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No email marketing program is perfect. As an email marketer, it's likely you struggle with certain aspects of your campaign, whether it's deliverability, mobile, creative, or other. Identifying the problems is not the issue; it's figuring out what you can do to solve them. This presentation includes 9 email marketing problems, 9 email marketing solutions, and 9 ways to ensure email marketing success in the New Year. The 9 email marketing "problems" include: 1. Nobody reads (or clicks-through) our emails 2. Unsubscribe & spam complaints are on the rise 3. We know it's bad, but we blast emails 4. Our emails are not making it to the inbox 5. Everyone is on mobile. Help! 6. How do we know if our emails are valuable? 7. How do we add social sharing to our email campaigns? 8. We understand that testing is important, but what do we test? 9. We've been following the "best practices", but it's not working
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9 EMAIL MARKETING PROBLEMS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM IN 2011)
Blue Sky Factory Webinar Series
January 13, 2011 at 1pm ET
Amy Garland Michelle Oglesby
DJ Waldow
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Amy Garland Marketing Mgr
Michelle Oglesby Sr. Client Service Mgr
DJ Waldow Dir of Community
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1. Nobody reads (or clicks-through) our emails 2. Unsubscribe & spam complaints are on the rise 3. We know it’s bad, but we blast emails 4. Our emails are not making it to the inbox 5. Everyone is on mobile. Help! 6. How do we know if our emails are valuable? 7. How do we add social sharing to our email campaigns? 8. We understand that testing is important, but what do we test? 9. We’ve been following the “best practices”, but it’s not working
9 EMAIL MARKETING PROBLEMS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM IN 2011)
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Nobody reads (or clicks-through) our emails
Problem #1:
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1. Relevant Content 2. Engaging Creative 3. Segmentation 4. Re-engagement campaigns
Possible Solutions
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On our blog, “Re-Engagement Campaigns: Not Often Timely, Yet They Work!”
Re-engagement Campaigns
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1. Identify your audience
2. Plan your approach
– Special offer
– Restate Value Proposition
– Survey or opinion poll
On our blog, “The Gap Logo Debate And One Huge Missed Opportunity”
3. Must include:
– Subject Line
– Clear call to action
– Multiple Requests
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Takeaway #1: Excellent branding. Takeaway #2: Clear call to action with large button. Takeaway #3: Brief, concise copy.
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Takeaway #1: Clear call to action with “yes” button. Takeaway #2: Definite timeframe when unsub will occur. Takeaway #3: Restatement of value proposition.
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Unsubscribe & spam complaints are on the rise
Problem #2:
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Possible Solutions
1. Relevant Content 2. Segmentation 3. Frequency
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Preference Center devoted specifically to frequency
We know it’s bad, but we blast emails
Problem #3:
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Possible Solutions
1. Relevant Content 2. Frequency 3. Subscriber Preferences
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Takeaways • Email type & description
• Frequency
• “See Example”
Our emails are not making it to the inbox
Problem #4:
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Possible Solutions
1. Work with Your Email Service Provider (ESP) 2. Practice Permission-Based Email Marketing
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Work With Your ESP To Improve Deliverability
SPF, Sender ID, Feedback Loops, Oh My!
• Set up authentication records (Sender ID, SPF) to help with deliverability.
• Monitor your email placement to corporate gateway firewalls (Postini, MessageLabs, Barracuda).
• Ensure you are subscribed to all available Feedback Loops (your ESP should do this for you).
• Make sure you’re a registered bulk sender to the major ISPs (i.e. AOL, Hotmail, etc.)
• Ensure timely processing of bounces & Feedback Loops
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There are a few things YOU can do
• Ask your subscribers to whitelist your From Address to help with inbox deliverability.
• Use a tool like Return Path’s Sender Score to monitor your IP reputation.
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Permission-Based Email Marketing
Send relevant, timely, targeted and valuable emails to subscribers who have asked to receive them
(i.e. permission).
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Six Core Elements of a
Trust-Based Approach: 1. Permission
2. Privacy
3. Reputation
4. Preferences
5. Expectations
6. Compliance
Permission-Based Email Marketing
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Watch our webinar, “6 Core Elements of Permission-Based Email Marketing”
Everyone is on mobile. Help!
Problem #5:
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Everyone (really is) on Mobile!
Conclusion
Email Dominates Mobile Web Time
Possible Solutions
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1. Create a Mobile Version of Your Email 2. Design HTML With Mobile in Mind 3. Refine Call-To-Action 4. Test. Test. Test!
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Create a Mobile Version
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• K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Silly!) • 300 pixels wide • Refine your call-to-action • Make sure your subject line & preheader work
together • Test!
Design with Mobile in Mind
On our blog, “5 Tips to Optimize Mobile Email Marketing”
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Design HTML With Mobile in Mind
How do we know if our emails are valuable?
Problem #6:
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Possible Solutions
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1. Reporting & Analytics 2. Social Proof 3. Ask! 4. Reflect: Do You Learn Something?
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Reporting & Analytics
Are your subscribers engaging with you (opening, clicking, sharing, converting)?
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Social Proof
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Ask. Test. Explain. Reflect.
Ask Test
Explain Reflect
How do we add social sharing to our email campaigns?
Problem #7:
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Possible Solutions
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Read our new eBook (& implement the tips)!
Download now
Possible Solutions
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More tips in the eBook
Incentive
Humor
We understand that testing is important, but what do we test?
Problem #8:
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What to Test?
Possible Solutions
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• Subject Line • From Name • Preheader • Top Nav / Header • Above the Fold • Main Call to Action • Secondary/Tertiary Calls to Action • Sides Nav(s)
• Footer • Unsubscribe button/link • SWYN (Share With Your Network) • Day of Week • Time of Day • Frequency • Copy / Imagery • Rendering
TEST EVERYTHING!
Testing = Chemistry Experiment
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1. Observation: Open rate is declining
2. Hypothesis: Subject lines are boring
3. Design Experiment: Craft subject line A|B split test
4. Test Hypothesis: Send 3 emails, each with different subject line to 5% of list respectively
5. Accept or Reject Hypothesis: Send winning email based on highest open rate
Basic A|B Winner Test
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On our blog, “5 Ideas for Email Subject Line Testing”
Testing Takeaway
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Test everything, but focus on tests where intelligence gained
will result in greatest return.
We’ve been following the “best practices”, but it’s not working
Problem #9:
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Best Practices?
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1. Subject Line: Do not use free, exclamation points (!), personalization or ALL CAPS. Keep subject lines short.
2. Copy: Be sure you have a good balance of text to image. Do not send one big image. Keep copy short & to the point.
Two Thoughts on Best Practices
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1. Many are outdated and/or industry-specific.
2. Practices that are best for your business, your subscribers.
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1.Break them. 2.Test them.
Flickr: nationalrural
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Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder (aka, Best Practices is Not a Substitution for an Effective Testing Strategy)
Save $150! Register online & enter discount code: SPKVIP
Our Gift to You!
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16 Tips to Effectively Use Email Marketing and Social Media Together [eBook]
Download now
