The New Email Best Practices - knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when to get back to basics

The New Email Best Practices

Knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when

to get back to basics.

Nicole Delma, Founder

Nicole Delma 10 Years in Email and Database Marketing Consultant & Founder of FOND Group Previous:

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Brands

Adidas Ann Taylor American Airlines Aveeno Avon Barclays Barnes & Noble Bloomingdales Bose Carnival Cruises Chevrolet Coach Dove Ducati Estee Lauder Gap

Geico Heineken Hermes Hilton H&M Jaguar Kate Spade Lord & Taylor L’oreal Louis Vuitton Marc Jacobs Moet Hennesy Nike Nordstrom PrincessCruises Puma

Quantas QVC Red Bull Saks Fifth Avenue Sephora Starbucks Starwood Steve Madden Southwest Air Stoli Target Ticketmaster Toyota Unilever W Hotels Zappos

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Templates

Segmenta-on

Content

Repor-ng

Implemen-ng Best Prac-ces

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EMAIL 1. The most valuable data point 2. The most lucrative channel

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Source: Direct Marketing Association, The Power of Direct Marketing, 2011-2012. Exchange based on *JUL 29, 2012 Exchange Rates R$1=US$0.44 ""

“Email is the most successful and profitable marketing channel…” 2012 Marketing Channel and Engagement Benchmark Study, Message Systems"

U.S. DIRECT MARKETING BY MEDIA!

Channel!2012 ROI Forecast

(US $)!2012 ROI Forecast !

(R $)* !Commercial Email" $ 39.40 " R$ 89.55"

Internet Display" $ 22.38 " R$ 50.86"Internet Search" $ 19.71 " R$ 44.79"

Direct Mail (Non-Catalog)" $ 15.40 " R$ 35.00"

Social Media/Networking" $ 12.90 " R$ 29.31"

Mobile" $ 11.37 " R$ 25.84"Insert Media" $ 11.34 " R$ 25.77"

Telemarketing" $ 8.26 " R$ 18.77"Direct Mail (Catalog)" $ 7.25 " R$ 16.47"

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In Brasil, Email is the most popular channel for brands to engage consumers

SOURCE: EXACT TARGET, DIGITAL CARNIVAL POLL 2012

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The New Email Best Practices Email heavily influences Brasilian

consumers to purchase

87% check email from a brand daily

68% have purchased because of email

53% say they’re more likely to buy after

subscribing to a company’s emails SOURCE: EXACT TARGET, DITIAL CARNIVAL POLL 2012

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Successful brands know that email is the backbone

of their digital marketing programs.

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Yes, email is more complicated than ever…

But does it need to be?

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Is Your Program Ready?

Advanced Segmentation

Real-time rendering

DYNAMIC CONTENT!

360° reporting

CrossChannel

Device recognition

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Bridal Client wanted FORWARD TO A FRIEND so switched Email providers

Example

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2 out of every 100,000 recipients ever used FORWARD TO A FRIEND

Example

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Do you stand to gain?

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Before we get started… 3 quick notes on marketers

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#1 Marketers are hooked on the NEW.

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NEW! NEW! NEW!

features

vendors channels

releases

devices�

campaigns!

reports partners

integrations

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The New Email Best Practices January 2012 – Bought NEW Bike

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The New Email Best Practices March 2012 – Big Race, used OLD bike because I was more comfortable.

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The New Email Best Practices May 2012 – NEW Distraction.

Buy a Surfboard

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The New Email Best Practices July 2013 – SOLD

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What if NEW isn’t always BEST? Perhaps we should repair our current programs…

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#2 Marketers are overloaded with input.

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When it comes to marketing, everybody has an opinion.

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#3 Marketers must think in terms of

systems and goals.

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We must protect the data asset and protect the customers from ourselves.

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The New Email Best Practices EXAMPLE NEW IDEA:

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“Let’s send less promotional emails and more emails with style tips!”

