Email marketers aim to create engaging emails that generate a sense of urgency without sounding too brash. With countdown timers, you can hit two birds with one stone. Timers are engaging and fun to look at. On top of that, they are highly efficient in creating a sense of urgency in your campaign, which you want to convert from PSD to HTML email with help from an email developer. Here are 5 ways to use countdown timers in your email campaigns.
5 Ways To Use Countdown Timers In Your Email Template
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Sales
One of the standard uses of a countdown timer is to highlight the upcoming sales from your brand. These emails are often sent a couple of days before the sale to keep the brand on top of the subscriber’s mind. Sending an email with a long countdown only excites the customer for the sale but fails to create a sense of urgency. This defeats the whole purpose of using a timer in emails. Similarly, they are used to remind people that sale is ending soon. You can also add last-moment discount codes or offers to convince your customers to make the purchase.
Designmodo uses a countdown timer to notify its subscribers about the upcoming Cyber Monday sale. The timer is embedded in the HTML code and actually counts down to the last minute of the sale. Such timers are more effective at creating urgency than GIF timers. Below, they have added a few snippets of discounted prices in their emails. To put the cherry on top, they have also included a coupon code that offers a 60% discount to further encourage the customers to visit their website and browse through the products.
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Personalized offers
While sales countdown timers are a great way to rake in new customers, nothing beats personalized offers. The personalized offers make the subscriber feel that the brand is looking out for their interests. And, when combined with a timer, it makes a compelling duo. While using these tactics, you should give customers not more than a few hours to think about the offer. As the duration of the timer increases, it decreases the exclusivity of the personalized offer.
Restream uses these tactics in their email. The email copy describes how their team took a joint decision to personally offer you this discount to upgrade your account. Such statements make the readers personally invested in the product. The yellow and blue color of the countdown timer and CTA button, respectively, makes them pop on the white background. Restream has decided to go with a GIF timer that counts down for a couple of minutes, which is more than the time the subscriber will take to read the email. Thus, it gives an impression of a real countdown timer.
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Event countdown
Just like sales countdown timers, you can also use them to count down to an event. However, event countdown emails are a bit different than your regular timer emails. Event emails need to have additional information to convince the readers to book the tickets. The email should show the itinerary for the event along with the notable performances or speeches. Additionally, you can enter hyperlinks in these emails that create an event reminder in apps like Outlook and Google calendar.
Segment uses a countdown timer to announce the end of early-bird sales for their event, Synapse. They explicitly mention that while the event is still a month away, you can still bag tickets at highly discounted prices. Like any other event email, they have dedicated a whole section to the spotlight session in the event. Below that, they have included a list of all the speakers participating in the event.
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Reminders
Countdown timers can be used to alert your customers about the end of their subscriptions. In addition, you can use them as reminders for customers about the end of their trial periods. While it is still recommended to use an email copy that inspires feelings of urgency, it is not necessary. After all, these are gentle reminders and not sales pitches.
NordVPN takes an interesting approach while sending reminders with countdown timers. Instead of using a GIF animation or an HTML embedded timer, they have gone with a static image. The header reads that the account has expired, and the timer shows zero. This format can be easily replicated by converting Photoshop PSD to HTML email. Furthermore, they have coupled this static timer with email copy that reminds the customers about the importance of using a VPN to browse the internet. They have also highlighted the important messages that make it easier for the reader to browse through the whole thing.
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Interactive
While countdown timers are predominantly used to create a sense of urgency, there are also other ways you can use them. For one, you can use an interactive countdown timer to create an attractive and engaging email template.
Wendy’s uses a truly innovative countdown timer in their email. The email announces the end of their summer salad line-up. They have used a GIF of a salad that acts as a timer. You will notice that the main goal of this email is not to create a sense of urgency but a sense of wonderment. Finally, they have also included a few alternative options for the summer salad.
Conclusion
The most attractive feature about countdown timers is that they are not expensive to put in your email templates. Timers are both economical and efficient. Hence, there is no reason why you should not use one in your next email campaign.
Author: Kevin George is the head of marketing at Email Uplers, that specializes in crafting Professional Email Templates, PSD to Email conversion, and Mailchimp Templates. Kevin loves gadgets, bikes & jazz, and he breathes email marketing. He enjoys sharing his insights and thoughts on email marketing best practices on email marketing blog.
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