tblc: email marketing
TRANSCRIPT
EMAIL MARKETING FOR LIBRARIES
TBLC – 2 part Series
AGENDA Why Email?
Email Subscription Services
Creating an Email List
Ideas for Email Marketing
Creating an Effective Campaign
Statistics & Analysis
Tips & Tricks/Best Practices
WHY EMAIL?
BENEFITS TO EMAIL MARKETING• Reach users on mobile
• Easy way to reach users
• Social Media can be hit and miss
• Can be highly personalized to the user
• Its inexpensive
• Easy way to spread the word
More at: http://goo.gl/8EaPw6
• Ideas?
EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
MAILCHIMP
• Templates
• Save and Reuse Campaigns
• 2,000 subscribers for free
• Reporting
• Asynchronous Support
• A/B Testing
Great Article Comparing MailChimp & Constant Contact: http://goo.gl/p0AJJn
CONSTANT CONTACT
Pricing & Features
Support
Automated Emails
Social Media Integration
Image Library
Outlook Integration
Reporting
ADDITIONAL
SERVICES• Mad Mimi
• Campaigner
• Vertical Response (Free up
to 1000 contacts)
• iContact
• Ingram Sendr
• Google Groups
Handy Chart Comparing Services: http://goo.gl/O4w28L
CREATING AN EMAIL LIST
COLLECTING EMAIL
New Users
Program Attendees
Sign Up Sheets
Website
Catalog • Social Media Requests
• Membership Lists
More ideas: http://goo.gl/2VEqjk
COLLECTING VIA THE WEB
• Use a Pop-Up/Form on your site: SumoMe, Bloom
• Embed code-snippet from your email marketing software
• Use “Call to Actions” in Social Media
Add Mailchimp Code Snippets: http://goo.gl/YGrfqX
IDEAS FOR EMAIL MARKETING
WELCOME EMAIL: FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT
• Programming
• Webpage
•Calendar
•Hours
•Special Collections/Resources/eBooks
• Monthly send new members a welcome email
• Links to services
• Locations
NEWSLETTERSRegularly scheduled
Summarize the period until the next newsletter
Helps create a relationship with current users.
• Special Events
• Resources
• Social Media Platforms
• Services – Computer Use
• Programs
• Visuals of library usage, books checked out, anything visual
Tip! “Newsletters should be 90% educational, 10% promotional”
- Source HubSpot
DEDICATED EMAILSTarget a specific user group
Have ONE call to action/one news item
Highly shareable
• Crafters
• Writers
• Book Club
• Seniors
• Parents
• we are developing our list for the purpose of surveying patrons for the Long Range Plan. They can also opt in for program updates
• foreign film movie club
TRANACTIONAL EMAILSOccurs after the event, for example. “Thanks for Attending Today’s Storytime – here are some pictures we took, see you next week”
Creates a “personal touch”
• Ideas?• Ideas?
More on types http://goo.gl/RAzdsF
INCREASE CIRCULATION & BRING BACK USERS
After a year, you go to “inactive” status and begin getting emails saying the library misses you
Create welcome & feature emails
Full Story: http://goo.gl/wJtcKZ
TOUR MAILCHIMP• Managing
Subscribers
• Groups
• Creating a Campaign
• Managing a Campaign
• Statistics
SENDING TO A GROUP
CREATE YOUR
CAMPAIGNNote:
Create a template, that can be saved – and reused for multiple campaigns.
• Creates a polished consistent look
• Saves time in the long run
1
2
3
4
5
6
Tip: Pictures make the email. Make the image count
Almost always needs edits
HAPPY??
• Save and come back later
• Send a Test. Preview on:• Desktop
• More than 1 browser
• Different Email Services
• Mobile
• Tablet
• Schedule for optimal time
CREATING AN EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGN
VISUAL IS QUEEN
Facts @ Visual Marketing*:
• Brain processes visual information 60,000x faster
• Visual content makes up 93% of communication.
• Generate up to 94% more views
• 37% increase in engagement
• 40% of users online will provide more favorable responses visual rather than text-based content.
Source: HubSpot http://goo.gl/W4fbTw
THINK MOBILE, BE CLEAR. BE CONCISE
Visual
One Column
Use Preview Mode when developing
PERSONALIZE EMAILSAdd People’s First Name (using a merge field)
Use Groups
Create a personal tone/voice
VIDEO
• 73% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after viewing an online video
• 96% of consumers find video useful when buying online.
• By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic
• If a picture paints 1,000 words then one minute of video is worth 1.8 million, so say Forrester's researchers.
Sources: http://goo.gl/QJ4QFrhttp://goo.gl/qNb2kk
• Maps/Locations
• Podcasting
• Surveys
• Phone Number/ contact
• Recommendations for new titles
• Also Like
STATISTICS & ANALYSIS
STATISTICS TO FOLLOW
• Open Rate (Ave. 30-35%)
• Click Rate (Ave. 6-7%)
• Unsubscribes
• Bounces (ave under 5%)
• Subscribers
• Forward Rate
more@http://goo.gl/OIiBZg
EMAIL MARKETING FOR LIBRARIES: PART 2
TBLC – 2 part Series
BETWEEN CLASSES: A CHALLENGE• Set Up a FREE MailChimp
account
• Create a mailing list with a few names
• Evaluate how you can use this communication point @ your library
REVIEW OF DAY 1
Challenge
Questions
Additional Items for Agenda?