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The New Email Best Practices IMPLEMENTATION:

BEFORE – WEEKLY MAILINGS

7 X PROMOS AFTER – WEEKLY MAILINGS

4 X PROMOS 3 X EDITORIAL

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The New Email Best Practices RESULTS:

• Open rates up by é15% • Click rates down by ê3% • Unsubscribe rates up by é5% • Email sales decline by ê20% • Spam complaints ê25%

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The New Email Best Practices RESULTS:

• Open rates up by é15% • Click rates down by ê3% • Unsubscribe rates up by é5% • Email sales decline by ê20% • Spam complaints ê25%

WHY?

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The New Email Best Practices Email marketing is part of an incredibly

complex system.

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complex system.

15 YEARS OF MAILING SALE EMAILS

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Value Prop attracted Customers Interested in SALES

Ongoing promos further condition customers

Sudden change in value prop Customer goals not met

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Marketers must think in terms of systems and goals.

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“Let’s send less promotional emails and more emails with style tips!”

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The New Email Best Practices EXAMPLE NEW IDEA: CMO GOALS:

1. Reduce dependence on

promotional emails

2. Improve profile of brand by offering better content

3. Increase open rates, decrease spam

4. Maintain or increase revenue

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complex system.

15 YEARS OF SALE EMAILS

FAILED MAIL LESS SALE, MORE STYLE

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[email protected]

þ Sign up to receive style tips and more!

Attract the right customers for your messages and track them

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The New Email Best Practices Email success is about meeting

customer goals.

15 YEARS OF SALE EMAILS

STYLE ACQUISITION CAMPAIGN

MAIL LESS SALE, MORE STYLE

SUCCESS

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Systems Thinking + Goal Matching = Happy Customers

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1. Marketers are hooked on the NEW.

2. Marketers are OVERLOADED with input.

3. Marketers must think in terms of SYSTEMS and GOALS.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

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How do you know when it is time to move to the NEW and how do you

approach it?

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You must know what HAS worked for you and what IS working for you now.

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TEMPLATES

The New Email Best Practices - Templates

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The best templates make it easy for the recipient

to accomplish their goals.


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Recipient Goals and Expectations •  Adherence to the original value prop •  Ease of use •  Consistency


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Recipients Goals – Stick to the Original Value Prop

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New Email Best Practice for Templates is to build a design

that ‘works’ across all platforms and all devices.

Recipients Goals – Ease of Use

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Consistency: Does your email look beautiful everywhere?

Brand X Domain (Email Client) Breakdown*


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FY2012 FY2013

What devices drive traffic to your site?


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Test and measure performance of your templates across Desktop Email Clients

Recipients Goals – Consistency

*SOURCE: LITMUS RENDERING ENGINE

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Test and measure performance of your templates across Web-‐Based Email Clients



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Test and measure performance of your templates across Mobile Email Clients/Devices



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Templates – A Staged Approach to Mobile Op-miza-on

If you aren’t accounting for rendering, your test results are all flawed.

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We don’t have this tracking in place, what can we do NOW?

- 57 - **SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012

Standard Mobile Pixel Count**

68% are 240x320

Stage 1 | Optimize for general mobile and tablet so emails ‘work’ on all devices

•  640 pixels wide •  Alt text all images •  Minimize images to reduce download

time •  Enhance buttons/CTAs (size/color) •  32 x 32 social icon conformance


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Stage 2 | Responsive Email Design (RED) optimizes format by device and screen size.

•  Alt text all images •  Minimize images to reduce

download time •  640 pixels wide adjust to 320 on

mobile •  Enhance buttons/CTAs (size/color) •  32 x 32 social icon conformance •  Content areas render dependent on

screen size


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Stage 3 | Track device performance data using ESP or Partner Vendor


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Stage 4 | Optimize content by device to target offers and CTAs


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KEY TAKEAWAYS ON MOBILE OPTIMIZATION

*SOURCEPew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) released its Future of Mobile News, Oct 2012 **SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012

•  Stage 1 – Optimize for all mobile and tablet so emails ‘work’ on all devices

•  Stage 2 –Optimize format by device using Responsive

Email Design (RED) to detect and adjust for screen size.

