Create Holiday Gift Certificate Template

							Email Marketing Success
    Presented to Aceware Users




     Dan Belhassen
   greatBIGnews.com
    Modern Earth Inc.
                         About your presenter

• Dan Belhassen
  – Founder and President of Modern Earth Inc., an
    Internet technology company

  – Website creators, online software developers,
    search engine consultants, new media marketing
    specialists

  – Developers of “greatBIGnews.com”
You use email marketing.. Don’t you?
                                     Why not?

• Cheapest way of reaching your market

• Allows you to make rapid changes

• Allows you to do “just in time” marketing
Interesting Statistics
                                                   Interesting Statistics

• 66% of those surveyed said they had made a
  purchase because of a marketing message
  received through email. -                           ExactTarget, "2008 Channel Preference Survey" (2008)




• Consumers who subscribed to email
  newsletters generated 34.25% more product
  sales. -
        MarketingSherpa in association with ConAgra Foods (2007)
                            Interesting Statistics

• Wednesday was the best day of the week in the
  third quarter of 2007 to send email in terms of
  click (3.9%) and open rates (25.4%).
                                     - eROI (2007)




• Average open rates on Tuesdays were 22.6% and
  clicks were 3.2%; open rates on Thursdays were
  23.6% while click rates were 3.7%; open rates on
  Friday were 23.1% and clicks were 3.1%; and
  open rates on Sunday were 20.7% while clicks
  were 2.4%. -eROI (2007)
                               Interesting Statistics

• Emails with shorter subject lines significantly
  outperformed emails with longer subject
  lines. -
         MailerMailer (2008)




• Emails that had only the subject line
  personalized (12.4% Open Rate & 1.7% CTR)
  did worse than those with no personalization
  at all (13.5% Open Rate & 2.7% CTR). -    MailerMailer (2008)
                                                                   Interesting Statistics

• Seven in 10 US Internet users said they judged
  these "from" and "subject" lines when
  deciding whether to report an email as spam.                                         -
  E-Mail Sender and Provider Coalition and Ipsos (December 2007)



• Including the company name in the subject
  line can increase open rates by up to 32
  percent to 60 percent over a subject line
  without branding.                              - Jupiter Research (2007)
                                                               Interesting Statistics

• What Kinds of Subject Lines Most Attract Your
  Attention?
  –   55.2% - Clearly State the Offer
  –   49.6% - Discount or free shipping
  –   48.8% - Brand name or sender
  –   33.8% - Curious
  –   30.3% - Promise immediate answers (download or survey)
  –   18.7% - Short
  –   15.2% - Promise to solve a specific problem
  –   14.1% - Funny
  –   11.0% - Has my name in it

       •   -Return Path survey evaluating Holiday Subject Lines (2006)
                              Interesting Statistics

• Time of day online users check personal emails at
  work
    Sporadically                47%
    First thing in morning      25%
    At lunchtime                18%
    During afternoon break      8%
    Right before end of day     2%
                             Interesting Statistics

• When online users check their email

    First thing in morning     41%
    Right after dinner         18%
    Right after work           14%
    Right before bed           14%
    Middle of night            40%
                            Interesting Statistics

• Where online users check their email

    In Bed                    23%
    In class                  12%
    In a business meeting     8%
    Wi-Fi hotspot             6%
    Beach or pool             6%
    Bathroom                  4%
    While driving             4%
    Church                    1%
                                        Email Study: Moms

• Recent study by online retailers
• Goal is to understand how moms respond

• We can learn from these results…




•   From Lucid Marketing & Email Labs
                           Email Study: Moms

• Subject lines that will motivate moms to open a retail
  email message

 Discounted Price           72.5%
 Free shipping offer        60.1%
 Special offer mention      37.4%
 Specific brand mention     26.9%
 Time-based deadline        21.4%
 My name                    4.3%
 Family member mentioned    3.3%
                          Email Study: Moms

• How often moms would like to be notified by retail
  emails

 Daily                     3.6%
 Weekly                    35.3%
 Bi-Weekly                 22.6%
 Monthly                   32.9%
 Quarterly                 2.6%
 Annually                  1.5%
 Other                     1.5%
                                Email Study: Moms

• Product information in retail emails that will
  motivate moms to click
    Displaying price             62.7%
    Photo of product             61.7%
    Delivery information         43.7%
    Brand name                   42.4%
    Displaying dollar savings    36.1%
    Brief description            36.1%
    Displaying % savings         24.3%
    Days left in sale            14.9%
    Ratings & testimonials       13.0%
                 This presentation assumes..

