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Supercharge your Cold Emails
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The Complete Guide to Creating Effective Case Study Emails
Want your emails to drive more leads and sales? Forget generic blasts. You need strategic customer success stories that convert.
This guide will teach you how to craft compelling case study emails that grab attention and inspire action.
You’ll get hands-on tips to:
- Choose the perfect success stories
- Structure emails for higher open rates
- Write persuasive copy that sells
- Integrate case studies into your funnel
- Promote studies across every channel
Ready to turn your customer wins into an arsenal of selling case studies? Let’s get started!
Page Contents
What is a Case Study Email?
A case study email is a specialized type of email used in marketing and sales outreach . As the name suggests, case study emails showcase a detailed case study of how a customer achieved success using your product or service.
But what exactly is a case study? And how do case study emails differ from other email types you may use? Let’s break it down.
What is a Case Study?
A case study tells a data-driven story showcasing how a customer overcame a challenge by using your product or service. It focuses on quantifiable results and ROI achieved.
Case studies typically include:
- Problem: The customer’s situation and pain points before using your product.
- Solution: A summary of how your product or service solved their problem.
- Results: Concrete metrics and ROI the customer realized after implementation.
- Testimonial: A client quote or review validating your product’s impact.
For example, an HR SaaS company could share a case study about how Client X reduced time-to-hire by 37% and saved $284,000 in recruitment costs after using their AI-powered hiring platform.
The in-depth analysis proves your ability to deliver results and builds trust.
How Case Study Emails Differ from Other Email Types
Case study emails have a specific purpose – to showcase customer success stories to convert and persuade. This sets them apart from other types of emails:
- Sales emails aim to introduce your solution, pique interest, and directly sell. Case study emails take a subtler educational approach.
- Promotional emails announce offers and promotions. Case study emails focus on social proof.
- Newsletter content shares company updates, thought leadership , and engagement. Case study emails highlight client results.
- Transactional emails facilitate purchases, tracking, and customer service. Case study emails drive leads and conversions.
The unique format of case study emails helps position your product as the proven solution to customers’ needs through real-world examples .
When Should You Send Case Study Emails?
There are several strategic times when sending case study emails can make a big impact:
1. To Qualified Leads in the Consideration Stage
Prospects researching solutions and weighing options are perfect targets . Case studies can tip the scales by proving you understand their pains and can deliver results.
2. To Customers in Free Trial or Pilot Programs
Use case studies to convince satisfied trial users to convert to paid accounts.
3. During Customer Renewal/Retention Outreach
Remind customers why they chose you and reinforce the value delivered through case studies.
4. To Upsell/Cross-sell Existing Customers
Upgrade current customers to higher tiers or expanded offerings backed by proof points.
5. To Prospects Who Previously Showed Interest But Went Dark
Re-engage old leads with new success stories and incentives to revisit your solution.
6. When releasing new products or features
Back up your claims about new offerings with relatable stories of client wins.
7. To Support Content Marketing and Nurture Campaigns
Sync case study emails with your blog, social media, and nurture streams.
8. After Industry Events, Conferences, or Webinars
Follow up with highly relevant case studies around themes and verticals discussed.
Matching case studies to prospect needs and the stage of their journey is key to driving conversions.
Why are Case Study Emails Effective?
Case study emails give you an edge because they:
- Establish Credibility: 82% of buyers view case studies as trustworthy. They prefer validated peer experiences over claims from vendors.
- Showcase ROI: Case studies highlight the concrete ROI – time, money, efficiency – your solution drove for customers. This quantifiable proof accelerates and eases purchase decisions.
- Increase Perceived Value: Compelling stats on the results you’ve achieved make your solution seem more valuable and buyers more likely to pay higher prices.
- Differentiate from Competitors: Unique customer stories and quantifiable outcomes can set you apart and give you a competitive edge.
- Improve Conversion Rates: Emails with case studies can generate conversion rates up to 313% higher than product feature emails.
- Provide Social Proof: 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Case studies offer this social proof.
But not all case study emails are created equal. To maximize impact, you need compelling stories paired with skilled execution.
Let’s look at how to put together a winning case study email.
In summary, case study emails leverage the credibility of customer success stories to connect with prospects and tip them towards your solution. Sending them strategically can significantly move deals forward. Just be sure to highlight relevant examples and metrics tailored to each recipient’s needs. With well-crafted case study emails in your arsenal, you’ll be well on your way to driving conversions and revenue!
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Elements of an Effective Case Study Email
Crafting a stellar case study email that captures attention and drives conversions takes skill. Let’s break down the key ingredients for case study email success.
Subject Line
The subject line is the first and possibly only chance to get your email opened.
Best Practices for Case Study Email Subject Lines
Apply these best practices when writing subject lines:
- Keep it short and scannable – Under 50 characters is best.
- Highlight the core benefit – Summarize the main outcome in 1-2 words like “increased sales” or “reduced costs.”
- Include specifics – Quantify results or mention the customer’s name.
- Trigger urgency – “In 30 days” or “How we achieved X% growth in 3 weeks.”
- Ask a question – “What if you could [benefit]?”
- Use power words – “Case study,” “Success story,” “Results.”
- Mention key terms – Include relevant keywords prospects seek.
- Test different options – A/B test to determine the highest performing subject line.
Case Study Email Subject Line Examples
Here are some example subject lines that apply the above tips:
- “Case Study: How Acme Co Increased Sales 72% in 6 Months”
- “See How We Reduced Hiring Costs 37% for Client X”
- “Client Story: 30-Day Trial to $2.4M in Lifetime Value”
- “What If You Could Gain 8 Hours Per Week? See How Client Y Did It”
- “Success Story – Beating the Competition with 147% More Engagement”
The subject line sets expectations about the value the email provides. Use it wisely to maximize open rates.
Introduction
The introduction paragraph serves two purposes:
- Grabs the reader’s attention
- Provides context on the case study
To craft an effective intro:
- Hook readers quickly – Ask a question, state an impressive stat, or reference recent news.
- Make it relevant – Connect to the prospect’s needs or industry.
- Establish credibility – Note your experience and expertise.
- Set expectations – Summarize the core benefit covered in the case study.
Here are two example opening paragraphs:
“Are you struggling to break through the noise on social media? See how partnering with our social media management experts helped Client X become an industry leader with content that generates 147% higher engagement than competitors.”
This introduction hooks readers by asking about a common pain point, positioning the sender as an expert, and setting expectations by previewing impressive results.
“As leaders in recruiting for Fortune 500 companies, we understand the challenges of finding top-tier executive talent. That’s why we developed our Executive Leadership Placement Program – an exclusive service that reduces time to hire senior roles by 45% on average. Read on to see how we partnered with Client Y to make their Director of Engineering placement a huge success.”
This introduction establishes credibility in a niche, relates to the target audience, and summarizes the program and results covered in the case study.
An engaging intro pulls readers in so they want to keep reading. Take the time to make this critical first impression count.
Problem Statement
The problem statement section explains:
- The customer’s situation before using your product
- Specific difficulties and pain points they faced
Illustrating the customer’s initial struggles enables prospects to relate to the scenario and primes them to see how you provided the solution.
To craft an effective problem statement:
- Provide specifics – Quantify their issues with metrics when possible.
- Use visuals – Charts demonstrating pain points make them more memorable.
- Limit jargon – Explain in simple terms easily understood by any reader.
- Tell a story – Build empathy by bringing the problem statement to life.
Here’s an example problem statement:
Client X is a fast-growing mid-sized SaaS company that struggled with an inefficient hiring process. Their team of 5 recruiters couldn’t keep up with the current needs of the engineering team. This resulted in:”
- Average time to fill a role of 89 days, 35% higher than industry benchmarks
- Peak recruiting costs of $8,400 per hire
- A negative impact on engineering productivity and product roadmap progress
This statement uses metrics, relatable challenges, and storytelling to help readers connect with Client X’s hiring struggles.
Vividly articulating the customer’s difficulties before your product builds anticipation for the solution.
Solution Summary
After setting the stage with the problem, the next step is showing how you swooped in to save the day.
The solution summary section explains:
- How your product or service solved the customer’s challenges
- The approach, program, or package you implemented
To write an effective solution summary:
- Connect to the problem – Explain how your solution addresses the root causes.
- Provide an overview – Briefly describe your product or methodology without getting into granular details.
- Use visuals – Diagrams of your workflow or solution design help cement understanding.
- Spotlight innovation – Highlight any proprietary processes or unique expertise you applied.
Here’s a sample solution summary:
“We customized our Executive Recruiting Program to meet Client X’s specific needs. This included:”
- Leveraging our network of passive executive candidates through invite-only ChannelRx
- Assigning a dedicated 3-person recruiting team with competency mapping expertise
- Proprietary Candidate Fit scoring using 1000+ datapoints to surface best matches
- Streamlined processes to accelerate interviews and offer timelines
This overview explains the solution, touches on differentiators like a proprietary scoring system, and sets the stage for impressive results.
Succinctly convey how you addressed the customer’s problem to spotlight the value you provide.
Results/Benefits
This is your chance to dazzle with jaws-dropping metrics that prove your solution worked wonders.
The results section quantifies:
- The concrete ROI and outcomes achieved
- How the customer benefitted from your product
When presenting results:
- Use specific metrics – % improvement, dollar amounts saved, higher scores, etc.
- Add visuals – Charts demonstrating dramatic before and after results.
- Quote metrics – Call out impressive stats in the body text.
- Provide timeframes – State the period over which the results occurred.
- List multiple benefits – Cover the wide range of improvements across metrics.
Here’s a results section example:
“Partnering with us enabled Client X to completely transform their hiring process and outcomes, including:”
- 55% reduction in time-to-fill for senior engineering roles – from 89 days to 40 days
- $13,000 lower recruiting cost per hire – a 65% reduction
- 4X more high-quality candidates identified through our ChannelRx network
- 79% of placed candidates still with Client X after 2 years, improving retention
Quantifiable proof of ROI and benefits is the whole point of case study emails – so make your results shine.
Social Proof
Social proof builds credibility through voices other than your own, like testimonials.
Include social proof via:
- Client quotes – Word-for-word glowing testimonials about your solution.
- Client logos – Instant brand recognition when prospects see logos of brands they know.
- Reviews – Ratings, awards, and media recognition validate quality.
- Case study details – Location, title, and details on the customer establish legitimacy.
Let’s look at some examples:
Client Quote
“Partnering with [Company] to upgrade our recruiting function has been transformational. The 55% reduction in time-to-fill critical roles has completely changed our hiring game.” – [Name, Title, Client X]
Client Logo
Featured Case Study: [Client Logo]
Rated #1 recruiting agency by Forbes 3 years running
Case Study Details
Acme Healthcare, Silicon Valley’s top hospital network with 10 locations…
Social proof elements lend third-party credibility to back up your amazing claims.
Call-to-Action
Every effective case study email needs a strong CTA guiding the reader to take your desired next step.
Strategic CTAs to include:
- “Schedule a Consultation” – Direct readers to book calls with sales reps .
- “Request a Free Demo'” – Get prospects to view personalized platform walkthroughs.
- “Get a Custom Proposal'” – Move top leads closer to purchase with pricing.
- “Read More Case Studies” – Send to your case study library to peruse more proof.
- “Join Our Upcoming Webinar'” – Promote related nurture content.
- “Download the Full Case Study PDF” – Share an in-depth looks at the client win.
- “Contact Our Team” – Make it easy for intrigued prospects to reach out.
And optimize your CTAs by:
- Making the CTA copy clear, concise, and action-oriented.
- Placing CTAs strategically at the bottom and in a section by themselves.
-Formatting CTAs prominently with color, size, and spacing to draw the eye.
- Using urgency triggers like “limited spots remaining.”
Here are examples of compelling case study email CTAs:
*See More Success Stories in Our Downloadable Case Study Collection [Download PDF]
Learn How We Can Replicate These Results for You [Schedule a Consultation]
Request a Custom Demo Tailored to Your Recruiting Needs [Get Your Demo]
Join Our Webinar on Cutting Hiring Timelines by 45% [Save Your Seat]
The CTA is one of the most critical elements – as it prompts the next step leading to a sale. Make it count.
With these essential ingredients – subject line , introduction, problem, solution, results, social proof, and call to action – you have a proven formula to create high-converting case study emails.
Now let’s look at some overarching strategies to take your case study email success to the next level.
![email design case study](https://blog.mystrika.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/write_Effective_Case_Study_Emails__in_backgrou.jpg)
Strategies for Successful Case Study Emails
You’ve got all the components to craft a persuasive case study email – but how do you take it to the next level?
Let’s explore proven strategies to get your emails opened, read, and driving conversions.
Research and Personalization
Generic case study emails sent en masse see dismal open and conversion rates.
To connect with recipients, you need personalized outreach tailored to their needs.
Strategies for personalization include:
Persona Targeting
Determine what buyer personas you want to reach, like CEOs, marketing managers, developers, etc. Identify their common pain points and goals. Then tailor your case study emails with relevant examples and messaging.
For instance, an email to developers might highlight technical challenges overcome. For CEOs, showcase executive-level ROI metrics.
Individual Research
For your most valued contacts and existing customers, research them more deeply through:
- LinkedIn profiles
- Company websites
- News mentions
- Academic and career backgrounds
- Previous correspondence
Then work these personal details into your emails . Reference past conversations, company milestones, and industry trends relevant to them.
This shows you did your homework and get much better response rates.
Trigger-based Outreach
Send targeted case studies when you know of triggers impacting recipients like:
- Renewing services
- Recently raised funding
- Launched rebranding/new strategy
- Job change/promotion
- Merger or acquisition
- Won an award
- Appeared at an event/conference
Connecting your case studies to what’s currently top of mind for recipients makes your outreach timely and relevant.
Dynamic Content
Marketing automation tools let you dynamically insert personalized content into case study emails like:
- Prospect’s name
- Website/company details
- Specific pain points they cited
- Mutual connections
This level of tailored messaging outperforms generic blasts.
Industry-Specific Stories
Send case studies featuring companies in the prospect’s same industry. For example, retailers want to see success stories from other retailers.
These highly aligned examples make it easier for recipients to envision the results they could achieve.
Personalized, contextual outreach shows recipients you understand their needs and captures more attention.
Follow-Up Sequence
One-off case study emails see very low conversion rates. You need multiple follow up touches over time to drive results .
Best practices for effective follow-up include:
Send at least 3 emails
Studies show it takes an average of 5-12 contacts to convert a cold lead. Sending just one email results in poor conversion.
Three emails is the minimum needed – initial outreach plus two follow ups for non-responders spaced 3-5 days apart.
Experiment with timing
Try different time intervals between follow-up emails to see what converts best. Some common approaches:
- 3 emails in 9 days (3/3/3 cadence)
- 5 emails in 3 weeks (3/5/7/9/11 cadence)
Pay attention to which follow ups get the most opens/clicks and conversions.
Progress through stages
Move contacts through a sequence that mirrors the standard sales funnel:
Email #1: Broad case study overview Email #2: Targeted case study matching needs Email #3: Custom proposal, demo, or call-to-action
Gradually provide more value and get more direct with your asks.
Send “breakup” emails
If non-responsive after 3+ emails, send a “breakup email” letting them know you’ll stop contacting them.
Ironically, many prospect reply to breakup emails to re-engage. Don’t leave follow-up sequences too soon.
Automate for efficiency
Marketing automation enables you to set up sequences, logic, and triggers to run campaigns seamlessly. No manual emailing required.
Don’t stop at one touch – persistently follow up for up to 10x better conversion.
A/B Testing
There’s no one “perfect” case study email for all purposes. You need to experiment and test different approaches.
Areas to A/B test include:
Subject Lines
Try multiple subject line options per campaign segment to see which earns higher open rates. Look at factors like:
- Word choice and phrasing
- Use of questions, numbers, power words
- Specificity (client name, metrics mentioned)
- Length and formatting
Email Content
Test how sections like the problem statement or results are written. For example, which converts better – 3 metrics or 5? Client logo visible or not?
Also test the overall style and tone of writing.
Calls-to-Action
Test placement on the page, wording, design, color, and actual offering. See which CTAs attract the most clicks.
Try different formats for images, charts and other visual elements. See if any significantly outperform in terms of engagement.
Email Length
Test shorter 1-2 paragraph case studies vs. longer, more in-depth stories. Length can impact open and completion rates .
Try minimum 3 variants per campaign and allocate at least 250 recipients per option for statistical significance.
Optimization through testing can improve performance by 49%. Find winning combinations.
Lead Nurturing Integration
Don’t send one-off case study emails randomly. Integrate them into your nurture programs for maximum impact.
Strategic nurturing approaches include:
New Lead Nurturing
Use case studies early in nurture journeys to showcase what you can deliver for leads similar to them. Builds credibility and trust .
Content Upgrades
Offer access to exclusive case studies as an upgrade incentive for providing contact info or completing a form.
Webinar Promotions
Support marketing webinars with case study emails reinforcing the topic being presented.
Renewal Nurturing
Send case studies recapping previous success working together when renewals approach.
Re-engagement Nurturing
Use case studies to remind inactive contacts of past wins and prompt re-engagement.
New Customer Onboarding
Welcome new customers by showcasing case studies aligned to their goals and use cases.
Customer Advocacy Nurturing
Ask satisfied customers for case study participation to turn them into powerful advocates.
Work case study emails into your nurture strategy rather than using them ad hoc.
Metrics Tracking
To refine your case study emails, you need to carefully track performance data.
Key metrics to monitor:
Shoot for 20-50%+ open rates depending on list size and segment. If too low, revisit subject lines and sender info.
Click-through Rates
Click-through rates on CTAs over 2% are decent. If lagging, test CTA design and copy.
Lead Conversion Rates
Measure the % of recipients who convert into sales qualified leads. Good conversion rate goals depend on list quality.
Unsubscribe Rate
High unsubscribe rates signal relevance issues. Improve list health and email personalization.
Engagement Times
When are emails opened? When are links clicked? Activity soon after sending is best.
Sales Impact
Ultimately, tie case study emails to pipeline influence, deal acceleration, and closed revenue.
Tools like Google Analytics make tracking email metrics simple. Analyze data to continuously improve.
Now let’s look at some best practices to take your case study emails to the next level.
![email design case study](https://blog.mystrika.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/write_Case_Study_Emails__in_background_using_s-2-2.jpg)
Best Practices and Tips
Let’s round out your case study email expertise with some pro tips and best practices.
Follow these guidelines to take your efforts to the next level.
Choosing the Right Customer Stories
Not all customer success stories make compelling case studies. You need to carefully select which to highlight.
Ideally, choose stories that are:
Select clients in the prospect’s same industry, company size, role, etc. Similar pain points and use cases establish relevance.
For example, don’t highlight a Fortune 500 case study when targeting a startup.
While showcasing your long company history has merit, recent case studies are most relatable. Focus on wins from the past 2 years.
Choose clients that provide ample specifics on metrics, challenges, and results. Thin or vague stories don’t prove much.
Credentials
Showcasing instantly recognizable logos like Amazon or Apple brings built-in credibility. Big brands pack more punch.
Pull different types of companies, stats, and industries into the mix. This showcases your wide applicability.
Look beyond big name brands to niche but impressive client wins that highlight your expertise in specific areas. Provides depth.
Vet case study options using these criteria to feature your most powerful stories.
Highlighting Specific Use Cases
Rather than covering your solution broadly, zero-in on very specific use cases and challenges you’ve addressed.
For example:
Too broad: “We help recruiters improve their hiring.”
Specific: “We help staffing firms shorten time-to-fill for senior engineering roles.”
Ultra-targeted case studies showcase your specialized expertise needed to solve niche issues prospects face.
Optimizing Deliverability
Even amazing case study emails drive zero conversions if they land in spam folders.
