EM@ILESSENTIALSDeliver Emails That Get Results
Presented by:
Cliff Seltzer
February 24, 2010
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, some 20 million emails entered cyberspace.
For Audio, call: 800-698-0339
Email Essentials Agenda
• The Power of Email• Six Critical Phases for Email Success
1. Strategy and Planning2. List Building and Segmentation3. Design and Content4. Deliverability5. Analysis and Reporting6. Test, Revise and Repeat
• What’s Next?• Q&A
For Audio, call: 800-698-0339
The Power of Email
• Cost effective• Improved customer engagement and service• Timeliness and quick deployment• Broad reach• Targeting capabilities• Measurable results
6 Critical Phases for Email Success
Strategy & Planning
List Building & Segmentation
Design & Content
Deliverability
Test, Revise, & Repeat
Analysis & Reporting
em@ilessentialsem@ilessentials
Strategy & Planning
Strategy and Planning
• Establish measurable goals• Incorporate your brand• Dedicate budget and resources
– Internal and external (ESPs)
• Integrate with other marketing efforts• Implement metrics to track results
Strategy and Planning (cont.)
• Develop an email campaign plan, process, timeline and milestones
Sample schedule
List Building & Segmentation
Building Your Database
• Leverage all opportunities to grow your email list – Your website (not just the home page)– During registrations– In person, point-of-sale– On the phone– Partner websites– Forward to a friend– Social media– Offer promotions, discounts, incentives
• Focus on quality of your list
List Building Best Practices
• Permission-based emails– Opt-in, double opt-in, unsubscribe, privacy policy
– Set expectations and send only to those who want to hear from you
• Compliance– CAN-SPAM and other email regulations
• List hygiene– Update and scrub your database regularly
– Remove duplicates
• Collect data to segment and target your audience
Subscriber Opt-in Preferences
Targeting – Know Your Audience
• Segment and target for best results– Age– Gender– Interests– Prior registrations and activities– Geo-targeting – Other characteristics
Design & Content
5 Stages of Viewing Emails
Source: ExactTarget
Subject
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
FromFirst Impressions
Subject
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
From • The “From” field is what people use most often to determine whether to delete an email
Ensure your “From name” (“friendly name”) is instantly recognizable
“From email address”should also be legitimate and recognizable
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: From Name
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line
• The “Subject” line is what actually motivates people to open the email
• 80/20 Rule– 80% will scan your subject line, less than 20% will
read or take action on your email
At least 40% of the reader’s decision to open or take action is based on the “from” field + the “subject” line
Source: Email Sender and Provider Coalition
Subject
Full Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line
Subject
Full Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line
Subject
Full Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
Personalized
Call-to-Action
Time-sensitive & offer to save
Question
Time-sensitive
69% of recipients decide whether to report email as spam based on the subject line.
Source: ESPC
• Do– Keep it concise and descriptive
• 40-50 characters (7-8 words)– Make it relevant and compelling
• Offer value, benefits• Include a call-to-action• Make it time-sensitive• Ask a question, teaser
• Don’t– Mislead or make it vague– Use words or characters blocked by spam filters (words like
“free,” excessive CAPS and punctuation!!!, etc.)
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line
Subject
Full Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Preview Pane
• Top left 4-5-inch square is key– Between 288-360 pixels
• Ensure your call-to-action is visible
• Test in various email clients– Preview panes vary widely across ISPs– Vertical vs. horizontal preview panes– Image-blocking
Fewer than one-fourth of people (21%) turn on images in email messages.
Source: Jupiter Research
From
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Full Email
Subject
Preview Pane
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Preview Pane
No preview pane
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email
HeadlineSalutation
Content (Body)
Pre-Header
Header
Anatomy of an Email
Open Email (Above the Fold)
From
Preview Pane
Full Email
Subject
Fold
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email
• Pre-Headers– Very valuable real estate– Align left for vertical preview panes– Consider using it for your main messaging, calls-
to-action, content summary
• Other functional uses– Link to a web or mobile version– Forward to a friend– Unsubscribe link or update preferences
Open Email (Above the Fold)
From
Preview Pane
Full Email
Subject
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email
• Pre-Headers
Open Email (Above the Fold)
From
Preview Pane
Full Email
Subject
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email
• “Above the Fold”
• Headline
• Call-to-action and links
• Salutation – personalization
• Image-blocking
59% of online customers routinely block images.