• You are currently email marketing

• You would like to improve your success rate
Top 6 ways to Improve Success
#1 Create Targeted Lists
                     #1 Create Targeted Lists

• Don’t just have one large list!

• Target your best (repeat) customers

• They are most likely to re-enroll with you
                        #1 Create Targeted Lists

• Separate list based on interest area
  – Attended a course category in last 24 months
     • Computer, photography, gardening, business, health


• or separate by demographic
  – Senior, Youth, Family


• Or both!
#1 Create Targeted Lists
• Sample “General” template
• Sample “GenX” template
• Sample “GenY” template
                           #2 Maximize Opens

• The “open decision” will be based on
  – The From address / Identity

  – The subject line
                               #2 Maximize Opens

• From Address
  – Composed of a NAME and EMAIL ADDRESS

  – Usually only the name will be visible

  – Clearly identify who you are

  – Critical for credibility
#2 Maximize Opens




       Name of
       Sender
                                 #2 Maximize Opens

• Assuming credibility is established…
  – The subject line says what the message is about

  – Make it clear enough to help the receiver delete it
     • WHAT? Yes!
     • They should be trained that the subject line is directly
       related to content
     • Overall open rates will improve over time

  – But what makes a good subject line?
                            #2 Maximize Opens

• But, why guess when you can measure?

• Take 25% of your list and divide into A/B
  groups
  – Send subject 1 to group A
  – Send subject 2 to group B
  – Send the “winning” subject line to the remaining
    group
                              #2 Maximize Opens

• But, why guess when you can measure?

• Take 25% of your list and divide into A/B groups
  – Send subject 1 to group A
  – Send subject 2 to group B
  – Send the “winning” subject line to the remaining
    group


• Use your statistics to improve your success
                             #2 Maximize Opens

• But, why guess when you can measure?

• Take 25% of your list and divide into A/B groups
  – Send subject 1 to group A
  – Send subject 2 to group B
  – Send the “winning” subject line to the remaining
    group


• Use your statistics to improve your success          17%


                                                       23%
                            #2 Maximize Opens

• Which are better for your audience?
  – Specific deadlines
  – Price (eg: discounts)
  – Urgency



  – Don’t miss out on great fall courses! OR
  – Fall course calender now available
                     #3 Use “calls to action”

• Tell your subscriber what to do!

• Clearly communicate the next action they
  should take
#3 Use “calls to action”
#3 Use “calls to action”
                #3 Use “calls to action”




                               Classy art
Everything on
  one page
                       #4 Targeted Follow ups

• Most email marketing systems will provide
  – Everyone who opens a promo
  – Everyone who clicks on a link


• Create a follow up list based on opens and
  clicks
  – Send a targeted follow up
• Sample initial promo
                     #4 Targeted Follow ups

• Sample follow up
                             #5 Measure Results

• Most systems will provide a reporting
  mechanism

• See which promos have gotten better results

• Example why that is
  – Try A/B testing with different content
                          #6 Track Conversions

• There are three main conversion steps
  – Are you tracking each step?


• Click-through > website

• Website > registration form

• Registration form > submission
                          #6 Track Conversions

• Ultimate conversion tracking
  – Tie your email marketing to Google Analytics

  – Use conversion tracking tool

  – Will show you which links ultimately generated
    ROI
Sample Marketing Plan
                                         Preparation

• Promote list through website
  – Show example of past editions
  – Ask for as little information as possible
  – Set expectations on frequency
                                      Preparation

• Promote newsletter through brochure
  – “Want to learn about new courses? Sign up
    online!”

  – “Learn about hot new courses first with our email
    alerts!”

