R E P L Y A L L
OPEN READ FORWARD
FLAT-OUT FUNDAMENTAL INSIGHTS: CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
REPLY ALL
OPEN
01
DESIGN
Craft successful emails with the right subject line, content and layout
READ
03
TIMING Find the best time to send emails that convert
FORWARD
05 2
OPTIMIZATION
Master the art of A/B testing and apply it to your marketing efforts
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
02 04 06
PERSPECTIVE
Discover why email is a crucial part of distributed marketing
EXECUTION
Develop drip campaigns to engage readers when and where they prefer
AUTOMATION
Learn the 20 email features your platform should provide
PART 1: OPEN
SINCE ITS DEBUT
email has been a vital component of the marketing communication mix.
Most companies use email marketing in some capacity, and many have taken advantage of using an email marketing platform to create and send their campaigns. Even in this age of texting and social media, email ranks atop the most effective and inexpensive direct marketing channels. In fact, data from a recent survey by The Relevancy Group found that 91 % of marketing executives reported email marketing as the most effective channel for delivering revenue results. Perhaps that’s why the most successful brands have adopted email marketing as part of their distributed marketing mix.
4
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
ARE YOU MAXIMIZING YOUR EMAIL INVESTMENT TO guarantee revenue results?
CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM AN ENLIGHTENED EXAMINATION of effective and fundamental email practices that deliver higher open rates and conversions?
CAN YOU BETTER CRAFT AND IMPLEMENT YOUR EMAILS to compel more readers to take action?
All of your questions answered as we examine the flat-out fundamental steps to creating, implementing and tracking compelling emails that are sure to convert readers into customers.
5
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$ Email marketing has a
4,300
Email marketing generates
42.08
%
$
return on investment
for every dollar spent
MOST EFFECTIVE CHANNELS FOR DELIVERING REVENUE RESULTS % OF RESPONDENTS ACCORDING TO US MARKETING EXECUTIVES EMAIL
91
81
72
54
%
PAID SEARCH
%
6
DISPLAY
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
%
SMS
%
BILLBOARD DESIGNERS
HAVE A TOUGH GIG. It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and I find myself, again, rushing to the airport. As traffic slows, I come to an abrupt stop and notice something I would have never seen if I were speeding on the highway. I was suddenly faced with what I can only describe as an unlucky cowboy changing his blown out truck tire just off the side of the road. Coincidentally, the billboard behind him was a Geico advertisement offering a discount on car insurance. I’m not sure if it was the poor design or the placement just as the road turned – either way it made me think of all the other billboards I frequently miss for one reason or another. A successful billboard you notice on your commute is strikingly similar to an email campaign that performs well. Like the message written on the billboard, an email subject line is the headline to your brand offering and has a small window of time and space to grab the attention of the reader and stand out from the many emails cluttering their inbox. Yes, billboard designers have a tough gig. But email marketing pros can techniques to craft successful campaigns with the right subject line, content, user experience and design layout to convince readers to open and engage with their content.
7
REPLY ALL DESIGN
BEFORE YOU HIT SEND Start with a captivating subject line that connects your customers to your brand with a compelling and relevant message.
YOUR SUBJECT LINE SHOULD: CAPTURE THE ATTENTION OF THE READER
BE PERSONALIZED WHEN IT FITS THE MESSAGE
5
BE CONCISE, ONLY 5 -10 WORDS
DRIVE THE READER TO OPEN THROUGH URGENCY OR CURIOSITY
NOT HAVE A DECEPTIVE OR GENERIC MESSAGE
POSSESS A PRE-HEADER THAT IS ENGAGING AND RELEVANT TO SUBJECT LINE
ACCURATELY DEPICT WHAT IS OFFERED IN THE EMAIL
USE SPECIAL CHARACTERS WHEN APPROPRIATE
8
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
subject lines
22.2
%
MORE LIKELY
to be OPENED - Adestra
SOURCE: ADRESTA
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PRIMARY ATTRIBUTE OF A GOOD RETAILER EMAIL SUBJECT % OF RESPONDENTS LINE ACCORDING TO US DIGITAL BUYERS
2 % - ASKS A QUESTION 2 % - SHOCKING 5 % - PHILANTHROPIC 9 % - FUNNY 18% - PERSONALIZED (YOUR NAME)
64% - SAYS SOMETHING IS ON SALE
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
SOURCE: MARKETTRACK
YOU HAVE A CAPTIVATED READER, NOW WHAT? Congratulations on creating a successful subject line! You’ve broken through your reader’s cluttered inbox, and your captivated audience is now ready to read your email.
MAKE SURE YOU’RE SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE. The goal is to guide your readers instinctively through the buying process until they are ready to make their final purchase. Proper text and content can be the deciding factor to whether your reader wants to take that buyer journey process with you or click the unsubscribe button.
YOUR TEXT AND CONTENT SHOULD: Incorporate an opt-out or unsubscribe link for future campaigns
Stay short, clear and to the point Be relevant to the email subject line
Include a Call to Action (CTA) toward the top of the email
Have correct grammar and spelling Have all information checked for accuracy
Have a CTA that stands out, is clickable and is linked to an appropriate landing page
LEADING MARKETING TACTICS FROM WHICH DIGITAL RETAILERS HAVE SEEN THE MOST ROI % OF RESPONDENTS EMAIL MARKETING WORD-OF-MOUTH/CUSTOMER REFERRALS SEO SOCIAL MEDIA DIGITAL MARKETING NATIVE MOBILE
9.3 %
32.2 %
45.8%
59.3 %
41.5%
27.1%
4.2 %
SOURCE: CAMPAIGNER
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PERSONALIZED CTAs CONVERT
%
BETTER THAN BASIC CTAs - Jeff Russo
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
SOURCE: JEFF RUSSO
GETTING ORGANIZED An engaged reader is a terrible thing to waste. You’re familiar with the content and email topic, but can you say the same for your audience? Walk a mile in your reader’s shoes before hitting send to make sure your audience will fully understand the message. Once the email is opened, it takes a powerful user experience with a simple design and a compelling call to action. User experience can make or break brand perception and determine whether or not readers choose to open your next email.
“By 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.” - WALKER INFORMATION, INC.