•  Stage 3 - Track device performance data using ESP or

Partner Vendor

•  Stage 4 – Optimize content by device to target offers and CTAs


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NEWS Read Content Within Email

Recipients Goals – Specific

What does the recipient want to accomplish with this email?

ACTION Leave Email and

Go to Site

ALERT Informative,

Take No Action

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SEGMENTATION

The New Email Best Practices - Segmentation

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Email Best Prac-ces -‐ Segmenta-on

The best segmentation ensures the recipients goals are in line with the senders.

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Emails are people.

People build relationships.

People have history.

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How did you meet?

Where and when did last see each other?

What happened?

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The New Best Practice for Segmentation

focuses on tracking key data that informs the nature of the

relationship.

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EMAIL ORIGINAL OPTIN SOURCE

ORIGINAL OPTIN DATE

RECENT OPTIN SOURCE

RECENT OPTIN DATE

[email protected]

Store_53 09/01/2002 World_Cup_Sweeps

03/08/2013

Optin Source • Shows performance by acquisition • Allows for customized welcome series • Defines relationship • Supports deliverability

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Explicit Data –

Original Email Source Recent Email Source - the most valuable attributes you will collect Profile Data Survey Response Demographics Appended Data

Segmenta-on– Honoring the Recipients Goals and Interests

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Keep explicit data lean. Let the customer show you.

See Appendix 1 on Preferences Center

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Implicit Data – Let actions demonstrate interests (online and offline) Purchases Customer Service Inquiries Store Visits RSVPs Contest Entry Attendance Downloads Opens Clicks Social Media Partner Associations


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Frequency should be guided by engagement. Show, not tell.

See Appendix 1 on Preferences Center

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SEGMENTATION KEY TAKEAWAYS

•  Original Email Source is #1

•  Behavior should inform interests & frequency

•  Begin scoring and applying basic modeling

•  All email addresses are not created equal.


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Email Best Prac-ces -‐ Content

CONTENT

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The best content ensures the recipient they are a good

match for the information you are offering.

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Are you ready to support dynamic content?

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YES, if you already do the following: 1. Track email source 2. Have a strong welcome program 3.  Successfully track and target on

behavioral data 4. Are comfortable not mailing when there

isn’t a match

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KEY CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO DYNAMIC CONTENT •  Dynamic content is most successful once

behavioral modeling has been proven •  Effective lifts can be achieved through

strategic targeting and non-mailing

•  Prioritize auto-frequency adjustment and reengagement over dynamic

•  Move to Dynamic content ONLY when clear financial conversion opportunity is apparent

Content – Dynamic or Sta-c

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Email and Data Best Prac-ces -‐ Repor-ng

REPORTING

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The best REPORTING Shows how well you are

matching the recipient goals with the sender goals at different stages.

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Email and Data Best Prac-ces – Repor-ng Vocabulary

Open – Engaging content Click – Made it easy to meet a goal Click to Open (CTO)– Attracted the right people Unusbscribe – No longer on target – it’s ok. Unsubs climb as opens do. Abuse/Spam – Destroys deliverability

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The New Email Best Practice for Reporting focuses on a clean list and

internal benchmarks.