  – “Enter to win your course for free at www…”
                                         Preparation

• Provide an incentive
  – Draw or contest
     • One “reader” per month wins?
     • One “new subscriber” per month wins?


  – Free course? Gift certificate?
                                             Preparation

• Train staff
   – “Always be asking” for permission
   – How to handle questions


• Modify procedures
      • Opportunities to gain permission
      • Phone calls, course evaluations, registration methods
                                        Preparation

• Record of all email promotions
  – Print outs of promotions

  – Indication of subject line, open rate, CTR

  – ROI (number of registrations)
                     Sample Marketing Plan



• Community/Recreation Program

• Assuming you are starting “from scratch”
                                                 August

• First week (6 weeks out)
  – Mail brochure
  – Sent first email announcing brochure


• Third week (4 weeks out)
  – Mail brochure 2nd time to past participants and
    inquiries

• Third to Fourth week (3-4 weeks out)
  – Emails spotlighting new courses
                                              September

• First Week (1 week out)
  – 3rd email send out
  – Low enrollment classes emailed to best customers
  – Send email about popular classes

• Second week (0 weeks out)
  – Classes start

• Third to Fourth Week
  – Email about classes starting in October
                                          October

• Second Week
  – Email about classes starting in November
                                November-December

• Fourth Week November (7 weeks out)
   – Mail brochure

• First to Second Week December (5-6 weeks out)
   – Send email to full list

• Third Week (4 weeks out, after Xmas)
   – Brochure mailed 2nd time to past participants and inquiries

• Fourth Week December-First Week Jan
   – Email spotlighting new courses

• … repeat!
How SPAM Filters Work
                        How SPAM Filters Work

• Thousands of anti-SPAM systems
  – Scored (ie: SpamAssassin)
  – Learned (ie: uses Bayesian Algorithm)
  – Challenge/Response (ie: SpamArrest)
  – Greylisting (ie: greylisting.org)
  – Human Rated (ie: Cloudmark)
              Avoid being labeled as SPAM

• Properly setup email server
  – Dedicated IP address
  – Reverse IP DNS entry
  – SPF (Sender Policy Framework) DNS entry
              Avoid being labeled as SPAM

• Properly setup email server
  – Dedicated IP address
  – Reverse IP DNS entry
  – SPF (Sender Policy Framework) DNS entry
              Avoid being labeled as SPAM

• “Polite” email server
  – Limit total email volume upon request
  – Limit emails sent “per connection”


• Remove invalid email addresses
  – Limit undeliverable emails
                                        Avoid being labeled as SPAM


•   Words to Avoid?
     –   Free!                              50% off!                            Click Here
         Call now!                          Subscribe                           Earn $
         Discount!                          Eliminate Debt                      Double your income
         You're a Winner!                   Reverses Aging                      "Hidden"
         Information you requested          "Stop" or "Stops“                   Multi level Marketing
         Million Dollars                    Opportunity                         Compare
         Removes                            Collect                             Amazing
         Cash Bonus                         Promise You                         Credit
         Loans                              Satisfaction Guaranteed             Serious Cash
         Search Engine Listings             Act Now!                            All New
         All Natural                        Avoid Bankruptcy                    As Seen On…
         Buy Direct                         Casino                              Cash
         Consolidate Your Debt              Special Promotion                   Easy Terms
         Get Paid                           Guarantee, Guaranteed               Great offer
         Give it away, Giving it away       Join millions                       Meet Singles
         MLM                                No cost, No fees Offer              One time
         Online pharmacy                    Online marketing                    Order Now
         Please Read                        Don't Delete                        Save up to
         Time limited                       Unsecured debt or credit Vacation
         Viagra                             Visit our web site                  While Supplies last
         Why pay more?                      Winner                              Work at home
         You've been selected
                             Selecting a system

• Key features
  – Deliverability
  – Tracking (opens, click-throughs)
  – Import subscribers & prevent duplicates
  – Capture email from website
  – Send to a friend w/self sign up option
  – Design matches your branding
  Thank you!
greatBIGnews.com
 modernearth.net