An Inside Look at The Email Design & Development Process at Email Uplers

This time, it’s slightly different. 

In our decades-old experience as a digital marketing agency, we’ve worked with all sorts of clients from all kinds of industries. Each client is different, temperamentally as well as industrially. Success may depend on the client as well. 

That being said, it is our responsibility as an agency to ensure that our clients enjoy a seamless experience from start to finish, including every step from the initial email to post-delivery updates and stakeholder communications.

So we thought it would serve our prospects better if we could show the genie with the lamp, not just the lamp or just the genie. 😊

The purpose of this blog post is to educate future prospects like you on how things work behind the scenes so that if and when you do consider working with us, you shouldn’t have to waste your time understanding our workflows from scratch. 

• Understanding What A Client Wants
  
• The Email Design Process
  
• The Email Development Process
  
• Beyond Email Design And Development

Understanding What A Client Wants

First things first, we want to understand what our client is looking for. So, we send you the following questionnaire: 

1. What is your business name/brand name?
   
2. Can you share your brand guidelines, including your brand logo, color scheme, and typography?
   
3. What is the purpose/objective/goal of designing this email?
   
4. Which email service provider do you prefer?
   
5. Can you share your design concept (file) or reference emails (URLs) with us?
   
6. Do you have any inspiration in mind that you want your email to look like?
   
7. Can you provide a zip file of the content and images you want us to use in your emails?
   
8. Do you need editable sections in your email, in case you want to re-use the templates in future?
   
9. Is this a one-time creative email template? Answer Yes or No.
   
10. Who is your target audience/demographic?
    
11. Do you have a preliminary wireframe/sketch you might want to share with us? If yes, please send it as an attachment.
    
12. Please share the list of sections you want us to design. 

The number of questions may be more, depending on the complexity of client requirements, which varies from client to client. But the above is the template we send all our clients before taking up a project. 

We’ll now share a few use cases/scenarios related to questions put forth by our clients.

I need multiple templates for different campaigns. Can you help?

We will design a series of templates aligned with the client’s brand guidelines and campaign objectives. Each template will be tailored to the content and imagery provided, ensuring a cohesive look across different campaigns.

Can you create a master template with generic modules for various use cases?

We’ll design a versatile master template with editable sections and generic modules that can be easily adapted for different campaigns, ensuring consistency and ease of use across various email initiatives.

What will you take care of while designing the email?

We focus on your brand identity, ensuring accessibility and mobile optimization. We also consider your target audience and the purpose of the email to create designs that are both engaging and effective.

What do you need to get started with our email design?

You need to provide us with your brand guidelines, the objective of the email campaign, any specific content and images you want to use, and your email service provider details. If you have a wireframe or rough sketch, that would also be helpful.

Our target audience is very niche. How will you tailor the design for them?

Before we answer this question, we ask the following:

• Can you describe your target audience in detail?
  
• Do you have any data on their preferences or behaviors?
  
• What’s the core message you want to convey? 

Having received satisfactory answers to these, we create a custom email design that resonates with the client’s specific target audience, using insights from their provided data and focusing on messaging that appeals directly to this group.

The Email Design Process 

Now, let’s take a look at how we design your emails. Here’s the step-by-step process:

• First, the generic goal: Our goal is to make sure that every email we design is easy to read, looks good, and provides a great user experience.
  
• Next, we dig into the specifics. For instance, is the purpose of the email to inform, promote, or engage?
  
• The third step involves knowing the target audience. At this point, we have the brief on the client’s understanding of their audience. The email’s layout, content hierarchy, positioning, etc. all depend on this understanding.
  
• Before starting designing for real, we spend some time looking for inspirations on websites like Really Good Emails, Pinterest, Milled, Email Love, Dribbble, etc. We also explore Facebook and Instagram in order to know what’s trending in email design. We want to make sure our design meets the current industry standards.
  
• Our brand research is extensive. From studying the client’s shared references to understanding their aesthetics as displayed on their website, including analyzing the design of articles, blog posts, and other pages, we do it all.
  
• For every email we design, we refer to our inhouse design system which is a set of files containing reusable components, color sets, master layouts, button styles, etc.

• Next, we take up the visual aspects such as icons, images, and color schemes.
  
• Finally, we prototype the email i.e. we create a clickable version of the template in progress in order to check the flow of the email. This is an important step as it helps us weed out any potential errors/inconsistencies before the email goes live.
  
• Once the designer is satisfied with their job, the email is sent out to the design lead. 

Now, that’s how it works in general. In the rare circumstance of negative feedback, the project lead, along with the assigned designer, gets on a direct call with the client. 

The aim of these calls is mutual enlightenment. Not just a re-statement of original requirements. Not just circling the errors, whatever they happen to be. 

We do not agree that the customer is always right, because that’s bad for the customer. Nor do we expect the client to not inquire into our methods. 

Also, client requirements can change over the course of a project. Likewise, the aesthetic principles of designers can vary from one person to another. 

These forces tend to collide, necessitating further communication, which may involve a fresh review of technical nitty-gritty (from our side) or new motivational inputs from the client. It is important to keep up with the client because they’re always exploring and may come across things which encourage them to reconsider their design goals at least in part, if not entirely.  

Once the design is finalized, the next crucial step is developing the email template.

The Email Development Process

Here’s an inside look at our email development process.