Ensure proper deliverability through:
Sender reputation – Build trust and credibility for your domain with good email habits over time.
List hygiene – Ongoing list maintenance to remove inactive/bounced addresses.
Spam testing – Use tools like MailTester to check spam potential before sending.
Authentication – Implement email authentication like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Personalization – Recipient-specific content shows you’re a real person emailing, not a bot.
Engagement metrics – Monitor unsubscribe rates, abuse reports, etc. Address issues lowering deliverability.
ISP relationships – Proactively report fraudulent emails impersonating your brand to major ISPs. Build trust.
Deliverability should be top priority – optimize it through best practices.
Leveraging Visuals
Emails with visuals see insane boosts in engagement – up to 200-300% higher CTRs.
Types of visuals to include:
- Client logos – Instant social proof and credibility
- Charts/graphs – Visually demonstrate impressive metrics and ROI
- Screenshots – Show your solution and UI/UX in action
- Photos – Spotlight customers looking happy/successful thanks to you
- Infographics – Creative way to showcase compelling stats
- Videos – Bring the case study to life (where possible)
Keep visuals consistent with your brand, aligned to content, and designed for easy mobile viewing.
Let visually-driven storytelling boost engagement.
Promoting Case Studies
Don’t silo case study emails. Promote your success stories across channels:
- Website – Create a public case study section prospects can browse.
- Blog – Publish in-depth studies on your blog and promote via email .
- Social media – Share client wins on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.
- Ads – Run paid social/ SEM ads focused on your top case studies.
- Sales collateral – Feature on company fact sheets, sales presentations.
- PR – Pitch journalists to cover your most impressive customer stories.
- Events – Present case studies at webinars, conferences, and talks.
Cross-channel promotion expands your reach and positions studies as cornerstones of your marketing.
Now let’s switch gears to common mistakes to avoid with case study emails. Learn from others’ flubs!
![email design case study](https://blog.mystrika.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/write__Dealing_With_Misleading_Emails_in_backg.jpg)
Mistakes to Avoid
Creating winning case study emails takes skill. It’s also easy to make missteps that tank your results.
Let’s review common pitfalls to avoid.
Sending Without a Clear CTA
The purpose of case study emails is to drive prospects to take action. That doesn’t happen without a strong call to action.
Yet many neglect to include any CTA or bury it in the text.
Without clear direction, readers don’t convert.
Other CTA mistakes include:
- Weak CTAs like “Contact us with questions.” These won’t compel action.
- Linking to general website pages versus specific conversion-oriented pages. Don’t send readers into a confusing maze.
- Using “Learn More” as the default CTA for everything. Tailor CTAs to each use case and recipient.
- Relying solely on hyperlinked text. Buttons and contrasting colors better highlight CTAs.
- Assuming recipients will see and understand the value of clicking. Spell it out clearly.
Prioritize concise, benefit-driven CTAs in prominent positions. Don’t be afraid to explicitly guide recipients into converting.
Failing to Personalize
Yet another common stumbling block is sending blanket case study emails en masse without personalization.
This ignores the fact that the key to winning attention amidst inbox noise is relevance. Portray how you understand each prospect’s needs specifically.
Failure to tailor typically stems from:
- Rushing to blast out campaigns without strategic list segmentation
- Forgetting to integrate dynamic content and messaging options
- Not researching prospects beyond contact info to uncover pain points
- Having tight budgets or limitations preventing 1:1 outreach
Lack of personalization causes lower open rates, disconnected messaging, and poor conversion rates.
Segmenting lists, researching contacts, and integrating dynamic content is mandatory. Don’t take shortcuts – do the work to personalize.
Missing Follow-Up Opportunities
We’ve stressed the need for persistent follow-up when sending case study emails. But this step still gets skipped too often.
You might assume recipients not interested if they don’t open or respond to the first email. In reality, they probably just missed it in their crowded inbox.
Reasons for dropping the ball on follow-ups include:
- Lacking documented processes and workflows to manage follow-up
- Difficulty tracking where recipients are in sequences manually
- Allowing contacts to fall through the cracks when team members are out
- Not factoring in adequate workload capacity for systematic following up
- Assuming reaching out once or twice is sufficient
Don’t leave money on the table. Set reminders, document procedures, use automation, and keep following up.
Sloppy Metrics Tracking
How do you know what’s working if you aren’t tracking email performance data? Shockingly, many still don’t properly monitor metrics.
Common tracking mistakes:
- Not enabling tracking in email services to capture opens/clicks
- Failing to integrate analytics for attribution monitoring
- Tracking at aggregate rather than campaign-specific levels
- Lacking processes to regularly review and act on metrics
- Not optimizing emails based on response rate data
Blindly sending case study emails without optimization is wasted effort. Implement tracking early and use data to improve.
Irrelevant Case Studies
And finally, a mistake you want to avoid at all costs – featuring case studies with no relevance to the recipient.
For example, don’t send:
- Dissimilar industry examples. Real estate to auto manufacturer.
- Small business case studies to enterprise contacts.
- Stories about solutions they clearly don’t need. HR software to a bakery.
- Outdated stories from decades ago. Times change.
Mismatched or irrelevant case studies signal you don’t understand your prospect. They hurt rather than help your outreach efforts.
Do your homework to identify aligned stories and ask yourself “Does this resonate?” If not, find a better match or don’t send.
Steer clear of these common stumbling blocks and your case study emails will be primed for success.
Now let’s tackle some frequently asked questions.
![email design case study](https://blog.mystrika.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/write_Effective_Case_Study_Emails_in_backgroun.jpg)
FAQs about Case Study Emails
Let’s wrap up with answers to some frequently asked questions about creating and sending case study emails.
How long should a case study email be?
When it comes to email length, shorter is generally better in terms of driving engagement and conversions. But how short is too short?
Aim for 250 – 750 words.
Anything less than 150 words is usually too brief to establish context and make a persuasive case.
At the same time, ultra long-form case studies are best sent as collateral documents rather than in the body of emails.
250 – 750 words lets you cover crucial details without overwhelming readers. Use tools like WordCounter to perfect length.
And remember – well-designed emails with clear formatting and visuals aid scannability so more text feels less intimidating.
When should you send case study emails?
As discussed earlier, key times to deploy case study emails include:
- To prospects demonstrating initial research interest
- To leads reaching a decision stage
- To customers up for renewal
- For new product launches
- To inactive contacts to re-engage
- Alongside related nurture content
- After conferences/events on covered topics
Essentially, timed around moving recipients into and through your funnel.
Ongoing use of case studies builds familiarity and trust over the buyer’s journey rather than limiting to a one-off blast.
What makes a strong case study email subject line?
Strong case study email subject lines:
- Clearly indicate the email contains a case study
- Spotlight the main benefit achieved
- Are scannable (<50 characters ideally)
- Use power words like “success” “results” “case study”
- Incorporate specifics like company names or metrics
- Create intrigue and urgency
This compels the desired action – getting recipients to open and read the full story.
How many case study emails should you send?
Ideally, you won’t blanket blast case study emails. They require a personalized approach tailored to each recipient.
But in terms of frequency, aim to nurture leads with relevant case studies:
- Once early in the awareness stage
- 2-3x more through the consideration stage
- 1-2x near the decision stage
So roughly 4 – 6 case study emails spaced over several months works well for an average sales cycle .
And follow up persistently when you do send an individual email – at least 3+ times.
What CTAs work best for conversions?
The most effective case study email CTAs:
- Direct readers to book meetings/calls with sales
- Lead to demo requests or proposal forms
- Offer access to gated content like full PDF studies
- Promote related webinars and nurture content
- Allow recipients to browse additional social proof
Value-driven, conversion-focused CTAs – not generic “Contact us” or “Learn more” links.
Words like “talk”, “see”, “get”, and “attend” prompt action. And remember to A/B test options.
Other Relevant Questions
What is the best length for a case study email?
Aim for 250-750 words. Anything less than 150 words is usually too brief. But avoid extremely long emails over 1,000 words as well.
Strategic times include reaching out to new leads, customers up for renewal, re-engaging inactive contacts, promoting new products, and aligning with nurture content.
What makes a good case study email subject line?
Strong subject lines highlight the core benefit achieved, use power words like “results” and “success story”, and create intrigue. Keep them scannable at under 50 characters.
How many case study emails should you send to a prospect?
Ideally nurture prospects with 4-6 relevant case study emails spaced over the buyer’s journey, along with persistent follow-up on each message.
What’s a good metric benchmark for case study emails?
Aim for open rates of 20-50% and CTRs over 2% at a minimum. Conversion rate targets depend on list quality.
How do you get customers to agree to a case study?
Offer incentives like discounts, improved services, or publicity. Present it as an opportunity to showcase leadership. Start by featuring your best relationships first.
What makes a good case study CTA?
CTAs should match prospect needs and clearly direct them to convert – like scheduling sales calls, requesting demos, or downloading content.
How do you promote case studies across channels?
Share case studies on your website, blog, ads, email, social media, at events, through PR, etc. Repurpose them widely.
Now let’s discuss helpful software and tools.
![email design case study](https://blog.mystrika.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/10/Lashback-in-Email-Marketing.jpeg)
Tools and Software for Case Study Emails
The right tools and software make creating, sending, and tracking case study emails much easier. Let’s explore solutions to support your efforts.
Email Service Providers
Email service providers (ESPs) like MailChimp, Constant Contact, and Campaign Monitor provide core email marketing capabilities for building and sending case study emails.
Key ESP features include:
Easy Email Creation
Drag-and-drop editors to create professional emails with custom templates and branding .
Contact Management
Collect recipient contact info and group into segments for targeted messaging.
Automated Campaigns
Set up triggers and sequences to send drip campaigns and follow-ups.
Delivery Optimization
Tools to manage subscriber lists, authentication, and deliverability.
Reports on opens, clicks, bounces, and unsubscribes for optimization.
Split test different email content and formats for improvement.
Leading ESPs like MailChimp offer free and paid plans to accommodate needs.
Marketing Automation Platforms
More advanced marketing automation platforms (MAP) like HubSpot and Marketo supercharge case study email capabilities.
MAP benefits include:
CRM Integration
Unified databases centralize prospect/customer data for targeted messaging.
Lead Scoring
Automatically track interest levels to send matching case studies.
List Segmentation
Divide contacts into highly-specific lists and groups.
Visually map nurture programs and complex campaigns.
Landing Pages
Capture leads from case study emails with custom landing pages.
In-depth analytics on multi-touch attribution, conversions, and ROI.
MAPs require considerable investment but maximize results at scale.
Analytics and Tracking
Dedicated analytics platforms provide robust tracking and attribution.
Google Analytics
The gold standard for free email and website analytics. Track opens, clicks, location, devices, and more. Integrate with your ESP.
Specializes in tracking anonymous website traffic to tie back to email and ad campaigns.
Advanced analytics capabilities for web and mobile apps beyond Google Analytics.
Focuses on multi-touch attribution modeling across channels like email, paid social, and search.
Choose stand-alone or plug-in analytics based on your use case.
Syncing your CRM and email marketing provides a complete view of prospect interactions.
Industry-leading CRM integrates with all major ESPs and MAPs like Pardot.
Combines CRM, email, landing pages, and analytics on one connected platform.
Affordable CRM with native email marketing capabilities or ESP integrations.
CRM focused on visual pipelines pulls in email engagement data.
Choose a CRM with bi-directional ESP/MAP syncing to centralize data.
With the right technology combination, your case study email process can scale while providing visibility into what’s working. The technology options are plentiful – pick solutions tailored to your needs and budget.
Let’s wrap things up with some final thoughts.
Key Takeaways
Case study emails are a powerful tool to engage prospects and tip them towards becoming customers.
Here are the key lessons to create emails that convert:
- Define the problem – Explore the customer’s situation and struggles before your product. Use specifics and storytelling to build empathy.
- Explain your solution – Connect how your offering specifically addressed root causes and solved issues.
- Dazzle with results – Quantify the exact ROI, metrics improvements, and benefits gained after using your product.
- Leverage social proof – Weave in testimonials, recognizable logos, awards, and reviews for third-party credibility.
- Drive action with CTAs – Guide recipients into converting through strategic calls-to-action personalized to their needs.
- Research and personalize – Tailor messaging with individual prospect research, targeted use cases, and dynamic content.
- Schedule follow-ups – Persistently follow up at least 5-12 times via workflows and automation to boost conversions.
- A/B test and optimize – Try different approaches for subject lines, content, offers, and more to improve performance.
- Integrate with your funnel – Sync case study emails into your lead nurturing journeys for maximum impact.
- Fix deliverability issues – Authenticate your domain, maintain sender reputation, and monitor blacklists to ensure inboxing.
- Leverage visuals – Infographics, charts, screenshots, logos, and other visuals can boost engagement up to 200-300%.
- Promote everywhere – Extend case studies across your website, ads, blog, social media, sales collateral and more.
With a strategic approach, compelling examples, and persistence, case study emails can become one of your most valuable lead generation assets. Use the templates, strategies and tools in this guide to start showcasing your customer success stories effectively.
- Tips and Tricks
- Starter Kit
- Inspiration
Email Marketing Case Studies To Get Inspired and Ensure Your Campaign’s Success
![email design case study Email Marketing Case Studies To Get Inspired and Ensure Your Campaign’s Success](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/email-marketing-case-study.png)
The importance of email marketing case studies
Eleven must-read email marketing case studies, draper james, amanda perry, turn me royal, eternity modern, shiree odiz, final thoughts.
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Warning: The following email marketing case studies may cause extreme FOMO, uncontrollable excitement, and a sudden urge to revamp your entire email strategy. Proceed with caution.
Still with us? Good. We’re about to take you on a wild ride through a fresh set of email marketing campaigns that captivate, convert, and create champions for brands. Get ready to be inspired and think about how you can apply the lessons from each email marketing case study to your own campaigns, no matter how small your budget or team may be. Read on.
Sometimes, you exhaust all common strategies striving toward your next email marketing goal, and there are only so many experiments you can do on your own. So, learning from the experience of another marketer can be just the perspective shift you need.
Case studies are real-world marketing examples that describe how different companies achieved their email marketing goals. They offer practical advice and proven strategies you can use for your own campaigns. Here are other benefits you can get out of reading email marketing case studies:
- Learn from real-world challenges: Case studies show how email marketing strategies work in action, with all the real-life obstacles and distractions. With this information, you can learn what to account for when using this or that technique.
- Stay updated on the latest marketing trends: Case studies are often created to demonstrate the use of cutting-edge technology and the latest marketing trends . You can learn about the newest best practices in the field and keep your email marketing management competitive and effective.
- Gain inspiration: Sometimes, case studies can spark your creativity and inspire you to try new techniques or adapt successful strategies for your own email marketing campaigns.
All in all, by examining the successes (and stumbles) of others, we can not only learn what works but why it works. And that’s the first step to making your own campaigns a hit.
We are not going to talk about big brands and well-known cases, published by numerous email marketing blogs over and over again. Forget the usual suspects with their sky-high budgets and household names you can find in any other article with a similar title. In our research, we are dialing into the small and medium-sized businesses that have quietly but effectively revolutionized their email strategies. Prepare to be inspired by stories filled with actionable advice, proving you don’t need a blockbuster budget to make a blockbuster impact.
![email design case study Examples of marketing newsletters by Neurogan](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1-8.png)
About the company: Neurogan creates high-quality and safe CBD products.
Challenge: The company had many problems: they needed better targeting to get noticed in a crowded market. They had to keep their reputation safe. They wanted to improve their engagement metrics.
Solution: They decided to start with list segmentation. And then experiment with different types of promotional emails to see which one gets the better response. If emails were left unopened, they set up an automation to deal with that as well. They made sure the design of their email campaigns was appealing to their customers.
Results: The results were pretty impressive — a 76% growth in year-over-year revenue, a 20% increase in open rates. They had 37% more clicks coming from their campaigns. And got a nice increase in revenue for cart abandonment automation.
Key takeaway: Neurogan’s case proves that when email marketing is done right, it remains a very powerful marketing tool. Personalization, knowing your audience, and continuous testing can increase engagement, retention, and revenue, even in the most competitive industries.
Check out the full Neurogan case study .
About the company: Vitrazza is a brand making luxurious glass chair mats.
Challenge: Vitrazza had trouble with their first email campaigns because they didn’t get many responses or sales. There wasn’t enough of the brand’s personality in the basic welcome flow and email content to keep customers coming back.
Solution: The welcome flow was completely redesigned to include customized messages that showed off Vitrazza’s unique selling point. The promotion was more compelling because it was based on customer segmentation and targeted content that included customer reviews and personal messages from the CEO.
Results: Email sales went up by 55%, click-through rates went up by 20%, and open rates for usual campaigns and the welcome flow went over 30% and 50%, respectively. The welcome email series made $564,200 in sales in less than four months. The Memorial Day effort stood out from the rest of the emails and brought in over $90,000.
Key takeaway: Vitrazza’s story shows how small changes to important flows can completely change a business’s email marketing results. Customized, data-driven strategies mixed with real brand stories and smart campaigns can greatly increase online sales and keep customers interested.
Check out the full Vitrazza case study .
![email design case study An example of marketing newsletters by Draper James](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2-7.jpg)
About the company: Draper James is a clothing line launched in 2015 by actress Reese Witherspoon. The brand incorporates classic designs into the wardrobes of modern women.
Challenge: As a luxury brand, Draper James couldn’t figure out a way to use incentives and not appear too pushy. Without motivation, the brand’s subscribers didn’t rush to become paying customers.
Solution: Draper James zeroed in on the messaging and used real-time AI to improve the email campaigns’ copy. This helped to create messages that compelled the subscribers to become first-time buyers. Another clever strategy was to use customer data not only to increase first conversions but to also stimulate repeat purchases.
Results: First-time purchases increased by ten times. Plus, Draper James got a 30% boost in repeat purchases and significant time saved on routine tasks that were automated.
Key takeaway: This case is a reminder for small and medium business owners that the secret to converting leads lies in understanding and addressing the unique needs and desires of their audience.
Check out the full Draper James case study .
About the company: An e-commerce fashion brand.
Challenge: Amanda Perry’s client used to generate sales through a private community in their Facebook group. But when the unpredictable changes in Facebook’s algorithm hit, converting leads into sales became impossible. So the brand decided to look into email marketing.
Solution: Seemingly generic email welcomes were turned into personalized style narratives, complete with brand-centric animations that complemented their marketing campaigns. All of the emails were sent on days and at times the brand’s audience loved to engage.
Results: Over three months, the company gained £25,000 (about $31,000 at the moment of writing) in revenue. The brand’s subscriber base grew by 50%. All of these results were supported by the engagement rates. Open rates increased to 26% while the click-through rate (CTR) made it to 3%.
Key takeaway: This case proves that it’s worthwhile to invest in email marketing even for businesses focused on social media presence. When other channels face turbulence (be it due to the changes in the algorithms or policies), email marketing consistently engages customers and brings sales.
Check out the full Amanda Perry case study .
![email design case study Examples of marketing newsletters of PetLab.co](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-7.png)
About the company: PetLab Co. is a pet wellness firm that makes premium dog supplements and care items.
Challenge: The company offers a wide variety of products and an audience at every stage of the customer journey, from loyal subscribers to one-time browsers. So, they needed to be sure that their email campaigns were aimed at the right segment and that they were not wasting their efforts.
Solution: Through precise email segmentation, the company changed advertising so that every pet owner felt like the best of the bunch. They ran comprehensive A/B testing, experimenting with CTAs, send timing, and even how removing PetLab Co’s name from subject lines affected open rates.
Results: Increased click rates by 53% and open rates by 24%. Not to mention, total clicks increased while bounce rates decreased.
Key takeaway: Segmentation is your best friend. It guarantees your message reaches the right people at the right time and turns a random visit into a sale.
