top ten email marketing questions
TRANSCRIPT
About Mad Mimi, GoDaddy Email Marketing and Me
Just What Is Mad Mimi?
• Mad Mimi is a simple, easy-to-use email newsletter platform
• Launched in 2008 with just 2 people• Now has over 250,000 customers• We send over 40 million emails per day• Acquired by GoDaddy in the summer of 2014• Launched GoDaddy Email Marketing
And Who Is Dean Levitt?
• I’m Mad Mimi’s Chief of Culture and Director of Customer Support for GoDaddy Email Marketing
• Born and raised in South Africa, I lived in the United States for 15 years
• I live in Tel Aviv, Israel• In my rare downtime, I run, surf and read
Do I even need to send an email newsletter?
Question #1
Definitely!
• Email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel
Definitely!
• Email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel
• Avg. ROI is $59 to every $1 spent (source: DMA)
Definitely!
• Email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel
• Avg. ROI is $59 to every $1 spent (source: DMA)
• Email is the preferred form of communication for customers (source: Merkle)
Definitely!
• Email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel
• Avg. ROI is $59 to every $1 spent (source: DMA)
• Email is the preferred form of communication for customers (source: Merkle)
• Email newsletters are effective at driving repeat sales, increasing brand awareness and retaining mindshare
Definitely!• Email marketing has the highest ROI of any
marketing channel• Avg. ROI is $59 to every $1 spent (source: DMA)
• Email is the preferred form of communication for customers (source: Merkle)
• Email newsletters are effective at driving repeat sales, brand awareness and retaining mindshare
• Other benefits include customer retention, education and notifications
When is the best time to send an email newsletter?
Question #2
Well, that depends…
Well, that depends…
• Yeah, really. It depends on you and your list
Well, that depends …
• Yeah, really. It depends on you and your list– Most studies’ results won’t apply to your unique
situation– The only answer here is to test for your audience– Don’t worry about it too much because there are
more important factors like …
More important factors than the exact time you send:
• Do you have an engaged audience?– Did you grow your email list with best practices?
More important factors than the exact time you send:
• Do you have an engaged audience?• Do you write compelling subject lines?– Chadwick Martin Bailey found that 64% of people
opened emails because of the email promotion’s subject line.
More important factors than the exact time you send:
• Do you have an engaged audience?• Do you write compelling subject lines?• Does your content interest your readers?– Is it what they signed up to receive?– Do you add value to their day?
More important factors than the exact time you send:
• Do you have an engaged audience?• Do you write compelling subject lines?• Does your content interest your readers?• Day or time matters less than treating your
audience with the respect they deserve!
OK, fine—let’s get specific
• Experian Marketing Services found that people responded more to marketing emails sent on the weekend
• Response rates were higher in the early mornings and in the evenings
• Emails sent on Mondays tended to generate higher revenue per email
How often should I send newsletters?
Question #3
Well, that depends…
(Seriously?!!)
Well, that depends…
(Seriously?!!)Yup, sorry. It really does depend.
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
• Set your baseline– Start with once a month– Track your view rates, click-through rates and, if
you sell products, your revenue per email
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
• Set your baseline• Increase the frequency– Try once a week– You’ll likely see a drop in view rates and click-
through rates– That’s ok because …
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
• Set your baseline• Increase the frequency• Review your overall monthly results instead of
per-email results– Are you getting more views per month?– Is your overall CTR higher per month?– Is your revenue higher?– If so, then weekly > monthly
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
• Set your baseline• Increase the frequency• Review your overall monthly results instead of
per-email results• Adjust frequency and test again– Make sure you’re able to be consistent– Make sure you’re comfortable with the downsides
like higher unsubscribes or lower view rates per email
How to figure out the perfect number of newsletters to send in a month:
• Set your baseline• Increase the frequency• Review your overall monthly results instead of
per-email results• Adjust frequency and test again• Find that sweet-spot that both works for your
audience and you!
How long should an email newsletter be?
Question #4
Short and to the point!
Short and to the point!
• You’ve got 8 seconds before a reader loses interest– That’s our attention span (source)
– Can you get your message across in seconds?
Short and to the point!
• You’ve got 8 seconds before a reader loses interest (our average modern attention span)
• The most clicked links are “above the fold”– First link garners most clicks– Second link gets 1/3 less than the first– Third link gets 1/3 less than the second– Everything else gets a few clicks here and there– There are exceptions for compelling calls-to-action
Short and to the point!