TO ACHIEVE A POSITIVE USER EXPERIENCE YOU SHOULD: Provide the reader a clear message Incorporate a message that is consistent with the email subject line Organize the largest elements toward the top of the email Identify links and buttons in a clear manner
Avoid any unnecessary, confusing or contradictory information Include a phone number linked to call for mobile devices Have the company address linked to an online map in the footer
13
TOP PRIORITY AREAS ACCORDING TO DIGITAL MARKETERS % OF RESPONDENTS IN THE US
66
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
49
MOVING SOFTWARE TO THE CLOUD
58
INTERNET
38
CROWDSOURCING CONTENT
54
BIG DATA
%
%
%
%
%
FOR THE VISUAL LEARNER Complement your message with a dynamic design using beautiful imagery that visually balances your message. Keep in mind that the foundation underneath your image is equally important. A couple of key elements include mobile responsiveness and alt-tags for readers who have image display settings turned off. Have fun with images, but make sure they are on-brand and relevant to the message.
YOUR IMAGE AND DESIGN SHOULD: Portray brand consistently in color and imagery
Visually support the email content Have an image-to-text ratio no greater than 2:3
Be clickable and linked
Fashion links as buttons to stand out Include design HTML that is responsive for any device
Stay within the ideal width of 500 to 650 pixels Include alt-text descriptions for all images
TOP THREE MOST EFFECTIVE MARKETING CHANNELS ACCORDING TO MARKETING PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE % OF RESPONDENTS
EMAIL MARKETING
COMPANY WEBSITE SOCIAL MEDIA
20 22 18 %
%
%
SOURCE: CVENT
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67
“
%
OF ALL EMAILS are opened on a
(smartphones and tablets),
and
MOBILE DEVICE
SMARTPHONES
alone make up
50
%
16
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
OF ALL OPENS.” SOURCE: MOVABLE INC
AN
EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE The importance of email marketing in the finance and insurance industry
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REPLY REPLYALL ALL | PERSPECTIVE
2016
marks 100 years of service for LIMRA LOMA, a marketing research giant in the field of finance and insurance. LIMRA, a worldwide research, learning and development organization, is the trusted source of industry knowledge for over 850 financial services firms. LIMRA provides its members with the latest insight and analysis on retirement, insurance and distribution, helping them develop effective business strategies that positively impact the bottom line. Distribion’s Alex Navarro recently had the opportunity to sit down with James Kerley, Chief Membership Officer at LIMRA LOMA who shared a wealth of information on the importance of email marketing as a part of the distributed marketing mix that so many finance and insurance companies operate.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
ALEX: In your role, have you noticed a significant increase in multi-channel marketing adoption and a need for brands to break through traditional marketing practices? JAMES: As Chief Membership Officer for the largest global trade association in the insurance industry, I’ve seen first hand the shift in the way national brands are distributing their message on a local level. That’s particularly true in the life insurance arena where, for years and years, national brands have developed corporate messages but lacked the technological means to deliver that message to their local customers. Many corporate organizations are recognizing that if you’re going to launch a digital strategy, you need a sophisticated marketing platform to help you manage the distribution of the messaging properly. That’s why companies continue to make marketing platforms a dominant factor in the way they do business today. We work closely with brands that have the ability to distribute messages on behalf of their local offices or their local sales representatives in a much more effective and efficient way. Marketers can now avoid a jumbled brand message, maintain corporate compliance requirements and have full control of their marketing campaigns. ALEX: Establishing a process of corporately governed compliance requirements throughout a marketing campaign is crucial to LIMRA members. Related to email, why is this ability to have a centralized, permission-based set of email templates so important? JAMES: Email is the expected way to communicate today across all generations, across all business sectors, across all product solutions. Any national brand that wants to deliver localized messaging relies significantly on the ability to manage the method by which their email is delivered. That’s why many of the more contemporary members are embracing innovative technology that distributes a marketing message appearing to come from the local market, but in actuality, is created and controlled on a corporate level.
DISTRIBION’S DISTRIBUTED MARKETING PLATFORM IS LEADING THE WAY IN THE DIGITAL SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TODAY. - JAMES KERLEY
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The biggest challenge to many of our members is helping their marketing team move from print-based traditional communications to a more digitally savvy expertise. LIMRA has used Distribion for a number of years to help us manage the communications that we send and help marketing teams learn how to make that transition in a very efficient way. The ability to manage, engage and measure our campaigns gives incredible market intelligence that is integral to our ongoing strategy. ALEX: There are now approximately 335,000 insurance sales professionals in the United States. 1 In what way has email marketing supported this growing population a more digitally-focused strategy? JAMES: Actually, every LIMRA member is struggling to transition their marketing efforts digitally. There are a handful of companies that have made a significant transition, but virtually every one of our member companies are working to figure that out. Email is particularly important to financial professionals who use it for prospecting outreach and communication with their clients and policyholders. It’s a fundamental communication instrument for everyone now, but as an industry, we are a long way from optimizing the tool for marketing purposes. We’re not typically a leading-edge kind of industry regarding marketing, and now we’re trying to catch up with many of the retail sector industries that are far ahead of us. From a national brand standpoint, email campaigns can be scheduled and sent during times when smart email analysts determine that it’s most receptive, an ability that’s not necessarily true with print advertising. Email is a very targeted marketing communication tool. We know exactly who we’re sending the message to, if the email has been received, opened and read. For financial reps, you can send a message anytime you want, and you’re not necessarily interrupting a prospect or client in the way a phone call might. ALEX: Millennials are soon projected to surpass the Baby Boomer population in size, and 8 out of 10 Millennials are already concerned about their retirement. 2 How do you feel the industry can use marketing tactics to attract younger professionals for both new customer and recruitment opportunities?
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
JAMES: Millennials rely on and demand the ability for instant communications through mobile technology. The use of email, social media and other digital media tools are basic to the way Millennials communicate today. Let’s face it, they don’t answer the phone. Millennials are very comfortable with the technology tools available to them. As a marketer, national brands and local advisors need to recognize that if you’re going to be in touch with the Millennial generation, you need to reach them in ways that they prefer. You have to communicate with a person in the way that they communicate with others. Be inclusive not exclusive and embrace new technology. We’ve developed a series of tools to help our member companies recruit Millennials for that very reason. We call it Recruit-to-Go. ALEX: Before we leave, what predictions do you have for the overall sales and marketing landscape in the next five years? JAMES: Here’s what I know for sure. The financial services industry is going to look entirely different in five years. Our industry landscape of tomorrow will look much like the retail industry of today where customers can interact with brands in both traditional and digital ways. We are on a steep trajectory for digital evolution, and I think the next five years will introduce more leading-edge marketing practices than what we have seen in the last 25 years. No question about it. And every change is for the better.
