posted last week (link)

Now Let’s Breakdown an Email Design

The Above The Fold Section

By far the most important part of an email (besides getting it opened with a subject line that sells the sizzle not that sale) is what we call the Above The Fold Section.

The ATF section, sometimes referred to as the hero image section, is an old term that comes from way back in the day when newspapers existed. (I know their still around) The first fold referred the part of the newspaper that was visible without unfolding it aka the section above the fold.

This was the most read part for the simple fact that is was the first thing everyone say.

In email marketing, the ATF section refers to the top ~900 or so pixels of the email. Think of it in terms of 1 screen.

For example, you open an email on your phone, take a screenshot and that is considered the above the fold.

Why’s This Matter?

Well…majority of readers on your email list don’t actually scroll your emails.

Unless of course your ATF sections is:

• Eye catching

• Piggy backs of the subject line and preview text

• And conveys the message/main idea of the email

So take a look below at this ATF section of an account I just audited.

Note: This is the ATF section of their Welcome Email #1, the highest revenue generating email for 9 out of 10 brands I audit and the first email your subscribers receive from you.

The goal of the email: To get the new subscriber to use their 10% off discount code and intro them into the brand.

Let me ask you something…

Can you tell what the hell this brand sells?

That’s correct. A BIG FAT NO!

They are wasting this whole section. (the most important one)

That’s what is visible when I open the email on my phone.

I can’t see:

• What the brand sells

• Why the sent me an email

• My discount code!

• Or a button to click

The Body of the Email

I want to let the above simmer for a minute. There’s not point in even teaching you about the body section of the email until you get the ATF section down.

So run an audit of your flow emails, at the bare minimum the first email in your top 3 highest revenue producing emails, and dissect your ATF sections to see if you are making any of the same mistakes this brand is.

When we close this deal, I’ll send an email breakdown of how my team redesigns the email and the difference in the results.

Tell next time!

Michael

How I Can Help You

If you like this newsletter and want to work with me, there are a few ways we can do so:

1. You can apply to work with my Agency, AdSumo Digital (link)

2. I will be posting free weekly training videos on my Youtube channel (link)

3. I have over 7,000 tweets on scaling your DTC brand using your brands Email List (link)

4. Here’s a 108 page Campaign Email Masterclass for free (link)

5. If you are looking to better monetize your DTC brands email list, we have worked with brands in several niches from Health & Wellness to Luxury brands and helped Country Life Natural Foods increase their email list revenue add $1.6M in EXTRA yearly revenue in less than 90 days. (Apply Here)

or, so can just reply to this email.

I reply to absolutely everybody who replies to me :)