em@ilesse… · email essentials agenda • the power of email • six critical phases for email...

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 Networkcliff.seltzer@activenetwork.com

Jackie BurnsOnline Conversion ManagerActive Networkjackie.burns@activenetwork.com

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): inquiry@puresend.com

ActiveCommunitiescommunities@activenetwork.com

ActiveEducateactive.educate@activenetwork.com

Active Network CustomersContact your Account Manager or emarketing@activenetwork.com