The 3 Design Principles That Turn Emails Into Cash Machines

Hey it’s Max from The Inbox Newsletter.

The 3 Design Principles That Turn Emails Into Cash Machines

Most people confuse “beautiful” with “profitable.”

Just because your emails look good doesn’t mean they’re converting.

Let’s fix that.

Key Takeaways:

1. Great design doesn’t just look good, it drives clicks.

2. Ease of click and skimmability is everything — if it takes longer than 5 seconds to understand your email, you’ve lost.

3. Infographics outperform blocks of copy every time.

How to Create Email Designs That Actually Convert

Design is not just decoration. It’s persuasion.

And when it comes to ecommerce emails, every pixel should have one job: Drive action.

The goal isn’t to win a design award.

The goal is to make your reader stop scrolling, pay attention, and click.

So before you obsess over colors and fonts, make sure your design nails these 3 high-converting principles:

1. Ease of Click

We live in the scroll era. People are flying through their inbox like zombies on autopilot.

You’ve got 2 seconds to grab their finger and guide it to a click.

Here’s how:

• Place a CTA button above the fold — don’t make them search.

• Use large, tappable buttons (especially on mobile).

• Write clear, benefit-driven CTAs like “Get My 10% Off” or “See What’s New.”

This isn’t about being polite. It’s about being easy. If your reader has to think… you’ve already lost.

2. Skimmability

Let’s be honest: Nobody is reading your email like a novel. They’re skimming.

3-5 seconds. That’s all you get.

So make it count:

• Use bold headlines and short blurbs.

• Avoid giant paragraphs that make your reader's eyes glaze over.

• Design your emails in Figma and keep your visual hierarchy tight.

You can reference the email comparisons in the “minimal copy” slide from our design swipe file — one bloated with text vs. one that’s clean and punchy.

TL;DR: The less you say, the more they absorb.

3. Infographics > Paragraphs

Infographics are your cheat code.

If you’re still stacking blocks of copy and praying someone reads… stop.

Start using:

• Checklists that spell out value

• Icons that communicate fast

• Comparison graphics that show “you vs. them”

These visuals reduce cognitive load and increase clarity. They’re also way more engaging than a wall of text.

Design tip: If your email doesn’t make sense in 3 seconds, it’s too complicated.

Tying It All Together

This email is a great example of all 3 principles.

Ease of Click: There is a button above the fold and large buttons throughout the email that are clear to see.

Skimmability: There’s minimal copy, just short blurbs and clear hierarchy making the email easy to briefly look at and understand.

Infographics: The table in the middle is a perfect infographic. Short, punchy, value packed, and easy to read!

Helpful Links Of The Day

• One of my favorite hacks for more sales in your flows

• The greatest guide ever on abandonment flows

• Mastering SMS marketing

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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