MORE ON STATISTICS
WHAT NUMBERS TO FOLLOW?
ITS EFFECTIVE
• Open Rate (Ave. 30-35%)
• Click Rate (Ave. 6-7%)
• Subscribers
• Forward Rate
ITS NOT WORKING
• Unsubscribes
• Bounces (ave under 5%)
VIEWING THE REPORT
who & what
TIPS & TRICKS
MANUALLY ADDINGSUBSCRIBERS
• Opt-Out Option when collecting
• If possible, collect names as well
BEFORE YOU SEND… ASK
SO WHAT? Why does this matter to your user? Why should it?
• Attend Program/Attend an upcoming event
• Fill out a Survey
• Download/check out a database
• Reserve a study room
• At the beginning of the academic year we let thesis students know the process for getting a study carrel.
WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR EMAIL?
PROOFREADPROOFREADPROOFREAD
VISUALIZE: YOUR EMAIL IS GOING
TO A PERSON NOT A PERSONA
Source/More tips: https://goo.gl/GmIynE
BE USEFUL...IT IS WHAT WE DO
3 KEYS TO A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION:
Subject Line
Email Preview
Call to Action
MASTERING THE SUBJECT LINE
• clear, straightforward subject
lines gathered far more
response than their creative
counterparts
• 3 Points to a Subject Line: • To get the brand in front of consumers
• To get the email opened
• communicate a key message from the brand to the subscribers
• DO NOT USE CAPS
More/Sources: http://goo.gl/8PO6R
WHICH SUBJECT LINE WORKS BEST?
A: Tea Party at 4 p.m., 9/12/12 at 8 Main St.
B: The Mad Hatter on Main
C: Your Invitation to Our Grand Opening Tea
Party
Source: http://goo.gl/8PO6R
CREATING AN EFFECTIVE CTA
• Name your objective
• What do you want users to do
• 1 main goal per an email
BE CONCISE
Keep it SHORT
Minimize words
Short paragraphs – think bullets and lists
Links for more information
BE: TOPICALSEASONALRELEVANT• Summer Reading
• Back to School
• Holidays
• New Year
• XX Month
• National Punctuation Day, etc
• What else?
Finals, Special Events/Poetry Month/National Writers Month/nonowrimo / New Music concerts on campus./ Teaming up with others on campus
Image: http://goo.gl/Fco4Wk
AVOIDING THE SPAM FOLDER:USE REAL CONTACT INFORMATION
Name
reply-to address
AVOIDING THE SPAM FOLDER: YOUR FOOTER
examples
Always provide an unsubscribe link.
The unsubscribe link must work for at
least 30 days after sending.
You must include your physical mailing
address.
AVOIDING THE SPAM FOLDER:CONTENT• Use the Merge Field to include names
• Use full URL – not URL shortners (hyperlink
words – don’t display links)
• Review “Plain Text” Version – SPAM filters
analyze this
• Avoid Sloppy Code (do not C/P from Word
Directly)
TRACKING ENGAGEMENTPositive:
open/clicks – help with your email
“reputation”
Note these types of subscribers with
a member rating of three or higher.
Negative:
deletes/doesn’t open/unengaged
More likely to report you as SPAM
More: http://goo.gl/SWgfqa
LIST MANAGEMENT• healthiest email lists are pruned every
6 months, to remove the
subscribers who aren't interacting
with your content.
• Include a “Update Your Profile” link in
every email: Update Email
Address/Interests
Source/More: http://goo.gl/SWgfqa
MORE TIPS!
USE MAIL SERVICE
TO DELIVER
RSS UPDATES
DESIGN RESOURCES
Free Photos: Pixabay, All the Free Stock, Public Domain Archive,
Create Graphics: Placeit, Recite, Tagul
More @ https://goo.gl/HZjoU7Image: https://goo.gl/m5Ngea
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEND EMAIL?
• But also consider Wednesday &
maybe Sunday
• Skip Monday & maybe Friday
Tuesday & Thursday
are the most popular
HOW MANY EMAILS?Between 1@week and [email protected] sweet spot? Sixteen to thirty email campaigns a month.
The Key is to be regular.A Social Media Schedule
will help
Sources: http://goo.gl/OIiBZg http://goo.gl/VNWbZe
TIMING: EMAILS• Most subscribers read
your email the same day they receive it.
• Most of them read it within the first 60 minutes,
• After 24 hour, the percent is close to zero.
• For events – send 2 –one 3-5 days out and a second the day
http://goo.gl/iM4LVS http://goo.gl/PRxDEP
WHAT TIME?What the experts say:
• 2 pm
• Best Time: Thurs 8/9 am
• Worst Time: Tues & Wed 8/10 am
• Mobile users: late in the evening.
• Send midmorning during the work week…
Source/More Tips: http://goo.gl/PRxDEPhttps://goo.gl/q9mrDW
WHAT TIPS/TRICKS WOULD YOU ADD?