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Industry Benchmarks are self-‐reported and can be tremendously unreliable based on list hygiene and internal methods of calculaXon. Factors That Affect Rates: -‐Age of List -‐Frequency of mailing to that list -‐Source of emails/quality -‐Data integrity

Repor-ng – A Note on Benchmarks

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•  Track and monitor engagement efforts •  Stringent list hygiene ensures accurate reporXng and deliverability

Repor-ng – Establishing Benchmarks to Monitor Engagement

SAMPLE: BRAND X Current List Engagement*

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Engagement Rates* BRAND X

Current (69k Circ)

If Trimmed -‐23% (57k Circ)

Open 12.48% 16.20%

Click 1.29% 1.67%

SAMPLE Content – Frequency and Reengagement How to

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KEY TAKEAWAYS REPORTING •  Accurately use reporting terms and know how to

interpret the data

•  Industry Benchmarks are highly unreliable

•  Benchmark against yourself

•  Before investing in reporting, clean and reengage your lists

Repor-ng

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Email and Data Best Prac-ces -‐ Implementa-on

ImplemenXng Email and Data Best PracXces What to do NOW

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SAMPLE PLAN FOR COMPANY X: Implement Founda-ons of Email and Data Best Prac-ces

Current Goal Implica-ons

Template Op-miza-on and Redesign

•  Templates are not opXmized across all devices

•  Designs are not opXmized based on user goals/data

•  Majority of landing pages are not mobile compaXble, hindering email engagement and performance

•  Redesign standard templates to adhere to best pracXce

•  OpXmize specific business appeal templates based on user and sender goals

•  Mobile-‐opXmize all templates and/or (Responsive Email Design)

•  Mobile OpXmize all landing pages

•  IT prioriXzaXon

•  Editorial/Publishing Feedback

•  CreaXve & UI resources

Simplify Subscrip-on Management

•  SubscripXon management is not engaging or uniform so users are not clear what exactly they will be geing

•  Data isn’t be standardized •  Users adopXon is hindered by the subpar experience

•  Robust user-‐friendly Preferences Center with interest opXons

•  User engagement is enhanced by

user-‐friendly design


•  CreaXve & UI resources

List Cleanup and Reengagement

•  Dead and dormant emails sit on list, reducing performance

•  All customers are mailed standard frequency of emails per week, regardless of whether they open or click

•  Cleanup of lists and recalibraXon of performance metrics

•  Reengagement Series design and

execuXon w/Frequency management prompts


•  Vendor Support

•  CreaXve resources

Improve Email Collec-on and Welcome Series

•  Points of email collecXon are not opXmized for capture or validaXon

•  Offline and partner opportuniXes are not facilitated through uniform forms

•  Lack of welcome series means criXcal opportunity to engage and cross sell is missed

•  Enhanced on-‐site capture visibility •  Enhance social, mobile, partner,

print callouts •  Standardize offline capture, bring

online wherever possible

•  Email validaXon at capture •  Triggered confirmaXon and

strategic welcome messaging

•  IT prioriXzaXon •  Vendor support

•  CreaXve resources

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Implemen-ng Best Prac-ces – What to do Now

*SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012

Rolling out mobile-‐friendly templates and/or (RED) templates and mobile-‐friendly landing pages will immediately boost conversion metrics.

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More than 60% of emails in the US are opened on a mobile device and Brazil increases annually.The majority are not uniform or optimized for mobile conversion.

•  Most email templates cannot be easily read on mobile devices nor are they are not optimized to maximize conversion based on user goals

•  Users receive improperly scaled templates that prohibit easy interaction

•  Landing pages deter the conversion process

•  First, General Mobile Optimization

•  Next, Responsive Email Design (RED)

•  Messages ‘work’ with images turned on or off

•  Detailed mobile tracking to evolve and optimize over time

•  Mobile-specific messaging to drive mobile conversion

Current State Proposed Enhancements

90

Template Op-miza-on and Redesign

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Simplify subscrip-on Management: “Opt-‐Down” op-ons reduce acri-on and enhance engagement metrics by giving readers choices they want

•  Allow users to proactively manage their email preferences before reaching the point of opt-out

•  Prompt to give more information about their interests so we can target them more effectively

•  Allow users to provide feedback on why they are opting down/out

•  Give users a ‘pause’ option – especially useful for news which people often want to pause while away


•  Clearest Choice is Unsub From all emails

•  No option to opt-down, collect info from user, pause

Resources needed: IT prioritization, Creative & UI Resources

ERROR MESSAGE!

