The example that we put up here instantly reminded us of the technique of the newspaper world. Sometimes in the digital world we can learn a lot of the print world. There is something like the expression “above the fold” …
We often look at our email messages, like many people within the business world, via a screen with a preview. It’s not only less tiring than scanning subject lines, it also gives you a good impression where the email message is about. Sometimes it is only just a line or two and you have read the message in one go. Sometimes it is more elaborate and you have to decide whether you continue to read.
1 Here the logo is put in front, together with the company name. That is not only clear, but also the extension .nl makes clear that we can continue digitally when there is interest. A classic opener as we expect from commercial email traffic.
2 Here you can find the essence of the full message. It has not been created first-class, but by the sobriety you immediately know where you stand. The menu starts with “request price quote”, not that it is relevant already, but later on this position will be in the back of our heads. And the “like” of Facebook looks quite old-fashioned, but this is still embedded in our recognition memory. Which is in contrast to the mistake that one makes by releasing top-notch buttons to the reader.
After the opener the essence of the offer follows in one phrase. Little circulations, five working days are preceding the explanation. Who is interested, receives a “read more” and a call-to-action, but the button “request price quote” lingers on somewhere. Chances are that the CTA in the menu has been clicked before noticing the CTA that lingers at the end of the text. Intuitively the email message is well designed.
1+2 But there is more. That is why we add up 1 and 2. All this I have been able to read in the preview screen. Without having to scroll at a glance. In the newspaper world this principle is called above the fold. Just follow your imagination. When you see the newspapers lying in the newspaper shop, what do you see? Well, the logo of the newspaper and the main article at the top. The rest is hidden under the fold. If you buy a newspaper in an impulse, than the upper side is the trigger to make you decide. If you want to study an email in depth, then what is visible in the preview is the same trigger. So, make sure the essence of the message is visible for the internet surfers that are scanning the email via the preview image.
3 Then you receive the sequel. One builds further on the first message. The exceptions or additions are being saved for those who have decided to also read the bottom of the page. That implies that you can keep the first message beneath 1 very simple, easy to read for those who read fast. But the interesting options such as “personalisation” and “little circulations” can be the icing on the cake in order to move the reader to a price quote. Also look at the position of the second time that you see the CTA “request price quote” in the message. After all, the first is above the page fold and has now been shifted outside the preview screen. So you see that while building the email message you should always keep in mind the way in which the recipient reads a message. After all, he consumes your message in pieces!
