Small Database Marketing Business - Database Marketing and Email

							Stage 1                                                     Stage 2                                                                                         Stage 3                                                       Stage 4
CUSTOMER DATA                                               CAMPAIGN PLANNING                                                                               CAMPAIGN PREPARATION                                          POST-CAMPAIGN
Compile current data - see box below to ensure              Take an entire calendar year and identify:                                                      If you’re planning to use segmentation, filter the            Examine delivery metrics.
compliance.                                                                                                                                                 customer data and import into your email delivery
                                                            ·                key dates                                                                      system.                                                       Compare to previous campaigns. Look for trends. Did
Identify Customer Contact Points. Set up simple             ·                key events                                                                                                                                   the day or time of dispatch affect open rates? Which
capture methods. Ensure compliance with opt-ins,            ·                seasonal dips and peaks                                                        When preparing your email campaign, include the               content attracted most interest (ie link activity)? Are
etc.                                                                                                                                                        following as required:                                        open rates increasing or decreasing? Is there a high
                                                            Plan your campaigns well in advance around these                                                                                                              bounce rate (perhaps indicating sloppy data
Pick a data storage system (may be your email               dates.                                                                                          ·    Unsubscribe link                                         processing)?
delivery system).
                                                            Prepare content well in advance. Ensure it is                                                   ·    ‘Display as a webpage’ link                              Conduct occasional subscriber feedback surveys.
Set up routines for processing - designate a                RELEVANT and VALUABLE. Do not send an email                                                                                                                   Fine-tune your campaigns according to the results.
responsible member of staff and ensure it becomes a         campaign just because it’s in the diary. Only do it if                                          ·    ‘Forward to a friend’ link
part of the regular work routine. Alternatively,            you have content of genuine value for customers.                                                                                                              Send an occasional email to non-openers and ask for
outsource.                                                                                                                                                  ·    Plain text version (for recipients who choose not        their help and feedback. Why are they not opening
                                                            Decide if you have the capacity and resources to                                                     to receive graphic (HTML) emails)                        your emails? Incentivise them to respond - you need
Data Compliance Checker                                     handle email marketing in-house. BE BRUTALLY                                                                                                                  to know this stuff!
                                                            HONEST. If you can handle it on a permanent basis,                                              ·    Registered company information (a legal
1. Did your customers voluntarily opt-in to your            then designate and train a capable member of staff.                                                  requirement for UK limited companies). This
database, fully in the knowledge they would receive         Ensure it becomes an integral part of their job.                                                     includes the registered company name, registered
email marketing from you?                                                                                                                                        office address, company number, and place of

YES - perfect! Proceed to Stage 2
                                                            If you don’t think you can deal with it in-house, then
                                                            outsource.
                                                                                                                                                                 registration (eg England)                                EMAIL MARKETING
NO - proceed to point 2 below
                                                            Choose an email delivery system. Practise and
                                                                                                                                                            ·    ‘Add to safe list’ link for recipients to ensure your
                                                                                                                                                                 emails always reach their in-box.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          PLAN CHECKLIST
2. Did you capture your customer’s email address in         become familiar with using the system before sending
the process of a sale or negotiations for a sale? If yes,   out your first ‘real’ campaign. The learning curve can                                          ·    Your contact information, including link to your
did they have a clear option to opt-out of receiving        be quite steep, so allow plenty time for familiarisation.                                            homepage                                                 Remember the 5 key factors in
email marketing from you?                                                                                                                                                                                                 planning your email marketing:
                                                            Examine your database and look for the most common                                              ·    Merge fields (ie personalisation)
YES - good! Proceed to Stage 2                              email address types (eg Hotmail, Yahoo etc). Set up
NO - proceed to point 3 below                               test dummy email accounts. If you have lots of                                                                                                                ü Good quality customer data that is
                                                                                                                                                            ·    Preview pane text at the top of the email (as seen
                                                            corporate type emails, include email client software
                                                            such as Outlook and Lotus. Alternatively, subscribe to
                                                                                                                                                                 in Outlook). Use to clearly establish who you are,         accessible and up-to-date
3. Did you purchase the email list from a reputable                                                                                                              and entice the recipient to open the email
data broker? If yes, did they provide clear evidence        a testing service such as Litmus, or use an in-box                                                                                                            ü Good quality content of genuine value
that the customers listed have voluntarily opted-in to      checker if your email delivery system has one.
                                                                                                                                                            ·    Mix text with images, as some emails will appear         ü Key delivery dates/events/promotions,
receive third party marketing emails?                                                                                                                            to recipients with images off. Use this to clearly         planned in advance
YES - acceptable. Proceed to Stage 2
                                                                                                                                                                 identify yourself and to summarise the main              ü An efficient email delivery system
                                                                                                                                                                 attractions of your email. The idea is to
NO - proceed to point 4 below                               Notes                                                                                                encourage recipients to view the email in its            ü Legal compliance
                                                                                                                                                                 entirety
4. Are your UK customers limited companies, LLPs,                              All information on legal compliance relates to UK
government agencies or other public bodies, or                                 businesses only. For detailed information and
                                                                               guidance on The Data Protection Act and The Privacy                          ·    Prepare downloadable content, such as a Virtual
partnerships (in Scotland)?                                                    & Electronic Communications Regulations (EU) it is                                Voucher or PDF version of newsletter. Include a
                                                                               strongly recommended you visit the website of the                                 link.
YES - acceptable. Proceed to Stage 2                                           Information Commissioner at www.ico.gov.uk                                                                                                 Provided FREE by the
NO - if you have sole traders or partnerships (in                                                                                                           Split-test your campaigns, eg with different in-box
England), you must treat them as private individuals.
Proceed to point 1 above.
                                                                               Recommended reading: the ICO's Guidance for
                                                                               Marketers on the PECR (PDF). Download here                                   titles, different content, or by dispatching at different
                                                                                                                                                            times.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Small
If you cannot answer yes to any of the above, you are
                                                                               All other information is relevant to USA, EU & UK
                                                                               businesses.                                                                  Test send your campaign to ensure it renders correctly
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Business
at risk of breaching the European PECR. Contact the
ICO for advice on specific circumstances, or abort the      LEGAL DISCLAIMER - The information and opinions within this document are for information
                                                                                                                                                            and the in-box title doesn’t trigger spam filters. Test all
                                                                                                                                                            links to ensure they work.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Database
email campaign.                                             purposes only. They are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice, and
                                                            should not be relied on or treated as a substitute for specific advice relevant to particular
                                                            circumstances. The author shall accept no responsibility for any errors, omissions or           Schedule your campaign to be sent an hour or two in
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Marketing
Don’t miss out on a technicality. Ensure your data          misleading statements in this document, or for any loss which may arise from reliance on        advance so you can make any last minute changes to            website
capture methods are compliant in future.                    materials contained in this document.
                                                                                                                                                            previously missed typos etc.
                                                            COPYRIGHT - The author retains copyright in all of his material on this document; permission
                                                            must be sought from the author before such material may be used for any other purpose.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             www.small-business-database-marketing.com
                                                            Version 1. 9 March 2011
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