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FOR EVERY
1EMAIL
$
SPENT ON
MARKETING THE AVERAGE
ROI IS 44.25 $
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
SOURCE: EMAIL EXPERT
WHAT WILL MARKETING LOOK LIKE IN 25 YEARS? Crystal ball aside, there is no way of truly knowing that answer. We can only assume that as the digital landscape evolves, marketers will be forced to evolve with it, transforming brand message and channels in new ways that properly engage with and reach their customers. One thing we know for certain is that Millennials will soon surpass the Baby Boomer generation in population size, and with that growth comes a monumental shift from the traditional marketing practices of the past to the digital marketing practices of the future. Of these digital practices, marketers across the country have agreed that email marketing is the most effective channel for delivering revenue results. However, to be successful, marketers must craft campaigns that will resonate with their audience in a way that encourages them to open and gives them a positive experience so they can connect with and share the brand message. The goal is to guide your readers instinctively through the buying process until they are ready to make their final purchase. Remember that a strong email campaign is important, but a multi-channel approach is always recommended. Adapting to the changing digital climate is a process for your brand and for your audience. Not every reader will fit a certain mold, and it’s crucial to test your campaigns to find the right message on the right combination of marketing channels. Every brand has a unique target audience to reach, and by applying email best practices and combining them with both traditional and digital marketing channels, there’s no customer you can’t reach. Work hard to captivate your readers with strong subject lines. Strive to make the user experience one that your readers will appreciate. And finally, aspire to create a message and design that encourages interaction and engagement to ensure that even after the email is sent, the campaign will continue to live on and thrive with every new forward and reply-all.
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PART 2: READ
NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE “WHAT,” we can dive into the when, where and how you can effectively send powerful email marketing campaigns. Proper email creation will play a crucial role in the development of a successful campaign. Elements such as subject line, content, user experience and design will be the base and pillars of your email, standing strong for when and where your recipient chooses to open it. But when is the ideal time to send your email to ensure your efforts building and developing it is not in vain? Advertising guru and co-creator of Apple’s famous 1984 commercial, Lee Clow, once said “you don’t have to create the most interesting thing ever, just the most interesting thing at the moment.” So is true with email. Crafting compelling emails that deliver do not require the most flashy of designs, only a design and message that fits your audience - at just the right time.
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REPLY ALL TIMING
FIT YOUR CONTENT AROUND YOUR READER’S SCHEDULES, NOT YOUR OWN. Raise your hand if this is NOT the first article you’ve read in hopes of finding the very best time to send the almighty email. Raise your other hand if you still are not certain what time of day or day of the week you should send the email you have worked so hard on. It’s ok, you can put your hands down now. You probably look a little silly with both hands raised. The point is, you’re not alone. As you can’t see the other marketing pros with their hands raised proudly, consider this – Econsultancy recently announced nearly half of all brands are testing for the best time to deliver their email campaigns. Nearly half! What does this tell you? It tells me that there is no specific time that works for every brand; instead, consider your reader’s schedule, behaviors and attitudes toward the messaging and timeliness of the offering.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
A CASE OF THE MONDAYS According to marketing tradition, Tuesday through Thursday has the highest volume of email sends for the week, but do emails sent on those days get the highest open and click rates?
EMAIL OPENS AND CLICK RATES BY DAY OF WEEK 13 %
11 %
9%
7%
5%
MON
TUE
WED OPEN RATE
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
CLICK RATE
Vero, an Australia-based software provider, recently reported that Sunday and Monday have the highest percentage of open rates and the lowest volume of sent emails out of all other days. Would your emails stand out more if you deliver on Sunday and Monday? Perhaps, but are your readers going to convert on a Monday when they’re just getting back into the work week groove or on Sunday when their mind is still relaxing on the lake? It all comes down to testing your audience to find the perfect message and send time for maximum conversions.
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CONTENT BELL CURVE When deciding what message complements each day of the week, we typically follow the content bell curve. We start light on Monday, easing our readers into the week, followed by deeper content in the middle, ending with lighter content leading to the weekend.
MONDAY
CONTENT LEVEL
LIGHT
WEEKDAY
LIST-BASED
EASY-TO-READ
MOTIVATIONAL
TUESDAY
CONTENT LEVEL
MEDIUM WEEKDAY
RESEARCH-BASED
GUEST POSTS
INFOGRAPHICS
WEDNESDAY
CONTENT LEVEL
HEAVY
WEEKDAY
RICH MEDIA
LONG BLOGS
SLIDESHARES
THURSDAY
CONTENT LEVEL
MEDIUM WEEKDAY
THOUGHT PROVOKING
HOW-TO VIDEOS
GROUND-BREAKING NEWS
FRIDAY
CONTENT LEVEL
LIGHT
WEEKDAY
SHORT & SWEET
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
QUIZZES
HACKATHON
IT’S 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE The only way to optimize email send time is to get to know your audience. Your readers may prefer sales-based emails at the start of the week but would rather see deals on local happy hours when the work week comes to an end. The specific industry or even the department the email is sent from can contribute to the effectiveness of the campaign. Use your A/B testing knowledge to examine how your audience responds to your message throughout the week to tailor future emails and deliver more effectively. If your readers are not willing to read your in-depth content messages earlier in the week, the unsubscribe rate could increase; yet if your readers are ready for rich media, and you send a fluffy piece of content, you could be missing out on an opportunity.
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REPLY ALL | TIMING
AVERAGE EMAIL VOLUME AND OPEN RATES BY TIME OF DAY
40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
12 AM4 AM
4 AM8 AM
8 AM12 PM
OPEN RATE
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
12 PM4 PM
CLICK RATE
4 PM8 PM
8 PM12 AM
Statistics will tell you that the most common time of day to send emails is between the hours of 8 AM and 12 PM, but is that necessarily the best time to send your email? We’ve found success in the early morning when sending offer-based emails (supported by the high volume percentage line on the graph on the previous page). Our goal is to catch our readers when they are fresh and at their desks, but we know by choosing this time period we are entering a battle for our readers’ attention when their inboxes are the most bloated. It’s a good thing we know the best practices to writing a subject line, right? We’ve also noticed when we change our message to a content-driven or informative tone of voice, our open rates are considerably higher right before our readers go to lunch or within the last hour of their workday. Some brands have ventured to the second most popular time period, between the hours of 4 AM and 8 AM, to catch readers as they wake, but what’s most shocking is that the highest percentage of email opens happen between 8 PM and 12 AM. We live in a world where multitasking is the norm. In fact, the Discovery Channel recently reported 82 % of viewers watching TV are also using their mobile device. It makes sense that some brands decide to target readers during this time period when the volume is low and readers have time to check email as they’re settling in for the evening. Consider your readers’ schedule, and then craft your email to maximize the impact of your campaign. No matter what time of day you send, the key is to deliver your message when your audience is most willing to read it and take action.
