Unlock the gamification potential: Classification, games for various sales funnel stages, and game boosters

Did you know that 90% of sales managers claim that gamification boosts sales and revenue? Gamified content can also enhance ROI by 300%.

If you’re tired of sending numerous mundane newsletters and are instead looking to jazz up your email campaigns, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explore the magic of email gamification and break down different types of games, how they fit into various stages of your sales funnel, and the secret sauce — game boosters, which build motivation to play games.

So, get ready to level up your email marketing game (pun intended) and engage your audience like never before!

When you should use email gamification

We’ve outlined six situations in which your email campaigns can benefit greatly from gamified content:

1. Celebrating holidays in a unique way

Holidays can be a great time for eCommerce businesses to offer discounts and send consumers festive wishes. However, customers can grow tired of the traditional sales tactics. Instead, why not surprise your customers with something different? For instance, for our Easter campaign, we hid digits behind eggs. Recipients had to find and add up these digits and then enter the final sum to earn a discount on their next purchase.

(Web version of this email)

2. Entertaining your recipients

While you may not always have anything to say to your recipients, know that regular communication with your audience keeps your brand at the top of their minds — gamified emails help with this. In these cases, games can keep your audience engaged and entertained — games ensure that your brand remains vibrant and interesting even with no major announcements.

(Source: Email from AWeber)

3. Working with a tight budget

If you can’t afford to offer significant discounts, gamification can help. For example, if you are afraid that a 10% discount won’t delight your subscribers but can’t afford to offer them 30% off, you can create a Wheel of Fortune game in which every 10th customer wins a bigger prize. This approach not only creates excitement, but also keeps costs manageable while providing value to your customers.

4. Announcing a new product launch

Brands often use teaser emails to build anticipation when launching a new product. If you don’t have all the details or final images for the launch, a gamified teaser can still engage your audience. Use a fun game to pique subscribers’ interests and keep them eagerly awaiting your next update.

(Source: ReallyGoodEmails)

5. Sharing educational content

Even serious email campaigns can be made engaging with the right games. For example, quizzes are a great way to share educational content. Ask your recipients questions related to your product or industry and provide them with the correct answers immediately within the email.

(Source: Email from AWeber)

6. Collecting feedback and NPS ratings

While not strictly considered gamification, interactive NPS score collection in emails can feel like a game and significantly boost response rates. Customers are likelier to provide feedback when they can do so directly within the email without being directed to a form hosted on an external website.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Classification: Game types and their benefits 

Now that you understand when to use gamification to strengthen your email marketing campaigns, let’s look at several game types and define the benefits and goals they can help you achieve.

1. Luck and chance games

Luck and chance games are all about the excitement of instant wins and surprises. These games thrive on unpredictability and the allure of quick rewards, making them irresistible for players looking for fast and fun interactions. Who wouldn’t like to click a single button and get a chance to win a 50% discount, right?

(Source: Email from Bose)

Popular luck and chance games include the following:

1. Wheel of Fortune.
2. Scratch cards.
3. Gift boxes.
4. Roll the dice.
5. Slot machines.

Playing time: Less than a minute.

Why use luck and chance games: Gather user data, generate leads, boost sales, and reengage customers with unexpected discounts.   

2. Educational games

It’s great when your subscribers can learn something new by looking through their inboxes and reading emails from your company. Educational games blend learning with fun and engage players by integrating knowledge into interactive experiences.

These games attract those eager to develop skills or acquire new information while enjoying themselves. Gamified content can be a lifesaver when you have a challenging-to-use product and a need to explain how users can benefit from it in a simple way.

(Source: Milled)

Popular educational games include the following:

1. Quizzes and surveys.
2. Trivia games.
3. Language learning games.

Playing time: 2–5 minutes.

Why use educational games: Share valuable information about your products or services, engage your subscribers, and promote your products.   

3. Puzzle games

Puzzle games take us back to our childhoods and challenge us with tasks that require problem-solving skills and strategy, drawing in those who love to test their logic and ingenuity with brain teasers and complex scenarios. These games take more time to complete; therefore, your subscribers will interact with your brand longer and definitely remember the high-quality puzzle games you offer them.

