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Email Marketing Practices of the Top Online Retailers 27 April 2010
Email Marketing Practices of the Top Online Retailers
27 April 2010
Agenda • Study Overview
• Study Findings / Examples • & Best Practices
• Questions & Answers
Study Overview
US v Australian Study Comparisons
Study Areas Discussed Today
Home Page Opt-in?
Opt-in Options?
# of Emails in First 30
days? Emails offer discounts
Unsubscribe Alternatives?
Drum roll please…
C-
Key Takeaways • Missing opportunities to grow your list • Not capturing data/preferences to drive
relevance • Many still fumbling the start of the relationship • Likely driving customers away through increased
volume • Not deploying the basics to keep them • And that’s without doing anything cool..
1. Retailers Offering an Email program
2. Location of Opt In
Opt-in on Home Page
Australia – 94%
US – 96%
…butwhatIseeisthis…
On closer inspection…
Be clear – a little too cute
Better Location
Calls to Action At the Top
Above the Fold
3. Choices offered to registrants
A good time to show some personality
Why Preference Centres?
• Demographics & interests • Up to date/changes Data Capture
• “My Email” • Better retention
Subscriber Empowerment
• Preferred frequency, lists • Basis of personalisation, segmentation
Increased Relevance
Preference Centre Touch Points
Opt-in
Welcome
Regular Emails
Web Site
Transactional Emails
Opt-out
No Data, No Relevance
Logical Personalisation?:
• Gender • Marital status • Age ranges on signup • Wedding anniversary • Significant other’s birth date
4. Number of emails received during a 30-day period
Mixed News?
14% send NO Emails 31% are mailing
5+/month (20% less than
US)
9.5% are mailing 21+/month
(6.5% more than US)
30 Emails in 30 Days
Monday Madness / Sale / Bonanza / Megasale / Markdown Madness etc
What’s the Potential Impact of Over Mailing?
5 times per month
12 times per
month
Revenue – Churn – Reputation….
Retailer – Increased Frequency
Unsubscribes and spam complaints went through the roof
Financial Impact of Increased Mailings
Start With A Good Welcome Program
• Text • Single email • IT Generated • No marketing messaging
• HTML • 2-part email series • Marketing generated • Promotions, education
75% increase in conversions
5. Emails offer Sales/Discount incentives
No offer or incentive?
It’s an offer but not very strong.
Did I want the catalogue?
Relevance to my interests and purchase history?
5. Unsubscribe links leading to preference centres
Should I Stay, or Should I Go?
Alternatives at Opt-out?
Why Recipients Unsubscribe
• Too Frequent
• Irrelevant Content/Offers
• Also, lack of email address change functionality
So What are the Alternatives?
Alternatives
Frequency
Format
Change Email
Profile/ Preferences
Channel
Other Emails
Promote Alternatives In the Email
50% of one company’s subscribers presented with alternatives to unsubscribing stay!
3 Key Options
Staples – Really Good, But Not Perfect
Missing: - Frequency Option
- RSS or catalog option - Contact info.
So What’s It All Mean?
• Look for competitor weak spots • Evaluate current practices
– Potential impact – Resources required
• Act on best opportunities first • Test everything
Resources
• WhitePaper– AustRetailersStudy
• ResourceCentre– Whitepapers
– Webinars
– Blogs– Casestudies– Newsle:ers– h:p://www.silverpop.com/markeBng‐resources/index.html
Q & A / Reminders & Contacts
Jeff Clark - [email protected]
www.silverpop.com Twitter: @Silverpop www.slideshare.net/silverpop
Complimentary Email Program Audits (5 key insights) Jeremy Heap – 02 8019 7064 [email protected]
Thank You
Don’t Forget – 6-9th July
See Silverpop at the Exhibition and Speak in the Conference