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List Cleanup and Reengagement

Current State Proposed Enhancements •  Dead and dormant emails sit on list, reducing

performance •  All customers are mailed standard frequency of

emails per week, regardless of whether they open or click

•  Metrics are skewed because of the older emails

Reactivation Campaign

•  Cleanup of lists and recalibration of performance metrics

•  Reengagement Series Design and Launch

1.  Auto-reduce frequency for customers who have received multiple messages and have not opened or clicked

2.  Re-incentivize with targeted ‘Reengagement’ Campaigns

3.  Cross sell to another property

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Improve Online and Offline Email Collec-on

•  Prominent homepage placement touting benefits

•  Popover for first time visitors or registrants who are not logged in

•  Incentivized subscription with contesting and access to email exclusive content

•  Offline standardization and digitization where possible

Proposed Enhancements •  Sign-up is hard to find, doesn’t collect data

on the spot, not on every page

•  Sign-up is not prompted with pop-up

•  Value prop isn’t clear and consistent

•  Processes are not consistent and doesn’t validate

Current State

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Welcome Series: A Strong Welcome Email Series Is the First Step to Long-‐Term Engagement

•  A series of emails that warms up the customer to the email program

•  Explains the brand, its email programs and community and what to expect

•  Highlights ways customer can interact with the brand Works via social, events, activities

•  Cross sells other properties, features, partners, apps when ready

•  Confirms valid email and prompts more data capture (profile completion)


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•  Lack of welcome series means critical opportunity to engage and cross sell is missed

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Q and A

Email and Data Best PracXces

THANK YOU CONTACT: [email protected]

TWITTER: fondgroup

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The Preferences Center – KEEP IT SIMPLE •  Keep Email Subscriptions simple, few, accurate

•  Keep everything else in a profile/interests section so it can be evolved without re-permissioning

•  Preferences should generally NOT include frequency

•  Create an opt-‐down page and pause opXons shown at the point of unsubscribe

APPENDIX 1 – THE PREFERENCES CENTER

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START with observaXon and form hypotheses you can test: For Example, rank past top performing subject lines to see which phrases net the highest opens and among which customers: 1.  Exclusive 2.  Limited Time 3.  View 4.  Win 5.  Free

APPENDIX 2 – TESTING AND OPTIMIZATION

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Design an A/B Subject test to see if ‘Exclusive’ or ‘Limited Time’ impact open rates or whether this was due to targeXng and/or content 1.  Exclusive 2.  Limited Time 3.  View 4.  Win 5.  Free

Content – Tes-ng and Op-miza-on

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How to determine Sample Size/StaXsXcal Significance? Use a Widget or other free online tools


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Content– Tes-ng

When A/B Testing: •  A/B Testing should be used to prove major hypotheses and

only when very large list size is possible

•  Determine which criteria you want to test and choose one

•  Start from the outside in (segment, subject, header, body, CTA)

•  Determine confidence level (95% is common in marketing)

•  Determine sample size needed/assess feasibility

•  Repeat testing frequently, prioritizing financial risk

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Content– Tes-ng

Multivariate Testing: testing more than one aspect of an email to get fast response on ‘better’ in lieu of ‘best’

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Content– Tes-ng

Evaluating Segmentation Test Results: •  Use Statistical Significance •  Develop attrition benchmarks to limit overbroad mailing •  Assign $ values to the existing emails on your list •  Determine acquisition cost of a new email

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•  A/B tesXng is slow to yield results, again, use only for tesXng major variaXons

•  Get comfortable tesXng mulXple variables at once

•  IdenXfy a primary goal

•  Always use staXsXcal significance

•  Establish Internal Benchmarks and maintain strict list hygiene so they can be accurately measured


Business

The New Email Best Practices - knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when to get back to basics