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60 MINUTES OR LESS REMEMBER THE OLD PIZZA DELIVERY MOTTO:
“DELIVERED IN 30 MINUTES OR IT’S FREE?” Well, when it comes to email send time optimization, the concept still applies. The timeliness of the message not only transcends industries and demographics, but it is a significant factor in conversion rates. The recent U.S. Email Response Survey gathered by Get Response, reported almost a quarter of all email opens occur within the first hour after delivery, so your email should be relevant and prompt. If you know when your readers will be looking for your products, you can anticipate their purchasing demands and plan your email campaigns accordingly. I have a soft spot for pizza, and forgive me if this comes off a bit too strong on the pepperoni front, but the example fits perfectly. Just as you should never grocery shop on an empty stomach, you should never market food to customers on their full stomach. If your brand is in the business of slinging pizzas, the ideal time of the day to send your email campaign is before they eat dinner. Late afternoon would be the ideal send time to ensure your signature Chicago-style pie is on the top of your customers’ minds as they think of dinner options, fully aware of offers like free delivery or a 20% discount. There is always a perfect window of time to send emails; you just have to find what works best for your brand.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
SLEIGH BELLS RING, ARE YOU SENDING? FACT: PARKAS DON’T SELL WELL IN PHOENIX IN JUNE. When you start to think about timing, make sure to consider the time of year or the seasonal changes your readers are encountering. Cold weather or ultra-hot temperatures could push your readers indoors and onto their electronic devices. When it happens, will you be ready to send?
33
REPLY ALL EXECUTION
H
AVE YOU EVER FILLED OUT A FORM AT THE MALL IN HOPES OF WINNING A SHINY NEW SPORTS CAR OR SIGNED UP ONLINE TO WIN AN ALL-INCLUSIVE TRIP?
I have. And let me tell you, I am not driving the car that was prominently displayed by the food court nor have I ever traveled to Tahiti (maybe one day). What I have “won” is an astonishing number of telemarketing calls for deals on my car loan and pre-approved credit cards that would guarantee enough airline miles to fly me across the globe. Just recently, I registered for “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Mobile Marketing,” a free online webinar that was both entertaining and thought-provoking. My heightened enthusiasm for mobile marketing was quickly interrupted as I was bombarded with emails and sales calls from one of the webinar sponsors. They were pitching a mobile app that I had no intention or interest in purchasing and that wasn’t even vaguely related to the webinar topic. I was annoyed and quickly hit the unsubscribe button. At that moment, the brand lost me as a potential customer and future brand advocate. Lead generation is a fragile process that must be nurtured through a two-way engagement between brand and prospect - never forced. Had the brand sent me information related to my interest in the webinar topic, with a light introductory message that bridges the gap between mobile marketing and using a mobile app to grow my brand presence on the go, maybe I would have been more willing to hear their sales pitch. Consider how your brand should interact with your email readers during the entire buying cycle to nurture the relationship and ultimately work toward highly qualified sales leads.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
WHERE TO BEGIN What touchpoints do you have in place when your reader is ready to engage with your brand? Contact us forms? Educational content? Branded videos? Start by auditing your email touchpoints based on reader activity, and create a value lead score for every action. A zero lead score represents a completely uninterested reader, while a lead score of five shows that your reader is ready to buy. The content or interaction will determine where the customer is in the sales cycle and how you can better nurture them until they are ready to make a purchase. One example of a lead scoring chart for your email campaign could look like this:
0 1 2 3 4
READER ACTION:
READER ACTION:
Reader unsubscribed from your email list
Reader opens email
BRAND RESPONSE: Better luck next time. Reader is not interested at this point and will not receive further emails.
READER ACTION:
READER ACTION:
READER ACTION:
Reader clicks on a link
Reader downloads content
Reader completes a form requesting more information on the product
BRAND RESPONSE:
BRAND RESPONSE:
BRAND RESPONSE:
BRAND RESPONSE:
A good start. Reader is interested in the subject line topic but was not driven to click on link. Send similar content, but try a new variation in body copy and CTA.
Pulling away from the gate. Reader is interested in the content or CTA you provided. Develop your message even further to show the reader the value of your downloadable content.
The wheels are turning now. At this point, the reader has filled out a form. Depending on what type of content they downloaded, your sales team may be ready to reach out directly.
Time to pounce! Hot lead coming through! Sales takes over from here, but remember, persistence pays off - only 10% of sales people make contact more than three times, yet 80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact.
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The lead score you assign readers should give you an accurate representation of where they fall in the sales cycle. Tailoring each message enables your brand to guide your readers down the funnel until they are ready to convert. It’s a no brainer that you should avoid sending product specs if the reader hasn’t been introduced to your product. Likewise, there’s no reason for introductory emails when your reader is already well aware of your brand offering – at that point it may be time for a more direct message.
HOW WILL YOU KNOW YOUR READER IS READY FOR WHICH MESSAGE? We consider a reader a lead when they complete a qualifying contact us form or they call for more information, but we recommend creating your own list and assigning values to each contact point along your brand’s nurturing path. We place each point of contact into two buckets, Qualified and Non-Qualified touchpoints.
QUALIFIED
Completes related “contact us” form, downloads sales materials or requests a demo.
NOT QUALIFIED
Downloads educational content, opens or clicks link on email
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
GUIDE READERS ALONG THE PATH TO PURCHASE A successful nurturing campaign starts by targeting low to relatively uninterested readers and turns them into inquisitive and highly qualified sales leads. The ultimate goal of your campaign should be to motivate the reader to fill out a qualified form field - only then should your sales team consider the reader a new lead. The goal for any good email drip campaign is to lead the reader through the purchasing funnel along a path to purchase. With each subsequent email sent, the reader interest level should increase until they are fully qualified and ready to take action. But keep in mind that with each different reader comes a slightly different path.
PURCHASE
PURCHASE
DECISION
DECISION
CONSIDERATION
CONSIDERATION
DISCOVERY
DISCOVERY
READER 1 The path to purchase is direct for this reader. With just one point of contact, this reader is highly interested and completes a qualifying form initiating a sales-driven follow-up message.
READER 2 Following a truly successful email drip model template, the second reader gradually increases interest over several brand touchpoints until fully qualified.