• You’ve got 8 seconds before a reader loses interest (our average modern attention span)
• The most clicked links are “above the fold”• So, even if you do like a longer email, choose a
primary goal for the newsletter– Make it the first topic– Have a strong, clear call-to-action– Be prepared for less engagement on your other
content
Short and to the point!
• You’ve got 8 seconds before a reader loses interest (our average modern attention span)
• The most clicked links are “above the fold”• So, even if you do like a longer email, choose a
primary goal for the newsletter• If you have lots to say you can– Send more emails with less content– Host the “meat” of the content on your website
How do I grow my email list?
Question #5
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! – No, really, please don’t buy an email list– It’s considered unsolicited commercial email and is
against the law (CAN-SPAM act)– You’ll land in the junk folder even if you change
your ways
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! • Add a signup form on your website– GoDaddy Email Marketing, Mad Mimi and all
other platforms offer this
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! • Add a signup form on your website• Use social media to gain subscribers– You can use platform tools that integrate with
Facebook– Add signup forms in your profile descriptions– Broadcast messages encouraging people to
subscribe– Share your newsletters themselves on social
media to gain interest
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! • Add a signup form on your website• Use social media to gain subscribers• Incentivize subscriptions– Offering a discount, special news, etc., can
incentivize subscribers to join– By giving away something of value, you’ll motivate
more people to subscribe!
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! • Add a sign up form on your website• Use social media to gain subscribers• Incentivize subscriptions• Customers are subscribers!– Collect the email addresses of customers– You’re allowed to send to them—opt-in is implicit– Incentives still help build an engaged audience
With care, respect and a dash of chutzpah!
• Don’t buy an email list! • Add a sign up form on your website• Use social media to gain subscribers• Incentivize subscriptions• Customers are subscribers!• Ask people to subscribe. All. The. Time!– Be proactive and invite people to subscribe
wherever possible
There are tools to help too:
• ManyContacts• SumoMe• OptinNinja• Gleam Captures• Heyo• Privy• Justuno• LeadServe• Opt-intelligence• Guest’d
• Interact• Megaphone• PromoSimple• SeedProd• Viewbix
How do I write great subject lines?
Question #6
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short– The sweet spot is between 6 and 10 words (source)
– Shorter is mobile friendly– Allows readers to quickly grasp the content– Very long subject lines can even impact delivery
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short
Subject line 1:“Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore Coupons, New Giveaway and More!”
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short
Subject line 1:“Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore Coupons, New Giveaway and More!”
Subject line 2:“Sad News, plus Craft Coupons”
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short
Subject line 1:“Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore Coupons, New Giveaway and More!”
Subject line 2:“Sad News, plus Craft Coupons”
Difference in view rate: 10% increase
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click– Hint at value in the subject line to drive
engagement– Calls to action in the subject line are compelling
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click
Subject line 1:Effortless E-Mail Organization For Your Matters with Outlook Integration
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click
Subject line 1:Effortless E-Mail Organization For Your Matters with Outlook Integration
Subject line 2:New Free E-Book on Working Remotely
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click
Subject line 1:Effortless E-Mail Organization For Your Matters with Outlook Integration
Subject line 2:New Free E-Book on Working Remotely
Difference in view rate: 30% increase
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation– Having multiple exclamation marks or weird
characters can harm delivery a little
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation• Include recognizable names– Whether it’s your company name, a product, song
or band or news about another business– Subject lines with recognizable names outperform
those without
Anatomy of a good subject line:• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation• Include recognizable names
Example subject lines:Nursery Flannel from Cloud 9 Organics is Now Available at [Company Name]~44% view rate
Boeing expanding footprint of S.C. facilities~30% view rate
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation• Include recognizable names• Create a sense of urgency– Along with a good call-to-action in the email, this
drives views and clicks
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation• Include recognizable names• Create a sense of urgency
Example subject line:Only Three Days Left for this Great Offer for [Company Name] Readers!~37% view rate
Anatomy of a good subject line:
• Keep it short• Give ’em a reason to click• Avoid excessive punctuation• Include recognizable names• Create a sense of urgency• Use humor, but prioritize honesty– Humor drives more views in the short term– Don’t take it too far. Clear, honest subject lines win
in the long term.
How do I avoid the junk folder?
Question #7
Yay, an easy one!
Do the right thing!
• Don’t buy an email list– Spam filters, ISPs and blacklists all work together
to ensure that people who spam land in the junk folder.
