MindComet

Driving a Response

As consumers deal with an increase in the amount of mail they receive, you want to be certain that your email marketing campaign catches their eye.  Recent research sheds some light on what compels consumers to open their email.

Research shows the “from” line is the most compelling reason consumers open permission-based email, cited by 65% of survey respondents, consistent with 2004 (64%).  This high percentage shows the importance of sender recognition and the brawn of brand names.

Free shipping offers in the subject line had the largest impact, up from 31% in 2004 to 42% in 2005.  It is important to note that discount offers continue to be compelling with 65% of consumers.  Even if you’re not offering discounts a call to action in your subject line will generate a greater response.

Determine, by testing, how your subscribers react to your from line.  It could make a difference in your open rates and your overall email marketing campaign.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Feb. 13, 2006

Are Open Rates Really Declining?

According to the Marketing Sherpa Email Marketing Benchmark survey, October 2005, in 2004, the most common B2B open percentage range, according to 24% of those surveyed, 30% – 39%.  In 2005 the most common open percentage range, with 21% reporting a range of 20% - 29%.

To guard email users from Spam and questionable content, technology has been developed to block images by default.  Filtering has tightened which leads to more mail being delivered to bulk mail folders.  Because a one pixel image must be rendered in an email to measure an open, image blocking has had an impact on declining open rates.

Because 52% of business people always use the preview pane, 33% of business people read all of the email in the preview pane and nearly 80% of business people use Outlook as their email client (EmailLabs, Preview Pane Study, November 2005) it important to note that Outlook 2003 and Outlook Express with Service Pack 2 block images by default.  Your message actually may be reaching more people than the open rate percentage leads you to believe. 

Something to consider is that while there has been a decline in opens, there has not been a similar drop in click-through percentages.  This indicates an issue of measurement.  Without the display of the HTML, there isn’t an “open”.  However, the click-through percentages tell us otherwise.  When reviewing your email marketing campaign results, be sure to look at click-throughs and conversions as well.  There is more to the story than simply open rates.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Feb. 06, 2006

Headers and Footers:  More Than You Think

While headers and footers may seem like a legally required part of you email marketing campaign, make full use of this space to achieve your email marketing goals.

Many email marketers forget to pay attention to their anchor real estate.  The header and footer have the power to capture the user’s attention, influence the brand, teach and create a foundation of trust through consistency.

During the brief time an email is viewed, it must be evident that it is being sent by someone trustworthy enough to have been given permission to get into the inbox.  The email must show who it is from, offer options to change preferences, opt-out and emphasize CAN-SPAM compliance.  Other overlooked aspects of the headers and footers include being consistent in its branding to build on the trust the recipient has in the sender.  It also must be forthcoming with information to maintain the ongoing message.

Meanwhile, IT departments and web-based email providers are continually tightening their policies in effort to protect their users and maintain members.  This makes it that much more difficult to reach your email subscribers. 

Use your headers to educate recipients.  Ask to be whitelisted, and post instructions on how to do so.  Provide other options such as a hosted HTML version of your message. 

Because inboxes are becoming more and more difficult to crack, headers and footers should be considered the critical finishing touches that will help your email be received and help you fight list erosion.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Jan. 30, 2006

Target Your Audience

A fundamental principle of marketing has always been breaking up your audience into smaller, manageable groups that are likely to behave in a similar way.  Email allows awesome segmentation ability as well as the opportunity to make the most of small audience segments that otherwise might be financially difficult to communicate with.

You should be using every bit of information you have on person to the fullest.  Aside from the nuts and bolts; first name, state and other basic data, there are other opportunities to be unearthed by focusing on demographic segmentation.

By tracking click stream activity you have the ability to segment based on what a person does after they click on a link.  Web site activity offers an excellent chance for segmentation.

In the course of your email marketing campaign, build strategies for gathering additional data about your email recipients.  After gaining trustworthiness, try asking for small pieces of information within your email message.  Another option is to create online surveys.  This is an excellent way for your recipients to interact with you and allow you to gather more information about the people taking the surveys

Another way to segment is by using email activity.  Consider segmenting by email opens, click-throughs or repeated behaviors. Another thought is to include conversion data into your segmentation processes

Once the list has been segmented, you will then have the ability to provide uniquely segmented groups with different content.  Variable content will provide greater relevancy and stronger actionable matter to your audience.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Jan. 23, 2006

Why Whitelist?

According to MarketingSherpa, a Whitelist is an advance-authorized list of email addresses, held by an ISP, subscriber or other email service provided, which allows email messages to be delivered regardless of spam filters.

Whitelisting is the superlative way to avoid deliverability issues, however companies do very little to promote it.  A mere 22% of merchants in the Silverpop 2005 Retail Email Study, Phase 1 (August 2005) asked to be whitelisted.  Only 7% offered instructions on how to do so.

It is a good idea to remind your subscribers that if they enjoy your newsletter by adding your email address to their address book, the can ensure they will continue to receive it.  This removes any question a spam filter may have regarding content. 

To be sure your email marketing campaign is whitelisted; instructions are provided for popular email clients below. 

