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Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
E-communications WorkshopWhy, how to, do’s and don’ts
2 July 2008
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Introduction
• Charity Technology Trust - CTTCTT is a charity that provides charities with the best available technology solutions to enable them to improve their operational efficiency.
• Maria DiazE-Communications Manager @ CTT
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Workshop structure
• Session 1Why, how to, do’s and don’tsby Maria
• Session 2Questions and answers and sharing of experiences.by all of us
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
What is e-communications?
A paper free written communication delivered electronically to more than one recipient.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Why e-communications1. Cost Effective2. Immediate3. Flexible4. Personal5. Interactive6. Responsive7. Measurable 8. Versatile 9. Easy to Share
10. Environmentally Friendly11. Source of Income
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Who is your audience?
General interest in your work Donors/StakeholdersFundraisersCampaignersTrusteesOther
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
If you don’t know who they are…… ask them:
- Do you want to receive emails from us?- What areas of our work are you interested in?- How often do you want to hear from us?- In what format do you wish to receive your email?
HTMLPlain text
- Do you give me permission to email you?
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Data Protection Facts
Email and mobile information need to be collected with OPT-IN3rd Party uses (including other charities) need to be notifiedScripting of permission statements is vital
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Effective permission statements
Use the tone of voice of your organisationAppeal to thrift ‘cost effective communication’Fit the message to the audienceCover all future uses/channels to marketBe clear about who is collecting the info (Trading arms/affiliated companies)Offer the right to opt-inGive them a reason to hand over the information
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Write the contentRelevant to the intended audience Personalise the emailBe concise – Use click through links to your website for more informationBe clear – What do you want the subscriber to do – Call to actionProvide something extra – benefit to be subscribed.Avoid - where possible - spam words/characters
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Spam words/characters
Avoid exclamation or interrogation marks as much as possible, in the text and very importantly, on the subject line.
Avoid spam words like free, software, save, marketing, click here, etc.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Template design
Template - What is it?Determine your template’s visual identity
- Consistent with your online identity?- New for the particular online publication- Similar to your offline publication/s
Design it to work for you- Sections
Creative that stands out in the crowded inboxHTML and plain text version
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Design
Note that recipients read from top left to bottom rightDesign appropriate to the contentChange elements of the design to ensure it stays fresh, seasonal imagesConsider the foldDesign should be consistent and within brand guidelines
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Some design tips - HTML
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Template size
The average size for screen resolution is 1024 x 768pixels
The template width should not exceed 700 pixels
Bear in mind the frequent use of email preview reading pane
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Template size
√ Right LengthAvoid vertical scrolling where possible
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Call to actionMake it clear
Place your call to action at the top of the e-newsletter
i.e. if you want a donation, please place the donation button / link at the top.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Bear in mind graphic blockers
Avoid having the call to action inserted only on a graphic (banner or button)
If you use a graphic button, remember to add the same link within the text too.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Avoid using tables with thick borders
X Wrong – Border thickness is 4 pixels
√ Right – Border thickness is 1 pixel
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Visual balance
√ Right – Consider image per text ratio.
In the example, there is a visual balance between the amount of text and the pictures included
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Balance links to content
√ Right – Consider link per text ratio.
Make the links obvious
Remember the importance of the first link
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Use ALT tags on images
√ Right – Always use ALT tags (alternative text or mouse over text) on all images.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Warning - Use of colour
X Wrong – Some colour combinations are tiring to the eye and difficult to read
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Avoid using style sheets
Different email clients interpret style sheets in different ways
To achieve best results, avoid using them
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Use a popular font type
Use a popular font type (Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, etc) despite the font on your brand guidelines being different.
Most users will not have that font available on their computers and substitution would occur.
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Plain text design
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Plain text version
Make it as attractive as possible…
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Cheat!
Write a brief introduction to the e-news and ask them to click through to a link where the HTML (online) version lives
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Functionality linksBoth versions should include:
– Personalisation – where possible– ‘Forward to a friend’ and “social network
bookmarking” links– Subscribe to receive our e-news– Very top – ‘Web Online version’ link– Automatic change your details– Comments or suggestions email link– UNSUBSCRIBE - Mandatory
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Be original – Experiment!
• Don’t be frightened to try new things• Fragment your data and send them
different layouts or subject lines - Note what works best
• Use your email call to action to engage your audience with other media (SMS, Video, Audio, etc)
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Test before send
• Send a test to various colleagues and ask their opinion (share the guilt!)
• Test that all the links work• Test the same campaign on different email
clients – Outlook, Hotmail, AOL, Lotus…• Test all the functionality links• When possible, leave it for a while and
come back to it
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
When to send
• Regular publications (Monthly, weekly, etc)
• Core days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
• Core hours of the working day (Mid morning, mid afternoon)
• Consider just before lunch time when it is raining or when it is very cold
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Other points to consider…
• Use a friendly email address and always the same.
• Subject line – 35% of email users open messages based on it (Jupiter)
• Data segmentation and relevance
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Delivery
The mechanism used to send and deliver bulk emails
Three types of email tools
- Outlook/Eudora/Lotus/other PC/POP3 based email system
- In-House bulk email broadcast software
- ASP bulk email broadcast software
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Email tools
√√XReports
√√XFit the purposeASP s/wIn-House s/wOUTLOOK
√√XTemplates
√√XHTML and plain text part send
√√XManages Bounces
√√XHTML
√XXSPAM
√√XSubscriptions
√XXBandwidth
√√XAddress Books
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Email tool specification
Open rate, Click throughs, bounces, unsubscribes
ReportsDesign, look and feel managementTemplatesHTML and Text versions2 part sendHard (email not there) and Soft (unavailable)Bounces
HTML email with WYSIWYG editorHTMLBeing blockedSPAM
Subscribes and unsubscribesSubscriptions
Internet Pipe sizeBandwidth
Address Management/history/export/importAddress Book
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Post send• Open rates• Click through rates• Which link was most successful• Make a note of what peak time/s• % Un-subscribes• % Hard-bounce emails• % Soft-bounce emails – Correlation with holiday
period, half term…• Use click through information to further segment
your data – Subscriber retention• Forward to a friend – Who is promoting you?
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Post send– Safely remove un-subscribes – Delete hard-bounce emails – follow up phone
call?– Manage changes in existing data – Email
address changes, email format, etc.– Write next newsletter taking into account what
was read.– Note the peak opening time– Take into account feedback received
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
The key to successFor the marketers:
– The right content– To the right audience– At the right time
For the recipients:
– Who is it from?– What’s in it for me?– What do I do next?
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Session 2
Questions and answers and sharing of experiences.by all of us
Maria Diaz – maria@ctt.org
Thank you!
Maria DiazE-Communications ManagerCharity Technology Trust
maria@ctt.org
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