Definitive Guide to Engaging Email Marketing Series (Part 1): How to Grow Your List, Break the...

transcript

PART 1

Your Speakers

#DG2EEM

Jon MillerVP Marketing, Marketo

@jonmiller

DJ WaldowWaldow Social

@djwaldow

#RevEngine #DG2EEM @jonmiller @djwaldow

Today’s Topics: Part 1

• What is “Engaging Email”?• Segmentation and Targeting

for Relevance• Tips for Writing Emails That

Get Opened and Clicked• Email Testing and Optimization

And, join us on Sept 4 for Part 2!• Building and Maintaining a Quality List• Trends in Email Deliverability• Conversations, Not Campaigns• Coordinated Across Channels / Email and Social• New Metrics for Email• Trends in Email Technology: Moving Beyond ESP

Quick Housekeeping

• Chat box is available if you have any questions

• There will be time for a Q&A at the end • We will be recording the webinar for

future viewing• All attendees will receive a copy of the

slides/recording • Twitter hashtag: #DG2EEM

WHAT IS ENGAGING EMAIL?

Most emailed article of the day!

When was the last time you…

Email Marketing is NOT Dead! #DG2EEM

… but it sure is changing

INFORMATION SCARCITY

WE USED TO LIVE IN A WORLD OF

ABUNDANCEINFORMATION

#RevEngine #DG2EEM @jonmiller @djwaldowSource: Adbusters, 2011

Email needs to be

More Engaging!

1. Trustworthy2. Always Relevant3. Conversations, Not

Campaigns4. Coordinated Across

Channels5. Strategic

Engaging Email is:

Today, we will focus on #2: Always Relevant

Engaging email is trustworthy, relevant, and conversational #DG2EEM

ALWAYS RELEVANT: SEGMENTATION AND TARGETING

More Targeted Sends are More Engaging

100 1000 10000 1000000

R² = 0.236284482367016

Email Delivered

Source: Marketo research

The smaller your email send, the more engaging it will be #DG2EEM

Demographic Segmentation

• Gender• Age (or birth year)• Geography• Income

• Interests• Job title• Industry• Company size

Personalization and Dynamic Content

The Key to Relevance is Behavioral TargetingTactics to Increase Email Engagement

Example: Topic of Interest Triggers

• Attends event• Downloads content• Click email• Fills out form• Score is changed

Standard Nurture Triggered Interests Lift

Open % 21.7% Open % 34.0% 57%

Click to Open % 23.4% Click to Open % 37.1% 59%

Click % 5.1% Click % 12.6% 147%

EmailWebsiteSocialCampaignsTransactions

The Bottom Line: Market Like Amazon

Behavioral targeting can increase engagement by 50% or more #DG2EEM

ESPs Only Track Email Behaviors

For sophisticated targeting, ESPs rely on technical databases and complex queries

From Dumb List to Smart Database

I can do this myself! No trips to see IT – yay!

Marketo Multi-Channel Behavioral Listening

Web, Email, Social, CRM, Campaign History, Transactions

Relevant emails require moving from dumb lists to a smart database #DG2EEM

ALWAYS RELEVANT: EMAILS THAT GET OPENED & CLICKED

the secret to email marketing

Send timely, targeted, valuable HUMAN email

NOT HUMAN

Send timely, targeted, valuable HUMAN email #DG2EEM

Want your emails to get opened and acted upon?OF COURSE!

Make sure it does one (or more) of these four things:1. Solve his problem2. Save her money3. Make her smarter4. Entertain him

Educate, Don’t Sell

Let’s talk subject lines

It’s okay to use free and ALL CAP in a subject line. Test what works best for YOUR audience! #DG2EEM

What’s the optimal length for an email

subject line?

“Off-the-Court Gear in Tournament Colors”

Sesame Street Asks Obama Campaign To Take Ad Down, Anderson Cooper vs. Star Jones, Die

Sesame Street Asks Obama Campaign To Take Ad Down, Anderson Cooper vs. Star Jones, Die Hard Obama Supporter Freaks Out

Get up to 70% off children’s fashion

Get up to 70% off children

One Oil Change, Three Oil Changes with Inspections, or a Four-Wheel Alignment (Up to 78% Off) | 10 or 20 Gym Passes (Up to 69% Off) | Salon Package with Cut, Style, and Two-Color Highlights; Shellac Manicure; or Acrylic Nails (Up to 51% Off)

An actual Groupon subject line

There is no “optimal” length for an email subject line. YOUR audience determines that! #DG2EEM

Let’s talk from names

• Company or Brand Name

• Product or Service• Personal Name• With a Phone Number• Campaign-based• Gimmicky

ALWAYS RELEVANT: EMAIL DESIGN

Does what your email looks like matter?

99.2%inbox placement

40%open rate

87%click-to-open rate

Beauty is in the eye of the subscriber #DG2EEM

Design for Images OFF (and on)

Design for Mobile

Mobile Design Options

Scalable• Clickable and the type is

readable, even when reduced 50% in size.

• Avoid large widths and includes big type and big buttons.

Responsive• The layout of a page responds

based on the proportions of the screen on which it’s presented.

Pay as much attention to the pre-header as you do your subject line

ALWAYS RELEVANT: EMAIL TESTING & OPTIMIZATION

Eight Tips for Pro Testing

• Start simple• Test one element at a time• Control for time of day and day of the week• Keep a log of all your tests• Make sure testing is part of your day-to-day processes• Run tests on groups that are small, but large enough

to determine a clear winner• Don't forget that small differences can be significant• Listen to what your tests tell you

10 Tweetable Takeaways

1. Email Marketing is NOT dead – but it sure is changing

2. Engaging email is trustworthy, relevant, and conversational

3. The smaller your email send, the more engaging it will be

4. Behavioral targeting can increase engagement by 50% or more

5. Relevant emails require moving from dumb lists to a smart database

6. Send timely, targeted, valuable HUMAN email

7. It’s okay to use free and ALL CAP in a subject line. Test what works best for YOUR audience!

8. There is no “optimal” length for an email subject line. YOUR audience determines that!

9. Beauty is in the eye of the subscriber

10. Listen to what your tests tell you

@jonmiller@djwaldow

#DG2EEM

Questions?

#DG2EEM

Jon MillerVP Marketing, Marketo

@jonmiller

DJ WaldowWaldow Social

@djwaldow