Check out the full PetLab Co case study .
![email design case study Examples of email marketing newsletters from Turn Me Royal](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/4-8.png)
About the company: Turn Me Royal is a unique service that turns pictures of their customers into bespoke Renaissance-style portraits.
Challenge: The business needed to create an all-encompassing email marketing plan, but first, it had to build an email list and earn customers’ trust. After this, the main challenge was segmentation and making the content relevant to different groups of clients.
Solution: Email marketing experts created a full welcome flow for the brand. The efforts were mostly focused on big sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Email campaigns were designed to target specific groups, such as VIP customers. The brand also started dynamic email campaigns to show how fun it is to give personalized portraits as gifts.
Results: Before the changes, email marketing brought nothing but a mere 5% of total income. Within the first month, this metric jumped to 15% and then settled at an average of 30% per month. The email list grew to over 25,000 people.
Key takeaway: Strategic, creative, and focused email marketing management can make the customer experience much better. This proves that email campaigns can be a strong foundation for e-commerce success. At the same time, standard strategies like promotional emails or segmentation stay the golden standard for businesses at the start of their email marketing outreach.
Check out the full Turn Me Royal case study .
![email design case study Example of a marketing newsletter of Eternity Modern](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-4-1.jpg)
About the company: Eternity Modern is a furniture shop customers love for its mid-century modern sofas, high-end lighting, and wooden items.
Challenge: Previously, the company didn’t invest in email marketing and now needed to build the strategy from the ground up. Eternity Modern also had to make this new sales channel profitable.
Solution: The company made a welcome series, a cart abandonment sequence, and an upsell/cross-sell sequence, as well as 6 other email flows. Next, Eternity Modern separated the subscriber base into groups and amped up the email frequency. Moreover, the company cleaned the email list saying goodbye to uninterested and disengaged customers with a sunset campaign. All of these strategies combined decreased the spam rates and made deliverability more consistent.
Results: From zero revenue, email marketing results came out of the woodwork to $80K/month in three months, hitting $289K/month by the 11th month.
Key takeaway: The company was dedicated to a thorough email strategy with segmentation and dynamic flows, balanced content. It also accepted continuous testing. These steps helped the furniture shop use email marketing to the fullest and turn it into a sound sales channel.
Check out the full Eternity Modern case study .
![email design case study Examples of Nadaré Co’s email campaigns](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/6-5.jpg)
About the company: The brand creates inexpensive yet high-quality jewelry that would not tarnish or get ruined by water.
Challenge: The company didn’t have many employees and had to handle a lot of different email and pop-up systems. It wasn’t working.
Solution: The brand used TikTok to build a big email list before the launch and kept adding to it with pop-ups. Then, they made targeted email ads and automated flows that worked well with the people they had just found.
Results: After the changes, Nadaré Co was getting 29% of its revenue from automated email marketing efforts. One email sent after purchasing, for example, has brought in over $10,000 more in sales.
Key takeaway: A well-thought-out plan that includes important email marketing flows, such as welcome emails and emails to customers who abandoned their carts, can engage clients more and help you make more money.
Check out the full Nadaré Co case study .
![email design case study Email examples and results of DSLRPros](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/7-6.png)
About the company: DSLRPros is a marketplace for drones and related accessories.
Challenge: Their emails were not engaging enough and there was no consistency in the sending schedule. The content of the messages was quite redundant. Also, their approach lacked personalization and segmentation.
Solution: The business changed the way it does email marketing totally. This included a big increase in emails sent and the creation of fully automated email flows for different stages of the customer journey. Their strategy included better content (including webinar promotions). This helped to establish DSLRPros as even more of an expert in the aerial business.
Results: More than a million emails were sent in less than six months, the click rates went up by 115%, and the number of new clicks increased by 445%. Orders increased by 4.4 times, and the order rate tripled. This caused average revenue per recipient to rise by 227%, and total revenue rose by an amazing ninefold. Notably, the browse abandon flow had a click rate of over 7%, which brought in a lot of money.
Key takeaway: DSLRPros greatly increased their return on investment (ROI) through personalized communication, sending more emails, and dividing their audience into segments. And so can you.
Check out the full DSLRPros case study .
![email design case study Shiree Odiz’s cart abandonment email example](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-5.png)
About the company: Shiree Odiz is a small diamond jewelry store. Their goal is to make classic, fine diamond jewelry that is made in an ethical way and has classic patterns that have been updated for comfort, durability, and high-end looks.
Challenge: The brand had a hard time with high cart abandonment rates, even though their first email flow for people who had abandoned their shopping carts got some responses, it wasn’t enough to bring back a lot of lost income.
Solution: Shiree Odiz set up an automated email with an easy checkout link that was sent an hour after a shopping cart was abandoned. The next day, another follow-up email was sent. It had a minimalist email design (text-only) and included a personal note and a small discount.
Results: The first email has a 41.4% open rate and a 1.4% click rate, bringing in $15,300 in a quarter. The following email has a 30.6% open rate and added $69,400 in revenue.
Key takeaway: Simple, bottom-of-the-funnel methods like sending follow-up emails at the right time can help you make more money with little work. Follow-up emails that include personalized deals can be a great way to get people who have left items in their carts to return.
Check out the full Shiree Odiz case study .
About the company: Astana Hub is the biggest global tech park and IT startup hub in Central Asia. It was created in 2018 to help innovative IT companies grow and bring in talented IT workers from all over the world. Astana Hub is home to over 1,300 people and works with companies like Draper University, Binance, Google for Startups, and EPAM.
Challenge: The company was looking for the right tool to start its email marketing efforts to onboard users to its mobile app, announce and promote events, and attract participants and partners.
Solution: They pulled and segmented the contact list from their CRM into groups based on industries, events, and lead status. The marketing team at Astana Hub used Selzy to design newsletters and change their emailing schedule. They now send newsletters twice weekly and combine daily emails into a single weekly digest as one bulk email.
Results: Astana Hub got 28,000 people to download its brand-new mobile app, with a 63% email open rate and a 26% click-through rate. Email marketing was a cheap way to stay in touch with its subscribers, and Selzy’s ability to divide its customers into groups made them more engaged and raised awareness about the company.
Key takeaway: Good segmentation and proper email frequency can boost user engagement, open rates, and click-through rates. It can contribute not only to revenue but also to other marketing goals like user onboarding and increasing brand awareness.
Check out the full Astana Hub case study .
Impressed by these case studies and eager to work on your own strategy? Register in Selzy and revamp your email marketing. Selzy is an email marketing platform with all the features you might need like forms, responsive templates, analytics, and more.
All of these email marketing cases prove that the road to each company’s success is unique. But if you want to make yours less winding, explore these tried and true ideas:
- Make your emails feel personal. Customize your messages and make them unique to your brand. Just like everyone likes a thought-after birthday gift, people prefer emails that feel personal. If your audience likes what you send, your open rates will improve and your relationships will be better.
- Try basic strategies first. Cart abandonment or subscriber engagement problems can often be solved with a simple, well-timed email. So before doing a one-eighty, try the basic strategies.
- Use dedicated software. Email-sending services like Selzy simplify your process while also providing data reports and automation. Overall, they greatly help you optimize your strategy for more engagement and conversion.
- Tell your brand’s story. Your brand’s story is a powerful strategy on its own. Engage your audience with stories that match their own experiences and goals, turning casual browsers into devoted consumers. For example, start by introducing your company’s founder, and try this in the welcome series to make a positive first impression.
- Test, learn, adapt. The digital world is always changing. Stay flexible: test different methods, learn from your analytics, and be ready to adapt your plan. Keep up with the trends and expectations but also evaluate the tendencies before committing to them in full.
![email design case study Ana Balashova](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/anastasia_balashova-380x380.jpeg)
How To Send HTML Emails: A Detailed Guide
Mother's day promotion ideas to celebrate motherhood and drive sales, latest articles.
![email design case study Email Churn Rate Explained: What It Is, How to Calculate It, and How to Improve](https://selzy.com/en/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/email-churn-780x380.png)
The Foolproof Guide To Email List Building
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How to Feature Customer Case Studies in Your Emails: 10+ Examples
Case studies are the best kind of social proof. But how exactly do you incorporate them in your SaaS emails to drive engagement?
![email design case study Hibathu Naseer](https://userlist.com/assets/authors/hibathu-naseer.png)
Case studies, use cases, customer stories, community spotlights… You name it. They all serve the same purpose: to showcase the value of your product using real customer stories.
It's the best kind of social proof, and the best inspiration.
But how exactly do you incorporate case studies in your emails to drive engagement? Let's look at 10+ email examples featuring case studies from top SaaS brands.
Why you should use case studies in your email marketing strategy
Case studies in emails have the potential to increase engagement metrics and deliver powerful results. We asked experts about their results earned by incorporating customer case studies in their email campaigns. Here are two note-worthy achievements:
- Peter Michaels, CEO of Yeepsy , says that they saw a click-through rate of approximately 14%, which was significantly higher than their average CTR for similar campaigns.
- Simon Bacher, CEO and co-founder of Ling App , shares that an email marketing campaign that included a case study brought them a whopping 30% conversion rate.
Why do case studies in emails bring such great results?
The best kind of social proof. Case studies featuring real names from well-respected companies provide strong social proof, enhancing credibility and trustworthiness among prospects and existing customers.
Inspires action. Case studies showcase innovative uses of your product, inspiring customers to explore new and creative ways to maximize its potential.
Helps solve specific challenges. With real-world examples, case studies highlight how your product successfully addresses specific customer pain points. This provides practical insights that resonate with your audience.
Builds a moat of differentiation. There may be other companies that offer the same solution as yours, but your customer success stories are unique. This sets your brand apart from competitors and differentiates your offering in the market.
Establishes a sense of community. Sharing customer case studies fosters a sense of community among your customers. You encourage them to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another.
Entertains readers. Case studies provide real-life stories and examples that entertain and captivate readers. By presenting relatable narratives in real-life scenarios, the content will be engaging and memorable.
How to incorporate customer case studies in emails
Here are some tips to help you craft an email with customer stories.
Use the before-during-after framework
Simplify your case study email by focusing on just the facts. Learn what the user experienced before, during, and after they used your product. We previously had a conversation with Joel Klettke about powerful case studies where he talks about this framework in detail.
Evoke emotion
Alternatively, you can choose to focus on the sentiment side. Case study emails don't have to be just focused on quantitative results. You can add a human element.
Structure your email based on how the experience made a personal impact on your customer (aside from how it solved a challenge). This will help distinguish your brand from your competitors who might also use case studies.
Include measurable results if possible
If your case study features results that your customer received, make sure to include that in your email. A statement like "X [company/person] who uses this feature for Y step, has saved Z number of hours" would work. This will help them quantify the benefit(s) of your product.
Keep it short
When featuring case studies in emails, it's best to keep it concise and engaging, leaving the reader curious for more. Let the full case study do the talking — a persuasive narrative, effectively showcasing the value and impact of your offering.
Make sure your email copy includes a hook that piques the reader's interest and lets them know what to expect from the case study.
Segment and personalize the right way
To maximize results, send targeted case studies based on interest, demographic, or buying stage. For this, you'll need to segment your email list properly.
Here's a segmentation hack that Nick Gaudio, Director of content at Rattle , shared with us:
"One major hack is tying case studies to domains of subscribers. So you get somebody who signs up for an account or your newsletter. Then, create an industry column, and group new subscribers into buckets based on what their email tells you. For instance, back when I was at Rev.com, when I'd get a .edu email, we'd send a case study catalog of all the ways transcription services had helped other big-name universities. It helped that we had a lot of big names in our pockets to pull from. For catch-all uses where the emails were general (think: your GMails and your Yahoos), we'd send the biggest logos we had."
The bottom line is: segment users as much as possible. Try to find out specific characteristics for segmentation. And then send case studies that would interest each group.
Additionally, personalize the email content to address specific pain points or interests.
Explore different formats as case studies
Case studies don't always have to be downloadable content pieces. You can include podcast episodes, articles, videos, and even webinars. You can also showcase customer's work as examples in your emails.
Below you can find helpful examples of case study emails in different formats by SaaS brands.
Mix and match the formats
Here are some ways you can use case study materials in your emails. You can mix and match those to fit your goals:
- As standalone emails in your lead nurture and lifecycle campaigns
- Within your newsletters, as a special block
- As community roundups (same as Webflow and others do below)
Examples of emails featuring case studies
Let's look at how some of the best SaaS brands creatively use case studies in their emails strategy.
#1. Webflow
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Webflow's email showcasing builds made by customers](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-webflow.png)
Webflow is a tool that allows no-coders to create professional, custom websites with a visual canvas.
Webflow's newsletters showcase websites built by some of their customers. They use an image and a short description with a link to the customer's website.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Figma's email showcasing plugins and creatives made by customers](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-figma.png)
Figma , a popular design software, showcases community accomplishments in their newsletter.
They also share plugins and other reusable creatives by other Figma users. While this isn't exactly a 'customer story', it has the essence of it, and email makes a great distribution channel for these.
#3. Descript
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Descript's email showcasing a customer's experience with the tool](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-descript.png)
Descript is a video and podcast editing software.
They use email to share some of their case studies done as customer interviews. In this particular email, the author specifies a challenge the customer faced, which is likely a common pain point for others as well. The copy is short and catchy and tells the reader what to expect. They link to the interview at the end.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Loom's email showcasing customers' experience with the tool](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-loom-1.png)
Loom is a screen recording software with async video.
Loom shares short customer creations during their onboarding flow. New users can get inspiration and quickly understand more about the product.
They also offer a round-up of case studies presented as a guide.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Loom's email showcasing a use case presented as a guide](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-loom-2.png)
Note how they include a specific number, and include the results accomplished by their customers. The email promotes specific Loom features without sounding too promotional.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Toggl's email showcasing a user's experience with their tool](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-toggl.png)
Toggl is a time tracking tool that helps save time and make the most of productive hours.
To provide new subscribers with inspiration, one of their onboarding emails features a case study about one of their clients.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Feedly's email showcasing use cases told through imaginary personas](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-feedly.png)
Feedly is a tool that helps prioritize content you want to read across the internet with the help of an AI research assistant.
Feedly uses imaginary personas as case studies during their user onboarding. Instead of a long product demo video, they opted for a visual email that helps users understand the different ways they can use the product.
Although these aren't real case studies, they serve the purpose of informing the user about the product benefits with real scenarios.
#7. Mercury
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Mercury's email showcasing a founder spotlight story](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-mercury.png)
Mercury , the startup bank, includes a "founder spotlight" section in their newsletter.
These customer stories, in the form of Q&As, are not necessarily product-focused. Rather, they tell the founder's story and the company they built. The email features one of the Q&A and links to the rest.
#8. Shopify
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Shopify's email showcasing one of their podcast episodes](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-shopify.png)
Shopify , an ecommerce platform, features multiple case studies on their blogs and other channels.
Another example of a case study promoted in a newsletter. This one promotes an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast, which has insightful conversations with Shopify store owners and industry experts.
#9. Airtable
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Airtable's email showcasing a customer's experience with their tool](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-airtable.png)
Airtable is a low-code platform for teams that build apps and productivity tools.
In this newsletter, they showcase how one of their customers used Airtable to move their items. They include just enough information to spark curiosity on this use case.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Canva's email showcasing creatives created by their customers](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-canva.png)
Canva , an online graphic design tool, is known for its community-focused approach to marketing. They regularly initiate design activities and challenges that users participate in.
In some of their newsletters, Canva showcases a few creations by the Canva community. The one above has a few personal website designs by creators.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of VSCO's email showcasing customer experiences](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-vsco.png)
VSCO is a professional photo and video editing tool.
VSCO has a creator-focused newsletter. In this edition, they mention how two creators used the Montage feature available on their product and links to the VSCO journal, a visual blog.
![email design case study Case Study Email Examples: Screenshot of Rev's email featuring Netflix and Hulu's experience with transcriptions](https://userlist.com/assets/illustrations/case-study-email-examples-rev.png)
Rev , an AI transcription company, sends out case study emails to new leads and customers.
The email copy has a light tone and uses learnings from Netflix and Hulu as lessons for their customers. They keep it concise and link to the downloadable case study at the end. Bravo!
Leverage case studies in emails to bring better results
Let's look at the key takeaways from the examples:
- Highlight a pain point that your product solves, or a challenge your product helped overcome.
- Include measurable results if possible, allowing customers to quantify the benefits of your product.
- Evoke emotion by adding a human element to your case study emails, going beyond just quantitative results.
- Segment and personalize case studies based on interests, demographics, or buying stage to maximize their relevance and impact.
- Explore different formats for case studies such as podcast episodes, articles, videos, or webinars to provide diverse content options in your emails.
- Keep case study emails short and engaging, enticing readers to learn more through a click for the full case study.
- Mix and match case study formats, incorporating them as standalone emails, within newsletters, or as community roundups, to suit your goals and campaigns.
Incorporating customer case studies in your email marketing strategy can be a game-changer for your business. We hope these examples gave you inspiration for your next email campaign.
Hibathu Naseer is a content marketer who specializes in writing actionable and value-driven long-form content for B2B SaaS brands. She also creates lead magnets and email newsletters that bring in and nurture leads.
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How to Write a Case Study: Bookmarkable Guide & Template
![email design case study Braden Becker](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/53/hubfs/HSHeadshots1818-TheDangerBooth-124-compressor.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=HSHeadshots1818-TheDangerBooth-124-compressor.jpg)
Published: July 18, 2024
Earning the trust of prospective customers can be a major challenge. Before you can expect to earn their business, you’ll need to demonstrate your ability to deliver on the promises of your product or service. The best way to win new business is with cold, hard proof.
![email design case study person at computer writing a case study](https://www.hubspot.com/hs-fs/hubfs/case-study-1-20240717-2565464-1.webp?width=595&height=400&name=case-study-1-20240717-2565464-1.webp)
A great way to prove your worth is through a compelling case study. HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing report found that case studies are so captivating that they were the fifth most commonly used type of content that marketers relied on.
That statistic still holds true in Forbes Advisor’s 2024 study, which adds that 78% of B2B businesses report using case studies and customer stories because they are “ crucial for demonstrating real-world value. ”
Having written these ever more frequently over the past ten years, I hope to serve as your guide through a process that can feel daunting, but I promise is worth the effort. Below, I'll walk you through what a case study is, how to prepare for writing one, what to include in it, and how it can be an effective tactic.
Table of Contents
Case Study Definition
- Why Write a Case Study?
- How Long Should a Case Study Be?
Case Study Templates
How to write a case study, case study format, business case study examples.
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Free Case Study Templates
Showcase your company's success using these three free case study templates.
- Data-Driven Case Study Template
- Product-Specific Case Study Template
- General Case Study Template
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A case study is coverage of a specific challenge a business has faced, and the solution they've chosen to solve it. Case studies can vary greatly in length and focus on several details related to the initial challenge and applied solution, and can be presented in various forms like a video, white paper, blog post, etc.
In professional settings, it‘s common for a case study to tell the story of a successful business partnership between a vendor and a client.
Perhaps the success you’re highlighting is in the number of leads your client generated, customers closed, or revenue gained. Any one of these key performance indicators (KPIs) are examples of your company's services in action.
When done correctly, these examples of your work can chronicle the positive impact your business has on existing or previous customers, helping you attract new clients.
Why write a case study?
I know, it sounds like a huge endeavor — is it really worth it?
The truth is that while case studies are a huge undertaking, they are powerful marketing tools that allow you to demonstrate the value of your product to potential customers using real-world examples.
Here are a few reasons why you should write case studies.
1. Explain complex topics or concepts.
Case studies give you the space to break down complex concepts, ideas, and strategies, showing how they can be applied in a practical way.