PURCHASE
PURCHASE
DECISION
DECISION
CONSIDERATION
CONSIDERATION
DISCOVERY
DISCOVERY
READER 3 Not all email drip campaigns follow a traditional path. If at any point the reader is qualified, it is time to transition the message to encourage the purchase.
READER 4 Reader can become unresponsive to your campaign for many reasons. Unless the reader unsubscribes, try to re-engage at least once more with a new message or content before removing from campaign.
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Your nurturing campaign should be methodically planned to address where the reader is in the sales cycle and guide them from active reader to brand advocate.
ACTIVE READER
NURTURED READER
ENGAGED READER
QUALIFIED LEAD
VALUED CUSTOMER
BRAND ADVOCATE
Note: Don’t be afraid to include your sales team in the planning process. The more the sales and marketing departments are in sync, the higher the likelihood your brand has to attract new customers. Nurturing someone from active reader to brand advocate is undoubtedly crucial to your brand’s marketing success. Lead nurturing emails, also known as drip campaigns, allow your audience to get to know your brand over time with appropriate messages sent when they are ready to hear them. Nurturing campaigns can gradually increase reader interest over several brand touch points and motivate them to take an action no matter where they lie on their customer journey. There are many variables that can trigger actions along a drip campaign. One of the most common triggers that activates a sequential drip email is if a recipient opens the email. That’s where we start, but definitely not where we end. If an email is opened, you know that your audience is interested, and you can write a similar subject line for the next email. On the other hand, if an email is not opened, you should test the subject line in an effort to attract those who were uninterested. From there, you can analyze aspects like CTAs, messaging and send time to create the perfect email for your audience.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
EXAMINING THE MESSAGE While you’re planning your nurturing campaign, decide what you would like to say before you say it. Aspire to be two steps ahead of your reader at all times. We’ve broken down the six stages of the buyer cycle and created potential email messaging so you can start your campaign immediately.
1 2 3 4 5 6
Stage one of the buyer cycle calls for an introductory message. According to Experian, welcome emails generate four times the open rates and five times the click rates compared to other promotional email campaigns. Message: “Welcome and thank you for downloading our Marketing Trends Report.” An all-access pass to the content. Not only will readers appreciate a summary, sending the piece again straight to their inbox allows them to store your content on their device, view it again at a later time and share it with fellow decision makers. You are building trust with your audience and growing their relationship with your brand. Message: “Here’s your copy of the Marketing Trends Report. For readers in a time crunch, we would like to highlight this section and point out some important statistics.” The bridge. An engaged reader is a heck of a thing to waste. This step is crucial to gradually guiding your reader in a direction that leads to a qualifying action. Message: “We hope you enjoyed reading our report. Here are some other pieces of content you may be interested in.”
While we’re at it! You have your readers’ attention, and at this point they may already be in the “qualified lead” stage. Now use this time to encourage future email opens. Message: “Be on the lookout for our next email with our forecast for marketing to Millennials.”
The trust fall. Your goal is to nurture your readers in a way that shows them the value in your brand and, ultimately, establishes a valued customer. Message: “We’d love to meet with you and show you how these marketing trends could affect your business.”
Forget me not. Once the reader has gone from qualified lead to customer, don’t forget about them. Wouldn’t it be great to have another brand advocate? Message: “We are 100% dedicated to exceeding the needs of our customers. Let us know how where we can improve or leave us a review by clicking on the link below.” 39
REPLY ALL EXECUTION
STILL ON THE FENCE? You’re not alone if you haven’t started lead nurturing yet, but if you dedicate your time to setting up the right campaign, you could significantly stand out from the competition. According to Marketing Sherpa, a whopping 65 % of B2B marketers have not established lead nurturing, and 79 % of B2B marketers have not established lead scoring. The same source recorded that 79 % of marketing leads never convert into sales. They blame the lack of lead nurturing as the most common cause of this poor performance. What’s more, California-based Gleanster Research recently presented statistics that suggest that somewhere between 30 % to 50 % of the leads that enter a pipeline represent future opportunities but, for whatever reason, are not yet ready to buy. This prompts an incredible case for nurture-centric marketing campaigns due to the proven fact that not every lead that comes through your pipeline is the same. Each contact is unique to a stage in the sales cycle and will require a separate marketing message, at just the right time.
WELCOME EMAILS DELIVER HIGHER TRANSACTION RATES AND REVENUE THAN OTHER PROMOTIONAL EMAILS
.94
%
1.24
$ TRANSACTION PERCENT
OTHER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
.10
$
% TRANSACTION PERCENT
0.15
REVENUE PER EMAIL
REVENUE PER EMAIL
The key characteristic to any drip campaign is the ability to effectively interact with your audience. It’s time to start building a message not just around your brand, but rather around your audience until they are ready to make a purchase, nurturing them from start to finish. Because shouldn’t your marketing efforts be focused around building a relationship with your audience and generating customers?
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
I CAN TELL A STRANGER ALMOST EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. I can accurately give a detailed description of your day – from the time I wake you up until the time I dog-ear the page of your book at night. I am your mailbox and your morning paper. I can sing just the right song for your commute to work, call you a cab or find the perfect recipe if you feel like staying in and having a home-cooked meal. You take your cell phone everywhere. It is your constant companion and ultimate guide to the digital world. Every second of the day, your mobile device is there. That’s why there’s no doubt that the growing move to mobile is an essential element to consider when creating your brand’s next email campaign, but to what extent could your audience’s demographics determine your mobile success?
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REPLY ALL EXECUTION
READER AGE Do younger audiences use mobile more? Yes! According to Consumer Barometer, younger audiences tend to access the internet more frequently using their smartphone than older audiences who prefer using a computer. Millennials are the dominant mobile generation, and it’s crucial when targeting them to make sure your email campaigns are mobile responsive.
INTERNET ACCESS BY AGE AND DEVICE
65
%
43
%
35
35
%
25
%
10
%
UNDER 25
25-34
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
47
26
%
35-44
INTERNET ACCESS VIA SMARTPHONE
42
%
%
16
%
45-54
9
%
55+
INTERNET ACCESS VIA COMPUTER
SOURCE: CONSUMER BAROMETER
READER LOCATION In states like California, Texas, New York and Florida, over 50 % of the population opens emails
on their smartphone versus desktop computers. Open rates on desktops are in steady decline and continuing to decrease every year, so it’s a smart move to make sure all emails you send work on all types of mobile devices.
DEVICE PREFERENCE BY STATE
MOST LIKELY TO USE A SMARTPHONE
MOST LIKELY TO USE A SMARTPHONE
Location-based elements including store addresses and telephone numbers should be clickable
and linked to online maps straight from the email. Don’t forget: no matter if your readers are in Honolulu or Indianapolis, mobile responsive landing pages should be linked to your email offer
to attract online shoppers while on the move. Your readers have opened the email; now make it easy for them to convert.
