Basics of Email Marketing

Created on Friday, 10 June 2011 20:42

Design Toads has discussed a possible partnership with Consant Contact. Read notes from a recent seminar.

Basics of Email Marketing 6/7/2011
seminar by Constant Contact
Notes by Design Toads

Sect 1 Who ya emailing?

Build the Quality list from
    calls
    meetings/events
    email signature
    guest books at your location/event
    online presence
        create a landing page with several directions
            include all social media networks

Integrate Email Marketing and Social Media
    Place a fb and other social media icons on your website homepage

Collect info and Permission
    ASK BEFORE YOU ADD THEM(check boxes with categories of communication they want to hear about)
    include blog
    describe the emails and content you they will be getting
    ask about customers interest(make a fill-able form within the email)
    ask for additional contact info
    use the customer’s first name whenever possible

Send Welcome Email (after they accept)
    include logo - consistant branding of course
    use First name when possible
    This is an extra step that allows the client to confirm the subscription
    Reinforces permission, while they maintain ability to change preferences(in the footer)

Use Permission Reminders
    in the title or header, outline the fact that they agreed to this
    use this only a few times for newcomers to the list

Don’t Assume Your Friends are okay with being on the list

Let them know the frequency

maintain permission reminders

Section 2 INFORM

Content must meet objective
    Promote
        motivate purchases
        increase attendance
    Inform
        inform potential clients
        differentiate my business
    Relate
        increase loyalty

Create a Schedule

    Pick a Tues - Thursday for release day
    Evaluate past schedules and numbers to determine high interest levels

Valuable Content
    share expertise
    use testimonials
    give guidance
    offer discounts and coupons
    follow through, i.e. - take a photo of the iPad winner
    acknowledge audience
        with surveys and the ability to write a testimonial

Re-purpose Social media messages
    try to drive social content back to their email(make them find additional information)
        give a taste in social media, after you hit them with full info in an email

Determine the Right Format
    Newsletters
        Frequency i.e. monthly/weekly
        educational content
        use bullets and summaries
    Promotions

Brand Consistency
    Stay on topic for your business
    maintain color scheme and logos

Frequency and Delivery
    create a master schedule - be consistent!!!
    include a SIGN UP in case it gets forwarded
    invest the time to re-purpose email titles in social media

When to Send

comes through testing

day/time

Tues, Wed, 10am-3pm is a good broad shot

Nutshell mail(with constant contact)

helps manage social media with email

kinda like an email version of RockMelt
    you can send mass emails on linked in with this
    hootsuite.com(can handle twitter, fb, linked in one fail sweep)
        many folks desire this
  
Email Content Check List
    perform, inform, relate
    audience interested?
    branded?
    strong Call To Action?
    concise timing?
    engage social media networks

Is your email Getting through or getting Filtered?
    image blocking?
    filters into spam? trash?

Getting Email Opened
    “subject” line and “from” line
        From line gets 60% of OPENS!
            all about relationships
            brand organization in the From line
            be consistent
        Subject line gets 30%
            Keep it Short & Simple
            Use 5 -8 words
            “Free” and “guaranteed” are NO NO’s
            Capitalize and Punctuate Normally.

    Avoid SPAM SPEAK
        KILL ALL CAPS
        excessive use of “click here”
        No “From” address - do not leave blank
        Misleading headlines suck
  
    Make your Content Sharable
        encourage readers to share this email in their social networks
        Use sidebar to gain insights to your contacts’ preferred channels in order to best re-purpose social media content
            Follow Blog
            Join mailing list
            follow on twitter or FB
        PLACE SHARE BAR IN TOP OF THE EMAIL with LIKE CAPABILTY
    Tweet and Share Email
  
Email a Preview and Review Checklist
    Pick four friends to help with the preview process
    use a spam checker to review for content
    Am I using a Hot Subject Title?
  

Sect 3 GROW
  
    Track and Report
        see open rates for time, individuals, ect
        if someone shares, Send a Thank You!
            group and create a new list for the Thank You email
    25% or more Opens is a success.
      
    Bounce Rate
        check mispellings in email address
        changed address
    Undeliverable
        out of office and all that
  
    Analyze “opens”
        Open Rates Trending Down
        Fewer Subscribers
            could be sending too frequently
  
(sidenote)non photoshop users can Resize images with PICNIK

    Capitalize on Click Throughs!
        Use the click throughs to determine future content
            clicks determine relevancy

    Include the option to Unsubscribe
        this helps people feel like they have options
        also helps improve the Quality List
        Enable Clients to leave comments when opting out
        take action on this feedback(i.e.- stop sending duplicate emails, or too frequently)
  
    Bounce and Block Response
        make sure to not continue sending communication
        measure results of Social Media
            be where your audience is
        don’t be afraid to call and ask why they opted out