email marketing. copyright 2008 maximizer software inc. maximizer is a trademark of maximizer...

Email MarketingEmail Marketing

Copyright 2008 Maximizer Software Inc. Maximizer is a trademark of Maximizer Software. Other product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Email Marketing ProjectEmail Marketing Project


Poll Question #1Poll Question #1

What is your level of experience with email marketing, on a scale from 1 to 5?

(1=Never done it, 5=Expert)


Poll Question #2Poll Question #2

What are your most pressing concerns about email marketing?

1. Clean contact data

2. Getting and keeping permission

3. Getting the right promotion

4. Targeting the right audience

5. Copywriting

6. Design

7. Tracking & reporting


We All Talk About SpamWe All Talk About Spam

Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE)

Typical spam has a bogus sender address, bogus unsubscribe instructions, and bogus offers

Spam is in the eye of the beholder

Ensure recipients don’t mistake your message as spam


Do it BEFORE sending Built into some email services Or, free tool available from

http://spamcheck.sitesell.com/ http://www.contactology.com/check_mqs.php http://www.mailingcheck.com/ www.gravitymail.com/spamscore.php

Check Your ‘Spam Score’Check Your ‘Spam Score’


Your Domain ReputationYour Domain Reputation

Spam filters don’t just track spam keywords like “viagra” inside of emails. They track company domain names too.

Some tools to check your domain reputation: http://www.trustedsource.org http://www.senderbase.org


Example Domain CheckExample Domain Check


Distance Yourself from SpammersDistance Yourself from Spammers

Remind recipients that they’ve given you permission to contact them

Provide an easy way to unsubscribe Be sure reply works Have it signed by a real person Publish and abide by a strict privacy policy


Anatomy of a Good, Healthy HTML EmailAnatomy of a Good, Healthy HTML Email

A well-built HTML Email needs to consist of:

1. Your company name in the “From”2. A relevant subject line (don’t be “spammy”)3. The “To:” field of your email should be personalised4. A one-click opt-out link that removes people from your list

immediately5. Include a link in your header “view this email in your

browser”6. A link to your company’s privacy policy7. Your valid, physical mailing address (no PO Box)8. Bonus: It’s a really good idea to include some kind of

reminder text, like “You are receiving this email because you signed up at our website”.


Tactics for Avoiding Spam FiltersTactics for Avoiding Spam Filters

Don’t use bright red fonts, or going crazy with colors

Don’t Yell with lots of exclamation points!!!!!!!! Don’t YELL WITH ALL CAPS Don’t say, “free”, “click here (now)!” or “act

now!” Don’t forget to include recipient’s email Don’t use old templates with bad HTML coding Don’t use the word “test” in your subject line Don’t get too creative with your spelling Don’t use a bunch of graphics as your email

only Don’t use recipients in “Bcc:” Don’t use scripts like Flash, video files Don’t use attachments


The Bane of the Email Marketer: the Delete KeyThe Bane of the Email Marketer: the Delete Key

The split-second decision - keep it or delete it The basis of their decision: the From and

Subject line Your open rate may be overstated

Your message may be getting displayed in recipient’s preview pane as he selects it just to delete it


Above All, Deliver Value!Above All, Deliver Value!

Email should be relevant, timely, and beneficial “Value" can take the form of:

newsletters, discounts, contests, last minute availability, event reminders, invitations, bonuses, discounts, exclusive sales, free samples, or demos.

Surveys - give free report or enter them in a draw

Go paperless - specs, price lists, statements


LengthLength

In general, keep it short and sweet. Use links. Weekly newsletter should be no more than five

sections, with three or fewer paragraphs each, Monthly newsletter can be double or triple

that. Promotional messages should be significantly

shorter than a newsletter. Include whole articles or just abstracts with

links to the rest?


TimingTiming

Tuesday through Thursday? 10am to 2pm? Varies depending on your audience!


Design & CodingDesign & Coding


Email TemplatesEmail Templates

Right column Left column

Basic postcard


Define Business ObjectivesDefine Business Objectives

Audience Prospects, customers, advocates, partners

Goals Registrations, Sign-ups, Sales

Content Newsletter, Promotions, Reminders,

Invitations Metrics

Click through, Registration, Visits, Booking/Purchase


Designing and CodingDesigning and Coding

Tools of the Trade Design Guidelines

Set your width to about 500-600 pixels Simple Layouts and Tables Work Best Special Considerations for Webmail

Services CSS in HTML email

Flash, javaScript, ActiveX, movies, etc. in HTML

Background Colors


Images Files in HTML EmailImages Files in HTML Email

The proper way to handle images in HTML email Host images on a web server Pull images in to your HTML email using “absolute

paths” in your code

When coding images tags in HTML email Do this:

<img src=“http://www.yourserver.com.au/images/logo.gif”>

Instead of this:<img src=“images/logo.gif”>


Delivering HTML EmailDelivering HTML Email

Sending emails from your own server Your ISP may throttle your outgoing emails if

you send too much too fast (>500 per hour)

Email firewalls and ISPs who receive your emails

Don’t like receiving tons of emails from one single IP address at once (unless ISP normally receive tons of emails from that IP)

Dynamic IP address & Dedicated IP address ISPs and spam filters don’t like receiving lots

of emails form a dynamic IP address it looks like a hijacked home computer


Measure SuccessMeasure Success

Unsubscribe rate Bounce rate Unique open rate Total open rate Click through rate Conversion rate


HTML vs. Plain TextHTML vs. Plain Text

HTML emails typically have twice the click-throughs

HTML offers more control over layout HTML looks more ‘polished’ (could be good or

bad) Some old email clients can’t do HTML, e.g.

Outlook 95 “Sniff” for HTML open or send multiple versions

multi-part


HTML EmailsHTML Emails

Tables - to control placement & avoid long lines Graphics - <30k, will cause the recipient grief if reading

email while offline, increases download time Color - color text or color a table background, doesn’t

impact download speed Font - face, size, and color Forms - embed in the email to make it easy for the

recipient to respond to an offer, e.g. seminar registration

Auto fill-in as many form fields as possible Scripts, Flash, Streaming Video - not recommended!


Testing & Troubleshooting Your Email DesignsTesting & Troubleshooting Your Email Designs

Web Designers: emails aren’t the same as web pages

Testing in Different Email Applications Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail


Test, Test, Test!Test, Test, Test!

Treat your email campaigns like experiments

Have a control group

Vary only one thing at a time

What to test? The offer, the Subject line, the From line, the

message copy, the layout, the message length, the timing, the contact frequency


Test, Test, Test!Test, Test, Test!

Track response rates of each test by making call-to-action URLs & e-mail addresses unique for each test group

Special attention should be given to the frequency

don't allow recipient burnout, particularly with a regular mailing such as an e-mail newsletter

Test and refine, test and refine


Common Mistakes to AvoidCommon Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not coding “absolute paths” to their images

2. Using JavaScript, or ActiveX or embedding movies

3. Getting over ambitious with designs

4. Forgetting to include an opt-out link

5. Linking to an external CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) file

6. Letting your permission “grow cold”

7. Forgetting to test

8. Sending nothing but a big, gigantic graphic


Thank you!Thank you!

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