When you send an affinity marketing campaign, the trust is already there. But is trust enough to guarantee conversions? In this blog, you’ll discover a few tried-and-true tips to elevate your affinity email creative and achieve better results. 

Currently, MailChimp metrics show an average open rate of 30.08% and click rate of 2.96% for emails sent within the insurance industry. These numbers fall within the same range as other professional industries, like legal, medical, and dental. But open and click rates will depend on the segment you’re emailing; because of brand recognition, rates may be higher with affinity campaigns over DTC. 

This is where a strategic email creative comes into play. A well-crafted email creative can increase the performance of an affinity campaign by taking customers down a proven path to click.  

How to Build a Winning Affinity Email Creative: 5 Strategies  

At FM Engage, we have our affinity marketing down to a science. Here are the methods we use to make an email creative sing: 

1. Write a subject line that establishes credibility.  

The subject line is the first thing a recipient sees, so it’s important to make a strong impression. In affinity marketing, an email subject line must create both interest and trust. This is achieved through aligning with the sender (an affinity brand used by the consumer) and positioning the product benefits.  

A successful subject line and preheader that tick these boxes might speak to insurance offers for your current customers, personalizing with a first name and teasing group rates. Incorporating language that emphasizes the benefits of the affinity partnership and highlights limited offerings can pique curiosity and encourage customers to open. 

LinkedIn’s most recent State of Sales report indicated that 47 percent of consumers would engage with brands that communicated with personalization. Personalization demonstrates that a company understands a customer’s individual needs, with the potential to deepen this connection through affinity affiliation. 

2. Place the affinity logo at the top to add credibility.  

The affinity logo can be used as a commanding opening visual to reinforce familiarity and trust: 

• Putting the affinity logo at the top of the email creative is a strategic move to establish legitimacy. 
• Affiliation with a recognized brand can instill confidence in a customer, especially if they have a positive perception of the affinity partner. 

Not only does placing the affinity logo at the top immediately grab attention. It also leverages an affinity partner’s perceived value and reputation. Prominently displaying the logo signals the email is from a known source, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion. 

3. Make a powerful value proposition.  

The introduction of the email creative, below the affinity logo, is the ideal location for a compelling value proposition.  

When you showcase the benefits, a customer is drawn to the tangible value. Whether it’s exclusive discounts, special offers, or elite rewards, clearly articulating the savings amount captures attention and motivates a customer to keep reading. What a customer really wants to know when scanning an email creative is how they stand to benefit before they take the next step. 

In contrast to traditional marketing approaches, an affinity value prop may hold even more weight. Where standard value propositions might focus solely on the benefits of a single brand or product, affinity marketing leverages the strength of a trusted brand to create a unique—and convenient—offer.  

4. Feature benefits exclusive to the affinity relationship.  

Now that value has been communicated, a customer may be interested in hearing more about benefits: 

• In the email body, create copy that details benefits only available within the affinity relationship. 
• Quantify benefits in a way that differentiates from competing DTC offers—like “enjoy X% loyalty discount for each year you’ve been a member.” 

By highlighting perks, discounts, or rewards that are only linked to the affinity partnership, you create a sense of exclusivity and value. This strengthens the connection to the affinity partner while incentivizing the customer to engage with the offer, knowing they’re receiving benefits they can’t get anywhere else. 

5. Include a clear call to action with two ways to engage. 

A clickable call to action (CTA) completes the email creative, ideally providing two different options. A customer might be encouraged to “enroll now” by clicking a button or to reach out by calling a toll-free number. Offering two choices gives the customer a sense of control and can cater to different preferences.  

A customer should be able to skim this section and know exactly what they need to do to act. A well-constructed CTA prompts action by providing clear instructions and incentives for engagement. Using action-oriented language and creating visually prominent CTAs can further enhance effectiveness. Ultimately, a high-converting CTA solidifies the value of the offer, creating excitement and a sense of urgency. 

Even when you nail a winning creative, success isn’t static. Affinity marketing requires continuous refinement to sustain results. This is done through meticulously analyzing metrics and rigorously testing. At FM Engage, we dedicate time to testing email creatives down to the word. When we partner with an insurance company, we use our insights to optimize control creatives and build new campaigns. 

Let Us Lighten Your (Marketing) Load 

Need help implementing any of these strategies? Reach out to FM Engage. We’re here to save you time—and money—by using our proven testing methods to ensure your creatives reach max ROI.