So, you have an intriguing subject line, captivating copy, a list of targeted data and your email system ready for use. Now what about your design?

Everyone knows the importance of first impressions. It is said that someone will make up their mind about you within 60 seconds. In an email, you probably have more like 5 seconds. If your design doesn’t instantly engage the reader, you will miss out on valuable sales and/or communication opportunities.

1. Style

The first thing to think about is what you want to achieve from your email send. Do you want to encourage sales, sign-ups, questionnaire completion or do you want to provide interesting information on a regular basis?

With this in mind, you need to choose the correct style of email for the message you are communicating and the results you want to achieve:

Acquisition styles - If you’ve got something really important to shout about, an acquisition style email is your answer. With one eye catching image, one message and one strong call to action, this type of email traditionally generates the best response rates.

Newsletters - For regular communications with lots to tell, newsletter formats are best. Small digestible chunks that link back to your website are the key here. Use pictures, icons or colour to highlight important areas and make sure you keep your main features in the same place so people get to know the format and can find their favourite bits easily.

Templates - Header and footer designs make great online stationery. They portray a professional and attractive look for your communications and are fantastic if you’re on a budget as you can re-use them as often as you want.

2. Brand Synergy

How many times have you received an email which takes you somewhere that looks nothing like you would expect? Your email design should be an extension of your brand and appeal to your target audience, instantly recognisable and a compliment to your website. Establish consistent colours, fonts, border shapes, dividing lines, shadows and other design effects.

3. Differentiate

How many of your competitors’ emails do your recipients receive every day? The design of your email is your opportunity to stick out from the crowd and be noticed.

I was talking with the Editor of our local newspaper recently and he receives 1000 emails… every day! He scans through and deletes anything that doesn’t instantly appeal to him.

Now I know that most people are not on this scale but it does demonstrate a point. A major part of grabbing your recipient’s interest will be your copy. But if your design isn’t appealing, then you will have lost their attention. And once that attention is lost, it is very difficult to get it back.

4. Coding

There is nothing more annoying than receiving an email that does not display properly. Firstly, your opinion of the sender drops considerably and secondly, you probably won’t bother to open the next email you receive from the same company.

Email Design is not just about making it look pretty. Behind the scenes is the code – dull I know, but vital. The code not only ensures that your design is displayed consistently across all email providers, but well formatted XHTML code will also go a long way to making it into your reader’s inbox.

The world wide web consortium provides a code checking tool. It’s by no means fool proof but it will highlight basic errors. The best advice I can give here is, if you’re not sure, call in the professionals.

5. Testing

Closely linked to the coding, consider testing your new best friend. What looks good on your screen may not look good on your readers’. Test your initial design in as many email providers as possible. Outlook and Thunderbird are the most widely used email clients but also consider hotmail, aol, gmail and others.

Also don’t assume because it works fine today it will still be fine in six months. I’m not saying test it in every client every time you send it, but plan regular testing into your campaigns as email clients have a nasty habit of changing the rules on you.

6. Checklist

Double check you have the following within your email:

• Logo
• Website link
• Call to actionContact details
• Max pixel width of 700px - anything larger and the reader may have to scroll both horizontally and vertically
• Alt tag descriptions - in case images don’t automatically download
• Balanced image/text ratio to help avoid spam filters. One big image is fatal
• Registered company details (it’s a legal requirement)
• Solid XHTML code
• Unsubscribe

My final piece of advice would be to not look at your design in isolation. What you are saying is equally important, so spend time planning all elements of your campaigns and you will reap the rewards!