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REPLY ALL EXECUTION
READER INDUSTRY Let’s do a quick experiment. Take a look at the inbox on your smartphone and see how many
different companies send you targeted emails every day. My inbox is cluttered with offers that include everything from discounts on my next oil change to movies hitting the box office next Friday to suggestions for where I should travel this summer.
Throughout the last few years I have joined a mailing list here and there, and now I find myself bombarded with emails – some of which I feel comfortable with opening or deleting right away on my smartphone, while others require some time on my desktop where I feel more secure. It’s no surprise that some verticals perform better on mobile devices for various reasons. According to the US Consumer Device Preference Report, industries like retail and entertainment have a higher mobile open rate than non-profit and automotive verticals. Where does your brand fall?
DEVICE PREFERENCE BY VERTICAL 100% 62.5%
80
SMARTPHONE
%
42.4%
60%
DESKTOP
50.6%
SMARTPHONE
51.7%
49.5%
SMARTPHONE
SMARTPHONE
48.1%
49.4%
SMARTPHONE
DESKTOP
43.0%
SMARTPHONE
40%
20%
0% Automotive
Financial Services
Internet Services
Media, Entertainment & Publishing
Tablet
Non-Profit
Smartphone
Retail (Apparel)
Retail (Non-Apparel)
Travel & Hospitality
Desktop
Your readers’ dependence on mobile will continue to rise. To be successful, understand the demographics of your reader to reach them most effectively on the right device. Can you get to know your audience as well as their cell phone does?
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
DID KNOW ? MOBILE
OPEN RATES
PEAK
JUST AS PEOPLE ARE WAKING UP AND
DESKTOP OPEN RATES
PEAK
JUST AS YOUR
READERS ARE
GETTING SETTLED
AT WORK
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REPLY ALL
MOBILE MILLENNIALS :
THE YOUNGER THE AUDIENCE THE MORE APT TO
OPEN & READ PROMOTIONAL EMAILS
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
IT’S TRUE, THERE IS NO SPECIFIC TIME to send an email that works for every brand; instead, consider your reader’s schedule, behaviors and attitudes toward the messaging and timeliness of what you are offering. According to Campaign Monitor, the iPhone is the most common mobile device subscribers use to open their email for the first time. The importance of mobile-friendly emails will continue to rise, and to compete, marketers must stay current with this trend. Mobile adoption and timeliness go hand-in-hand when considering your audience is frequently checking emails while away from their desk. From alarm buzz in the morning to the comfort of their couch at night, readers are checking their inbox when they want and with the device that is most available at the time. There is always a perfect window of time to send emails; you just have to find what works best for your brand. Work hard to captivate your readers with strong subject lines. Strive to make the user experience one that not only you would enjoy yourself, but your readers will appreciate. And finally, aspire to create a message and design that encourages interaction and engagement to ensure that even after the email is sent, the campaign will continue to live on and thrive with every new forward and reply-all.
47
PART 3: FORWARD
48
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
GRAB YOUR BEAKERS AND SAFETY GOGGLES There is a science to email marketing. Creating just the right email formula is a challenge and an exciting duty for marketers. The only way to find out what can make your campaign better is by testing what you have and tracking the results. In fact, Wishpond recently reported that A/B testing is the most used method for improving conversion rates, yet only one out of eight tests have driven major change by brand marketers. Isn’t it time to learn the art of A/B testing and apply it to your marketing efforts? The more you learn, the less you know. Email marketing is no different. With every test come tweaks to your campaigns and then more testing to create and optimize your next marketing effort. Testing and tracking your audience at every step of the way is vital to crafting an email that delivers - you just have to know where to look and what to measure.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
THROWING DARTS: EMAIL MARKETING METRICS THAT MATTER As a marketer, you spend an incredible amount of time planning, creating and sending your email campaign. It can be a Promethean process which is both inspiring and daunting, all leading up to when you are ready to hit send. But remember that the fun has just begun.
PINPOINTING THE TARGET
Once you start tracking the campaign pitfalls and accomplishments, you can transform your next email to better reach your audience. Sure, you may blindly hit bulls-eyes, but with the correct reporting practices, you’ll be able to remove the blindfold and focus your next throw on the target.
FOCUSING ON METRICS THAT MATTER
How can you tell if your email marketing campaign is performing effectively? What metrics are crucial to examine? There are four questions marketers should ask when appraising the effectiveness of an email campaign. To better help you understand the statistics on your reporting sheet, let’s dive into the process of the email from the time it arrives in the inbox to the time the contact becomes a customer.
50
QUESTION 1: THE BAGS ARE PACKED, AND IT’S READY TO GO, BUT IS THE EMAIL ARRIVING AT ITS DESTINATION?
Old lists, unsubscribed readers and spam filters drive email deliverability rates down. Make sure you track this rate over time to get a better idea of how your list is evolving, and check your email with a SPAM tester before you send.
QUESTION 2: YOUR EMAIL ARRIVED IN THE INBOX, BUT WAS IT OPENED?
Open rates are one of the most common statistics to track and can fluctuate based on elements like time of day, sender name, subject line and pre-header copy.
QUESTION 3: COULD CURRENT ENGAGEMENT COMMAND FUTURE CONTENT?
Don’t stop at number of clicks! Calculate unique clicks by separating unsubscribes and then evaluate what the reader finds interesting enough to engage with. Sure, unsubscribe rates play a significant role in reporting. Unsubscribes should be calculated so you get a better idea of what does not resonate with your reader, but when you’re counting clicks, unique clicks are more essential. Especially for emails with multiple buttons or CTAs, unique clicks can show marketers what the reader is interested in and tailor the next campaign with similar elements that perform well.
QUESTION 4: DID YOUR CAMPAIGN CONVERT?
What is your overall goal? Do you want to gain traction on social media and encourage more page likes? Would you like to collect personal data from your readers by having them complete a form page and download marketing content? Did you incorporate Google Analytics UTM codes into your email links to track engagement on your website brought in by way of your email? No matter what you are trying to accomplish, conversions can and must be tracked. Remember, the overarching goal for marketers is to bring in more potential prospects by reaching them in ways that generate interest in the brand and convert into sales.
