How to brief an email designer
Written by the studio that designs and codes these emails every week — with real examples from client programmes.
The reliable process: a one-hour brief, agreed strategy, custom design in Figma, hand-coded HTML tested across 60+ email clients, then platform setup. Single emails take 3–5 working days; flows take 1–2 weeks.
The process matters more than most brands realise — a good brief and clear stages remove almost all project risk. Here's how it works when it works well.
The stages
- Brief — brand assets, audience, platform, goals and examples you like/hate. One good hour here saves a week later.
- Strategy — what emails, in what order, triggered by what. Agreed before any pixels move.
- Design — custom layout in Figma, reviewed and revised until signed off.
- Development — hand-coded HTML, tested across 60+ clients including Outlook and dark mode.
- Launch — uploaded, connected and verified in your platform.
Timelines that are actually honest
A single email: 3–5 working days. A 3–5 email flow: 1–2 weeks. Full lifecycle programmes: scoped individually with fixed dates. Rush options exist — say so in the brief.
Start with our service overview or go straight to a fixed quote.
Your options for how to brief an email designer, compared.
| Template galleries | Cheap marketplaces | EmailDesign | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom design (not a reskin) | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Hand-coded, tested HTML | ✗ | Rarely | ✓ 60+ clients |
| Outlook & dark mode handled | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Set live in your platform | ✗ | Extra cost | ✓ Included |
| Fixed quote before work starts | n/a | Varies | ✓ Always |
| One accountable studio | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Built for the platform you already use.
Every project is designed for your platform's editor and set live in your account — see Klaviyo email design or Mailchimp templates.
What you receive with the done-for-you version.
Keep reading.
Who is EmailDesign?
A UK email design and development studio. We design custom emails, hand-code the HTML and set everything live in platforms like Klaviyo and Mailchimp — from £95 per email.
Can you do this for us?
Yes — this topic maps directly to our services. Get a fixed quote within one working day.
Ready when you are.
Tell us what you're sending and where — fixed quote within one working day.