You can use real-world examples, like an existing client, and use their story to create a compelling narrative that demonstrates how your product solved their issue. Most importantly, it explains how those strategies can be repeated to help other customers get similar, successful results.
2. Show expertise.
Case studies are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise on a given topic or industry. This is where you get the opportunity to show off your problem-solving skills and how you’ve generated successful outcomes for clients you’ve worked with.
3. Build trust and credibility.
In addition to showing off the attributes above, case studies are an excellent way to build credibility. They’re often filled with data and thoroughly researched, which shows readers you’ve done your homework.
A robust case study instills confidence in the solutions you present because the reader has now vicariously experienced the problem — and they followed, step-by-step, what it took to solve it. These elements work together, enabling you to build trust with potential customers.
4. Create social proof.
Using existing clients that have seen success working with your brand builds social proof .
People are more likely to choose your brand if they know that others have found success working with you. Case studies do just that — put your success on display for potential customers to see.
All of these attributes play together like an orchestra to help you gain more clients. Afterward, the case study acts as a reference. You can pull quotes from customers that were featured in these studies to repurpose them in other marketing content.
How long should a case study be?
Now that you’re more acquainted with the benefits of producing a case study, let’s explore how long these documents should be.
The length of a case study will vary depending on the complexity of the project or topic discussed. However, as a general guideline, case studies typically range from 500 to 1,500 words.
Whatever length you choose, it should provide a clear understanding of the challenge, the solution you implemented, and the results achieved.
This may be easier said than done, but it‘s important to strike a balance between providing enough detail to make the case study informative and concise enough to keep the reader’s interest.
The primary goal here is to effectively communicate the key points and takeaways of the case study. It’s worth noting that this shouldn’t be a wall of text. Make it attractive to dive into by using headings, subheadings, bullet points, charts, and other graphics to break up the content and make it more scannable for readers.
I’ve also seen more and more brands incorporate video elements into case studies listed on their site for a more engaging experience, which is highly recommended given that video is currently the best performing marketing content format.
![email design case study case study format, forbes table of best performing content marketing formats](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/hubfs/case-study-2-20240717-7794975.webp)
In terms of the interview structure, I recommend categorizing the questions in a way that the answers flow into six specific sections that will mirror a successful case study format. Combined, they'll allow you to gather enough information to put together a rich, comprehensive study.
Open with the customer's business.
The goal of this section is to generate a better understanding of the company's current challenges and goals, plus how they fit into the landscape of their industry. Sample questions might include:
- How long have you been in business?
- How many employees do you have?
- What are some of the objectives of your department at this time?
Cite a problem or pain point.
To tell a compelling story, you need context that helps match the customer's needs with your solution. Sample questions might include:
- What challenges and objectives led you to look for a solution?
- What might have happened if you did not identify a solution?
- Did you explore other solutions before this that did not work out? If so, what happened?
Discuss the decision process.
Exploring how the customer decided to work with you helps to guide potential customers through their own decision-making processes.
Sample questions might include:
- How did you hear about our product or service?
- Who was involved in the selection process?
- What was most important to you when evaluating your options?
Explain how a solution was implemented.
The focus here should be placed on the customer's experience during the onboarding process. Sample questions might include:
- How long did it take to get up and running?
- Did that meet your expectations?
- Who was involved in the process?
Explain how the solution works.
The goal of this section is to better understand how the customer is using your product or service. Sample questions might include:
- Is there a particular aspect of the product or service that you rely on most?
- Who is using the product or service?
End with the results.
In this section, you want to uncover impressive measurable outcomes — the more numbers, the better. Sample questions might include:
- How is the product or service helping you save time and increase productivity?
- In what ways does that enhance your competitive advantage?
- How much have you increased metrics X, Y, and Z?
It’s a smart idea to send a copy of your interview questions to your subject ahead of time so they can prepare strong answers and collect the numerical data you need from them.
10. Lay out your case study format.
When it comes time to take all of the information you‘ve collected and actually turn it into something useful, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I always do, but I also know that it works out in the end, so I just jump on in and work it through.
So where should you start? What should you include? What's the best way to structure it?
It‘s important to first understand that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the ways you can present a case study.
They can be very visual, which you’ll see in some of the examples we've included below, and can sometimes be communicated through video or photos with a bit of accompanying text.
Here are the sections I’d suggest, and I'll cover these in more detail after #11 below:
- Title. Keep it short. Develop a succinct but interesting project name you can give the work you did with your subject.
- Subtitle. Use this copy to briefly elaborate on the accomplishment. What was done? The case study itself will explain how you got there.
- Executive Summary . A 2-4 sentence summary of the entire story. You'll want to follow it with 2-3 bullet points that display metrics showcasing success.
- About the Subject. An introduction to the person or company you served, which can be pulled from a LinkedIn Business profile or client website.
- Challenges and Objectives. A 2-3 paragraph description of the customer's challenges, before using your product or service. This section should also include the goals or objectives the customer set out to achieve.
- How Product/Service Helped. A 2-3 paragraph section that describes how your product or service provided a solution to their problem.
- Results. A 2-3 paragraph testimonial that proves how your product or service specifically benefited the person or company and helped achieve its goals. Include numbers to quantify your contributions.
- Supporting Visuals or Quotes. Pick one or two powerful quotes that you would feature at the bottom of the sections above, as well as a visual that supports the story you are telling.
- Future Plans. Everyone likes an epilogue. Comment on what's ahead for your case study subject, whether or not those plans involve you.
- Call-to-Action (CTA). Not every case study needs a CTA, but putting a passive one at the end of your case study can encourage your readers to take an action on your website after learning about the work you've done.
When laying out your case study, focus on conveying the information you've gathered in the most clear and concise way possible.
Make it easy to scan and comprehend, and be sure to provide an attractive call-to-action at the bottom — that should provide readers an opportunity to learn more about your product or service.
11. Publish and promote your case study.
Once you‘ve completed your case study, it’s time to publish and promote it.
Some case study formats have pretty obvious promotional outlets — a video case study can go on YouTube, just as an infographic case study can go on Pinterest.
But there are still other ways to publish and promote your case study. Here are a couple of ideas.
Lead Gen in a Blog Post
As stated earlier, written case studies make terrific lead-generators if you convert them into a downloadable format, like a PDF.
To generate leads from your case study, consider writing a blog post that tells an abbreviated story of your client‘s success and asking readers to fill out a form with their name and email address if they’d like to read the rest in your PDF.
Then, promote this blog post on social media, through a Facebook post or a tweet.
Published as a Page on Your Website
As a growing business, you might need to display your case study out in the open to gain the trust of your target audience.
Rather than gating it behind a landing page, publish your case study to its own page on your website, and direct people to it from your homepage with a “Case Studies” or “Testimonials” button along your homepage's top navigation bar.
The traditional case study format includes the following parts: a title and subtitle, a client profile, a summary of the customer’s challenges and objectives, an account of how your solution helped, and a description of the results. You might also want to include supporting visuals and quotes, future plans, and calls-to-action.
![email design case study case study format, crunch fitness title](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/hubfs/case-study-9-20240717-6965310.webp)
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Showcase your company's success using these free case study templates.
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Case study email templates
![email design case study Case study email templates](https://www.liveagent.com/app/themes/liveagent/assets/images/templates-category_content.jpg?ver=1.25.23)
A great way to convince potential customers that your company can solve their problems is by providing real-life examples. Case study emails can do this by being the social proof that showcases how your customers use your products or services and what results they get. That could be driving sales, increasing productivity, or improving customer service, just to name a few examples.
How is a case study defined?
Case study email subject lines , case study email template 1 – results of using a product or service, case study email template 2 – try a product or service again, case study email template 3 – requesting participation, frequently asked questions, how should i share a case study, why use a case study, what is the best way to write a case study.
Use our fully customizable pre-sale email templates to spark your potential and existing customer's interest in your sales campaigns.
Use our customer email templates to invite users to join your customer portal, reset their password, provide feedback, and more.
Email still remains one of the major customer service channels for a huge number of consumers. Check out our free customer service templates.
The article discusses the importance of email in sales and marketing with a potential return on investment of up to 4400%. Ready-made email templates for different occasions like sales introduction, prospect follow-up, loyalty programs, and customer birthday offer emails are featured. Reminder email templates for trial expiration, renewing subscription, and overdue payments are also discussed. Survey email templates, including tips for gaining customer feedback, and examples of bad email practices with tips for writing effective business emails are included as well.
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![email design case study Customers all across the globe.](https://images.hiverhq.com/images/2024/logos/wsdisplay.png)
17 Customer Success Email Templates for Every Use Case
Deliver Faster Support Right From Gmail
Table of contents.
While multi-channel support is a norm today, 77% of customer teams still use email to build and nurture customer relationships. Sending contextual and relevant emails at the right touchpoints in the customer’s journey improves customer retention.
But sending emails with the appropriate intent at the right time can be time-consuming. So, you can use our free AI email writer to generate original content within minutes.
In such cases, it is quite helpful to have a few customer success email templates ready to be used.
We’ve listed 17 amazing customer success email templates to help you improve your customer experience. But, before we jump into it, let’s first understand the importance of customer success emails.
Table of Contents
Why are customer success emails important.
An important aspect of building lasting customer relationships is engaging your customers in meaningful conversations. And effective, well-timed customer success emails are an integral part of these conversations. Emails can be used to educate and update your customers, improve product adoption, upsell, and even prevent churn. All of which, ultimately impact the revenue.
Also Include a professional email signature template in your email to establish a positive association between yourself and the company you represent
9 Benefits of Customer Success Email Templates
Customer success email templates are a powerful tool that brings consistency, efficiency, and personalization to your customer communications while saving time and ensuring a seamless customer experience. Here’s what they can help you achieve:
17 Customer Success Email Templates + Examples to Engage with Customers
Now, let’s get down to business!
If you don’t have the professional to work on email designs, that’s absolutely fine. You can start with the simple, clear and concise customer success email templates shared below to drive meaningful conversations with your customers.
1. Onboarding email template
Successful onboarding is a crucial part of the customer experience. In fact, a well-planned customer onboarding strategy helps customers realize the value of your product, thereby improving customer retention.
Here’s a customer success onboarding email template you could use.
Subject: Welcome to [Company Name], [Customer Name], Let’s get started! Hi [Customer Name], Starting tomorrow, we’ll send you a daily tutorial for the next 4 days, focusing on different aspects of [Product Name]. These tutorials will help you gain confidence in using the features effectively. Here’s a sneak peek at what you can expect in the tutorial series: Day 1: [Tutorial Title 1] Learn the basics of [Important Feature] and how to get started. We’ll walk you through the essential steps to set up and navigate the feature smoothly. Day 2: [Tutorial Title 2] Discover advanced techniques and best practices for maximizing the benefits of [Important Feature]. We’ll cover key tips, strategies, and real-world examples to help you achieve remarkable results. Day 3: [Tutorial Title 3] Dive deeper into [Important Feature] with an exploration of its advanced functionalities. We’ll demonstrate how to leverage these advanced capabilities to take your experience to the next level. Day 4: [Tutorial Title 4] In our final tutorial, we’ll address frequently asked questions and provide expert insights to troubleshoot common challenges and optimize your use of [Important Feature]. Feel free to apply these concepts to your [mention customer’s use case] . If you have any questions or need further assistance, our dedicated support team is here to help you every step of the way. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]
When drafting a customer onboarding email, you need to ensure that you are hitting three important components:
Gmail’s onboarding email does an excellent job at checking off the above pointers.
![email design case study Example of Google Workspace onboarding email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Google-Workspace.png)
Here is why it works:
2. Welcome/Introduction email template
The welcome email is your first contact with customers after they sign up for your product. Naturally, you want to keep your email information light at this stage and use friendly language to establish quick rapport without distractions.
Highlight your product’s value proposition and keep things super simple and straightforward while guiding your user to their first Aha! moment. Use branded color schemes and include images and logo designs showing your product in action.
You can use this welcome email template to initiate a successful customer journey.
Subject: Welcome to [Company Name]! Let’s get started. Dear [Customer’s Name], We’re thrilled to have you join us. We are fully committed to delivering an exceptional experience right from the beginning. In the next 24 hours, your dedicated customer success manager will reach out to you to help you set up your account seamlessly and integrate necessary systems, if any. Meanwhile you can access our comprehensive <hyperlink your knowledge base here> resources to learn how to make the most of our platform. Please be assured that our 24×7 support team is always on standby to assist you with any questions or challenges you may have. We’re glad to have you onboard and excited about what lies ahead! Best, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]
Take a few pointers from Playbuzz:
![email design case study email design case study](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Playbuzz-1.png)
Here’s why it works:
Over 10,000+ teams use Hiver to build stronger customer relationships. See How Hiver Works.
3. Pro Tips/Best Practices email template
At this stage, the user has taken their first steps and used your product. But there may be times when they feel lost or overwhelmed with your product features, especially if you have a slightly more complicated product or service.
In such cases, it is a great idea to send users product setup emails to proactively help move them past friction points and provide them with relevant suggestions that help them get more value from your product, increase customer satisfaction, and prevent customer churn.
Here’s a template you could use when you want to offer pro tips on an important feature. It’s assumed here that the said feature will help you create filters, export data and automate tasks. Feel free to tweak it to suit your use-case.
Subject: Pro Tips: How to Get the Most Out of [Feature name] Hi [Customer Name], I know you’ve been using it for a while, but I think you might find these tips helpful. Tip 1: Use [feature name] to create custom filters. One of the best things about [feature name] is that you can use it to create custom filters. This means you can quickly and easily find the information you need. For example, you could create a filter to show all leads that have been generated in the past week. Tip 2: Use [feature name] to export data. [Feature name] also makes it easy to export data. This means you can share data with your team or with other applications. For example, you could export a list of leads to a spreadsheet or to a CRM system. Tip 3: Use [feature name] to automate tasks. [Feature name] can also be used to automate tasks. This means you can save time and effort by having the app do things for you. For example, you could automate the process of sending follow-up emails to leads. I hope these tips help you get the most out of [feature name]. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thanks, [Your Name]
Slido’s product setup email does an excellent job encouraging users to take the next steps and provides subtle help and suggestions.
![email design case study Example of Slido's pro tips email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Slido.png)
Here’s why it works:
4. Upgrade email template
Customer success teams use upgrade emails to drive free trial and premium models. When done right, these emails convince prospects to convert into paying customers—or upgrade from a free plan to a paid one.
To write an effective update email template, you need to:
You can also provide your customer support email address or link for the user in case they have any additional questions about upgrading.
Here’s an email template you can use to convince customers to upgrade to a paid plan.
Subject: Upgrade your [Product Name] account to continue accessing premium benefits Dear [Customer’s Name], Thank you for trying out [Product Name] during your free trial. With only [X] days left in your trial period, we encourage you to upgrade to a paid plan and elevate your experience. Here’s why it’s worth it: 1. Unlock Premium Features : Gain access to exclusive features that enhance productivity and streamline your workflow. 2. Enjoy Unlimited Usage : Say goodbye to usage limitations and enjoy the benefits of unrestricted access. 3. Priority Support : As a paid customer, you’ll receive priority assistance from our expert support team. 4. Future Enhancements : We’re continually improving our product, and as a paid customer, you’ll have early access to new updates and enhancements. Upgrade your account now by clicking [upgrade link] or reach out to our support team at [contact information] for assistance. Please note that your trial period ends in [X] days. Don’t miss out on the premium benefits that await you! Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]
Take this email from Zapier, for example.
![email design case study Example of Zapier's upgrade email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Zapier.png)
5. Case study email template
93% of consumers say online reviews influenced their purchase decisions.
You can leverage this behavior by using case studies to convince potential customers that your company can solve their problems. Think of it as a detailed social proof that showcases how your current customers use your products or services and the results they achieve through them.
How to write a case study email template?
To start, make the case study the entire focus of the email. Write a short copy highlighting the results of using the product or service and what insights the recipient can hope to get after reading it.
Here’s an case study email you could use:
Subject: How [Existing User] Overcame [Painpoint] Hi [Lead Name], [Existing User] is a [industry] company that was struggling to [challenge]. They were using [previous product/primitive method], but they weren’t seeing the results they wanted. After switching to [Your Product], [Existing User] was able to see a [increase] in [metric]. They were able to do this because: [Your Product] is easy to use. [Your Product] is scalable. [Your Product] provides excellent customer support. To read the case study, simply click the link below: [Link] Best, [Your Name]
Niice is one of the few brands that do case study emails really well.
![email design case study Example of Niice's case study email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Niice.png)
6. Customer feedback email template
Businesses constantly talk about offering personalized customer experiences. One of the facets of offering a personalized experience is to listen to your customers. Customer feedback allows you to capture the VoC (Voice of Customer),identify your customer’s challenges, what they like about your product, what they’d like to improve, and more.
A great way to collect feedback is by sending out well-designed customer feedback emails from time to time.
While designing a customer feedback email, it is good to keep these pointers in mind.
Here’s a simple customer feedback template you could use.
Subject: What Can We Do Better? Hi [Customer Name], We’re always looking for ways to improve, and your feedback is essential to our success. Here are a few questions that I’d like to ask you: 1. What do you like about our product? 2. What could be improved? 3. What features would you like to see added in the future? Your feedback is confidential and will only be used to improve our product. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, [Your Name]
Take this example from Algolia.
![email design case study email design case study](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Algolia.png)
Deliver Empathetic Service at Every Turn. Boost Customer Satisfaction with Hiver
7. Renewal Reminder Email Template
A renewal reminder email template is an email sent to customers to remind them that their subscription is about to expire. The goal of this email is to encourage customers to renew their subscription so that they can continue using your product or service.
Here’s a simple renewal reminder email template you could use.
Subject: Your subscription to [Product Name] is set to renew automatically Hi [Customer Name], We wanted to remind you that your subscription is up for renewal soon. Renewing your subscription ensures uninterrupted access to our platform, enabling you to maximize the value it brings to your business. Renewal Details: – Expiration Date: [Expiration Date] – Plan: [Plan Name] – Cost: [Renewal Cost] To renew your subscription, simply visit your Account Dashboard > Settings > Payment. If you have any questions or need assistance, reach out to our team at [contact information]. Thank you for choosing [Company Name]. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to serving you in the next subscription period. Best regards, [Your Name]
Fathom is an alternative to Google Analytics. Here’s the message they send when it’s time for your renewal.
![email design case study Example of Fathom's Renewal Reminder Email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/saas-renewal-email-examples-fathom-1024x941.jpeg)
8. Testimonial Request Email Template
Testimonial request email templates are a great way to gather positive feedback from your customers. These templates can be used to request testimonials from customers who have had a positive experience with your product or service.
When writing a testimonial request email template, it is important to be clear and concise. The email should include the following information:
The email should also be personalized to the customer. This means addressing the customer by name and mentioning something specific about their experience with your product or service.
Sure, here is a short testimonial request email template for a customer success team with an incentive:
Subject: Request for testimonial + 2 months of free Elite Plan Hi [Customer Name], I’ve been working with you for the past [X] months, and I’m so glad to see how much you’ve accomplished with [product name]. You’ve really taken to our product/service, and I’ve seen how it’s helped you overcome [mention customer’s pain point]. I would be honored to feature your testimonial on our website and in our marketing materials. Please let me know if you have any preferences regarding these. As a token of my appreciation, I’d like to offer you a 2-month free trial of our Elite Plan. This is our most premium plan, and it includes all of the features and benefits that we offer. I know that you’re already a satisfied customer, but I think you’ll really love the added benefits of the Elite Plan. Here are a few questions that would help me write your testimonial: 1. What were your goals before you started using our product/service? 2. How has our product/service helped you achieve your goals? 3. What are some specific examples of how our product/service has helped you? 4. What would you say to other potential customers who are considering using our product/service? I would also be happy to record a video testimonial with you if you prefer. Your testimonial would be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you’re interested in providing one. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, [Your Name]
This email works because it is personalized, specific, and offers an incentive.