(The web version of this email)

Popular puzzle games include the following:

1. Puzzles.
2. Crosswords.
3. Spot the difference.
4. Memory games.
5. Mix and match. 

Playing time: 5–10 minutes. 

Why use puzzle games: Boost customer engagement, remind customers about your brand, and promote your products.   

4. Creative games

Creative games tap into players’ artistic sides. Offer your subscribers the chance to design or create something unique while engaging with your brand and they will expect your newsletters more eagerly. Ensure players can easily share their game results with friends on social media.

Popular creative games include the following:

1. Draw a card.
2. Color the picture.
3. Participate in an art creation contest. 

Playing time: Playing time may vary depending on the game difficulty you select, but it’s best to limit the playing time to 7 minutes so that players don’t get bored or overwhelmed.  

Why use creative games: Enhance brand awareness, customer engagement, and loyalty.

5. Challenge and competition games

Ignite your subscribers’ competitive spirits by offering various contests and challenges. This is a great way to constantly remind people of your company without being obtrusive, as such games require regular brief interactions.

In addition to offering challenges and rewards, you can also add a real-time leaderboard so that players can compare their results, track progress, and share them with friends.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Popular challenge and competition games include the following:

1. Contests. 
2. Games with leaderboards to track results and compare progress with other players. 

Playing time: 3–5 minutes.

Why use challenge and competition games: Engage customers, promote certain products, and boost sales.  

6. Discovery games

Discovery games allow your subscribers to express their adventurous spirits by uncovering mysterious objects, exploring vivid locations, and immersing themselves in the new worlds you create for them.

(Source: Name Match game by Stripo)

Popular discovery games include the following:

1. Escape rooms.
2. Predictions.
3. What kind of [Gamer/Specialist/Book character/Pizza] are you?
4. Name Match games.

Playing time: Playing time may vary depending on the game’s depth and tasks.

Why use discovery games: Engage customers, promote certain products, and boost sales.

Aligning game types with sales funnel stages

Now that you know about the major game types you can offer your subscribers, it’s crucial to understand when one game performs better than the others. Aligning the right game types with each stage of the sales funnel can significantly enhance your marketing efforts.

By strategically leveraging gamification, you can attract new customers, keep them interested, educate them about your brand, encourage purchases, and deepen their loyalty. Let’s explore how different game types can effectively support each stage of the sales funnel (awareness, interest, consideration, conversion, and retention), ensuring a seamless and engaging customer journey.

1. The awareness stage: Standing out from the crowd

At this stage, it’s important to grab your potential customers’ attention and motivate them to interact with your brand. You don’t have their email addresses yet, so you will have to add gamified content to your website, which is a perfect way to obtain these addresses.

(Source: Book-Ye)

Games to use: Luck and chance games (Wheel of Fortune, scratch cards, etc.).

Marketing channels: Website.

2. The interest stage: Motivating potential customers to interact with your brand

You have now gathered your potential customers’ email addresses. It’s important to keep these potential customers interested and encourage them to interact with you by cultivating their curiosity.

Engaging games captivate the audience, sparking their curiosity and encouraging them to explore your products further. By making the experience interactive and enjoyable, you create a stronger connection with potential customers and drive their interest in what you have to offer.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Games to use: Educational games (quizzes and trivia), puzzle games (crosswords, memory games, etc.), and discovery games (find an object, predictions, etc.).

Marketing channels: Email, apps, and websites. 

3. The consideration stage: Educating the audience about your brand

Potential customers in the consideration stage already know about your products or services and are currently evaluating their options and look for more detailed information. At this stage, you should both capture subscribers’ attention and educate them in a simple way.

By providing interactive and informative experiences, these games deepen customers’ understanding of your offerings. These experiences both engage and inform, making it easier for customers to understand the unique benefits of your products or services and making your brand stand out in their decision-making processes.

Humorous games will also work, as humor helps people to remember information faster.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Games to use: Educational and discovery games (puzzles, trivia, find objects, etc.).

Marketing channels: Email, apps, and websites.

