ESSENTIALS

							EM@IL
ESSENTIALS
Deliver 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 Planning
          2.   List Building and Segmentation
          3.   Design and Content
          4.   Deliverability
          5.   Analysis and Reporting
          6.   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




        Test, Revise,                    List Building &
         & Repeat                        Segmentation



                        em@il
                        essentials
         Analysis &                      Design &
         Reporting                       Content




                        Deliverability
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




                                         ule
                                     h ed
                                   sc
                           m ple
                      Sa
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

First Impressions       From


                       Subject


                    Preview Pane


                    Open Email
                    (Above the Fold)



                     Full Email

                          Source: ExactTarget
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: From Name

     From           • The “From” field is what people use most often to
                      determine whether to delete an email

   Subject
                                                        Ensure your “From
                                                        name” (“friendly
                                                        name”) is instantly
                                                        recognizable
 Preview Pane



 Open Email                                             “From email address”
 (Above the Fold)                                       should also be legitimate
                                                        and recognizable



  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line

     From           • The “Subject” line is what actually
                      motivates people to open the email
                    • 80/20 Rule
   Subject
                      – 80% will scan your subject line, less than 20% will
                        read or take action on your email

 Preview Pane

                            At least 40% of the reader’s decision
                            to open or take action is based on the
 Open Email                 “from” field + the “subject” line
 (Above the Fold)
                                      Source: Email Sender and Provider Coalition




  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line

     From



   Subject



 Preview Pane



 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)




  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line

     From



   Subject



 Preview Pane
                                     Call-to-Action

                                     Personalized
 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)                    Time-sensitive &
                                     offer to save

                                    Time-sensitive
  Full Email
                                     Question
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Subject Line

     From           • Do
                      – Keep it concise and descriptive
                           • 40-50 characters (7-8 words)        69% of recipients
                                                                 decide whether to
   Subject            – Make it relevant and compelling          report email as
                           • Offer value, benefits               spam based on the
                           • Include a call-to-action            subject line.
                           • Make it time-sensitive                         Source: ESPC
 Preview Pane
                           • Ask a question, teaser

                    • Don’t
 Open Email           – Mislead or make it vague
 (Above the Fold)
                      – Use words or characters blocked by spam filters (words like
                        “free,” excessive CAPS and punctuation!!!, etc.)

  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Preview Pane

     From           • Top left 4-5-inch square is key
                      – Between 288-360 pixels

                    • Ensure your call-to-action is visible
   Subject
                    • Test in various email clients
                      – Preview panes vary widely across ISPs
 Preview Pane         – Vertical vs. horizontal preview panes
                      – Image-blocking

 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)

                             Fewer than one-fourth of people (21%)
                             turn on images in email messages.
                                                  Source: Jupiter Research
  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Preview Pane




                           No preview pane
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email

    From                            Anatomy of an Email

                   Pre-Header
                   Header
  Subject


                   Headline
                   Salutation
Preview Pane
                   Fold
                   Content (Body)
Open Email
(Above the Fold)




 Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email

     From           • Pre-Headers
                      – Very valuable real estate
                      – Align left for vertical preview panes
   Subject
                      – Consider using it for your main messaging, calls-
                        to-action, content summary
 Preview Pane       • Other functional uses
                      – Link to a web or mobile version
 Open Email           – Forward to a friend
 (Above the Fold)
                      – Unsubscribe link or update preferences


  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email

     From           • Pre-Headers


   Subject



Preview Pane



 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)




 Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Open Email

     From           • “Above the Fold”
                    • Headline
   Subject          • Call-to-action and links
                    • Salutation – personalization
Preview Pane
                    • Image-blocking

 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)                59% of online customers
                                 routinely block images.
                                         Source: MarketingSherpa
 Full Email
Anatomy of an Email

    From                      Anatomy of an Email


                   Calls-to
  Subject          Action
                   (links)                          Branding



Preview Pane
                                                    Graphics
                                                    (links)

Open Email
(Above the Fold)




 Full Email
Anatomy of an Email (cont.)

     From                                 Anatomy of an Email

                    Content                                     Links

    Subject



Preview Pane
                                                                Branding


 Open Email
 (Above the Fold)
                    Footer:
                    Organizational Info
                    Privacy Policy
                    Unsubscribe
  Full Email
5 Stages of Viewing Emails: Full Email

     From           • Scrolling
                    • Length
    Subject         • Image-blocking
                    • Actions
 Preview Pane         – Download
                      – Register

 Open Email           – Visit Website
 (Above the Fold)
                      – Forward, Share
                      – Save
  Full Email
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                  Tip: Considering
        – Renewal emails                                     adding discounts or
                                                              other incentives
   – 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
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
Resources
Email Industry Resources:                               Active Network Contacts for Products:

• Email Experience: http://www.emailexperience.org/     Puresend (Email Service Provider):
                                                        inquiry@puresend.com
• MarketingSherpa: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/
• Marketing Profs: http://www.marketingprofs.com/       ActiveCommunities
                                                        communities@activenetwork.com
Deliverability and Reputation
                                                        ActiveEducate
• Return Path: http://www.returnpath.net/
                                                        active.educate@activenetwork.com
• Deliverability.com: http://blog.deliverability.com/

                                                        Active Network Customers
CAN-SPAM                                                Contact your Account Manager or
• FTC: http://www.ftc.gov/spam                          emarketing@activenetwork.com