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How to Make Your Emails Look Professional
Max Sturtevant
February 03, 2025
The Inbox Newsletter
Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.
Today I have a quick email design tip to share with you.
The Problem with Most Email Designs
Most brands treat email design like stacking LEGO blocks.
There’s a hero image at the top, then a random-colored section, then another block of mismatched colors and images.
It creates visual friction, disrupting the reader’s flow. Instead of immersing your audience in your brand, you’re making them work to process your email. And if it looks clunky, they’re bouncing.
The Solution: Immersive Email Design
To create a seamless, engaging email experience, follow this one simple rule:
Extend your hero image throughout the entire email.
✔ Match the background color to your hero image
✔ Use complementary fonts and text styles throughout
✔ Blend product images naturally into the theme
✔ Keep elements consistent so nothing looks “off”
When you do this, your email stops feeling like an email. It feels like a beautifully designed landing page.
How to Apply This to Your Emails (Step-by-Step)
1. Pick a Strong Hero Image
Your hero image sets the tone for your entire email.
Choose an image that represents the main theme or product you’re promoting.
2. Use the Same Color Palette
Identify the main colors in your hero image (use a tool like Coolors or Adobe Color).
Set your email background, section dividers, and CTA buttons in these colors.
3. Keep the Typography Consistent
If your hero image has a bold, modern font, don’t suddenly switch to a script font in the body.
Stick with 1-2 complementary fonts throughout the email.
4. Extend the Background
Instead of a white or grey email background, extend the hero image colors throughout.
Example: If your hero image has a soft pastel blue sky, make your email background the same soft blue.
5. Use Cohesive Product Imagery
If you’re featuring multiple products, edit them to blend with the theme.
Avoid placing random images with different lighting or backgrounds—they’ll break the flow.
6. Keep It Simple & Clean
Remove unnecessary dividers, blocks, and extra text.
The email should feel like one connected experience, not separate sections.
Why This Works
✅ Emails feel natural & effortless to read
✅ Your brand looks more premium & polished
✅ Higher engagement & click-through rates
✅ Better storytelling & visual impact
Want to see this in action?
I recorded a 5-minute video breakdown showing how I transformed a basic email into a seamless, immersive experience.
Let me know what you think!
Email Inspiration Of The Day
Brand:
Snif
Email Design:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QX0tFM2M4SEy21vcj3s7SpkkdkblAsxF/view?usp=sharing
Notes:
This email is a perfect example of what I went over in this email.
The pink hero image is perfectly extended to match the whole email with the bottom section being added on top, following the same color pallete.
Perfect!
Template of The Day
Bridge Section Template #27
If you want access to a bank of 134 mix and match templates like this equating to over 5,000+ possible email designs, click here »
Helpful Links Of The Day
Reply to this email if you have any questions or further content you want covered.
Cheers,
Max
PS - If you run an ecommerce brand above $50k/mo and you want to have a free email strategy consultation with me, book a call here »
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