Outlook (2003+)
1. Open the email.
2. Right-click the sender’s email address.
3. Click “add to contacts” in the short-cut menu.
4. Click “save and close”.

Outlook Express (6+)
1. Open the email.
2. Left-click the sender icon, or right click the sender’s name.
3. Click “add to contacts”.
4. Click “save and close”.

MacMail
1. Open the email.
2. Ctrl-click the sender’s email address and select “open in the address book”.
3. Verify the sender’s contact details.

Yahoo!
1. Open the email.
2. Click “add to address book” to the right, next to the sender’s name.
3. Verify the sender’s contact details.
4. Click “Add to Address Book”.

Gmail
1. Open the email.
2. Click “more options” in the email header.
3. Click “add sender to contacts list”.

Hotmail
1. Open the email.
2. Click “save address” in the toolbar.
3. Verify the sender’s contact details.
4. Click “ok”.
*Users may also white-list a sender’s entire domain (everything behind the @ sign) using the “Safe List” feature under Options-> Mail-> Junk E-Mail Protection.

AOL 8.0
1. Open the email.
2. Click “add address” icon.
3. Verify the sender’s contact information.
4. Save it.

AOL Webmail
1. Open the email.
2. Click the sender’s name or email address.
3. Click “add to address book” in the window that appears.
4. Enter any additional information.
5. Click “save.”

Entourage
1. Open the email.
2. Right-click the sender’s email address.
3. Select “add to address book” in the short-cut menu.
4. Verify the sender’s contact details.
5. Click “save”.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Jan. 17, 2006

E-mail Marketing the New Word of Mouth?

Over the past few years the trend of e-mail marketing has grown increasingly, but proof of return has received mixed reviews, promoting the question; does the year 2006 have any more assurance for this growing trend?

Research has shown that reach is one of the defining factors in pulling a market and e-mail is able to provide the foundation for a new opportunity within an old market. In a recent case study, a viral e-mail led recipients to a touching and sophisticated site known as the Ryan Andrew Kaiser Memorial Foundation (RAKMF). The site, which uses e-mail as its primary marketing and communication hub, found its personal e-mails to have a greater affect than any other form of marketing combined and in turn received an abundance of visitors and charitable support.

RAKMF utilized four unique elements of e-mail marketing:

1. E-mail as an awareness vehicle


• Getting the word out about the cause


2. E-mail as a sponsorship tool


• The goal to acquire financial support


3. E-mail as a donation management component


• Replying to donors via e-mail


4. E-mail as an event coordinator


• Advertise a 5k run in New Jersey

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Jan. 10, 2006

Open Me, Open Me…

We are all besieged with email.  In an effort to get our inboxes manageable the usual routine upon opening our email is to quickly review the subject lines and remove the messages we know are not business, important or simply don’t peak our interest.  How can you make sure your email marketing campaign will make the cut?

There are a few factors you can control when your email message enters an email client: The subject line, the from address and the to address.

Plenty of email marketers treat the subject line like an after-thought.  It’s not difficult to understand why.  It’s only a few words.  The message does the selling, right?

Don’t fall into this trap.  If you aren’t able to get your message open, the greatest copy in the world does you no good at all.

The suggestions that follow will contribute to getting the subject line to grab attention, create interest and make your message one to read.  However, keep in mind, these rules will start to lose their impact if you always follow them. 

Give ‘em a KISS

Keep it short and simple.  Write your subject lines so there are less than 10 words.  Fewer than 5 is even better.  Your message will be more credible by keeping your subject down to a few words.

What’s in it for me?

Remember, your prospects are interested in one thing.  By writing about the benefits that matter most to your readers, instead of the features that are important to you, they should pay attention and open your message.  By appealing to what’s in it for them, you have a better chance of your prospect reading your message.

Someone’s Messing with You…

The word ‘you’ in a subject line is a spam predictor.  The word ‘you’ is infrequently used in emails sent to colleagues, however, it is used often in spam.  The closer your message is to the tone of an ordinary email, the more likely it will be opened.

No Way!!!

Omit the exclamation point at the end of your subject line.  You will rarely see a personal email that uses an exclamation point to grab your attention.  Good business writing never does.  It simply doesn’t need to.

Do It?

If using a question mark makes sense for your email marketing services, do it. Wouldn’t you agree questions are more engaging than statements?

Don’t be Slick

Because we are bombarded with slick sales pitches, they are an inevitable turn-off.  Avoid words such as “limited time”, “free”, “only” and “opportunity”.  While you may hook some with these words, you will end up in the trash folder of the majority.

Personalize it

We all like to feel special.  But how can you feel special if the message was sent to “undisclosed recipients” instead of to your email address?  If you have a database, use it to address your prospects by name.  If you don’t have a database, use your list to achieve the same results.

On the same note, make sure the email is coming from a person.  People prefer to buy from people, not auto responders, not robots, not even web sites.  Develop a personality and style in your email marketing communications, and be sure to personalize the sender too.  A message from “The Big Shot Company” may not be as meaningful, especially if your prospect isn’t ready to by.  On the other hand, the same message from “Joe Brown” may make it worthwhile reading.  Which is the ultimate goal.

Read More & View Comments

Posted by MindComet on Jan. 03, 2006