In email marketing, one assumption comes up time and time again: “it needs to look beautiful.”
And while design does matter, it’s not always as important as many think.
Clients often picture highly designed emails – banners, graphics, brand colours and carefully structured layouts. Sometimes, that approach works brilliantly.
But here’s the insight many don’t expect: some of the best-performing emails we’ve seen are almost entirely plain text.
At the Inspiration Agency, we work with organisations across sectors – from retail to financial services – creating campaigns that drive real results. And when it comes to email marketing, the most effective approach isn’t always the most obvious.
It’s not always about looking good, it’s about doing what works for your business.
When design makes a real difference
There are plenty of situations where beautifully designed emails perform brilliantly – we’ve seen it! Design helps when your message benefits from visual storytelling or when branding plays a role in how people view your business.
For example, design-led emails often work best for:
- Product launches – Images of new products make the message clear.
- Retail promotions or offers – An eye-catching layout makes offers easy to scan.
- Events and experiences – Photos help bring the experience to life.
- Brand-building campaigns – Consistent design helps customers remember you.
A well-designed email guides the reader’s eye, breaks information into digestible sections, and makes your business look professional.
However – and this is what surprises many people – design doesn’t always drive the best results.
Why plain text emails sometimes win
Plain-text emails often perform incredibly well for one simple reason:
They feel personal!
Customers receive countless marketing emails every day that feel generic and look like a cookie-cutter of every other marketing email. Whereas a plain text email looks like a message from a real person.
This simple change can dramatically change how people respond.
Plain-text emails work even better when you want to:
- Start a conversation
- Share insight or expertise
- Send personal updates
- Build trust with an audience
Many B2B campaigns, newsletters from founders, and professional service updates perform better with a simple format that feels direct and human.
Readers are more likely to reply and engage because the email doesn’t feel like it’s trying to sell them something. It feels like it deserves a response.
Will my email marketing deliver?
Another important consideration is deliverability. In simple terms, this just means whether your email actually reaches the inbox.
Highly designed emails typically include:
- Multiple images
- HTML formatting
- Tracking links
- Buttons and graphics
While these elements look good and can work well, they can also increase the chances of emails being filtered into unfocused inboxes tabs or spam folders, especially if the email looks overly promotional. In fact, if you opened up your spam folder right now, the chances are it’s filled with email marketing campaigns.
Plain-text emails, on the other hand, often look like normal human-to-human emails. Because of this – and the fact they contain less of the elements above – they’re likely to pass through spam filters more easily.
That doesn’t mean highly designed emails will never land in your customers inbox, but it does mean balance matters.
When each approach wins
The most successful email strategies understand that both formats have their place.
Here are some common scenarios when design emails win:
- A luxury hotel launches a seasonal package and uses beautiful photography to showcase the experience. The photos, colours, and branding used instantly communicate the brands values.
- An e-commerce brand announces a sale. Clear product images and bold calls-to-action drive immediate clicks.
And here are some common scenarios when plain text emails win:
- A business consultant sends a short, thoughtful email sharing one insight from a recent project. It feels personal, helpful, and inspiring.
- A company director shares a quick update with their network about a new service or opportunity. The tone is conversational and opens a discussion.
In each case, the success comes from matching the format to the purpose of the email.
The smartest strategy: use both
The best-performing email marketing strategies rarely rely on just one format. Instead, they use a mix.
You might send designed emails for promotions and launches, and plain-text emails for updates and relationship-building content.
This approach keeps your communications feeling fresh and real, stopping your audience from simply deleting all your similar-looking emails.
We know email marketing
If you’re reading this and thinking ‘that’s great, but where to I start?’, that’s where we come in. As a team of marketing experts, we can take care of your email marketing – using plain text and design to craft perfectly tailored content that actually delivers.
Get in touch today to have a chat.