The Art of the Teaser Email: Create Intrigue and Generate Buzz

Teaser emails are an example of email blasts, a type of promotional email designed to generate awareness and demand for a new product, service, or event. It aims to inform customers that something is coming and get them excited and intrigued, piquing their interest so that they'll want to learn more about it.

These types of promotional emails are different from sequences designed to build relationships with customers. For instance, you'd use welcome emails to generate leads, but teaser emails are more promotional than that, aiming to make subscribers want to learn more.

Teaser emails drive traffic to websites while boosting sales and conversions. There are many types of teaser email campaigns, and the best one for you will ultimately depend on what you're promoting.

For example, if you build a teaser email campaign about a product, you might include several highlights and a call-to-action (CTA) that tells subscribers when they can start placing orders.

Examples of successful teaser email campaigns

Teaser emails are typically used for products and events, but they can be used for any situation where you want to intrigue customers to learn more about a topic.

A few examples of when a teaser email campaign can be used include:

• New product releases: Companies can send email teaser campaigns to generate buzz and interest when planning product releases. This might include giving subscribers a date for when they can expect to see products on shelves or available for purchase online.
• Deals and sales: Businesses can generate interest by sending teaser email campaigns to promote upcoming deals. While these deals aren't available yet, they can increase website traffic since people may browse other products while waiting.

Why should you send teaser emails?

Teaser emails generate interest. Everyone has a natural curiosity; when you don't give them all the information, they'll want to learn more. Teaser emails are designed to drive traffic to your website and build awareness about a particular event, whether it's a new product release or a sales promotion.

Teaser emails also appeal to buyers' fear of missing out (FOMO), which is why so many of us take advantage of deals whenever we can. Teaser emails promote limited-time events like sales by making subscribers want to take action because they won't have the opportunity forever.

Teaser emails are designed to help you communicate upcoming events with subscribers. Essentially, you're promoting something without asking them to purchase it. Instead, you're telling them something is coming, and they should be prepared to take action.

The benefits of teaser email campaigns include the following:

Creates anticipation

Teaser emails don't give subscribers all the information. Some don't even tell customers what the product is that's being released. Instead, they create anticipation about a new product or sale, promoting everything from Black Friday deals to new products to create anticipation and inform customers when the event is happening.

Generates buzz

Teaser emails are designed to generate buzz for long-awaited products. For instance, a new video game that took years to develop may have a large following. A teaser email for this product will tell customers when they can purchase the video game, generating buzz around a new product release.

This type of teaser email works best for brands with passionate followers who want to know when the product will be available. With a teaser email, you're not introducing a new product. Rather, you're telling customers who already knew a release was coming when they can expect to purchase the product without sharing too much information about the release.

Drives traffic

Teaser emails can drive traffic back to your website. While you're teasing products and events that aren't available yet, these emails can remind customers about your other offerings, making them want to browse your selection before the event happens.

Reinforces brand loyalty

Teaser emails reinforce brand loyalty by building suspense, encouraging conversations, and generating buzz. Your subscribers are likely individuals who have already purchased your products and want the latest news about upcoming releases. Sharing this information can inspire customers to remain loyal to your brand.

Email teaser design is different from other types of email campaigns. Traditionally, email design focuses on providing the subscriber with information, which may include product photos and videos. However, teaser emails are much shorter because they don't provide much information about the product or event.

All email teaser templates should have the following components:

Subject line

Every teaser email needs a catchy subject line that makes subscribers want to open the email to learn more. The key to writing good emails is to focus on a subject line that generates interest. Many people won't open your emails unless you have a good subject line, so make sure it builds anticipation and makes subscribers want to learn more.

Opening paragraph

The opening paragraph is a line or a few lines of text that tell subscribers what the product or event is. You should use the same voice and tone throughout all your marketing collateral.

However, unlike other types of emails, the opening paragraph of a teaser email is short and doesn't provide too much information. Instead, you'll want to keep it as non-descriptive as possible to generate intrigue.

Main content

The main content includes the information you want customers to know. In teaser emails, the main content is relatively short and may consist of product images and the release date.

Email service providers render email content differently, so you should always preview your campaign to ensure it looks good regardless of the email app subscribers use.

Call-to-action

Every email you send should have a call-to-action (CTA). Because the event has yet to happen, your CTA will be different for a teaser email than any other email campaign.

Since your customers can't "buy now," you must ask them to do something else. Common CTAs for teaser email campaigns include the following:

• Notify me: Since customers can't purchase the product or take advantage of any deals when you send the teaser email, you can notify them when the product goes on sale or officially launches. You can use your CRM to set up these notifications, automatically sending them as soon as the product is released or the deal begins.
• Browse selection: There's nothing for customers to purchase when you send a teaser email because the product isn't available yet or the deal hasn't started, but you can still take advantage of these communications by driving them to visit your website to browse your collection or learn more about a specific event.
• Preorder: Preorders are common in the gaming industry, and a teaser email campaign can help you generate more sales by offering customers the opportunity to preorder products before they launch. Then, they'll receive their preordered products near the scheduled release date.

Closing

The email closing line is the last piece of information your teaser email shares with its subscribers. Many teaser emails don't have closing lines because they're short and want to generate as much intrigue as possible.

Whether your own teaser email campaign has a closing line is a matter of personal preference, but they're not required.

Best practices for crafting teaser emails

Crafting teaser campaigns can be more challenging than other types of emails because the goal is to generate interest for a particular event, like a product launch. These emails are short and to the point, all while ensuring you've provided enough information to get subscribers excited.

Use the following best practices for crafting your teaser campaigns:

Understand your target audience

Knowing your target audience can help you create a successful teaser email campaign because it tells you what interests them most. You should research your target market to determine the types of events, such as product launches and upcoming sales, that might generate intrigue.

For instance, if you have a long-anticipated product, your teaser email might include a sneak peek without sharing too many details.

Personalize the message

Always personalize the messages you send. You might personalize them by including the subscribers' names in the email subject line or segmenting your audience based on actions they've taken on your website.

Optimize for mobile

Your teaser campaign should always be optimized for mobile. The average consumer is more likely to open their emails on their mobile device than a desktop. This is why it's so important to preview your teaser campaign on multiple devices before scheduling it. An email can look perfectly well-designed on your desktop but completely different rendered on smaller screens.

A/B test

A/B testing your teaser email campaign can help you determine the most effective way to communicate with customers. Also known as split testing, A/B testing allows you to test everything from the email subject line to the content within the email to determine which variant performs better.

With A/B testing, you can improve open, click-through, and conversion rates, generating more buzz with your teaser campaign.

Build excitement for your business by sending teaser emails

A teaser campaign can effectively generate buzz about an upcoming event like a sale or new product release. Teasing your customers with enough information but not too much detail can intrigue them and make them want to learn more.

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