HITTING THE MARK
Tracking and reporting can be broken down for every email to calculate the success of each campaign. It is the continuous collection of current data that should determine the delivery of future emails to ensure you hit the bulls-eye on your next campaign.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
EMAIL REPORTING 101
REPLY ALL |
EMAIL ANALYTICS AND TRACKING BASICS
OPENS & CLICKS TOTAL CLICKS
Total number of times all links were clicked
UNIQUE CLICKS
Number of people who have clicked on any link in the email
TOTAL OPENS
Total number of times the email campaign was opened
MOBILE OPENS
Total number of all emails opened on mobile devices
DESKTOP OPENS
Total number of all emails opened on desktop computers
DELIVERY SEND DATE
Date and time of email sent
TOTAL RECIPIENTS
Total number of recipients the email is sent to
DELIVERED
Email was received by the recipient’s mail server
SENT W/NO FEEDBACK
Email was sent, but the recipient had no interaction with it
RETURNED OR UNSENT
Email was sent but returned before sender received it
ABC SENT AS PLAIN TEXT X
Email was sent, but HTML was not read by email client
HARD BOUNCE
Total number of emails that encountered fatal errors (mailbox or host not found)
SOFT BOUNCE
Total number of emails that were not delivered but may be deliverable at a later date (full mailboxes, offline servers)
UNSUBSCRIBE
52 Email address was manually unsubscribed from the system by either a system admin or the recipient
OPTIMIZING A/B TESTING Could my email campaigns be performing better? Could writing a different subject line increase my open rates? Could changing one small element of my email result in much higher conversion rate? How can my emails get more customers? If you’re asking yourself any of these questions, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Even when you’ve followed email best practices to the letter, you may find it challenging to achieve the results you want. That happens to the best campaigns, but don’t get downhearted. That’s where a big dose of A/B testing comes in to maximize the outcome of your prized email campaign. A/B testing can pinpoint the personal preferences and habits of your customers to generate more effective marketing initiatives. By testing multiple elements of your email campaign, you can determine how to optimize the one you’re sending and make the most of future sends.
SET BRAND GOALS FIRST If you somehow skipped ahead to the execution phase without first deciding what you would like to achieve, it’s time to take a step back and lay the foundation for what you’re A/B testing. Your goals should determine what your experiment is so that you can use the correct test variables to collect the most accurate performance data. If your goal is to increase open rates, testing layout variations would be pointless since email layouts have no effect on whether or not a reader opens an email. Instead, you decide to focus on elements of the subject line or pre-header that will inspire readers to open the email. We recommend you test at least two variations of your email per campaign to better understand your customer preferences and accurately gauge which elements to include to boost your success for future emails.
EMAILS ARE MALLEABLE There is no single way to deliver a successful email. A resourceful marketer knows how to refine the message or offering to best engage with their audience, but the only way to learn more about your unique audience is to start testing.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
REPLY ALL OPTIMIZATION
PRO TIP Try the 10-10-80 Method. Send 10 % of your contact list one version of the email and another 10 % a variation. Study your results and send the remaining 80 % of your contact list the variant email which performed the best.
CHAMPION
80
%
VARIANT A
VARIANT B
10
10
%
%
54
A/B TESTING EXAMPLES TO GET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING ELEMENTS TO ENCOURAGE OPENS
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
REPLY ALL | OPTIMIZATION
SUBJECT LINE PERSONALIZE
TONE
Recipient name, location, demographic or behavioral attributes are a few options.
Focus on a friendlier message or get straight to the point.
John, here’s a list of the best places to visit this summer for golf lovers.
Buy today!
NUMBERS
OFFERING
Top 10 tips to cooking a spicy meatball!
Get 20% off shipping on your next purchase.
LENGTH
URGENCY
Movie on us!
Only one day left! This offer is expiring soon.
QUESTIONS
READER BENEFIT VERBS
Could your profit margins increase using our software?
Our safari guidebook will teach you everything there is to know about giraffes.
SPECIAL CHARACTERS
READER BENEFIT ADJECTIVES
Happy
Our must-share list of useful marketing stats.
8-6-7-5-9!
Ultra-short or long subject line.
Subject lines don’t have to be statements.
Any emoji you can imagine can be added to the subject line. New Year!
A discount in the subject line can be powerful.
Create a need for your readers to buy right now.
What will your offer do for the reader?
How will you describe and support what you are offering?
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SENDER GENDER
NON-HUMAN
From: Riley Smith (one of the most common unisex names).
events@distribion has sent you an email.
ETHNICITY
JOB TITLE
Male, female, or unisex names can all be tested.
Change the last name based on region, product or special. Navarro is very common in Spain.
You can send as your brand, product or department.
Some readers trust a message more when they know it is sent from a senior level personnel. Ex. Warren Buffet
TIME DAY OF THE WEEK
Try various days throughout the week to find when your reader responds best.
TIME OF DAY Focus on when your message would best relate to the schedule of your reader.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
SEASON
Holiday offers can peak just before Christmas, but you could be missing out on an opportunity if you focus all your efforts on one shopping season.
REPLY ALL
A/B TESTING EXAMPLES TO GET THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING EMAIL CONTENT AND LAYOUTS
58
VISUAL DESIGN ELEMENTS IMAGE:TEXT RATIO We recommend when you are using an image in an email that the ratio is no greater than 2:3, but try comparing that email to another with only text.
Is it hip to be square? Maybe. Maybe not. Your images don’t always have to be one certain shape.
IMAGE PLACEMENT
LINKABILITY
Best practices say you should keep images toward the top, but you could try multiple images throughout the page as well. Your product often dictates a need for multiple images.
Images should always be clickable and linked to a relevant landing page, but lead the reader to a landing page with a different look as a test.
SOCIAL MEDIA ICONS
GRAPHS AND CHARTS
Social media icons are now available for download in various shapes and colors. Gain new followers by adding the icons to the header, footer or throughout the email body.
PRODUCTS
The proof is the pudding! Showing off with graphs and charts could spring newfound confidence in your message.
ANIMATIONS
Product environment can change the reader’s perception of the brand. Many readers like products simply displayed with a white background, as others prefer products in a lifestyle shot.
It’s so easy to create eye-catching animations. We like to use a free online animation creator website called gifmaker.me.
IMAGE APPEARANCE
CALL TO ACTION FOR IMAGES
Images can come in all sizes, shapes and colors.
59
IMAGE SHAPE
CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
If the CTA is placed inside the image, incorporate it into the alt-tag in case reader email settings prevent image display.
REPLY ALL | OPTIMIZATION
VIDEO INTEGRATION
LENGTH
USAGE
TONE
Embedding video straight into the email could be more time-saving to your reader than having to drive readers to a landing page. Sample both.
