This is the grand finale of the EMOTY series, brought to you by the amazing people at Kombai. Over the previous four episodes, we reviewed 12 standout emails with the help of four fantastic guests. In this episode we’re bringing it all together to review those emails once more, with three incredible guests:

At the end of this episode, we’ll tally up the scores and crown the winner of EMOTY 2023!

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. To see the designs we’re discussing, check out the links provided in the show notes below.

As always, if you enjoy this content, please subscribe and rate Inboxing on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Your support means the world to me.

The candidates are…

I’m thrilled to welcome Ben Clay, a Senior Designer at Action Rocket, to analyze some innovative email campaigns from well-known brands. This episode offers an up-close look at three creatively crafted emails, each showcasing unique interactive and personalized elements designed to engage and reactivate audiences. Here’s what we explored: Bluey    We start with a charming email from Bluey, featuring an invitation to a special wedding episode. The invitation, designed to look like it’s pinned to a refrigerator, opens with a delightful confetti effect when clicked, making for a memorable user experience. We delve into how this interactive element not only captures attention but also enhances user engagement, and would create a truly memorable experience for Bluey fans. Nespresso Next, we review a Nespresso email tied to the coronation of King Charles. The email includes an elegantly set table image, where users can click on different elements to learn more about the products featured. We discuss the effectiveness of this interactive approach in promoting a product line, emphasizing how it adds depth to the shopping experience and connects the brand to a significant cultural event. Sky Sports Concluding with Sky Sports, we examine a reactivation campaign targeted at customers who had previously canceled their subscriptions. This campaign leverages extensive personalization, using past data to highlight each customer’s favorite teams and players. It features a dynamic GIF that cycles through exciting moments in various sports, from football to racing. We explore how personalized content and visually engaging elements can remind former subscribers of the value and excitement that Sky Sports offers, potentially encouraging them to reconsider their decision. Ben shares his expertise on how to effectively combine design principles, interactivity, and personalization to craft emails that resonate with recipients. Whether you’re refining your strategy or seeking fresh ideas, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you elevate your email marketing campaigns. Tune in to Inboxing for more expert analyses and discussions. Don’t forget to subscribe and rate us on Apple and Spotify! Thank you for listening! Be sure to rate and review Inboxing on Apple Podcasts. 

Join me in this engaging episode of Inboxing as I sit down with Mailchimp Pro Partner and email marketing expert, Emily Ryan of Westfield Creative. Together, we dive into some of the most captivating email designs of the year, as submitted by the email marketing community and highlighted by Andrew King from Email Love.

In This Episode:

Redbull Racing 

Acura ZDX Type S

Graza’s Brand Education

Emily and I had a fabulous time reviewing these emails, and we think you’ll find plenty of inspiration and insight in our discussions.

Don’t Miss the Video! Make sure to check out the accompanying video on YouTube for a visual walkthrough of our reviews.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsor, Kombai: Transform your Figma designs into production-ready email code in a snap with Kombai. Ideal for running successful campaigns that are 20X faster and more cost-effective. Try Kombai Today!

Whether you’re an email marketing pro looking for new ideas or just getting started in the field, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Tune in and discover what makes an email stand out in the crowded inbox of today.

The Future of Email Marketing with Anna Levitin Sponsored by Kombai – Try Kombai today! 

Enjoy this amazing 2-part episode of Inboxing as I explore the intricate world of email marketing with Anna Levitin, a leading voice in the Email Marketing space and Email and Marketing Operations Lead at Powtoon. With a track record of over 2000 email campaigns and a decade of marketing experience, Anna shares her rich insights into the dynamics of customer relationships, the power of retention marketing, and the endless possibilities within email marketing.

Part 1: The Inboxing Interview 00:00 – 47:40 

Anna and I discuss her profound journey through the email marketing realm. Anna discusses her approach to transforming customer relationships into revenue streams, her dedication to email marketing, and her ongoing quest to enhance her expertise in CRM and email marketing, serving both B2C and B2B models.