9. Customer Milestones Email Template
Customer milestones are an important opportunity for customer success teams to show their appreciation for customers and to celebrate their successes. By sending a personalized email to the customer, customer success teams can highlight the customer’s achievements and show how their product or service has helped them succeed.
Some examples of customer milestones that customer success can celebrate include:
Here’s a simple template you could use to congratulate your customer for their milestones.
Subject: Celebrating your 2023 Milestones with [Product Name] Hi [CustomerName] Congratulations on a remarkable milestone with [Product Name]! By leveraging our solutions, you saved [X] hours and increased efficiency by [X]% this year. Your achievements have inspired others in our community. As a token of our appreciation, we have upgraded your account to our premium package for [X] months free of charge. Enjoy the added features and resources to fuel your continued success. Thank you for trusting us on this journey. We look forward to celebrating future accomplishments together. Sincerely, [Your Name]
The Spotify Wrapped email campaign is a great example of how to celebrate customer milestones.
![email design case study Example of Spotify's popular Customer Milestone email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1FcIEsA-1024x1024.jpg)
The campaign sends personalized emails to users highlighting their listening habits throughout the year. This is a great way to show appreciation for customers and celebrate their successes.
Here’s why this works
10. Subscription Cancellation Email Template
Subscription cancellation email templates are a great way for customer success teams to reach out to customers who have decided to cancel their subscription. These emails can be used to:
Here’s an email template you could use to let your customers know that their subscription has been canceled.
Subject: Confirmation: Your Subscription Has Been Cancelled Hi [Customer Name], I want to confirm that your subscription to [product or service] has been canceled. Your account will expire on [date]. I understand that you may have decided to cancel your subscription for a number of reasons. I would be grateful if you’d like to share your feedback with me. You can do so by replying to this email or by visiting our [feedback form]. In case you’ve changed your mind, you can always reactivate your subscription by visiting the “Payments” section of the “Accounts” tab in your profile or by contacting our customer support team at [mention support email]. I want to thank you for being a valued customer of [product or service]. We hope that you enjoyed using our product or service, and we wish you all the best in the future. Sincerely, [Your Name]
The Basecamp “Subscription Cancelled” email is an effective way to communicate with customers who have canceled their subscriptions.
![email design case study Example of Basecamp's Subscription Cancellation Confirmation Email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/basecamp_account_cancellation_email-1024x1010.png)
11. Customer Referral Program email template
Customer referral programs or affiliate programs or can prove to be valuable to your customer success strategy.
Offering an affiliate program can incentivize your most loyal customers to continue spreading the word about your SaaS tool, and may even convince skeptical/non-buyers to continue exploring your tool.
This win-win situation will also ensure that your customers have a longer lifetime value, as they explore different use cases of your tool. People in your affiliate program will also be actively involved in offering feedback and ways to improve your tool, creating a customer feedback cycle that allows you to align customer success with product development. Here’s an example you can use to encourage your customers to refer your product to others.
Subject: Refer a friend and get a $50 voucher! Hi [Lead Name], We’re offering a $50 voucher for the first person who signs up for our product through your referral link, and a $100 voucher for each subsequent person who signs up. We know that word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful ways to grow our business, and we’re grateful for your help in spreading the word. If you know anyone who would benefit from using our product, please let them know about our referral program. They can simply click the link below to sign up: [Link] When they sign up, they’ll be able to enter your name as their referral source. We’ll then send you a $50 voucher for your next purchase. And if you continue to refer people, you’ll earn a $100 voucher for each subsequent person who signs up. If you have any questions or need further assistance, our dedicated customer support team is here to help. Feel free to reach out to us at [contact information]. Thank you for being a valued customer and for considering participating in our customer referral program. Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]
Ranktracker offers a very generous lifetime 20% affiliate commission and this is their email:
![email design case study Example of Ranktracker's affiliate email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Ranktracker.png)
Additional resources you may like: 1. 10 Email Templates for your Customer Support team 2. Write Awesome Customer Service Emails: Best Practices + Templates 3. 7 Gmail Templates to Improve Customer Experience in 2023 4. 10 Live Chat templates for your Customer Support team
12. New feature email template
Users receive tons of emails every day. If you want to get customers excited about your latest feature, you need emails that successfully pique your customers’ interest and get them excited about what you’re offering.
While the general idea is to make the new feature email template a concise reflection of your brand and its offering, here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind:
Here’s a simple email template you could use to promote your new product/service.
Subject: Introducing [New Product/Feature] that solves [Painpoint] Dear [Recipient’s Name], I’m excited to announce the launch of our latest offering: [New Product/Feature] <add link to feature page/blog post>. Designed to [specific benefits], it is our answer to [customer pain points/challenges] and represents a significant milestone in our commitment to providing innovative solutions. Here’s how you’ll benefit with [New Product/Feature]: [Highlight Key Benefit 1] [Highlight Key Benefit 2] [Highlight Key Benefit 3] [New Product/Feature] is available on Pro and Elite plans. Click here <insert pricing page link> if you wish to upgrade and avail this feature. Feel free to reply to this email or reach out to support at <insert support team’s email> for any clarifications. I look forward to hearing from you soon! Thanks, [Your Name]
This email from Yoto is an excellent example of how to do a product feature launch right.
![email design case study email design case study](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Yoto.png)
13. Win-back email template
Win-back emails let you re-engage with inactive contacts who have made purchases or signed up for your email list but have stopped opening your emails. They get people to interact with your emails and CTAs again, which, considering it’s five times more costly to get a new customer than to retain a loyal customer, is a significant advantage.
A great win-back email can work on its own, but we recommend building a strategically-timed sequence that includes targeted messages for best results.
Here’s a simple follow-up email template you could use.
Subject: [Your Product] is still here for you. Hi [Lead Name], I noticed that you stopped using [Your Product] after your free trial ended. Is there anything I could do to help you get back on track? Here’s a reminder of the great things [Your Product] can do for you: [Benefit 1] [Benefit 2] [Benefit 3] I’d be happy to set up a time to chat with you and answer any questions you have. Or, if you’d prefer, you can just reply to this email and let me know if I can help you sort out any challenges you may faced during the trial. Thanks, [Your Name]
Look at how Teespring absolutely nails win-back emails.
![email design case study Example of Teespring's win-back email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Teespirng.png)
14. Webinar invite template
Sending out thoughtfully-crafted webinar invites will help you maximize attendees while simultaneously promoting your business and image authenticity. This strategy is both helpful for email marketing as well as customer success.
When drafting a webinar invite, ensure it answers the classic Ws and H (Who, What, When, Why, and How). This includes:
Here’s a simple template you could use to invite users and leads to your webinar.
Subject: Join Our Exclusive Webinar: [Webinar Title] Dear [Recipient’s Name], We are excited to invite you to an exclusive webinar hosted by [Company Name]. This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights and expand your knowledge on [topic of the webinar]. Title: [Webinar Title] Date: [Webinar Date] Time: [Webinar Time] Duration: [Webinar Duration] Registration Link: [Webinar Registration Link] Add to Your Calendar: Gmail | Outlook | iCal You will learn valuable strategies, best practices, and practical tips to achieve [desired outcomes or goals]. These include: [Key takeaway 1] [Key takeaway 2] [Key takeaway 3] This interactive session will also include a live Q&A segment where you can directly ask our experts any questions you may have. Should you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to reach out to us at [contact information]. See you at the webinar! Best regards, [Your Name] [Your Title/Role] [Company Name] [Contact Information]
Take some pointers from this webinar invite from Teachable.
![email design case study Example of Teachable's webinar email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Teachable.png)
15. Book a Call Email Template
SaaS businesses use these emails with the intention of converting non-paying customers to paying ones. Successful book-a-call templates usually play on high personalization and humanization of the brand. It’s important to have this email written on behalf of a direct representative, for example from your customer success managers or a subject matter expert.
Of course, you need to also add a clear CTA that links directly to a booking page so that it’s easy for customers to get the support they need. Here’s a call-scheduling email template that you can use:
Subject: Let’s Set Up a Call to Discuss Your Needs Hi [Lead Name], My name is [Your Name] and I’m a [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I’m reaching out because I was interested in learning more about your business and how we can help you achieve your goals. I saw that you downloaded our [Product Name] ebook, and I wanted to see if you’d be interested in setting up a call to discuss your needs in more detail. During our call, we can talk about: 1. Your business goals 2. The challenges you’re facing 3. How our products and services can help you overcome those challenges I’m available to chat on [Date] at [Time] or [Date] at [Time]. Please let me know if either of those times work for you. If not, feel free to block my calendar on Calendly. I’m happy to work around your schedule. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks, [Your Name]
Take this email from Shipyard.
![email design case study email design case study](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Shipyard.png)
16. Promotional email template
Brands have the superpower to create a sense of suspense and intrigue whenever a new product or service is just about to be launched.
You can always announce such launches, run a good advertising campaign for them, and finally, as soon as the intrigue reaches its peak, send out effective emails announcing the come out of the promised product or service.
Subject: Black Friday Sale: Save 50% on Your First Year with [Product Name]! Hi [Lead Name], Black Friday is just around the corner, and we’re excited to offer you a special deal on [Your Product]. For a limited time, you can save 50% on your first year of subscription. This is a great opportunity to try our product and get a practical experience of how it can help you optimize your [insert customer use-case]. Your Product] will help you: [Benefit 1] [Benefit 2] [Benefit 3] To learn more about our Black Friday sale, simply click the link below: [Link] You can avail this offer till [Insert Date and Time] Feel free to reply to this email or reach out to the 24×7 support team at [Insert Support Team email] for any queries. Thanks, [Your Name]
This strategy is also perfectly integrated into one of the most popular streaming services – Netflix’s email marketing. A seemingly casual, simple promotional email has an attachment of a poster of the TV series, the second season of which was eagerly awaited by thousands of people.
![email design case study Example of Netflix's promotional email](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Netflix.png)
17. Follow-up email template
Did you know follow-up emails typically get a better response rate than the first email? But this only works when you have a good follow-up email template.
A good rule of thumb is to lead with value. Inform customers how your business can help them and improve their existing routine. Speeding things up, automating processes and tasks, and giving free limited-time access to your product are common value-driven benefits.
Here’s a simple Follow-up email template you could use.
Subject: Just checking in I’m writing to you today to follow up on our conversation from [date/day]. I wanted to see if you had any further questions about [product or service]. I’m also happy to answer any questions you may have about our pricing or how our product can help you achieve your goals. If you’re ready to get started, I’d be happy to set up a time to demo our product. Alternatively, if you’re not quite ready to move forward, that’s okay too. I’d just like to keep you updated on our product and see if there’s anything else I can do to help. Thanks, [Your Name]
Another approach to customer follow-up is giving users a gentle reminder about what they can do with your product à la Miro.
![email design case study email design case study](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Miro-335x272.png)
Level up your customer success emails with Hiver
Sending well-timed, thoughtful, and engaging customer success emails is a tried-and-tested way to make customers feel respected and cared for. Not only does it help you win their trust, but it also paves the way for building long-term relationships with your customers that will ultimately improve your business’s bottom line.
Hiver allows you to craft personalized emails and save them as templates with a single click. You can organize different email templates into folders and easily share them with your team. What’s more, you can make your emails visually appealing by embedding relevant images into your email templates. And without having to write a single line of code! Hiver’s email templates are a great way to save repetitive work, improve turnaround time, and elevate your customer success emails.
Deliver stellar customer support right from Gmail
![email design case study CTA image](https://images.hiverhq.com/images/blog/customer-service-cta.png)
![](http://mangareview.fun/777/templates/cheerup/res/banner1.gif)
What Is Customer Happiness? 10 Practical Ways to Keep Customers Happy
Here are 10 effective strategies for driving customer happiness and reducing customer effort in support interactions.
![email design case study impact-of-the-great-resignation-on-customer-experience](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/tr:h-237,w-350,pr-true,cm-pad_resize,bg-FFF4F6/Feature-image.png)
Impact of The Great Resignation on Customer Experience
The Great Resignation caused a massive staff shortage in the economy. We explore its ramifications on customer experience in...
![email design case study customer-engagement](https://images.hiverhq.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/tr:h-237,w-350,pr-true,cm-pad_resize,bg-FFF4F6/customer-engagement.png)
Case study: How a leading email design agency improved email development with Stripo
About the better creative agency, challenge: choosing the best email builder tool.
- Solution: How Stripo is integrated into agency’s workflow
Results: Benefits and strong points of working with Stripo
Top 5 stripo features with examples from the better creative agency, future plans and new developments, wrapping up.
Graphic design teams that work heavily on email marketing designs are particularly picky with their production technology stacks. The right tool can be a force multiplier, but the wrong tool can hurt the quality of designs and output speed.
![Ivona Djordjevic at The Better Creative Agency Ivona Djordjevic at The Better Creative Agency](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/foto-better-creative.png)
Ivona Djordjevic at The Better Creative Agency dives into how Stripo became an instrumental part of their email marketing design workflow, helping deliver high volumes of great email designs to clients quickly.
The Better Creative Agency focuses exclusively on email design and development. This narrow focus was quite intentional and was born from a specific “scratch-your-own itch” need.
The problem
The Better Creative Agency was originally part of Essence of Email , a full-service strategic email marketing agency. Essence of Email realized early on that many of its clients needed both strategy and execution, namely, emails designed and launched for them .
In its quest to find the best arrangement to fulfill its email design needs, the Essence of Email team tried many combinations, such as:
- on-demand freelancers;
- “all-you-can-eat” design services;
- design agencies.
Ultimately, the best results came from developing an internal, email-specific design team. The issue, though, was that the design production team’s ideal workflow and structure operated very differently from those of the email marketing strategy team.
The agency structure that became the best for problem-solving
So, in 2021, they decided to spin the email design services off as a separate business, and The Better Creative Agency was born. This allowed for achieving optimal service quality across both agencies, as Essence of Email focuses heavily on strategy, while email design needs are easily handled by The Better Creative Agency.
The team has since grown to 11 people:
- 2 senior designers;
- 6 junior designers;
- 2 quality assurance testers;
- 1 creative director.
As we bring on new clients, we also hire new designers since we really pride ourselves on quality over quantity. Ivona Djordjevic, The Better Creative Agency
The team creates email designs for promotional campaigns, flow emails (automation), blog emails, and onboarding sequences, as well as nurture, post-purchase, and themed campaigns.
The agency’s primary clients fall into two categories:
- Brand internal marketing teams that want to speed up production, increase click-through rates, and freshen up their designs.
- Other digital agencies and email marketing agencies, such as BellCurve and ForestCityDigital, that want to outsource their email design production to achieve faster turnaround times, consistently high quality, and cost efficiencies.
About 60% of customers are from the eCommerce industry; the rest include B2B and SaaS brands/agencies. Currently, the company handles the email design needs of 20+ regular customers, with more onboarded daily.
After the agency focused on email design and development in 2021 as their main priority, the team began choosing tools to help make all their processes efficient and build high-quality emails.
They already had experience with standard drag-and-drop editors provided by various ESPs, and the main difficulty they faced was the built-in editors’ lack of functionality to create attractive and diverse emails.
Moreover, being email marketing platform-agnostic, the team required a consistent tool to easily export email designs to different client email platforms.
Therefore, the main criteria for the tool they were looking for were:
- a robust set of email design-oriented features;
- a tool that helps actively improve design quality;
- ease of access and teamwork;
- flawless integration with major email marketing platforms.
Solution: How Stripo is integrated into agency’s workflow
After an exhaustive search, the agency selected Stripo in January 2021 and has used it ever since.
We’ve explored some other builders to see what they’ve done since 2021, but none have really matched Stripo’s level. Ivona Djordjevic, The Better Creative Agency
The initial tests of the tool were quite promising. The Stripo editor interface was quite intuitive, which made getting started with creating emails straightforward. The team decided to integrate Stripo into their core email design workflow.
Over time, the team has developed a knowledge base of manuals, documentation, and training videos to help new designersrapidly master the Stripo tool.
Agency workflow for email design
The design production workflow is critical for delivering high-quality email designs quickly and at scale.
Here’s a map of the current workflow:
![Agency workflow map Agency workflow map](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/agency-workflow.png)
Definition phase
The key to optimal result for client is to lock in a detailed creative brief for the email during the definition phase. This saves a lot of work during the later revision rounds because the first drafts of the email design will be much closer to the intended result.
This approach helps to solve problems such as a client receiving a different design than they expect at the beginning of the collaboration.
Clients fill out a template design brief, which is reviewed by the agency’s creative director or senior designer. If the brief is sufficiently clear and thorough, it is passed to the design phase with internal commentary. If not, clarification may be requested from the client.
Production & revision phase
The designer then initiates work on the first draft in Adobe XD, a popular graphic design tool. After it’s finished there, the designer replicates the visual design inside Stripo. The robust feature set of Stripo makes this step easy, bridging the gap between the raw email graphic design and an optimally coded email.
After the draft is complete in Stripo, it goes through a design review round when it is checked for alignment with the creative brief. This is followed by a quality assurance (QA) review round, which checks for syntax issues and includes thorough checks for rendering, accessibility, dark mode, and mobile optimization using Email on Acid (EoA).
By the way, Stripo is integrated with Email on Acid , and you can check and preview your emails right in our editor. This is convenient and allows you to speed up the creation of emails even more since all verification is performed immediately after creation.
A senior designer also performs a design review after the QA check to make sure everything makes sense design-wise. Once everything goes through, the draft is passed over to the client for feedback.
Stripo is well integrated into this process because during the review rounds, the Stripo link is passed along internally and through to the client.
Finalization phase
After full client approval of the draft Stripo email design, the email undergoes a final round of QA checks and is then exported from Stripo.
The many integrations Stripo has with popular email marketing platforms make this process very simple. The agency primarily works with Klaviyo and Omnisend but has also worked with many other email platforms, such as SendGrid and SendPulse.
The export is usually as easy as clicking “Export” and selecting the pre-integrated ESP. This function optimizes the code (minimizing the email size) while preserving the quality. The email appears as a similarly named template inside the client’s ESP.
Sometimes, exported variants of the email design accommodate A/B split testing.
Finally, the client receives a final test preview sent directly to their email and a notification that the email is fully loaded and ready to be scheduled!
Here’s an example of a finished email campaign design:
(Source: Email by The Better Creative Agency)
Such a workflow process allows each participant to accurately understand their tasks at each stage of development and be effective. Thanks to this, the team produces over 400 email designs each month, with each designer creating 3–4 emails daily.
Important note from the Stripo team
By the way, for agencies working with many clients in Stripo, convenient storage of all your created emails is possible. Stripo allows you to create several projects and store all the emails there. At any time, you can access them, reuse them, etc.
Projects allow you to organize your work across different customers. They are like folders, with the opportunity to have various settings. In addition to regular email template storage, you can invite other participants to your projects for further collaboration and customize project settings to reduce the time required to create email templates.
After integrating Stripo into their workflow process, The Better Creative Agency team experienced a boost in click-through rates (CTRs) and overall improved campaign results, mainly due to the variety of content and layouts they could use and experiment with.
We improved the email quality significantly just by increasing the number of things we can do design-wise, and improvements in click rates also followed. Ivona Djordjevic, The Better Creative Agency
Stripo has also saved the team a lot of time by easily replicating raw email designs with high fidelity.
Key benefits of using Stripo
- The code editor is really easy to access — a huge plus.
- The mobile version is better optimized than any other ESP.
- Most email marketing platforms’ native email builders have a couple of steps you have to go through just to upload an image, while in Stripo, you can drag it straight from your computer to the editor. In short, these features help speed up production.
- Stripo has many more options for formatting copy and text.
