It’s a continual challenge to find ongoing inspiration as an email marketer…and even more challenging to keep your inspiration organized. With a wealth of creative campaigns at your fingertips, it can be challenging to effectively manage all the ideas, designs, and trends you come across.
That’s where having a structured email inspiration library comes in handy.
Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the common ways that you might currently be curating an email inspiration library…as well as sharing how you can start using Spotmar’s free Collections feature to help take your email marketing to the next level.
Finally, we’ll cover best practices for categorizing emails so you can quickly find what you need, when you need it.
Collecting examples of successful campaigns can help spark creativity, showcase new trends, and provide reference points for improving email performance…an absolute must for competitive marketers.
Traditionally, you might have saved email inspiration by creating folders in their inboxes, pinning visuals on platforms like Pinterest, or storing screenshots on cloud drives. But these approaches can be difficult to manage and lack the structure needed to stay organized long-term.
Here’s why:
One of the most straightforward methods marketers have historically used to save email inspiration is by creating folders within their email inboxes. For instance, you might see folders labeled “Welcome Series,” “Holiday Campaigns,” or “Product Launches,” where marketers drag and drop emails they find compelling. While this approach makes use of your existing email setup, it quickly becomes unmanageable as your collection grows. Sifting through dozens (or even hundreds) of emails in each folder can be time-consuming and doesn’t allow for easy sorting by design, theme, or campaign type.
Pinterest has become another popular method for saving email design inspiration, as it allows users to visually organize inspiration and create multiple boards for different campaign types or design styles. However, Pinterest is not designed specifically for email marketing, and it often lacks the contextual information (like subject lines, send dates, or audience segmentation tactics) that marketers need to analyze an email’s effectiveness. In addition, as Pinterest boards fill up, they can become just as unwieldy as email folders.
Many marketers also rely on cloud storage solutions, like Google Drive or Dropbox, to save screenshots of emails they want to reference later. This method allows marketers to create folders for different themes or categories, but it often lacks advanced organizational tools and becomes cumbersome over time. Unless each image file is meticulously named and organized, finding a specific example later on can be frustrating. Additionally, cloud drives aren’t optimized for visual browsing, which is often essential when it comes to finding design inspiration.
This is where Spotmar (which has a generous free plan) can revolutionize your process. With features designed specifically for email marketers, Spotmar makes it easy to build, organize, and access a centralized library of email inspiration, allowing you to find exactly what you need, when you need it.
Spotmar’s “Collections” feature is designed to make organizing email examples quick, intuitive, and visually engaging. Collections allow you to create and categorize libraries of emails based on your specific needs. Here’s how to get started:
Create Your First Collection: Once logged into Spotmar, navigate to the Collections feature and create a new Collection. Give it a clear and descriptive name, such as “Holiday Campaigns” or “Welcome Emails.”
Save Emails Directly to Collections: As you browse through Spotmar’s extensive library of email inspiration, save examples you like directly to your chosen Collections with a single click. Spotmar automatically captures all the design details, which saves you the time and hassle of taking screenshots or writing down notes.
Add Personal Notes: Each email in Spotmar allows you to add custom notes. Use this feature to jot down why you found the email inspiring or to highlight particular elements like subject lines, visuals, or calls-to-action. This way, when you revisit your Collection, you’ll know exactly why each email caught your eye.
To make the most out of your Spotmar Collections, think carefully about how you categorize your emails. Here are some best practices for setting up an efficient and practical library.
Organize by Campaign Type
Organizing by campaign type is a great way to start building your library, especially if you frequently work with specific types of emails. Consider creating Collections based on categories such as:
Organize by Industry
If you work with multiple clients or across various sectors, organizing by industry can give you quick access to relevant inspiration. For example:
Organize by Design Elements
Spotmar allows you to save emails based on unique design aspects, making it easy to gather inspiration around certain styles and techniques:
Once you’ve set up your Collections, you’re well on your way to managing your inspiration library like a pro. To maintain organization and get the most out of your library, follow these tips:
Set Regular Review Sessions
Make it a habit to review and update your Collections every month. Remove examples that no longer feel relevant and add any new inspiration you’ve come across.
Utilize the Notes Feature
Spotmar allows you to record notes alongside every saved email, which can be invaluable when you’re sharing a collection with your team and want to make sure they know exactly what you like (or don’t like) about any given email.
Collaborate with Your Team
Speaking of sharing with your team…Spotmar’s Collections are shareable, which means you can collaborate easily with your team. Invite team members to view or contribute to your Collections, enabling everyone to work from the same inspiration base.
Spotmar’s purpose-built features make it easier than ever to save, organize, and manage a rich library of email inspiration, which can be a huge asset for any marketer looking to up their email game. Unlike traditional tools that require manual input or saving files, Spotmar offers seamless saving, categorization, and browsing capabilities. Instead of getting lost in endless folders or tabs, Spotmar’s Collections provide a clear, efficient way to store your favorite campaigns and revisit them anytime you need a spark of inspiration.
Having a well-organized email inspiration library isn’t just about saving great examples; it’s about creating a resource that you can rely on to keep your marketing fresh, relevant, and effective. By using Spotmar’s Collections feature, you can organize your inspiration by campaign type, industry, and design style, building a library that’s not only comprehensive but also tailored to your specific needs.
If you haven’t already, take the first step toward a more organized, effective approach to email marketing inspiration by exploring Spotmar. Start building your Collections today and set yourself up for email marketing success!
