Pretty good. This made me realize that when I only put the deal in the email - I recently did this in order to not make the recipients read too much info - I am actually limiting myself. Valuable content would make the email more welcome and more likely to be opened.

I also like Kayak’s newsletter because they spotlight the most appealing reasons for visiting the places they feature, encourage comments and target their email to the receiver.

Their email has motivated me to implement better navigation and aim for light HTML.

Thanks for sharing this.

I like their newsletter example. But I’m still torn on the plain text vs. html/lighthtml arguments. The best click through rate I ever had (90%) was on a plain text email written in a conversational tone.

So I still agonize about which is better plain or flashy… I can see that Kayak would have to do more HTML because of their subject matter. But for a self-development newsletter? I’m still on the fence.

I really liked it. It looked very friendly, and professional. It looked very professional. I don’t know if I can make one look that good. Text email I can do. I wouldn’t want to send an email in html that looked yucky.

My only hesitation with this is getting emails through with images and html formatting. I haven’t had much luck in the past with it.

I do however, offer the same sort of value putting out a monthly pdf full color magazine with 8-10 articles and it works much the same in building a relationship. Also, by hitting reply to any email my customers contact me directly and I strive to reply to most within 2-3 hours. Many people have commented on the quality of the magazine and the quick reply from me directly.

All the best!

Thank you for sharing this superb example.

As a novice, it looks to me like a full blog page sent via email. I should imagine that what you express as "nothing difficult or complex" techniques would require extensive customization and linkage to function properly with external sources from within the email… but I am no expert in that area.

It is inspirational. Now that we have seen the model, perhaps you could send us a brief explanation of HOW this model was constructed and linked (location specific to the reader).

We should remember that Western Civilization has a typographic tradition. Granted, the Web has invented new ways of exploiting that tradition.

But let us not forget that the basics of type–the paragraph, the indent, the initial cap, bold, italic and underscore, etc.–are there to guide the eye through the content of the message. They make it easier to read, even inviting.

When we see a gray block of copy (as with Kayak) with little or no formatting, the eye gets turned off. It can’t see where thoughts start and where they end: "Hey, gimme me a break. Give it to me in thin slices…please!"

Bottom line: If html allows me to do only that, then I’m in. But with one caveat: As with crack cocaine, the seductive high of html lures us into graphic overdose.

As a result, the minds of both the sender and the receiver become blurred; they fail to get to the core of the real message…if, indeed, there ever was one.

great!
thanks for sharing!

[…] A super overview of a great email newsletter example from Kayak. Justin from aweber.com highlights the building a relationship approach over the hard sell so often seen. Kayak also uses basic segmentation and personalisation very well. […]

Great lookiing email i would take the time to read and visit the site always great to get an email that grabs you when so many are just interested in getting you to spend.

Justin - unless I have missed it, you give no data on how successful Kayak is compared to other similar sits. Even some Profit / Loss figures for the company and how that relates to their email activity would be useful.

Subscriptions Strategy trades in this kind of information, and Aweber would be doing its clients a great service if it would get permission to at least tell us what is working and what is not.

We all see promotions we like, and those we don’t like. They come across our screens and in the mail every day. But what works and what doesn’t? Those are the real questions. Personal opinion is of little use as neither you nor I can put our minds into the small percentage of people who respond to these promotions. That is why comment should be results-based.

I am not being negative here. Just asking for facts. Aweber has plenty to share.

Justin - many thanks for your prompt reply.

Kayak should be happy to tell you how well their emails do! They will probably tell you if you ask.

I have already seen your split test on buttons vs text and commented on it.

It’s highly useful information, although some of the commentators don’t seem to realize it!

That is the kind of data that we can all use to make more profit. Clearly, the lesson is use buttons to increase response, but then change back to text.

Valuable info - thanks!

[…] Kayak.com Newsletters (see also this review of Kayak Newsletters) […]

[…] they contain fare promotions. Nothing really exciting (nothing like say, Kayak’s great email newsletters). But they are consistent, and I do usually take a look at them to see if I might be talked into […]