- The “hidden on mobile” feature works well with Klaviyo and other ESPs.
- Having the separate, modular layout blocks of “Block>Container>Structure>Stripe” is incredible, as it gives you many options to customize each design element.
Here are some Stripo features that The Better Creative Agency likes the most.
1. Separate rounding corners on structures.
![Email example with separate rounded corners Email example with separate rounded corners](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/separate-rounding-corners.jpeg)
(Source: Email design by The Better Creative Agency)
2. Background images for each part operate separately, so live text can be inserted on top of an image. The Better Creative Agency team is so impressed by its simplicity and quality.
![Email example with background images Email example with background images](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/email-example-with-background-images.jpeg)
Here’s another example of this feature:
![How to insert live text on top of an image How to insert live text on top of an image](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/insert-live-text-top-an-image.png)
3. The slider for the size of the container inside a structure instead of just having a set 50/50 or 25/75.
In this example, you can see how to make a custom container size in the Stripo editor.
![How to make custom-adjusted container size How to make custom-adjusted container size](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/custom-container-size.png)
This is an example of 50/50, which could serve as a comparison.
![Example of 50/50 container size Example of 50/50 container size](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/50-50-container-size.png)
Here’s an example with different custom container sizes.
![Different custom container sizes Different custom container sizes](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/different-custom-container-sizes.png)
4. Great mobile formatting of live blocks and containers.
Here’s an example using mobile alignment, line spacing, and padding.
![Mobile formatting of live blocks Mobile formatting of live blocks](https://stripo.email/photos/shares/Blog/mobile-formatting-of-the-live-blocks.png)
5. Rollover effects in product blocks.
Here’s another example of using rollover effects.
To date, The Better Creative Agency has primarily worked within mainstream email design frameworks. In the near future, they plan on ramping up implementations of AMP and Google Annotations as those features become more supported.
Here are some key points that have helped The Better Creative Agency become a leading email design agency and made Stripo an essential part of their email design workflow:
- task setting by the client through a brief that includes all the critical information for the designer;
- a well-thought-out production workflow design in which everything is sharpened to get an excellent result;
- Stripo’s robust feature set that makes it easy to implement the design in Stripo after working with design tools;
- Stripo features, such as rounded corners, rollover effects, mobile formatting, and others, have enabled the creation of outstanding email designs right in the Stripo editor;
- an easy way of getting client approval because the Stripo link is passed along internally and through to the client during the review rounds.
As a result, all these points have helped speed up the creation of large volumes of high-quality email designs and make the best designs for the agency’s clients.
28 Email Examples to Inspire Your Email Marketing Strategy [CASE STUDY]
- October 27, 2022
![email design case study email examples case study](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/email-examples-case-study-640x320-3.png)
Email examples are all over the web, and it’s no secret that a comprehensive email marketing strategy can significantly impact your online business.
But as your shoppers are inundated with numerous emails daily, you’ve got to make your messages stand out. After all, around 200 billion emails are sent and received every single day!
![email design case study emails everywhere](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/emails-everywhere.jpeg.webp)
To help you out, we’ve compiled 28 inspiring email examples that cover each part of the sales funnel from the moment a shopper opts in all the way through to post-sale.
We’ve collected email examples that span the entire online sales process including examples of:
- Welcome series
- Browse abandonment campaigns
- Cart abandonment campaigns
- Transactional (order confirmation) emails
- Post-purchase campaigns
- Retention campaigns
- Newsletters and promotions
Use the sales funnel to the left to navigate through each campaign type and view these inspiring email examples and our pro critiques to help implement your next email marketing campaign.
Welcome Email Series Examples
You successfully convinced your shoppers to subscribe to your email list. Now what? The Welcome Email is the perfect message to introduce new opt-ins to your brand, build loyalty from the get-go, and encourage a quick first purchase.
According to this infographic from SmartInsights, Welcome Emails can generate 320% more revenue than regular promotional emails in addition to achieving impressive open, click-through, and conversion rates.
Enjoying this content? Join the other 5,473 eCommerce business owners.
Fab – Highlight Your App
![email design case study fab welcome email](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/fab-welcome-email-e1493887723799.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Fab does a great job highlighting perks such as free shipping and returns in addition to making it easy for new subscribers to set their email preferences off the bat. Showcasing the Fab app makes it easy for shoppers to download Fab for their smartphones, building continuity and cross-device engagement.
Related: The Anatomy of a Perfect Welcome Email
Karen Millen – Boost Your Brand
![email design case study karenmillen](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/karenmillen.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This welcome email from British designer Karen Millen has nice imagery and branding. The only question is, is it enough to encourage shoppers to make that first purchase?
Target – Push Your Discount Program
![email design case study target welcome email](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/target-welcome-email-e1493889945373-1.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: It’s no secret that Target has always done a fantastic job at branding. In this welcome email, the focus is on value and discounts positioning the REDcard front and center which boasts free shipping and 5% off every purchase in addition to clearance items promoted directly below.
Michael’s – Display Your Discounts Smartly
![email design case study michaelsemail](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/michaelsemail.webp)
Email Example Critique: This welcome email makes a nice attempt to let new subscribers know what they can expect to see in their inbox, however placing the discount below the fold may not be the best use of email real estate.
Welcome Email Key Takeaways
- 74.4% of shoppers expect to receive a welcome email when they subscribe. [ source ]
- People that read at least one welcome message tend to read more than 40% of their messages from the same sending brand during the next 180 days. [ source ]
- Welcome emails tend to average open rates that are 50% — 86% higher than newsletters. [ source ]
- Use welcome emails to show shoppers who you are and why shoppers should buy your products. Make it easy for them to complete that first purchase by emphasizing special offers and unique selling points that are hard to ignore.
Welcome emails can generate 320% more revenue than regular promo emails #ecommerce #emailmarketing CLICK TO TWEET
Browse Abandonment Email Examples
Send browse abandonment emails to shoppers who view your homepage, category, product, or site search pages yet never made their way to your cart page. Browse abandonment campaigns can be personalized to match the behavior of your shoppers which makes them especially effective at driving traffic back to a site and converting more sales.
Since around 95% of eCommerce traffic never even makes it to the cart page, browse abandonment emails can be especially effective at generating up to 80% of the revenue that comes from your lifecycle email marketing campaign.
J. Crew – Category Browse Email
![email design case study jcrewcategory](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/jcrewcategory.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: This is an example of an email that would be sent to a shopper who viewed the “shirts and tops” category on J. Crew. Nice, high quality imagery plus related categories displayed below. The only thing missing from this browse abandonment email is personalized recommendations from the browsed category to increase the changes of this abandoning shopper actually returning.
Fresh Photos – Product Browse Email
![email design case study feature page browse abandon example](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/feature-page-browse-abandon-example.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This is an example of an email that would be sent to a shopper who browsed specific products yet did not add any of them to a cart or purchase. The product images with the number of other shoppers who bought the same product is a nice touch but might be more effective if placed above the fold.
Calvin Klein – Site Search Email
![email design case study calvinklein](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/calvinklein.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This is a great example of an email that would be sent to shoppers who searched for the terms “shirts” and “dress shirts”, displaying product recommendations related to their search in the hopes to bring that shopper back to complete a sale.
Illy – Homepage Browse Email
![email design case study illyhomepage](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/illyhomepage-576x1024.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This is an example of an email that could be sent to shoppers who browsed the Illy site but never got any further down the sales funnel. It’s nice that Illy is offering a discount at the bottom of the email, and their placement of social icons at the bottom of the email is smart. The top of the email, however, is a bit busy for an email that’s focused on directing shoppers to make a purchase.
Browse Abandonment Email Takeaways
- Use the on-site behavior of your shoppers to personalize browse abandonment emails and get them back to your store after they’ve left without completing a purchase.
- Make sure to always match the frequency and tone of your emails to the level of purchase intent a shopper has exhibited towards a particular product.
- Display personalized product recommendations to give shoppers more buying options and increase CTR by over 30%.
- Keep calls to action simple and direct matching the behavior of each shopper for best results.
Personalized product recommendations can increase CTR by over 30% #emailmarketing #ecommerce… CLICK TO TWEET
Ghurka – Large Product Image + Personal Tone
![email design case study ghurka](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ghurka.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: This cart abandonment email from Ghurka has a nice personal touch coming from an actual person at the company plus the large, high quality product imagery is on-brand and great for CTR.
2. Dyson – Less is More
![email design case study dysonbasket](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/dysonbasket.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This cart abandonment email example from Dyson is simple and direct. When it comes to cart abandonment emails, sometimes less detail is more effective.
3. Doggy Loot – Create a (Friendly) Sense of Urgency
![email design case study doggyloot](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/doggyloot.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This cart abandonment email from Doggy Loot is cute and on-brand. The tone expresses urgency without being too pushy. The cute dog and language to match helps achieve the balance.
4. Urban Outfitters – Mention Shipping Offers
![email design case study urban outfitters e1493899157661](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/urban-outfitters-e1493899157661.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: Urban Outfitters has a strong brand and email design to match. The only thing is that the cart display is so far down on the email, it’s questionable whether shoppers will click through and return to their carts. The saving grace of this email is that they highlight their “free shipping on orders over $50” policy which addresses on of the top reasons for cart abandonment in the first place: shipping costs.
Cart Abandonment Email Takeaways
- Display the actual products left behind in each shopper’s cart to make it easy for the shopper to come back and complete the purchase.
- Create a sense of urgency with the tone of the email to encourage shoppers to act fast.
- Think about what prevents shoppers from completing a purchase and tackle those issues, like shipping and customer service call outs, within your cart abandonment email to put shoppers at ease.
- Keep the focus on returning to the cart so that shoppers don’t get distracted with other, less lucrative calls to action.
Transactional Email Examples
These are the one-to-one emails containing information that completes a transaction or process completed by your shopper. Think: order confirmation and shipping confirmation emails. Because these emails are sent to shoppers who have just purchased on your site, they offer you, as a merchant, the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the recipients that can even lead to additional conversions.
Although confirmation emails tend to be one of the least developed customer touchpoints in the sales funnel, they boast an average CTR of 12 to 20% which is around 5x the rate of bulk mailings.
Confirmation emails outperform bulk mailings 5 to 1 #emailmarketing #ecommerce CLICK TO TWEET
Philosophy – Display All the Right Elements
![email design case study philosophy](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/philosophy.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This order confirmation email from Philosophy may look jam-packed with info, but it’s got all the right components to both satisfy the shopper’s need for critical post-purchase information and offer multiple opportunities for the shopper to come back to the site and hopefully complete an additional purchase.
Amazon – Make it Easy For Your Shopper
![email design case study amazonemail](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/amazonemail.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Amazon definitely gets it right with this order confirmation. Related product recommendations encourage the shopper to buy more, and the “track your package” button makes it easy for the shopper to keep tabs on the purchase.
Kickstarter – Encourage Social Sharing
![email design case study kickstarter thankyou](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/kickstarter_thankyou-1.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: This Kickstarter order confirmation email is great because it uses social sharing to encourage buyers to promote the product when the purchase is fresh in their minds.
Warby Parker – Build Trust Through Simplicity
![email design case study warbyparker](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/warbyparker.png)
Email Example Critique: Totally on brand, this order confirmation email from Warby Parker found on ReallyGoodEmails.com is unique with its super clean layout and large text. Presenting order information clearly builds trust, which is key.
Transactional Email Key Takeaways
- Clearly display all the order and shipping information shoppers need to know they can trust that their order is safe.
- Since the purchase is freshest in the mind of your shoppers at this point, use confirmation emails to upsell or cross-sell shoppers by displaying related product recommendations that match their purchase.
- Transactional emails have 8x more opens and clicks than any other type of email and can generate up to 6x more revenue. – [source]
Post-Purchase Email Examples
Post-purchase emails help generate repeat purchases and build brand loyalty by helping your customers reconnect to your brand. Send these emails to follow up recent purchases while your store is still fresh in your shoppers’ minds.
Repeat customers tend to spend 500% more than new customers , and although they make up only 8% of site traffic they account for around 40% of your revenue.
Zulily – Referral Program
![email design case study post purchase emails](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/post-purchase-emails-6.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: Zulily is all about their referral program with this post-purchase email. They make it easy for shoppers to share by including a total of 5 different ways to click through and invite friends in addition to incentivizing shoppers with credits.
Pottery Barn Kids – Related Product Recommendations
![email design case study post purchase emails](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/post-purchase-emails-7.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This post-purchase email is a great example of how you can continue the sales process post-purchase. Pottery Barn Kids takes a personalized approach by offering product recommendations that are related to a previous, recent purchase.
Returning customers tend to spend 500% more than new customers #ecommerce #onlineretail CLICK TO TWEET
Mark & Spencer – Ratings and Reviews
![email design case study marks and spencer reviews sml 23n44](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/marks_and_spencer_reviews_sml_23n44.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Ratings and reviews can really impact your business. This post-purchase email is a terrific example of how you can ask your customers to rate and review recent purchases while the sale is still fresh in their minds.
Sephora – Social Sharing
![email design case study sephora2](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/sephora2.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This post-purchase email from Sephora is awesome because it gives shoppers multiple options to share and save their beauty picks on social media plus it offers helpful, pro-inspired content to establish Sephora’s brand as a true industry leader.
Post-Purchase Email Takeaways
- Re-engage recent customers while your brand is at the front of their minds with post-purchase emails.
- 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 72% of consumers say positive customer reviews make them trust a business more, according to Profitero .
- Use a friendly tone thanking shoppers for their recent purchases.
- Don’t be afraid to ask shoppers to share their purchase on social media or submit a review. Shoppers like to help brands they love.
Retention Email Examples
Retention emails are sent to customers who may not have interacted with your brand in a while. Win-back campaigns and replenishment campaigns are powerful messages to get those shoppers back onto your site after some time has passed.
Follow up campaigns like retention emails can average an extremely high open rate of well over 40%. – [source]
Starbucks – We Miss You, Here’s a Discount
![email design case study Winback 1 Starbucks](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Winback-1-Starbucks-1-1.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: Simple, straight to the point. We miss you, here’s a discount. Who wouldn’t want 15% off their coffee purchase?
Clinique – Replenishment Campaign
![email design case study 757cc6277604d1b880db9c7d2a20e5f1 1](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/757cc6277604d1b880db9c7d2a20e5f1-1.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: This is an excellent example of a replenishment campaign that uses high quality imagery and multiple cross-sells.
Related: The Anatomy of a Perfect Replenishment Email
Brickell – Refer a Friend Program
![email design case study brickell email blast 1](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/brickell-email-blast-1.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Brickell’s referral program email is a perfect example of how you can easily encourage your best advocates, your customers, to share your brand with their friends by simply offering a few bucks off their next purchase.
eBay – Rediscovery Campaign
![email design case study eBay reminder email](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/eBay_reminder_email-1.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: Another win-back campaign using a discount to re-engage with past customers. eBay does a great job of making it easy for customers to claim their discount by including detailed instructions for checkout (although it may seem obvious…).
Retention Email Takeaways
Acquiring a new customer is 10x more expensive than selling to repeat customers so retention emails are a great way to get more bang for your buck.
Use win-back campaigns to offer dormant shoppers a special offer or discount making it easy for them to complete a repeat purchase.
Replenishment campaigns are perfect for increasing your customers’ lifetime value, based around the standard purchase cycle for your products or a customer’s individual average order frequency.
Newsletter & Promotional Email Examples
Newsletters and promotional emails are often considered a given when it comes to email marketing for eCommerce, and especially with Gmail filtering out promotional emails from the inbox, it’s critical to make your newsletters and promos stand out with captivating content for your shoppers.
Although newsletters and promotional emails tend to have a very low conversion rate , they can be extremely effective at building brand awareness and loyalty.
Yoyo – Large, HQ Imagery
![email design case study yoyo](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/yoyo.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Awesome imagery and nice showcase of special offers related to shipping, delivery, and returns. The best sellers as product recommendations are a great way to offer shoppers multiple options.
iShop – Display a Testimonial
![email design case study a85bb5b173abfb594ba0a0b17fdb34be](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/a85bb5b173abfb594ba0a0b17fdb34be.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: Although buried below the fold, iShop displays a customer testimonial to help shoppers feel safe to complete a purchase.
![email design case study sample b2b email newsletter](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/sample-b2b-email-newsletter.png.webp)
Email Example Critique: This promo email from Gainger is both informative and helpful by making it easy for customers to share products.
4. Southern
![email design case study Southern e mail newsletter](https://smartmail.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Southern-e-mail-newsletter1491232360.jpeg.webp)
Email Example Critique: In this promo email, it’s all about the brand and the fun(ny) tone.
Promotional Email Takeaways
- Get your shopper’s attention by starting things off with a deal or a giveaway.
- Establish your brand an industry leader by offering advice and helpful content.
- Include social media call outs to offer shoppers an opportunity to engage with your brand off-site.
- To make your newsletters and promos engaging make sure that your content is relevant and on-brand.
Check out these email marketing tips and best practices to help you implement your next email marketing campaign.
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About The Author
More email marketing articles, interactive emails for inspiration & examples, review email marketing – the best way to collect user generated content.
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9 Great Email Marketing Case Studies (and Counting)
- News and Updates Updated August 2020 Posted: August 2015
On this page
Transparency is hot right now, but not in email marketing.
You can see how many Twitter followers a brand has. Lots of businesses blog about their audience growth. And some newsletters share their subscriber count as social proof .
But no one talks about open and click rates, ROI or impact on the bottom line. It’s taboo in the email world.
That makes it really hard to find email marketing case studies. If you want inspiration for your own campaigns, there aren’t many options. You can:
- Read blogs like this one 🙂
- Dive into ReallyGoodEmails.com
- Sign up for newsletters and products to receive their emails
Other than that, all you can do is test your assumptions relentlessly.
We’d like to make it a little easier to read stories about great email campaigns so we collected some of our favorites. Here is the criteria for the case studies we included:
- They are real case studies, not a best practices pieces.
- They include quotes or data from the campaign creators.
That sounds simple until you start exploring the web for stories that meet those two rules. We’d like to add to this list so if you know of a great email story, let us know in the comments.
Together, these posts are long enough to be a book. So we turned them into one.
Download an .epub file
What Startups Can Learn from Watsi’s Wildly Successful Email Campaign
Read it | Share it | Save it
This story is too nuanced to accurately summarize but here’s a primer.
Watsi is the first non-profit to be part of Y Combinator. They crowdsource healthcare funding for people all over the world. To drive recurring revenue, they broke out their monthly donation feature into its own product and launched it separately.
They used email to source early feedback, used social proof to create buzz and built a personalized newsletter to keep users informed about their donations.
Here’s a snippet from this post:
Part of showing people what they’re getting is investing in communications where you aren’t asking for anything. Instead, you’re thanking people for their business or their participation. You’re acknowledging your end of the deal where you’re committed to delighting and surprising them. This is something that for-profit startups tend to neglect – the importance of not just sending a receipt for a purchase, but honing that interaction to make customers feel something more.
Email marketing is isn’t a channel – it’s one layer of a customer-centric company. This case study reveals how complex (and truly valuable) it is to use email to grow a business.
Building a Newsletter Welcome Series from Scratch
Help Scout’s signature flair is purpose .
As they considered how to welcome to new subscribers – and there are more than 51,000 – they knew that aligning business goals with a great experience was key. They pulled it off by ensuring each email sought to achieve a single, measurable goal.
Each of the five emails in the sequence is explained in detail, including the intended purpose and suggestions based on their own learnings.
How The Skimm’s passionate readership helped its newsletter grow to 1.5 million subscribers
Building a profitable business with email is very different than using email to build a profitable business.
Watsi, for example, uses email to support their product. In The Skimm’s case, the email is the product. When newsletters become a business, it’s worth paying careful attention to their strategy. (We detailed an example of this in our Death to the Stock Photo case study .)