Part 2: Crowning an EMOTY 47:40 – 70:42   The conversation shifts to a captivating review session of three exceptional email campaigns contending for the ‘Email of the Year’ award.

Email Campaigns Reviewed:

Pokemon Company Holiday Gift Guide: Immerse yourself in the Pokemon Company’s festive and engaging holiday gift guide here.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Discover the cutting-edge email campaign for the Apple iPhone 15 Pro here.

Salesforce Dreamforce: Explore the innovative Salesforce Dreamforce email here.

Watch the full discussion on YouTube to gain deeper insights into the future of email marketing with Anna Levitin: Watch Now.

This episode is proudly brought to you by Kombai, turn your unique Figma design into production-ready email code in just a click. Send them to your preferred ESP in seconds to run successful campaigns 20X faster and cheaper.

Try Kombai today!   

Exploring 2023’s Best Emails with Naj Salam Host: Hillel Berg Special Guest: Najmah Salam Sponsor: Kombai – Revolutionizing email design with their innovative Figma plugin that converts any email design to HTML code that works across ESPs and clients, including Outlook.

Episode Overview: Join us in this special episode of Inboxing, where we host Najmah Salam. Known for her insights in email marketing, Najmah helps us explore some of the most impressive emails of 2023, selected from the #emailgeeks community. We aim to crown the “Email of the Year 2023” (EMOTY). Najmah’s expertise in uncovering the ‘WOW’ factors in email designs sets this episode apart. She shares insights on what makes these communications stand out. Email Designs Discussed:

Submit Your Design: Have an email design for review? Submit your designs here and win swag from Kombai. Stay Tuned:

Personalization is the secret sauce on email marketing.  Everyone knows this.  But why do we still see so many generic emails.  Kelly Haggard is the Stefan Pollard Email Marketer of the Year for 2022 by the ANA Email Excellence Center.   Kelly joined me to discuss the strategy and what she could tell us about her work at Synchrony that earned her the covetted prize.   It turns out the super personalization is at the heart of it.   But really what makes this podcast so much fun to record is the range of discussions that come out of it.   I hope you’ll enjoy listening to this as much as i had fun recording it. 

Val Geisler is a retention specialist and she’s been around the block working for SAS companies and eCommerce as well.  She’s even gone ESP side and done great work for Convert Kit and Klaviyo.  Now she’s helping mothers by promoting a better breast milk alternative at ByHeart.  I had such an enjoyable conversation with Val, and I think you’ll really enjoy listening to us.   Some of my favorite lessons that came out.

Adam Kitchen is CEO and Founder of Magnet Monster, a Klaviyo Master Elite Email Marketing Agency.  Adam is also one the must follow voices on Social Media where he shares strategies, tips, and much more to help other brands and agencies do more with email marketing.    Enjoy this coversation with Adam and learn more about him and how he was able to grow his agency to become one of the leading Ecommerce Email Marketing Agencies in the business.   Whether you’re an email marketer or a business looking for a leg up on the competition, I hope you’ll enjoy this episode of Inboxing, and gain a lot from it. 

Oh boy was this episode an adventure.   I apologize if the sound is strange or there are hiccups because recording this episode was a nightmare.  Alyssa was a champ and kept rolling with the technical challenges to create a really great episode of Inboxing.   Join us to learn what you need to know to stear clear of the spam folder.  Because no matter how great your emails are they will not do anything if your deliverability is in the toilet.   So get smarter and enjoy another great episode of Inboxing. 

Jeanne Jennings has been working “Online” since the days that online was what we called the internet.  She told her incredible story, starting at Compuserve in 1989 and taking us through 20+ years of email marketing.  We touched on the challenges of email marketers, the interesting companies she’s worked for, and her role as GM of Only Influencers.  As always there is plenty to unpack in here.    So enjoy whatever you’re doing and get a little smarter, with Inboxing.