– They monitor content, sender information and IP addresses long term
– Getting off a blacklist is hard!
Do the right thing!
• Don’t buy an email list• Maintain decent results from your newsletter
sending– This means aiming for a good view rate (10% is a
good minimum)– Avoid high bounce rates (below 10% is ideal but
this one depends on the type of bounce)
Do the right thing!
• Don’t buy an email list• Maintain decent results from your newsletter
sending• Keep your list clean and up to date– Most platforms help with this– Don’t import a 5 year old list or your address book– Remove old, non-responsive email addresses– This will help keep bounce rates low
Do the right thing!
• Don’t buy an email list• Maintain decent results from your newsletter
sending• Keep your list clean and up to date• Send only to customers or people who have
given you permission!
Other delivery tips
• Avoid spammy phrases like “Double your money, Sex, XXX, Win, Bonus, Membership, Free Offer, Call Now, $$$’s, Success, etc.”
Other delivery tips
• Avoid spammy phrases like “Double your money, Sex, XXX, Win, Bonus, Membership, Free Offer, Call Now, $$$’s, Success, etc.”
• Excessive use of Caps Lock can annoy some filters
Other delivery tips
• Avoid spammy phrases like “Double your money, Sex, XXX, Win, Bonus, Membership, Free Offer, Call Now, $$$’s, Success, etc.”
• Excessive use of Caps Lock can annoy some filters
• Keep a reasonable image to text ratio
Other delivery tips
• Avoid spammy phrases like “Double your money, Sex, XXX, Win, Bonus, Membership, Free Offer, Call Now, $$$’s, Success, etc.”
• Excessive use of Caps Lock can annoy some filters
• Keep a reasonable image to text ratio• Link shorteners and redirects can trigger filters
What is a good response rate for my email campaign?
Question #8
Oh good, another “it depends” one …
• A healthy view rate is between 10% and 25%– If you’re getting below 10%, review your list, your
content and your strategy– You could be sending too often– Your “from” details might be unrecognizable– Your content might not be what readers expect
Oh good, another “it depends” one…
• A healthy view rate is between 10% and 25%• Click-through rate is usually low—don’t worry!– Often between 1% and 3% – 5% is a very high CTR
Oh good, another “it depends” one…
• A healthy view rate is between 10% and 25%• Click-through rate is low• The best way to look at this is to make
incremental improvements– Aim to increase your results month over month in
small ways– Optimize your email strategy• Subject lines• Calls-to-action• Content relevancy
How can I increase my click-through rate?
Question #9
Be obvious!
• Have a clear call-to-action– Leave your reader in no doubt as to what they
ought to do next– Images get clicks!– Positive words with a sense of urgency drive clicks:
“Yes, I’d like to gain more sales!”
Be obvious!
• Have a clear call to action• Place links prominently– Place the call-to-action “above the fold”– Lead with the link early, even in the first sentence
Be obvious!
• Have a clear call to action• Place links prominently• Save some content for later– Give ’em a reason to click through to your site– Keep the last piece of value on your site, not in the
Be obvious!
• Have a clear call to action• Place links prominently• Save some content for later• Provide multiple opportunities to reach the
same destination– Include multiple links to the same URL– Make your images clickable
Is email marketing dead?
Question #10
Email is alive, kicking and growing
• Social media is cool ’n all, but pound for pound, email gets much more engagement– Email converts better (source)
– Email gets undivided attention—it’s not a leaf on a social media stream
– However, social media and email are complementary, not competitive
– Use them together!
Email is alive, kicking and growing
• Social media is cool ’n all, but pound for pound, email gets much more engagement
• Gmail’s Tabs were not the Armageddon– Gmail’s promotion tab had little impact and did
not herald the end of commercial email– Impact was near insignificant, but readers
sometimes took longer to view the email
Email is alive, kicking and growing
• Social media is cool ’n all, but pound for pound, email gets much more engagement
• Gmail’s Tabs were not the Armageddon• Email is evolving– “Welcome” emails (onboarding) is becoming more
common– Transactional emails are huge– Personalization is becoming more important
Email is alive, kicking and growing
• Social media is cool ‘n all, but pound for pound, email gets much more engagement
• Gmail’s Tabs were not the Armageddon• Email is evolving• Your recipients want you to email them! – 72% of consumers say that email is their favored
conduit of communication with companies they do business with. 61% say they like to receive promotional emails weekly and 28% want them even more frequently. (source – Marketing Sherpa)
