postcon: email part 5- produce engaging content every time
TRANSCRIPT
Produce Engaging Creative – Every TimeWacarra Yeomans
Director, Creative ServicesResponsys
We’ll cover• Engaging Creative• Producing Engaging Creative• Every time
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Engaging Creative
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What makes great creative?
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Example: Schwann’s before after
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Example: Comcastbefore after
pop quiz
How many pandasdo you see?
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Your brandWhat is engaging creative?
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Exercise
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Brand Exercise
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Brand Exercise
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Brand Exercise
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Brand Exercise
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Brand Exercise
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Your customerWhat is engaging creative?
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Your Customer
You should remember certain things about me
Help me understand why this is valuable information for meI understand this is a
business conversation and will sometimes be
promotional
I expect my experience with your
brand to be consistent
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Smartphones are used everywhere
Home 97%
On the go 83%
In a store 78%
Restaurant 71%
Work 71%
At a social gathering 60%
Doctor’s office 56%
Café or coffee shop 50%
Airport 49%
Public Transport 36%
School 30%
(Source: Google Mobile Planet Report)
62% use their phone everyday
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And we’re doing lots of things at once
Source: Google, Our Mobile Planet: United States
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“… a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently
among the overabundance of information sources that might
consume it.” – Herb Simon
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The inboxWhat is engaging creative?
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Phones are larger, tablets smaller
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How we read email?
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Mobile email solutionsScalable layout
– Layout is static– Single layout for all screens– Device can scale to fit screen
– Content is mobile-friendly– Text is large and legible– Buttons are touchscreen friendly– Content is organized and concise
– Media queries aren’t used
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Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)
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Mobile email solutionsFluid layout
– Layout is fluid– Single layout that fills any screen– Width is flexible so content can wrap
– Content is flexible– Text is large enough to read– Buttons are touchscreen friendly– Text areas can expand and contract– Images often remain static
– Media queries aren’t used
27Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)
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Mobile email solutionsResponsive layout
– Layout adapts to screen size– Multiple layouts can be presented– Can be used with fluid layouts– Can be used with static layouts and
breakpoints (also called “Adaptive”)– Content is mobile-optimized
– Elements can change style, size, and position
– Presentation adapts to best suit screen size
– Media queries are used– Establish breakpoints for layout changes– Establish conditions for presentation changes
28Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)
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Mobile email solutionsDevice-specific layout
– Layout is specific to screen size– Single version for a single purpose– Separate versions for different audiences
– Content is created for specific context– Optimized for individual segments– Often promotes timely, local, or
device message– Media queries aren’t used
– Device is detected– Content sent at time of open
29Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)
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When responsive design?When your audience tells you to use it.*
* Make sure your audience is receptive before investing time and resources.
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@Media Supported @Media Not Supported
Kindle Gmail/Yahoo App on All Platforms
iPhone Android Outlook Exchange
iPad Android 2.1 and lower
iPod Touch BlackBerry OS 5
Palm Web OS 4.5 Windows Mobile 6.1
Windows Phone 7.5 Windows Phone 7
Windows Phone 8
Android 2.2 and up
Let’s start with your device.
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When responsive design?If your audience is using:
– Android– iPhone– Relatively new Blackberry devices
(not a large crowd)
Responsive emails might be for you.
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When responsive design?If your audience mainly uses:
– Desktop clients (Outlook/Gmail/Yahoo!)– Older Blackberry operating systems– Windows phones
Responsive emails probably aren’t right for you.
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Responsive Design Recap
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Advantages Disadvantages
More cost effective. Higher initial investment.
Mobile optimized, resulting in better user experience.
Technology is not fully supported on every platform.
Design will be relevant longer. Technology constantly changing.
Invest in copywriting• You only have 20 words to make an impact.
• Make.• Them.• Count.
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Your storyWhat is engaging creative?
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What is storytelling?
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Marketing Stories
Brand Stories
Product Stories
Personal Stories
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Brand Stories
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Product Stories
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Product Stories
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Product Stories
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Personal Stories
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Producing Engaging CreativeBriefing your creative team
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4 components of a great brief
The Briefing Document
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ObjectiveWhich of these is more clear?•Drive conversions?•We need to upsell to people who have purchased airlines.•Currently 5% of our customers who purchase flights also purchase hotels. We’d like to see 10% by the end of this campaign.
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Every Time
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Evaluating Creative
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Tips for evaluating creative
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Tips for evaluating creativeUse the 7 principles of user experience•Hierarchy•Utility•Usability•Aesthetics•Identification•Stimulation•Value
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7 principles of user experience
Hierarchy•Is the first element I see the most important part of the message?
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7 principles of user experience
Utility•Is this the right channel or delivery method for this message?
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7 principles of user experience
Usability•Does this email function like I would expect?
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7 principles of user experience
Aesthetics•Does this represent our brand?
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7 principles of user experience
Identification•Can I identify myself with the product or message? Does it fit into my daily activities?
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7 principles of user experience
Stimulation•Does the message give me inspiration? Or wow experiences?
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7 principles of user experience
Value•What’s in it for me?
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Exercise
HIERARCHYOn a scale of 1-10, is the first element I see, the most important one?
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UTILITYOn a scale of 1-10, is this the right channel or delivery method for this message?
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USABILITYOn a scale of 1-10, does this email function like I would expect?
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AESTHETICSOn a scale of 1-10, does this represent our brand?
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IDENTIFICATIONOn a scale of 1-10, can I identify myself with the product or message? Does it fit into my daily activities?
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STIMULATIONOn a scale of 1-10, Does the message give me inspiration? Or wow experiences?
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VALUEOn a scale of 1-10, what’s in it for me?
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Exercise
Giving Feedback
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Giving Feedback: Copy & Design
• Assume every word, punctuation mark, color, font and pixel are there for a reason before giving direction
• Let the team explain creative decisions• The writer and designer are counting on you to make
sure the work meets business objectives• Try to differentiate client direction from your personal
preferences (Both are valid! But in different ways)• Ask questions and make suggestions, so the writer
and designer have a choice and trust your team• Be specific about what isn’t working• If there are more than a couple notes, TALK
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Giving Feedback: Copy• It looks easy, but it’s not • Give direction rather than rewriting• Ask questions about word choice• Keep the editing within the copy discipline
– When typos happen, it’s a reflection on the writer
• Include examples so the writer can easily understand what you’re looking for
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Giving Feedback: Design• At first glance, what are you immediately drawn
to?– In two seconds can you tell what this email is about?– Do you look at the primary message first?– Is a secondary message bolder and
carrying more visual weight?• Be specific about what isn’t working• Keep the end user in mind
– How will a subscriber interact with this message?• Decide whether your responses are personal
preference or business objectives
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Do’s and Don’tsDON’Ts• Say “I don’t like that”• Stand over someone while they make changes,
unless you are invited
DO’s• Keep the objective in mind – is this meeting the
objective?• Think about your word choice when giving
feedback• Be specific about what you’re looking for
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Questions?
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