The Skimm’s email newsletter reaches 1.5 million daily. That growth has been fueled by an intense understanding of their target reader and an community that is eager to help. There are more than 6,000 “ Skimm’bassadors ” actively spreading the word about this business.
There’s a lot to learn here but if you take just one lesson, let it be this:
The Skimm focuses on women ages 22-34 in big cities throughout the country. They are busy, they’re on the go. It’s a professional audience. And we looked at what they do first thing in the morning. Your alarm goes off, you grab your phone, and you read emails from friends and family first. It really made sense to us to introduce a product that fit in with that routine. And email is very much in the routines of the demo that we’re going after.
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Meet your target audience where they’re already active.
How to Gather 100,000 Emails in One Week
I hope you’re noticing a trend in these case studies: Pulling off a wildly successful email campaign isn’t easy.
Even when the goals are simple, the logistics tend to get messy. The smartest companies dig in anyway.
In Harry’s case, they used a landing page to gather 100,000 emails in the week leading up their launch. As a shaving company, they are competing against institutions like Gillette. The only way to outsell them is to out-maneuver them.
Harry’s drove traffic to a landing page, asked for a signup, then used a referral mechanism to incentivize people to share the product. Those who referred friends earned free products. They gave away a ton of free razors that week but it cost way less than broadcasting the upcoming launch on traditional advertising channels.
This post gets into the nitty gritty of driving the traffic, managing the flood of interest and actually delivering the free products.
The Art and Science of Turning Free Trials Into Happy Customers
If you’re a small startup, you’ll be able to relate to this story.
Alex Smith runs marketing at ContactMonkey . As a growing company with a small team, it became too difficult to onboard new customers one at a time. So Alex created a series of events in the application that trigger emails or pause existing campaigns.
The result was not only happier customers, but faster growth. Once the triggers were in place, ContactMonkey was able to guarantee that each customer received the right messaging at the right time.
This post shares the exact emails and triggers ContactMonkey uses to onboarding their users, along with some ideas for blurring the lines between CRM and email marketing.
The Science Behind Those Obama Campaign E-Mails
I think this line will pique your interest about Obama’s last campaign: “Most of the $690 million Obama raised online came from fundraising e-mails.”
The Obama campaign famously used a casual, conversational in tone in the email subject lines. The most famous subject line was simply “Hey.” Another – “I will be outspent” – raised $2.6 million on its own.
Source: Slideshare
This didn’t happen by accident. The folks behind the campaigns tested incessantly, sometimes playing with a dozen or more variations on a single email. Here’s one of the most interesting findings revealed by digital analytics directo Amelia Showalter:
…these triumphs were fleeting. There was no such thing as the perfect e-mail; every breakthrough had a shelf life. “Eventually the novelty wore off, and we had to go back and retest,” says Showalter.
They bottled lightening over and over through rigorous testing and exceptional copywriting. The viral effect was manufactured, not serendipitous.
What We Learned From A Week Of Prototyping A Newsletter In Public
When Buzzfeed began developing a daily email newsletter, the editors turned to Facebook for feedback. They shared their prototypes ( here’s an example ) with their own friends. They made each iteration of the newsletter public to ensure they could patch any holes before launch.
Interestingly, editor Millie Tran said the most useful part of this exercise was the intense focus on the product/market fit:
The most valuable thing about this exercise was that it allowed us to avoid getting too emotionally attached to any one idea early on and to keep tweaking and adjusting the product to be better.
As we’ve written before, email is an extension of your product and should be treated with the appropriate care.
Buzzfeed also wrote a follow-up to this post about using email to test early versions of their mobile app.
Learning vs. Selling
This is a personal story based on my experience here at Vero. Last year, we created 14-step campaign to welcome new subscribers to the blog. The open rates were decent and we heard some positive feedback from customers about the campaign.
Then we nuked it.
Because it a) wasn’t helping us convert readers into customers and b) it wasn’t helping us learn about our readers. We replaced the entire campaign with a single email.
Tons of people replied and we’ve been able to shape our content and emails to match our readers’ challenges and needs. The lesson is here to create opportunities to learn before you try to sell your product.
The Most Successful E-mail I Ever Wrote
A single email can change a business.
Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby, realized this after he created this masterpiece of a shipping confirmation email :
Source: Smashing Magazine
The email went viral. At the time, no one put any effort into their transactional emails . The personal touch resonated with a lot of people.
That one silly e-mail, sent out with every order, has been so loved that if you search Google for “private CD Baby jet” you’ll get over 20,000 results. Each one is somebody who got the e-mail and loved it enough to post on their website and tell all their friends. That one goofy e-mail created thousands of new customers.
Simon Schmid calls this finesse the “personality layer.” Here are a number of other examples.
A few more case studies from the Vero archives:
- TripAdvisor’s Unfair Email Marketing Advantage
- How Amazon Dominates E-Commerce with Email
- How Death to the Stock Photo Built a Profitable Business with Email
- Why Product Hunt’s Emails Are So Addictive
- Evernote’s Simple But Useful Onboarding Emails
And here’s a few suggestions from readers:
- How The New York Times gets a 70 percent open rate on its newsletters
Want to send more personalized mobile and email messages to your users?
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16 case study examples (+ 3 templates to make your own)
![email design case study Hero image with an icon representing a case study](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/4JZVglEqNwt9L9UpaEjxIo/081978a72c139acccf7ee39ed290ffd8/case-study-hero.png?w=1520&fm=jpg&q=30&fit=thumb&h=760)
I like to think of case studies as a business's version of a resume. It highlights what the business can do, lends credibility to its offer, and contains only the positive bullet points that paint it in the best light possible.
Imagine if the guy running your favorite taco truck followed you home so that he could "really dig into how that burrito changed your life." I see the value in the practice. People naturally prefer a tried-and-true burrito just as they prefer tried-and-true products or services.
To help you showcase your success and flesh out your burrito questionnaire, I've put together some case study examples and key takeaways.
What is a case study?
A case study is an in-depth analysis of how your business, product, or service has helped past clients. It can be a document, a webpage, or a slide deck that showcases measurable, real-life results.
For example, if you're a SaaS company, you can analyze your customers' results after a few months of using your product to measure its effectiveness. You can then turn this analysis into a case study that further proves to potential customers what your product can do and how it can help them overcome their challenges.
It changes the narrative from "I promise that we can do X and Y for you" to "Here's what we've done for businesses like yours, and we can do it for you, too."
16 case study examples
While most case studies follow the same structure, quite a few try to break the mold and create something unique. Some businesses lean heavily on design and presentation, while others pursue a detailed, stat-oriented approach. Some businesses try to mix both.
There's no set formula to follow, but I've found that the best case studies utilize impactful design to engage readers and leverage statistics and case details to drive the point home. A case study typically highlights the companies, the challenges, the solution, and the results. The examples below will help inspire you to do it, too.
1. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Volcanica Coffee and AdRoll
![email design case study On top of a background of coffee beans, a block of text with percentage growth statistics for how AdRoll nitro-fueled Volcanica coffee.](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/5zkCdb92Aqc4B6LGt3Itpt/ebeec0d1cca69cedbf242d74d90454fd/Volcanica-AdRoll-case-study-example.png?w=1400)
People love a good farm-to-table coffee story, and boy am I one of them. But I've shared this case study with you for more reasons than my love of coffee. I enjoyed this study because it was written as though it was a letter.
In this case study, the founder of Volcanica Coffee talks about the journey from founding the company to personally struggling with learning and applying digital marketing to finding and enlisting AdRoll's services.
It felt more authentic, less about AdRoll showcasing their worth and more like a testimonial from a grateful and appreciative client. After the story, the case study wraps up with successes, milestones, and achievements. Note that quite a few percentages are prominently displayed at the top, providing supporting evidence that backs up an inspiring story.
Takeaway: Highlight your goals and measurable results to draw the reader in and provide concise, easily digestible information.
2. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Taylor Guitars and Airtable
![email design case study Screenshot of the Taylor Guitars and Airtable case study, with the title: Taylor Guitars brings more music into the world with Airtable](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/6LEd8k451DjuJ74WiJnAdw/f50700410b8f23ebe056e16e2a713967/taylor_guitars-airtable.png?w=1400)
This Airtable case study on Taylor Guitars comes as close as one can to an optimal structure. It features a video that represents the artistic nature of the client, highlighting key achievements and dissecting each element of Airtable's influence.
It also supplements each section with a testimonial or quote from the client, using their insights as a catalyst for the case study's narrative. For example, the case study quotes the social media manager and project manager's insights regarding team-wide communication and access before explaining in greater detail.
Takeaway: Highlight pain points your business solves for its client, and explore that influence in greater detail.
3. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} EndeavourX and Figma
![email design case study Screenshot of the Endeavour and Figma case study, showing a bulleted list about why EndeavourX chose Figma followed by an image of EndeavourX's workspace on Figma](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/37ShMunWKqi19KqZqyFx0P/baecf9ba5d439525c1042b7a0c1cdeda/EndeavourX-figma-case-study-example.png?w=1400)
My favorite part of Figma's case study is highlighting why EndeavourX chose its solution. You'll notice an entire section on what Figma does for teams and then specifically for EndeavourX.
It also places a heavy emphasis on numbers and stats. The study, as brief as it is, still manages to pack in a lot of compelling statistics about what's possible with Figma.
Takeaway: Showcase the "how" and "why" of your product's differentiators and how they benefit your customers.
4. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} ActiveCampaign and Zapier
![email design case study Screenshot of Zapier's case study with ActiveCampaign, showing three data visualizations on purple backgrounds](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/7Khw3zYIK2VHIt5Zce3mTP/79114737afbe50ea63ad28cbb5b6669b/active_campaign.png?w=1400)
Zapier's case study leans heavily on design, using graphics to present statistics and goals in a manner that not only remains consistent with the branding but also actively pushes it forward, drawing users' eyes to the information most important to them.
The graphics, emphasis on branding elements, and cause/effect style tell the story without requiring long, drawn-out copy that risks boring readers. Instead, the cause and effect are concisely portrayed alongside the client company's information for a brief and easily scannable case study.
Takeaway: Lean on design to call attention to the most important elements of your case study, and make sure it stays consistent with your branding.
5. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Ironclad and OpenAI
![email design case study Screenshot of a video from the Ironclad and OpenAI case study showing the Ironclad AI Assist feature](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/boU64Sb4KEtZMtNWbcm0B/d4c825a4297fc9e55f5d8c0d5a82617f/ironclad.png?w=1400)
In true OpenAI fashion, this case study is a block of text. There's a distinct lack of imagery, but the study features a narrated video walking readers through the product.
The lack of imagery and color may not be the most inviting, but utilizing video format is commendable. It helps thoroughly communicate how OpenAI supported Ironclad in a way that allows the user to sit back, relax, listen, and be impressed.
Takeaway: Get creative with the media you implement in your case study. Videos can be a very powerful addition when a case study requires more detailed storytelling.
6. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Shopify and GitHub
![email design case study Screenshot of the Shopify and GitHub case study, with the title "Shopify keeps pushing ecommerce forward with help from GitHub tools," followed by a photo of a plant and a Shopify bag on a table on a dark background](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/1yqd00ODPxdbWF4Muf0FM9/2f3c2f0222015a1d632e8b487e9407eb/Shopify_github.png?w=1400)
GitHub's case study on Shopify is a light read. It addresses client pain points and discusses the different aspects its product considers and improves for clients. It touches on workflow issues, internal systems, automation, and security. It does a great job of representing what one company can do with GitHub.
To drive the point home, the case study features colorful quote callouts from the Shopify team, sharing their insights and perspectives on the partnership, the key issues, and how they were addressed.
Takeaway: Leverage quotes to boost the authoritativeness and trustworthiness of your case study.
7 . .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Audible and Contentful
![email design case study Screenshot of the Audible and Contentful case study showing images of titles on Audible](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/7cjUfjJD0srKSl2neIESFJ/9b943d11632863fbd9c165676a88db7d/Audible.png?w=1400)
Contentful's case study on Audible features almost every element a case study should. It includes not one but two videos and clearly outlines the challenge, solution, and outcome before diving deeper into what Contentful did for Audible. The language is simple, and the writing is heavy with quotes and personal insights.
This case study is a uniquely original experience. The fact that the companies in question are perhaps two of the most creative brands out there may be the reason. I expected nothing short of a detailed analysis, a compelling story, and video content.
Takeaway: Inject some brand voice into the case study, and create assets that tell the story for you.
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![email design case study Screenshot of Zoom and Asana's case study on a navy blue background and an image of someone sitting on a Zoom call at a desk with the title "Zoom saves 133 work weeks per year with Asana"](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/7lpwkdtXc3SOigHRx222zY/3ddeb7506af0163f43ee34af752b4b89/Zoom-asana.png?w=1400)
Asana's case study on Zoom is longer than the average piece and features detailed data on Zoom's growth since 2020. Instead of relying on imagery and graphics, it features several quotes and testimonials.
It's designed to be direct, informative, and promotional. At some point, the case study reads more like a feature list. There were a few sections that felt a tad too promotional for my liking, but to each their own burrito.
Takeaway: Maintain a balance between promotional and informative. You want to showcase the high-level goals your product helped achieve without losing the reader.
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![email design case study Screenshot of the Hickies and Mailchimp case study with the title in a fun orange font, followed by a paragraph of text and a photo of a couple sitting on a couch looking at each other and smiling](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/5HwBawCVh8mMcTnNxd9nr2/ba07108fa9e13441e68f9887309e6ca2/Hickies-mailchimp.png?w=1400)
I've always been a fan of Mailchimp's comic-like branding, and this case study does an excellent job of sticking to their tradition of making information easy to understand, casual, and inviting.
It features a short video that briefly covers Hickies as a company and Mailchimp's efforts to serve its needs for customer relationships and education processes. Overall, this case study is a concise overview of the partnership that manages to convey success data and tell a story at the same time. What sets it apart is that it does so in a uniquely colorful and brand-consistent manner.
Takeaway: Be concise to provide as much value in as little text as possible.
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![email design case study Screenshot of NVIDIA and Workday's case study with a photo of a group of people standing around a tall desk and smiling and the title "NVIDIA hires game changers"](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/1HoY5X6CwiwqAJTdOy95Fb/45155c239c0ec7e5f4eec494e558abfd/nvidia-workday.png?w=1400)
The gaming industry is notoriously difficult to recruit for, as it requires a very specific set of skills and experience. This case study focuses on how Workday was able to help fill that recruitment gap for NVIDIA, one of the biggest names in the gaming world.
Though it doesn't feature videos or graphics, this case study stood out to me in how it structures information like "key products used" to give readers insight into which tools helped achieve these results.
Takeaway: If your company offers multiple products or services, outline exactly which ones were involved in your case study, so readers can assess each tool.
11. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} KFC and Contentful
![email design case study Screenshot of KFC and Contentful's case study showing the outcome of the study, showing two stats: 43% increase in YoY digital sales and 50%+ increase in AU digital sales YoY](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/6yWYeVn0FYCYoQ1bpgxjaK/d1278fd5ede20127a5b271ec45fea9f9/KFC_and_Contentful.png?w=1400)
I'm personally not a big KFC fan, but that's only because I refuse to eat out of a bucket. My aversion to the bucket format aside, Contentful follows its consistent case study format in this one, outlining challenges, solutions, and outcomes before diving into the nitty-gritty details of the project.
Say what you will about KFC, but their primary product (chicken) does present a unique opportunity for wordplay like "Continuing to march to the beat of a digital-first drum(stick)" or "Delivering deep-fried goodness to every channel."
Takeaway: Inject humor into your case study if there's room for it and if it fits your brand.
12. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Intuit and Twilio
![email design case study Screenshot of the Intuit and Twilio case study on a dark background with three small, light green icons illustrating three important data points](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/fP0bgubUQMJ9Ukl3Zj0Zg/69c144bbf1abdd2902a2e722069c73c9/intuit-twilio.png?w=1400)
Twilio does an excellent job of delivering achievements at the very beginning of the case study and going into detail in this two-minute read. While there aren't many graphics, the way quotes from the Intuit team are implemented adds a certain flair to the study and breaks up the sections nicely.
It's simple, concise, and manages to fit a lot of information in easily digestible sections.
Takeaway: Make sure each section is long enough to inform but brief enough to avoid boring readers. Break down information for each section, and don't go into so much detail that you lose the reader halfway through.
13. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Spotify and Salesforce
![email design case study Screenshot of Spotify and Salesforce's case study showing a still of a video with the title "Automation keeps Spotify's ad business growing year over year"](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/13Pn5apsHtf1UWmJj91JiT/1c8f3daab0fb4d1ed78e08f796d3ab93/spotify-salesforce.png?w=1400)
Salesforce created a video that accurately summarizes the key points of the case study. Beyond that, the page itself is very light on content, and sections are as short as one paragraph.
I especially like how information is broken down into "What you need to know," "Why it matters," and "What the difference looks like." I'm not ashamed of being spoon-fed information. When it's structured so well and so simply, it makes for an entertaining read.
14. .css-12hxxzz-Link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentColor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:hover{outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='white']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']{color:var(--zds-text-link, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:var(--zds-text-link, #2b2358);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);outline-color:var(--zds-text-link-hover, #3d4592);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-5, #a8a5a0);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);outline-color:var(--zds-gray-warm-1, #fffdf9);}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-12hxxzz-Link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} Benchling and Airtable
![email design case study Screenshot of the Benchling and Airtable case study with the title: How Benchling achieves scientific breakthroughs via efficiency](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/1tj80HiUzQVZYtL8S8l6AA/0167935636b40196508dfe0340745cc4/Benchling-airtable.png?w=1400)
Benchling is an impressive entity in its own right. Biotech R&D and health care nuances go right over my head. But the research and digging I've been doing in the name of these burritos (case studies) revealed that these products are immensely complex.
And that's precisely why this case study deserves a read—it succeeds at explaining a complex project that readers outside the industry wouldn't know much about.
Takeaway: Simplify complex information, and walk readers through the company's operations and how your business helped streamline them.
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![email design case study Screenshot of the Chipotle and Hubble case study with the title "Mexican food chain replaces Discoverer with Hubble and sees major efficiency improvements," followed by a photo of the outside of a Chipotle restaurant](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/3fn7MM1XDYtkpbowIVPExA/fe59afe7fe5239e241d4fee520d420f8/Chipotle-hubble.png?w=1400)
The concision of this case study is refreshing. It features two sections—the challenge and the solution—all in 316 words. This goes to show that your case study doesn't necessarily need to be a four-figure investment with video shoots and studio time.
Sometimes, the message is simple and short enough to convey in a handful of paragraphs.
Takeaway: Consider what you should include instead of what you can include. Assess the time, resources, and effort you're able and willing to invest in a case study, and choose which elements you want to include from there.
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![email design case study Screenshot of Hudl and Zapier's case study, showing data visualizations at the bottom, two photos of people playing sports on the top right , and a quote from the Hudl team on the topleft](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/7cjePmy8Dm8NHl1rgrYNiE/80215424a152774f6bb1b45f6e221825/hudl-zapier.png?w=1400)
I may be biased, but I'm a big fan of seeing metrics and achievements represented in branded graphics. It can be a jarring experience to navigate a website, then visit a case study page and feel as though you've gone to a completely different website.
The case study is essentially the summary, and the blog article is the detailed analysis that provides context beyond X achievement or Y goal.
Takeaway: Keep your case study concise and informative. Create other resources to provide context under your blog, media or press, and product pages.
3 case study templates
Now that you've had your fill of case studies (if that's possible), I've got just what you need: an infinite number of case studies, which you can create yourself with these case study templates.