4. The conversion stage: Encouraging subscribers to purchase your products

Potential customers in the conversion stage already know enough information about your brand; now, they just need a little nudge to convince them to choose you over the competition. Games at this stage should be engaging, provide incentives, and drive immediate action to boost sales and set your brand apart.

Interactive games that offer rewards or special offers can effectively encourage customers to make purchases. By making the buying process fun and rewarding, these games help convert interest into action, increasing sales and fostering a positive association with your brand.

(Source: Email from MAC Cosmetics)

Games to use: Luck and chance games (Wheel of Fortune, scratch cards, etc.), challenge and competition games, and puzzle games (crosswords, memory games, etc.).

Marketing channels: Email, apps, social media, and websites.   

5. The retention stage: Deepening emotional connection with your customers

This stage encourages repeat purchases and fosters customer loyalty. Games offered at this stage aim to deepen emotional connections with the brand, reward loyalty, and maintain ongoing engagement. By incorporating these engaging activities, you can create lasting connections with your customers, ensuring their loyalty and repeat business.

(Source: Email from Stripo)

Games to use: All game types described above can strengthen customers’ emotional bonds with your company and foster loyalty.

Marketing channels: Shareable emails, apps, social media, and websites.  

Game boosters: What are they, and how can they be used?

Now that we’ve explored when to use email gamification, game types, and how to align them with various stages of the sales funnel, it’s time to dive into game boosters. Boosters enhance the effectiveness of your gamified emails, making them more engaging and rewarding for your audience.

Boosters include two types of motivation that make subscribers continue playing your game—intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation stems from a personal drive to accomplish something, appealing to specific emotions and desires, such as the following:

1. Competence: The satisfaction of feeling capable and skilled — "Wow! I outplayed 77% of participants!"
2. Resonance: Tasks that align with personal interests — “This game really speaks to my passion for sustainable living.”
3. Learning: The joy of obtaining new skills or information — “I finally beat this level! It’s so rewarding to see my progress.”
4. Accomplishment: The intrinsic reward of completing a task, regardless of external rewards — “I finished the 30-day fitness challenge! I feel incredible just knowing I did it.”

Extrinsic motivation is driven by external factors such as rewards, incentives, and social recognition, including the following:

1. Incentive motivation: Focusing on external rewards and outcomes rather than the process itself — “I can’t wait to earn that $50 gift card for completing the game.”
2. Social motivation: The desire for social acceptance and the joy of sharing achievements within a community — “I love sharing my game progress with my subscribers. Their feedback and likes mean so much to me.”

Let’s now explore various booster types and how to use them in your email campaigns.

1. Implement a feedback system

Feedback systems in gamified email marketing keep players informed about their progress and achievements. It’s always important to feel acknowledged for their efforts, even when they fail, so don’t forget to provide feedback for your subscribers.

Why use these boosters: Feedback systems cater to players’ need for acknowledgment. Highlighting their efforts and accomplishments makes users feel valued, motivating them to continue playing and interacting with your brand. You can also reduce player frustration after an unsuccessful game by providing helpful tips and suggestions.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles, luck and chance games, educational and discovery games, and challenges.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email, apps, and websites.

(Source: Email from Epilepsy Foundation)

2. Encourage competition through leaderboards

Leaderboards rank players based on their performance, thus encouraging competition and fostering a sense of achievement. It’s always a pleasure to know that you outperformed your competitors, isn’t it?

Why use these boosters: Leaderboards tap into players’ competitive nature and motivate them to continue playing and interacting with your brand emails.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles, educational and discovery games, and challenges.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email and apps.

(Source: Email from Grammarly)

3. Recognize players’ achievements with badges and awards

In addition to benefits such as discounts and free shipping, players can also be recognized for their achievements and milestones with badges and awards, providing both tangible and intangible rewards.

Why use these boosters: A sense of achievement motivates players to interact with your company more often. Rewards add an extra layer of motivation: players strive to earn something they can use.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles, educational and discovery games, and challenges.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email and apps.

(Source: Email from Harry Potter Fan Club)

4. Boost engagement through personalization

Personalization in gamified email marketing tailors the experience to individual player preferences and behaviors, thereby enhancing engagement and satisfaction.

