Salesforce eDM Templating Creative
Initially this project was to improve the design of eDMs (transactional and newsletter) with the aim of increasing engagement and brand sentiment. What I proposed was a series of modules under the provided content pillars, which allowed a large set of templates to be created in Saleforce. This allowed the automation team to include variations into the newsletter and cut down on visual repetition, keeping the messaging feeling fresher. This solution also future-proofed messaging of any kind. My long experience working with HTML and email design ensured the solution worked rather than design options that simply don’t work in the archaic HTML and tables which email still uses. Design was implemented in Figma, allowing team-wide access for exporting elements or gathering dev details.
Task
Develop a modular design system to assist efficiency in Salesforce eDM newsletter automation.
Problem
The automation team needed to create a massive system of both transactional emails and specific-use email newsletters.
Not being designers they wanted to reduce the round-trip of brief > design > build, and instead create some pre-designed repeatable elements.
Solution
The brief asked for a design for each pillar but I revised this and instead designed a suite of modules for each pillar. This allowed the email team to choose from module options rather than repeat the same ones. The benefit of this was an infinite range of layouts, which kept the visual messaging fresh and reduced visual message fatigue in their customers.
HTML + Email experience
This is a project that was helped by my decades of email experience. Sadly email newsletters are still using HTML tables, which greatly limit what you can implement, when compared with web CSS and floating divs. This understanding meant the problem solving was done in the design phase, and allowed the automation team to build them out quickly.
The suite of modules allowed an endless variety of newsletters, both standalone and series. Options from one-off transactional emails through the welcome journeys and engagement or incentive campaigns. All were able to be developed with a unique feel while staying strongly in brand.
Additionally the suite of modules were able to be duplicated for localisation of Singapore and Australia brand variations.
This project was a great outcome for all parties. The automation team had a massive toolset of prebuilt modules which improved efficiency of delivery. Along with this the customer received more visually interesting emails with reduced repetition of elements, which in turn increased engagement.