Source: MarketingSherpa
Open Email (Above the Fold)
From
Preview Pane
Full Email
Subject
Anatomy of an Email
Calls-to Action(links) Branding
Graphics (links)
Open Email (Above the Fold)
From
Preview Pane
Full Email
Subject
Anatomy of an Email
Anatomy of an Email (cont.)
LinksContent
Footer:Organizational InfoPrivacy PolicyUnsubscribe
Branding
Full Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Subject
Anatomy of an Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Full Email
• Scrolling
• Length
• Image-blocking
• Actions– Download
– Register
– Visit Website
– Forward, Share
– SaveFull Email
From
Preview Pane
Open Email (Above the Fold)
Subject
Types of Emails
• Different tone and content based on goals of email – News, updates, informational, eNewsletters, offers, promotional,
transactional, receipts, etc.
Getting Results
• Simple, timely text emails work!
Getting Results
• Driving action and participation– Learn what resonates with your customers
• Calls-to-Action– Active voice
• Links– Multiple, descriptive links (not just “click here”)– One click to registration or your website
• Viral– Forward to a Friend, Share on Facebook, etc.
• Reminders, resends• Confirmations, receipts
– Additional opportunities for actions and interactions (e.g., thank you coupon, survey, etc.)
Getting Results
• Triggered Emails– Based on a specific action, behavior or event
Getting Results
• Triggered emails based on an action, behavior or event– Memberships
– Welcome message to new registrants– Renewal emails
– Birthday greeting– Participation or Attendance
• Automatically send a reminder to attendees of the previous year’s event• Send intermediate class details and link to participants who registered for
beginning classes• If someone attended the band concert, send an email reminding them that
they can purchase a DVD recording online
Tip: Considering adding discounts or
other incentives
Getting Results
• HP Welcome Email with Offer• Followed by Campaign Track
Getting Results
• Campaign Track – Scheduled campaigns, drip campaigns
Content Best Practices
• Concise, clear copywriting– Relevant, informative– Build relationships with participants (loyalty)
• Links and calls-to-action• Personalization, dynamic content• Testing
Design Best Practices
• Consistent branding and clean layout • Multiple links• No attachments• Web, text and mobile versions• Templates • Landing pages • Use standard HTML
– More HTML, fewer images– Validate your HTML code– Use W3C standards
• Avoid CSS
Design Best Practices
• Images– Host images– Use Alt tags– Define the image size
Alt Tags & HTML coding None
Design Best Practices
• Test content rendering
Design Best Practices
• Test content rendering
Deliverability
Manage Your Online Reputation
• Follow CAN-SPAM laws and stay compliant– FTC: www.ftc.gov/spam– Provide an opt-out method– Provide a valid postal address
• ISPs determine what is considered spam to a large extent
• Authentication
• Pay attention to bounces and unsubscribes
Timing
• When should you send emails?
80% of emails you send are opened within 48 hours of delivery. Source: MarketingSherpa
Analysis & Reporting
Metrics: What Should You Track?
• Delivered• Bounces• Opens• Click-thru rate• Unsubscribes
Reporting
Advanced Reporting
Listed by specific click-thru urls
Advanced Reporting
Test, Revise & Repeat
Test, Test, Test
• A/B testing– Test only one element at a time
• Test different elements to see what works in your environment– Timing– Subject lines– CTA’s– Links– Layout / Graphics– Landing pages
What’s Next?
What’s Next?
• Relevancy– Dynamic targeting and dynamic content relevant to
each subscriber– Content based on interests and actions
• Improved landing pages• Mobile email• Social media integration
Leveraging Social Media
• Build email subscriptions through social media
• Links within emails to grow fan base and followers
• Enable sharing opportunities
Questions?
Email Essentials Webinar Contacts:
Cliff SeltzerCEO, Co-FounderPuresend, part of the Active [email protected]
Jackie BurnsOnline Conversion ManagerActive [email protected]
Thank you!
Resources
Email Industry Resources:
• Email Experience: http://www.emailexperience.org/
• MarketingSherpa: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/
• Marketing Profs: http://www.marketingprofs.com/
Deliverability and Reputation
• Return Path: http://www.returnpath.net/
• Deliverability.com: http://blog.deliverability.com/
CAN-SPAM
• FTC: http://www.ftc.gov/spam
Active Network Contacts for Products:
Puresend (Email Service Provider): [email protected]
Active Network CustomersContact your Account Manager or [email protected]