Why use these boosters: Personalization makes players feel unique and valued. Personalization caters to users’ personal preferences and gives them a sense of control, leading to higher engagement and motivation.

Game types for these boosters: Discovery and creative games.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email and apps.

In the example below, a banking app allows clients to customize their avatars after they have achieved certain milestones by using bank services.

(Source: Monobank)

5. Use growth and development systems to enhance the gaming experience

These systems provide players opportunities to hone their skills and unlock new features, thus introducing engagement and motivation to their experiences.

Why use these boosters: A sense of achievement after developing new skills motivates subscribers to continue playing.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles, educational games, and challenges.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email and apps.

(Source: Duolingo)

6. Add a sense of urgency with the help of countdown timers

Countdown timers can evoke a sense of urgency to motivate players to act faster and complete games on time. With Stripo, you can add countdown timers to your emails within minutes even without coding experience.

Why use these boosters: Time-limited games boost user engagement and motivate them to complete game tasks faster.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles; challenges; and educational, discovery, and creative games.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email, apps, websites, and social media. 

7. Create an emotional connection through storytelling

Make players feel like the main characters of your game by using storytelling. This is a great way to strengthen customers’ emotional connection with your brand and foster loyalty.

Why use these boosters: To immerse players in new worlds and enhance their emotional connection with your company.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles; challenges; and educational, discovery, and creative games.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email, apps, websites, social media, and offline events (i.e., in-store events).

(Source: Email from Stripo)

8. Foster a sense of belonging with social interaction

Social interaction boosters encourage players to engage with each other, fostering a sense of community and collaboration. It’s always a pleasure to work together toward a common goal and to enjoy healthy competition.

Why use these boosters: To foster a sense of community and motivate players to interact with each other.

Game types for these boosters: Educational games and challenges.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Apps and offline events (in stores).

9. Provide a sense of purpose with cause-driven boosters

Cause-driven boosters leverage social and environmental causes to create deeper emotional connections with players. These games align with important causes, such as protecting the environment and raising money for medical research; they resonate with customers on a personal level.

Why use these boosters: Give players a sense of purpose by playing a game and interacting with your brand. Let them know that their gaming efforts help fund clean water projects or contribute to wildlife conservation—this makes every level a player completes feel significant.

Game types for these boosters: Puzzles; challenges; and educational, discovery, and creative games.

Marketing channels for these boosters: Email, apps, offline events (in stores).

The example below details Stripo’s Halloween gamified email. For each player who completes the game, a donation is sent to a charity organization that helps children. The rules were simple—players had to find out which horror movies they should watch this Halloween by choosing the right emojis and deciphering the movies.

Wrapping up

Gamification in email marketing offers marketers a dynamic way to engage customers and drive action at every stage of the sales funnel. By understanding and strategically implementing various game types and boosters, you can create memorable and effective campaigns that not only capture attention but also foster long-term loyalty in your customers. From enhancing customer awareness with luck and chance games to deepening emotional connections with cause-driven engagement, the possibilities are endless.

Key takeaways:

1. Align games with sales funnel stages: Utilize different game types to effectively engage customers at each stage of the sales funnel — from awareness to loyalty.
2. Benefit from intrinsic and extrinsic motivators: Tap into intrinsic motivators such as competence and accomplishment and balance them with extrinsic rewards such as incentives and social recognition to maximize engagement.
3. Apply boosters for enhanced engagement: Implement feedback systems, leaderboards, badges and awards, personalization, growth opportunities, countdown timers, storytelling, social interaction, and cause-driven engagement to elevate the gaming experience and encourage deeper user involvement.
4. Implement games effectively: Customize game scenarios, develop skill trees, and introduce time-bound challenges to keep the gaming experience fresh and engaging.
5. Personalize players’ experiences: Tailor the gaming experience to individual preferences and behaviors to make subscribers feel valued and more connected to your brand.
6. Use cause-driven engagement: Incorporate social and environmental causes into your games to resonate on a personal level and provide a meaningful purpose to players.
7. Leverage multiple channels: Use email, mobile apps, websites, and social media to maximize the reach and impact of your gamified campaigns.