1. Pre-Development Consultation and Preparation

Before diving into the development, we engage in a thorough consultation with the client to ensure everything is in place for seamless execution.

• ESP Integration & Credentials: We ask the client if they would like to integrate the emails with any ESPs like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Marketo, Braze, etc. If integration is required, we request ESP credentials to gain proper access for integrating emails and hosting visual assets on the client’s ESP.
  
• Reusability Considerations: We review the client’s instructions and notes shared earlier to understand their reusability requirements. Based on this, we determine whether to use advanced or basic integration methods for different ESPs.
  
• Design File Review: We ensure that the design files are properly layered, which is essential for development. Whether it’s a PSD, Figma, or PDF file, layered designs allow us to accurately translate the design into code.
  
• Tracking and URLs: We ask the client to provide UTM tracking parameters and the URLs they want their CTAs to link to. This ensures all necessary tracking is in place before development begins.
  
• Timeline Sharing: After reviewing all inputs, we share the development timeline with the client, ensuring they are aware of the project milestones and expected delivery dates.
  
• Deploying the Right Team: Based on the client’s requirements, we deploy the right talents to work on their email development projects.

2. Slicing the Design Files

You can now create visibility rules on individual fields, nOur process involves a meticulous review of design files, ensuring they are properly layered in formats like PSD, Figma, or PDF. This is crucial for accurate development and it ensures every element is perfectly isolated for coding. This step maintains the design’s integrity when translating it into HTML.

3. Writing the HTML Code

We start coding the email using clean, semantic HTML. Our focus here is on writing lightweight and optimized code that ensures fast loading times. We adhere to best practices, keeping the code structure simple and modular for easy updates and future scalability.

4. Ensuring Responsiveness

We prioritize creating a responsive design, using CSS media queries to ensure the email looks great on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices alike.

5. Compatibility Testing

We use various tools and manual testing to ensure compatibility across different email clients like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc., making necessary adjustments to ensure consistency.

6. Adding Interactivity (If Required)

For clients looking to add a bit of flair, we incorporate interactive elements such as hover effects, animated GIFs, or advanced elements like accordions or carousels, ensuring they work across all compatible email clients.

7. Inline CSS and Code Optimization

To increase compatibility and reduce the risk of emails being marked as spam, we inline all CSS styles. We also optimize the code by minimizing file size and ensuring no unnecessary tags or code snippets are included.

8. Testing And QA 

We follow rigorous quality procedures, including proof tests sent to the client’s seed list, screenshots of design vs. HTML, and links to Email on Acid or Litmus tests. Before final delivery, we run extensive tests to catch any issues before the email is sent to recipients.

9. Integration with ESPs

After testing and approval, we integrate the email with the client’s preferred ESP. This includes adding tracking codes, setting up dynamic content, and ensuring the email is ready for deployment.

10. Final Review And Delivery

The developed email template undergoes a final review by the development lead. We cross-check all client requirements to ensure the template is perfect and ready for delivery. Any last-minute changes requested by the client are promptly addressed.

11. Post-delivery Support 

Our commitment to excellence continues even after the email is delivered. We provide ongoing support, making any necessary adjustments to ensure the email renders correctly across platforms. We also offer guidance on using and modifying the template for future campaigns.

12. Communication And Project Management

We maintain transparent and efficient communication with clients using tools like Slack, Teams, G Chat, and email to share updates and important deliverable statuses with the client. 

Project management tools like Trello, Asana, CORE, ClickUp, JIRA, and GitHub are used to share project updates and deliverables. For clients opting for our dedicated program, our team works directly within the client’s ecosystem, ensuring focused attention and quality delivery.

13. SME Layer for Client Support

To ensure seamless execution and a smooth client experience, we add an SME layer between our development team and the client POC. This layer addresses any client questions or escalations, ensuring the project stays on track and the client is satisfied with the progress.

14. Regular Feedback And Check-ins 

We conduct regular feedback meetings and check-ins with the client to ensure the developed emails meet their expectations. We adjust our development strategies based on feedback to better align with the client’s goals.

Beyond Email Design And Development 

At Email Uplers, we go beyond just email design and development to ensure that our clients receive an exceptional experience:

• Proactive Recommendations: We offer recommendations and best practices, particularly for clients new to email marketing. This includes suggestions on the types of emails to send, interactivity functionalities to include, IP warming strategies, and campaign management tips.
  
• Client Education: We educate clients on best practices in email marketing and keep them informed about emerging trends and technologies that can benefit their campaigns.
  
• Post-Launch Optimization: Even after the emails are launched, we provide insights and suggestions for optimizing future campaigns, ensuring ongoing success and improvement.
  
• Continuous Learning & Development: We equip our team with the necessary tools and resources to enhance their skills, ensuring they gain deep expertise in both widely used and emerging email marketing tools and technologies. This ongoing upskilling enables us to effectively execute our clients’ strategies within their chosen platforms, ultimately driving better ROI.
  
• Strategic Consultation: For clients looking to refine their email marketing strategies, we offer guidance on email strategies, interactivity options, IP warming techniques, and overall campaign management. This advice helps clients optimize their email marketing efforts for better engagement and ROI.

So there it is—everything’s out in the open. Speaking of, is your current agency transparent with you? Watch out for these 9 warning signs you should switch your email marketing agency. 

If you want to get your emails designed and coded, reach out to our experts and share your project requirements!