Communications in the financial services industry have come a long way since the old days of stodgy bank statements. With the new wave of online banks, budgeting apps and the like, fintech companies are bringing freshness and creativity to the inbox.
We believe the best email teams deserve more credit for delivering content that’s both educational and entertaining, especially in highly regulated environments. That’s why we’ve created a lookbook of our favorite email design trends from leading financial institutions.
As a sneak peek, we’ll share three in this post:
- Best Abandonment Alert
- Best Birthday Promotion
- Best Offer
You can access even more trends in the full Finance Lookbook. Download a copy to share with your team.
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Want to search our database of epic emails? Inspire and inform your next big idea with Inbox Monster’s Research Suite.
Top Email Creative Trends in Financial Services
Best Abandonment Alert
Chime Makes Signing Up a Snap
Instead of sending bland, boring messages, Chime brings personality. With its cheerful green color palette, friendly illustration and punchy copy (“Spend, save, build, pay”), the financial technology company encourages prospects to sign up for a new checking account.
Banking is more complex than shopping for a new pair of shoes, but that doesn’t mean abandonment alerts in finance can’t keep it simple. The large “Finish Enrolling” button motivates users to take immediate action, and if they need further assistance, the “we’re here to help” CTA can get their questions answered.
LendingTree Converts Loan Offers in a Few Clicks
Borrowing money is serious business, and yet somehow LendingTree includes subtle gamification to increase conversion rates. Rather than walking users through a labyrinth of complicated steps, the fintech company asks them to select their preferred loan amount, ranging from $5,000 to $30,000.
The first-name salutation and multiple-button layout give the abandonment email a more compelling, personalized touch. And if that wasn’t enough, the testimonials below add much-appreciated social proof. Loans may not be free money, but that doesn’t mean that email communications can’t make recipients feel like they won the lottery.
Best Birthday Promotion
SoFi Commits to the Half-Birthday Bit
Has an insurance company’s emails ever made me laugh out loud before? Not until I read this birthday message from SoFi. The provider of digital financial services wishes users a happy half-birthday with the intro, “Yes, we’re really doing this.”
There’s actually meaning behind the message. Because life insurance rates are tied to a person’s age, SoFi uses the occasion to remind users that they can lock in cheaper rates and save more money on policies. The line, “Suddenly the half-birthday email makes sense, right?”, has us nodding along. Well played, SoFi.
Ally Bakes Up Birthday Sweetness
Ally’s another financial institution that knows how to make milestones more fun. In addition to its signature purple branding, the all-digital bank is known for its savings buckets, which allow customers to organize their money goals.
In this birthday message with the punny hashtag #officiALLYmybirthday, Ally encourages users to screenshot their bucket-esque birthday cake and fill in each tier with how they’re celebrating their special day.
It’s interactive, focused on the customer instead of the company, and definitely not what you’d expect from an online bank. And it makes us hungry for more celebration emails!
Best Offer
YNAB Convinces Subscribers to Save Big
The budgeting app YNAB is known for having diehard fans (I’ve been one of them since 2013!). Despite its success as a leader in the personal finance space, its brand has continued to feel relatable and customer-focused.
The bright blue design with pops of neon green gives this email promotion a playful edge, drawing the eye to a great deal. By switching from a monthly to an annual plan, subscribers can save 39%, which the company translates to 140 days for free.
For budget-loving customers, it’s an offer they can’t refuse.
Bilt Gives Gym-Goers More Ways to Treat Themselves
Residential hospitality platform Bilt has managed to do the impossible: make the first of the month a day to look forward to. By offering points and exclusive benefits for every on-time rent payment, Bilt has a rewards program that’s hard to beat.
In this email, Bilt brings attention to its fitness benefits, through partner studios like Barry’s and SoulCycle. Not only can members pay for classes with points, but they can also receive free shakes and equipment rentals.
The app-like design of the hero image and concierge CTA enhance the feeling of special treatment. After seeing exactly how much value they can earn, members are given the next step of linking their cards to unlock even more benefits. Because the best offers are when the gifts keep on giving.
Email Creative to Inspire Your Next High-Performing Campaign
We often hear from our customers that the right email testing and deliverability platform is like having a great insurance policy: It’s worth investing in to secure your long-term success.
For more email examples from top financial services providers, download our Finance Lookbook.
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