Try incorporating the term [Video] into the subject line, pre-header, title or body copy to attract video lovers.
If your customers can stomach a long video, go right ahead. But perhaps a short and sweet message is more appealing.
The tone should always be on-brand, but instead of limiting your message to just one style, try mixing it up between casual and more formal.
MESSAGING PRE-HEADER
HEADER
Variations in message copy can describe the email content and encourage readers to click through.
Experiment with the header message by replacing the text copy, size, color, height and font.
LENGTH
TONE
COLUMNS
PERSPECTIVE
More the merrier? Perhaps. Test one, two or three columns, but keep in mind that more columns don’t always make for an easier read.
When you experiment with gender or group-specific sender names, make sure you write the message from the respective male, female or group perspectives.
LINKS
MESSAGE CALL TO ACTION
Entice your readers to take action by linking images, buttons or sections of the body copy.
Avoid generic CTAs, but don’t be scared to try multiple options.
Readers will give up on an email if they are not ready or willing to read through. Moving lengthy content to landing pages can shorten the email and keep your readers interested.
If you want to experiment with humor, make sure the message is on point with your brand. Remember your tone doesn’t have to be buttoned-up. Groupon is a great example of a brand using humor to attract buyers.
60
THEME LAYOUT
Applying subtle or drastic changes to the theme layout could draw the readers’ eye toward where you want them to look or confuse them instead. We recommend a simple design layout that helps comfortably move the reader from point to point.
HIGHLIGHTING
For important messages, try changing the color or font to help the copy stand out.
BACKGROUND
The standard white background is clean, but some readers react to more vibrant colors.
FORMS INTEGRATION
QUESTIONS
SIZE
DISCLAIMER
With the right email platform, you can embed a form right into the email. If that is not an option, you can always place a link to direct readers to the form page.
Try changing the size of the form field – remember, mobile responsiveness is essential these days.
Some readers are not willing to give out a lot of personal information. Less required answers could increase the number of form completions.
Disclaimers can help ease the minds of readers. Assure your readers “Your information will not be shared” or “You will not receive SPAM messages.”
SIGNATURE IMAGE Many sales teams believe adding a personal or company photo helps build the relationship between reader and brand.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
CONTACT INFORMATION
How detailed you are with your contact information is entirely up to you. Although you must include a physical address in the email footer, we recommend at least your company name, website and phone number as well.
REPLY ALL
PRESIDENT OBAMA
R A I SED A N AD D I T I O N AL
$
60 MILLION
USING A/B TESTING
62
READER RESPONSES
OF A SUCCESSFUL EMAIL CAMPAIGN
How can you tell if your email marketing campaign is effectively captivating your audience? After millions of email sends and countless hours of tracking, we’ve noticed seven positive reader responses that you should be on the lookout for that act as clear beacons of a successful email campaign. Readers respond to well-built and well-implemented email campaigns.
1
Readers see the email in the inbox, not the SPAM folder
2
Readers open the email, driven by an engaging subject line
3
Readers read the entire email because the content is exactly what they expected
4
Readers appreciate the message because it doesn’t feel like a sales pitch
5
Readers don’t mark the email as SPAM
6
Readers understand exactly what the email is offering
7
Readers know how to take action and then do!
What do all these responses have in common? A happy and willingly engaged reader. With the right message, content and design, your reader will surely look forward to future emails from you.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
REPLY ALL AUTOMATION
20
FEATURES YOUR EMAIL PLATFORM SHOULD PROVIDE
“The right email vendor can make the difference between success and frustration.” - Jordie van Rijn, Email Marketing Consultant, emailmonday
Email doesn’t have to be frustrating as long as it goes hand-in-hand with your other marketing channels. In fact, the right email marketing platform incorporates an easy-to-use interface with the ability to track and target the correct audience. Other key features to consider when choosing an email marketing platform are triggered messaging, permission-based templates and SPAM testing. We’ve researched the most important features (20 to be exact) of the top email marketing platforms to help you find the perfect provider for when you’re ready to start building your campaign. Whether you’re using email marketing to support your national brand or as part of your targeted efforts on the local level, having the right features in your email marketing software will make it easier to create, customize, distribute and measure your campaign.
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A/B TESTING
CENTRALIZED MARKETING CONTROL
CONTACT MANAGEMENT
CRM INTEGRATION
CROSS-DEVICE PREVIEWS
DRAG & DROP TEMPLATE
FORMS & SURVEYS
LEAD SCORING
MARKETING ASSET MANAGEMENT
MARKETING AUTOMATION
MICROSITES & LANDING PAGES
ON BEHALF OF EMAIL MARKETING
PERMISSION-BASED TEMPLATES
REPORTING & ANALYTICS
SALES ENABLEMENT TOOLS
SCHEDULING AUTOMATION
SOCIAL MEDIA INTEGRATION
SPAM/LITMUS TESTING
TRAINING & EDUCATION
TRIGGERED COMMUNICATIONS
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER
REPLY ALL
GMAIL ONCE TESTED
50 SHADES
OF BLUE AND FOUND THE HIGHEST CONVERTING SHADE
66
A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR MARKETING There are over 122 billion emails sent every hour 1 , and 66% of consumers have made a purchase online as a direct result of an email 2 marketing message.
Staying stagnate is asking for failure With global email accounts totaling north of 4 billion and rising, it’s crucial to stay informed on email trends and innovations to continue evolving with your audience. Brands change over time just like their customers. Did you know Apple, consumer electronics mammoth and Silicon Valley standout, once boasted their brand logo of an orchard? The iconic apple silhouette wasn’t introduced until the late 70s, but it’s hard to image Apple computers without their sleek and simple logo now. As the brand developed, it made subtle changes to help mirror their clean and polished look with their customers who prefer a minimalistic style.
The corner piece of the puzzle Email is only one element of any marketing strategy and should be considered a necessary complement to other channels when planning a campaign. Just as you start a puzzle by finding the corner pieces and outer edge, email should be the starting piece that other marketing channels follow while working simultaneously together in the end. After all, 80 % of content marketers use email marketing 3 and 55 % of companies generate more than 10 % of sales directly from email 4 , but other marketing channels should not be forgotten. The next time you create an email, remember this: you are building something unique that is on-brand, on-topic and implemented perfectly from start to finish. Have pride in your work, but remember that your job is never done. Never stop testing; because it’s true, the more you can educate yourself about your readers, the better you can craft compelling messages that deliver in the future.
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CRAFTING COMPELLING EMAILS THAT DELIVER