There’s no doubt about it. Creating a reusable email template saves you time. But do you ever feel like your reusable template is starting to get stale?    You want your emails to have a consistent look and feel, but worry your tried-and-true email design is starting to feel tired. Don’t throw out your template just yet. Take a look at these five signs it’s time to give your email template a refresh:

1. It’s not mobile responsive

As the majority of people now read their email on a mobile device, a mobile responsive template is no longer a luxury — it’s essential. A mobile responsive email adjusts itself automatically to the dimensions of the device it is being viewed on. This is different from a mobile-friendly template, in which your emails do not adjust based on the screen size. If your emails are not yet optimized for mobile, it’s time to update your template. What if you know you need to update your template, but don't have the time or expertise? Red Mango Marketing can help. We update mobile templates for clients and customers weekly. Contact us, we can get it turned around for you before your next newsletter is due.

2. There’s a major holiday coming up

Keep your audience engaged by offering timely content with a new look for the holiday season. This tells your audience that there is a person behind your emails, not a robot mindlessly pushing out generic content. Need help coming up with holiday email ideas? We’ve compiled 30 creative ideas for you.

3. Your results have been plateauing or dipping

If you’ve noticed that metrics like your click-through rate have gone south, your template may need to be reinvigorated. When your subject line is sensational, your content is engaging and you’ve positioned yourself to actually get noticed, but still aren’t getting the results you want, poor design may be the culprit. Reengage your audience with a fresh new template. Use these seven essential elements of email design as your guide.

4. You realize you’ve been excluding one (or more) of your demographics

Perhaps you recently decided to start marketing your business to millennials. Maybe you realize that seventy-year-old sailors can’t get enough of you. Either way, whenever you’re trying to engage a specific audience segment, it’s a good idea to create a reusable template directly tailored to this specific audience. If you’re not carefully segmenting your email list, you’re missing the opportunity to connect with people in a targeted, meaningful way. When creating a template for a specific group, keep your message focused and only include the information that’s relevant to them.

5. You’ve been using the same template for years

Even if there aren’t any major warning signs your template needs a refresh, it’s a good idea to keep your look and feel fresh. Not sure where to start? Send an online survey to ask your customers what they’d like to see in your next email newsletter. Including them in the process will make them feel invested and eager to see your new look.

Ready for your refresh?

Now that you know all the warning signs, take a hard look at your template today and see if it could use a makeover. If so, dust off Constant Contact’s guide for creating a reusable template, and get to work, or give us a call at 214-789-4967 and we'll get you started. Have questions about your email template we didn’t cover? Let us know in the comments!