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Discover Why Over 60% of Consumers Prefer Email for Commercial Communications
1. Overview
Driving Engagement and Consistency Through Automated Email Programs
The advantages of email marketing for customers are clear: when executed effectively, it fosters intentional engagement with content, without the demands of continuous effort.
- Role: Sr. Designer, Art Direction
- Mission: Create dynamic personalized email experiences
- Tools: Adobe XD, Workfront, Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, Asana, Jira, Microsoft Excel
- Client: Floor and Decor
- Date: 2019 - 2021
2. Challenge
Together, we embarked on a mission: to develop a fully automated email program that not only enhances engagement but also ensures consistent brand messaging across diverse audiences.
As COVID-19 disrupted routines, many customers found themselves at home, eager to embark on renovation projects. It became imperative to capitalize on this opportunity by delivering personalized email experiences that inspire and educate homeowners.
The challenge lay in bridging the gap between the email content generated by three agencies, which lacked the authentic human connection vital for effective communication.
Create Scalable Dynamic Content: Develop content tailored for Homeowner and PRO email subscribers to boost revenue, opt-ins, design appointments, and reduce shopping cart abandonment.
Drive High-Value Actions: Enhance engagement to prompt high-value actions among subscribers.
Boost Email Performance Metrics: Elevate overall open rates and click-through rates to maximize the effectiveness of email campaigns.
3. Users and Audience
From first-time Homeowners to savvy serial renovators
Existing personas provided us helpful insights into who shops for flooring and why? Leveraging these insights we were able to create emails that worked across multiple demographics. However designing dynamic content was the ultimate challenge.
Accessibility is always at the forefront. It was important for us to stay abreast of current subscriber trends and best email practices in order to stay compliant with industry standards.
4. Role and Responsibilities
With millions of Floor & Decor email subscribers stuck at home, our goal with email communications was to provide exclusive, valuable links back to curbside pickup and an easy online shopping experience.
Partnering closely with the content team was instrumental in making sure the messaging was on target for both audiences. It also paid off as we were able to test content and make adjustments based on the results.
Once the key homeowner audience’s were identified, we began to have weekly meetings with the content team to strategize monthly email campaigns. I scheduled wireframe sessions before the start of each campaign. By creating low-fidelity wireframes, we began to incorporate them into the Email Requirement Document (ERD) used by the content partners to provide all copy to the development team. Designing these wireframes were crucial in creating a better workflow process for all partners.
From rough to low-fidelity wireframes to help guide template creation
Working with Brandon, our art director we established a unique design system to establish email brand cohesiveness with the other digital channels. We also worked closely with our creative Director, William to make sure overarching email campaign/ strategy aligns with in-store, print and all other channels (omnichannel).
5. Scope and Constraints
It takes a village to create scalable dynamic content
Each week we compared competitive analysis of top brands such as Home Depot and Lowes by regularly researching their successful email marketing campaigns helped us stay competitive. One of our key findings helped us begin to incorporate motion design into our overall email design strategy and instrumental in allowing F&D to grow market share.
By improving email engagement with animation, we were able to successfully design email content that resonates with subscribers, resulting in an increase in online revenue and an increase in high value actions.
A/B Testing
- The biggest lesson I learned from working as the lead designer for email channel is to constantly test.
- To improve we listened to feedback based on results. We were able to still push the envelope and deliver something functional to the customer.
6. Work process
By improving the Design Appointment Follow-up Journey emails, we helped to encourage Homeowner’s High Value Actions.
By improving the Design Appointment Follow-up Journey emails, we helped to encourage Homeowner’s High Value Actions online. We also came together to design the multi-touch HO & PRO Welcome series resulting in $22.6M online and in-store attributed revenue.
Using brand guidelines and existing collateral as a visual reference to partner with copywriters and strategists, we were able to produce visual content that brought to life enjoyable, interesting email marketing content. We worked with our development team to make edits to test emails before deployment.
7. Outcome and Lessons
We can push the envelope and still deliver something functional to the customer
When I arrived on the creative team there was a very loose design execution process in place. By consistently meeting with the team we were able to help create a streamline process in order to execute and deliver final files to a third-party agency development team. Meeting deadlines and contributing by designing emails that are accessible and on brand helped the email program triple its revenue goals from January – September 2020, driving $34M in online revenue. Lastly exceeding the previous year email channel revenue from $7million to $77 million.
Keys to personal success as Lead designer
Being an active listener
Working as visionary creative
Staying customer focus
“Tinisha dedication to email design and performance is off the charts. She encourages feedback and ideas from others and finds a way to do that without getting weighed down in politics or process.” - Brandon Wheeler - Creative Director - F/D