Case study template 1
![email design case study Screenshot of Zapier's first case study template, with the title and three spots for data callouts at the top on a light peach-colored background, followed by a place to write the main success of the case study on a dark green background](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/5YvyTlGHWeugvNnzddcDk7/8c9669cb50cb6e2077e595cebbe5613f/case-study-template-1.webp?w=1400)
If you've got a quick hit of stats you want to show off, try this template. The opening section gives space for a short summary and three visually appealing stats you can highlight, followed by a headline and body where you can break the case study down more thoroughly. This one's pretty simple, with only sections for solutions and results, but you can easily continue the formatting to add more sections as needed.
Case study template 2
![email design case study Screenshot of Zapier's second case study template, with the title, objectives, and overview on a dark blue background with an orange strip in the middle with a place to write the main success of the case study](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/4J52FdDVIqW3nCBCsNX36Y/f5302049eb0827854f7fa0020b2a936f/case-study-template-2.webp?w=1400)
For a case study template with a little more detail, use this one. Opening with a striking cover page for a quick overview, this one goes on to include context, stakeholders, challenges, multiple quote callouts, and quick-hit stats.
Case study template 3
![email design case study Screenshot of Zapier's third case study template, with the places for title, objectives, and about the business on a dark green background followed by three spots for data callouts in orange boxes](https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/5DQ2Lyw1acWAnz4q7xrQmW/1ec9d01767c1ed9997db2049ac196463/case-study-template-3.webp?w=1400)
Whether you want a little structural variation or just like a nice dark green, this template has similar components to the last template but is designed to help tell a story. Move from the client overview through a description of your company before getting to the details of how you fixed said company's problems.
Tips for writing a case study
Examples are all well and good, but you don't learn how to make a burrito just by watching tutorials on YouTube without knowing what any of the ingredients are. You could , but it probably wouldn't be all that good.
Have an objective: Define your objective by identifying the challenge, solution, and results. Assess your work with the client and focus on the most prominent wins. You're speaking to multiple businesses and industries through the case study, so make sure you know what you want to say to them.
Focus on persuasive data: Growth percentages and measurable results are your best friends. Extract your most compelling data and highlight it in your case study.
Use eye-grabbing graphics: Branded design goes a long way in accurately representing your brand and retaining readers as they review the study. Leverage unique and eye-catching graphics to keep readers engaged.
Simplify data presentation: Some industries are more complex than others, and sometimes, data can be difficult to understand at a glance. Make sure you present your data in the simplest way possible. Make it concise, informative, and easy to understand.
Use automation to drive results for your case study
A case study example is a source of inspiration you can leverage to determine how to best position your brand's work. Find your unique angle, and refine it over time to help your business stand out. Ask anyone: the best burrito in town doesn't just appear at the number one spot. They find their angle (usually the house sauce) and leverage it to stand out.
Case study FAQ
Got your case study template? Great—it's time to gather the team for an awkward semi-vague data collection task. While you do that, here are some case study quick answers for you to skim through while you contemplate what to call your team meeting.
What is an example of a case study?
An example of a case study is when a software company analyzes its results from a client project and creates a webpage, presentation, or document that focuses on high-level results, challenges, and solutions in an attempt to showcase effectiveness and promote the software.
How do you write a case study?
To write a good case study, you should have an objective, identify persuasive and compelling data, leverage graphics, and simplify data. Case studies typically include an analysis of the challenge, solution, and results of the partnership.
What is the format of a case study?
While case studies don't have a set format, they're often portrayed as reports or essays that inform readers about the partnership and its results.
Related reading:
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Hachem Ramki
Hachem is a writer and digital marketer from Montreal. After graduating with a degree in English, Hachem spent seven years traveling around the world before moving to Canada. When he's not writing, he enjoys Basketball, Dungeons and Dragons, and playing music for friends and family.
- Content marketing
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6 Practicable Email Marketing Case Studies to Inspire You
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CEO Avada Commerce
Drive 20-40% of your revenue with Avada
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We’d venture to say that transparency is hot right now, but not in email marketing.
Many brands show the number of their Twitter followers. They even blog about their audience growth and share their subscriber count as social proof.
However, no one talks about open, click rates, ROI, or impact on the bottom line. It seems to be taboo in the email marketing world. That makes it quite hard to find email marketing case studies.
We’d like to make it much easier for you to read stories about great email marketing campaigns, so we collected 6 practicable email marketing case studies . Below is the criteria for the case studies we compiled:
- They are real case studies, not best-practice pieces
- They include real data/ outcomes to impress you
Now, let’s explore!
1. Digital Marketer: increased open rates by 3X with subject lines
Is it possible to increase your open rates by 3X whenever you send a newsletter?
The answer is yes. Digital Marketer did.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/OempCaT.jpg)
A responsive, engaging email list of customers is the only bulletproof approach to building a sustainable business. If you only concentrate on Google and organic search, you may not be able to build a sustainable business.
Digital Marketer is considered one of the leading marketing blogs out there. The company boasts of making money once their emails arrive in recipients’ inboxes. However, they don’t do this only for the money - that would just drive email subscribers away.
Instead, they engage subscribers via email, teach them how to do a specific thing (i.e., increase Facebook ad conversions) and enhance trust.
Sending millions of emails per month helps Digital Marketer understand their customers and prospects. This allows the company to segment subscribers by interest, pinpoint the exact solutions they are looking for, and deliver awesome value that these subscribers will never find elsewhere.
As a result, they got impressive results with their email marketing campaigns . Just look at their statics:
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/rPdp2NA.jpg)
We will analyze how Digital Marketer increased its email open rates by 3X right below:
1. Use proven email subject lines
Subscribers will not open all of your marketing emails, it’s the truth. Most of your audience are also subscribed to other email lists, too.
Therefore, you have to differentiate your email subject lines from the generic ones.
According to Richard Lindney - the author of the Digital Marketer case study - their successful email subject lines fall into one of the following four categories:
- Direct or benefit-driven
- Urgency or scarcity
- Proof or credibility
- Blind or curiosity
Let’s explore each of these subject lines!
1.1. Benefit-driven email subject lines
This type has only one purpose: to directly state the benefit that the recipient will get by opening the email. For example:
- Catch these email templates…
- Start building your landing pages for $1
- 7 ways to write blog posts that convert
1.2. Urgency or scarcity-based email subject lines
If there is a need to act right now - let’s say, a discount that expires in a few hours - you may want to use this urgency subject line style.
It communicates urgency and motivates people to act immediately. If recipients fail to act now, they will miss out on something great. And people don’t want to miss out.
Actually, the fear of loss is much more powerful than the joy of gain . That’s why urgency subject lines often outperform direct or benefit-driven subject lines.
Digital Marketer recommends using urgency or scarcity-based subject lines to get more opens. Some examples include:
- You’re going to miss this?!?
- 85% off sale ends at midnight
- Final Notice [just hours left]
- Closing down soon!
Related topic : 7 Artificial Scarcity Creating Methods
1.3. Proof or credibility subject lines
We know that you have results you can share with prospects, and many people or businesses have benefited from your products and services. That’s why you should apply proof/ credibility subject lines now.
You can simply speak about other people’s success in your email subject line . Craft it in a way that will get your recipients to believe those results are possible for them , too.
This type is best written as a case study. And don’t forget that case studies are one of the 15 types of content to drive traffic, sales, and revenue for entrepreneurs.
Below are some of the proof/ credibility email subject lines that helped Digital Marketer boost their open rates by 3X:
- This guy makes 6 figures per month?
- Mom of two “makes” $10K in 4 days
- 23,234 leads in less than 30 days
1.4. Blind or curiosity-based email subject lines
These email subject lines have a magic-like ability to make people open. After all, if you hint that you hold a secret, people will want to know it.
The curiosity gap is actually a robust copywriting technique that can dazzle your audience. It has been proved to lead to a 927% increase in clicks on a pricing page (Wow!).
Some of your recipients are lazy. If they get the idea behind your email, they will delete it or otherwise move on. Thus, use these subject lines to tease your recipients. Below are some typical examples:
- Just one last thing to say…
- Check out the letter inside…
- Why he paid Facebook $30,500
- 1,356,789 free clicks from…
2. Using Unicode symbols and personalization
2.1. Unicode symbols
To make emails outstanding, Digital Marketer suggests that you use Unicode symbols - emoticons, objects, etc.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/JPpNB3D.jpg)
Richard says that “ You should not overuse symbols in your subject lines, but don’t ignore them either. ” These symbols will add flavor to your email subject line. It might look funny, but humor is one of the common reasons why content gets opened, forwarded, and shared.
2.2. Personalization
People decide to join your email list, not because they love getting emails but because they feel they can benefit from them. According to a survey, 38% of responders opt-in to an email list to receive relevant emails that can improve their lives and business.
One of the most common methods to make your emails relevant is to personalize them. Now, let’s look at these two subject lines:
“ You will lose $3,000 in a week if… ”
“ John, you will lose $3,000 in a week if… ”
Obviously, the personalized version with the recipient’s name “John” will outperform the generic one. For more tips on personalization, please read our Complete Guide to Personalized Email Marketing for Business .
Note : To make personalization much easier, effective, and systematic, you should create opt-in forms to collect first name and email address, like AVADA Commerce does:
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/AZdobJp.jpg)
2. Dell: increased revenue by 109% with a GIF
Dell is faced with a unique problem.
The company was actually in the process of launching the XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook, which is a laptop with a hinge design that enables it to transform into a tablet.
“ That sounds like a cool product. What is the problem, by the way? ” you may ask.
We will let David Sierk from the Email Strategy & Analytics department at Dell explain.
“ No one knows what a convertible is yet. It is not synonymous with products like the tablet is now or anything along those lines. ”
So, how did Dell solve this problem?
They innovated their way through the problem .
Instead of traditional email marketing tactics , Dell decided to create a GIF of the product that would complement their creative tagline, “ Go from dreaming to doing in a flip. ” The GIF showcased the convertible flipping from a laptop to a touchscreen tablet capable of running Windows 8.
This explained to customers exactly what the convertible was, as well as how it could impact their technological lives.
Besides, the GIF was paired with high-converting email copy:
“ XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook - The power of an Ultrabook and the ease of a tablet combined into one beautifully designed machine. ”
“ Buy a select XPS 12 Convertible Ultrabook and get a $200 Dell Promo eGift Card to build your home entertainment system. ”
The results were really spectacular.
- 6% increase in email open rate
- 42% increase in click rate
- 103% increase in conversion rate
- 109% increase in revenue
Impressive, right?
So, what can you learn from this email marketing case study?
While some of you may think that the main message behind this case study is to start using more GIFs within your email campaigns , we disagree.
We think the best thing we can learn from Dell is the power of innovation .
The marketing team of Dell knew that simple text and images would not cut it. They also understood that linking to a Youtube video or some kind of product tour would likely yield a lower conversion rate. Hence, they tried to innovate their way out of the problem by using a GIF.
Do we recommend using GIFs in your email marketing campaigns?
Yes, absolutely. They are an amazing way to quickly convey your message and entertain readers.
However, if there’s one key takeaway from Dell’s success, it is that intelligent risk and innovation can lead to significant results.
If there is a marketing tactic that you’ve been dying to use but are afraid that it’ll eat dirt, give it a shot anyway. The worst that can happen is not that bad.
And who knows, you might even realize a 109% increase in revenue yourself!!!
3. Charity Water: increased donations by $800,000
Most companies, especially non-profit organizations and charities operate their email marketing campaigns under the “set it and forget it mindset.
After a donation or transaction has concluded, donors will often be sent to a thank-you page and receive a short “Thank You” email. This email generally does nothing other than to provide the donor’s transaction details, thank them for their purchase, and perhaps try and get them in on an upsell.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with this approach, there is a better way.
Charity Water has been crushing it in their email marketing campaign by taking an unconventional approach to their follow-up emails. Rather than follow the traditional route, Charity Water has created an email marketing campaign designed to take their donors on a journey.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/niQt8D9.jpg)
With any non-profit organization, there is a long road from the time a donation leaves the donors’ wallet to the time that the project is completed.
For starters, the donation has to be sent to partners in the field and used to source supplies, transportation, and permits for volunteers and staff. Then, projects can take from 6 to 18 months, depending on the scope and size of the work. And most non-profit organizations leave their donors out of this process completely.
But Charity Water didn’t do that.
The organization sends you regular email updates, which explain where to use your money and how much progress to be achieved on the project. They even show you photo updates from the project site, which country your donation is impacting, and regular information on progressions within the organization itself.
They make their donors a part of the story .
Perhaps the biggest takeaway that we’ve gleaned from Charity Water’s email marketing campaign is that you need to build a sustainable relationship with your audience through regularly connecting with and updating them.
You might think this will mean increasing the frequency of sending out emails.
However, things don’t stop there.
This is not just about delivering more emails and trying to sell them new products or services. It is about building an authentic relationship with customers for life.
We know that this seems a bit mystical and woo-woo, so let us give you a practical example of using this in your business. Suppose you’re running an online fitness company and you’re promoting the “8-Week Fat Loss Challenge 2.0.”
By learning from Charity Water, you could try out the following strategy:
At the beginning of the week, send one email presenting a challenge to all of your recipients (i.e., most weight loss, biggest athletic improvement, best diet, etc.)
At the end of the week, send a follow-up email showing the challenge winner and progress pics from other participants. Plus, finish the email with a tip or trick to help them get more out of your product.
After they’ve completed the 8-week challenge, send regular follow-up emails asking how they’re doing and providing exclusive free content.
This strategy will generate a deeper level of engagement with your audience and build a community around your brand. And if you execute it properly, it’ll lead to an increase in open rates, easy upsells, and lifelong loyalty.
Related topic : Email Marketing for Non-profits: The Essential Guide!
4. Dropbox: created a $10 billion empire
A trend that we’ve noticed among many of the A+ players in the email marketing game is that they’re reducing their focus on fancy copy and increasing their focus on generating incredible designs .
Of course, long-form copy works great for email marketing. If you run a company built around your personality, we recommend you focus on well-written email copy.
Nevertheless, suppose your company’s success isn’t contingent on your consumers buying into you as a brand leader. In that case, creating beautiful and straightforward designs to sell products is a good way to go.
Let’s look at a typical email marketing case study for this - Dropbox .
Dropbox is a wildly common online storage service that has skyrocketed in growth and become an empire worth $10 billion. That is worth almost as much as Snapchat and even more than the GDP of many countries!
Something that has made Dropbox outstanding for years and helps them reach their impressive wild levels of success is the great simplicity behind everything they do.
From the signup process to the navigation and layout of their website, everything runs simply. One of the most typical examples of this simplicity in action lies in their “ Baby come back ” email.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/jDf3I2z.jpg)
We know it seems like a stretch to actually appreciate a company for sending an email after someone has canceled their subscription. However, by combining poignant and straightforward cartoons with a tongue-in-cheek emoticon, as well as some very simple copy, Dropbox admirably accomplishes this goal.
Dropbox basically ignores its copy and focuses almost on the design of the cartoon. Their email copy is short and product-based, instead of the long-form, benefit-focused copy you see from most companies.
Implementing this concept is quite straightforward.
Step out on a limb with your upcoming campaign and focus on design instead of copy.
If you’re not the artistic type, consider hiring an outside contractor with a proven track record as well as an eye for design, who can help you develop a campaign that catches your customers’ eyes.
Try your best to limit your copy to 100 words or less, and let the images within the article speak for themselves.
5. Hammock: increased open rates by 48% with less content
The typical rule of blogging and sending marketing emails is that you will get more traffic and, ultimately, more revenue if you deliver more content. More emails and more posts mean more traffic.
Well, while this isn’t wrong, the reality is that most businesses really don’t care about traffic. They care about their revenue. They would take 10 visitors/ 5 leads over 50 visitors/ 2 leads any day.
That’s the thought process Hammock had in mind when they decided to stop sending too much email content. Hammock is a B2B company creating marketing content and media for its clients, and collaborates with them to develop content strategies. They reduced emails to once every 2 weeks and reduced email content to about 350 words per email. To bring focus to these changes, Hammock decided to rename it “The Idea Email.”
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/B0s0VDT.png)
The results?
Hammock realized a 48% increase in open rates , but more importantly, a significant increase in their lead quality. The right customers started contacting them after reading their emails. And that is really the entire purpose of an email marketing campaign.
Be intentional with email content . The first thing that Hammock did was cut the copy down to 350 words, which was really difficult despite their dedication to a minimalist approach. They recommend focusing on cutting email copy down to make it more targeted and less about the product.
Test subject lines and assess necessary changes . Hammock writes 3 headlines for each newsletter, and all of them are tested for every send. Which one has the highest open rate in the first hour is applied for the rest of the list.
Establish a repeatable editorial process . Often, the writing process of Hammock is done by Lavey and Rex Hammock - the founder and CEO, and they ensure it is engaging. Once the article is written, it’s handed off to other members to edit. It’s essential that the process of developing the idea is repeatable.
6. Doggyloot: increase CTR by 750% by personalizing emails
“Personalized” emails don’t always have to target a person. Email marketers can “animalize” them and see amazing results.
That’s what Doggyloot did.
The marketing team at Doggyloot segments and personalizes their emails based on “doggy data,” not people data. For instance, subscribers receive emails customized to the size of their dogs. Someone with a Chihuahua is offered different products than someone with a Rottweiler.
With its dog birthday emails, Doggyloot got:
- Open rate: 28.1%
- CTR (click-through rate): 750% higher than the company’s average
- Contributes up to 16% of total daily revenue
Besides, we’ll describe some tactics Doggyloot used to power its campaigns. You can learn something useful here, for sure.
1. Collect new subscribers
Doggyloot’s homepage is dedicated to generating subscribers. Its headline and subheadline emphasize the value of joining their list:
- Headline: “ Daily deals for dogs and their people ”
- Subheadline: “ Discover chews, toys, treats, and more at up to 75% off ”
The first question is “How big are your dogs?” greets visitors as soon as they arrive in the sign-up process. Once they register, the website reveals current flash sales.
2. Personalize by “style”
Since it doesn’t make sense to offer a 10-pound bone to a 5-pound dog, Doggyloot segments its email lists into 3 groups:
- Small dogs (under 20 pounds)
- Medium dogs
- Large dogs (over 40 pounds)
The team uses this data to choose products for promotional emails. In a typical campaign, they send the same email template to every subscriber, and the products vary by the size of the dog. For instance, only the email for owners with a large dog will offer a 3-foot duck chew.
As a result, the promotional emails targeted to large dog owners have a CTR 410% higher than the company’s average.
3. Happy dog birthday email
Wishing someone’s dog a happy birthday seems bizarre, but not at Doggyloot.
As the company has the birthday of a subscriber’s dog, they schedule an automated email to send about 2 weeks before the date. This email features birthday-related products, treats, and toys under a “happy birthday” header.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/3UEmUvQ.jpg)
4. Emphasize urgency to abandoners
The company earns amazing results with cart abandonment emails. By automatically reaching customers who add items to a cart and leave, Doggyloot earned an additional day’s worth of revenue per month.
![email design case study email design case study](https://cdn4.avada.io/media/shopify/poyDvXg.jpg)
This abandonment email reaches subscribers about 1 hour after they leave the website. It aims to win a sale with the following features:
More urgency . The subheadline mentions that the items in the shopper’s cart are “almost sold out.”
Clear CTA . Two large CTA buttons encourage recipients to “restore my cart.”
Product images . Products from the shopper’s cart are featured with a lower “Doggyloot price” and higher “retail” price.
Final thoughts
When it comes to creating a valuable and memorable experience for your email subscribers, there are some experts and case studies for us to learn from.
We hope these 6 practicable email marketing case studies have helped you a lot. Keep learning from the best till you become one of the best.
So, what is your favorite email marketing case study? Please leave a comment so that we can talk about it together. Thanks for reading and have a nice day!
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