welcome email programmes uk
DESCRIPTION
Best practices and examples of welcome email programmes. Looks at all aspects of welcome emails including timing, from names, subject lines, welcome content check list, good and bad examples,TRANSCRIPT
Using Welcome Emails to Drive Increased Engagement and ROI
Silverpop UK WebinarDecember 2008
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Speakers & Agenda
Loren McDonald VP, Industry Relations Silverpop
Julie Joseph Senior Account Director Silverpop
Agenda Why Welcome Emails? Elements of a Welcome
Program Welcome Email Examples &
Best Practices Questions & Answers
Why Welcome Emails?
UK Attendee: +44 (0) 870 738 0742, access code 434-825-161US Attendee: (712) 432-1399, access code 434-825-161Germany Attendee: +49 (0) 180 5007 632, access code 434-825-161Netherlands Attendee: +31 (0) 870 001 939, access code 434-825-161
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List Churn and Inactives – The Good, Bad and So-So
The bad news…
A typical list will lose 1/3 of its
members each year
Bounces + spam complaints +
unsubscribes = 2-4% / month
25% to 80% of your list is
inactive
Subscriber has not opened or
clicked in specific time frame
(e.g., 6, 12 months+)
The good news…
• Churn can be reduced
• You control most of your destiny
• Some inactives can be reengaged
The so-so news…
Most are lost
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Research by marketing publisher MarketingSherpa shows email subscriber interest begins to disintegrate as soon as
two weeks after the opt-in, as measured by the open rate.
Within two months, the open rate typically falls 20% to 25%.
The Honeymoon is over!
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Why Recipients Unsubscribe
-Too Frequent- Irrelevant
Content/Offers
Elements of a Welcome Email Programme
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Opt-in form
DOI Confirmation Email
Welcome Email or Series
Regular Email Program
Subscriber Email Touch Progression
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Engage and Delight…Every Step of the Way
Dating Build trust with transparency Preferences on opt-in
Engagement Welcome programmes Bring the flowers
Marriage Deliver on expectations Preference updates Move to lifecycle, trigger and behavioral-based programs
Divorce Provide alternatives to unsubscribing
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Goals and Purpose
Goals
Speed up conversion
Minimise list churn
Strengthen brand perception
Reduce inactivity
Purpose
Educate subscriber
Reward/Incent
Instill/reinforce trust
Enable immediate “email experience”
Provide administrative information
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Timing
The Good News
61% of retailers deliver their welcome emails within 10 minutes of sign up, with most of
those delivering within 3 minutes.*
The Bad News
19% take more than 24 hours to deliver their welcome emails, with nearly a third of those
taking more than a week to deliver.*
*Email Experience Council’s second annual Retail Welcome Email Benchmark Study (2007)
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From Name/Address
From Names: Use the same from name as regular emails Simple, logical and trusted brand
From Name/Address: Again, use same as regular emails Avoid ugly, number-oriented if possible
Good Examples: wagamama [[email protected]] La Redoute [[email protected]] The Ecologist Magazine [[email protected]]
Questionable Example: Penny at MarketingProfs [[email protected]] [email protected]; [email protected]; support
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Subject Lines
Good/OKThanks for signing up to Debenhams email newsletters
Welcome to Marks & Spencers eClub
Welcome to Fresh Juice from Piperlime
A big 20% OFF welcome from us
Not so GoodOpt-in confirmation
Welcome
Thank you for signing up!
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Email address added
Add to address book
Privacy assurance and link
Link and instructions on how to change preferences
How to get started
When first email will arrive
Resources, key links
“Your gift” incentive
Unsubscribe link
Reinforce value proposition
Upsell
Call to action/”offer”
Welcome Content Checklist
Sample Welcome Emails & Best Practices
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Confirmation Emails – Are Not “Welcome Emails”
• Primary Purpose is to confirm subscription
• They aren’t a subscriber yet
• Pre-selling; reminding of value proposition –
but should not take the place of welcome email
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Net a Porter: Sign Up Process
Subscription confirmed from net – a-porter
Clear consistent branding in confirmation email
Double opt in best practice
Further information collected on confirmation for additional targeting
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Sign Up (Schuh) Retail
Sign up page manages expectations early on by telling you what you will get
Confirmation page makes it clear there is a double opt in process with bold red typeface
Provides other account management options
Confirmation email Doesn’t need images (but looks great
with)
Secure sign up process including validation code and time limit
Welcome email Sent after confirmation
Tells you to expect free and fun stuff
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Make sure they can see your message
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Testing is vital......Watches of Switzerland
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Personalisation..
Have a default or choose copy wisely...
Argos subject line as it appears!
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M&S make me feel special
• M&S newsletter welcome
• I feel special “exclusive”
• They reiterate the value message “… simple, safe and convenient.”
• Clear service message
• Promotion of convenient services “reminder service”
• Manage expectations
• Drive me to the shop straight away
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Bravissimo
Renders well without images
Bullets make it easy to scan
Manages expectations
Contact information clearly laid out for additional information
Web site navigation
LaRedoute
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Debenhams RAF after newsletter sign up
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Collecting Preferences (BBC Sport and Media)
Multiple options for news Regional
Mail format
Delivery options including time
Additional Sport options Sports themselves
Team options for football
Double opt in for additional security - they tell you it’s coming
Option to sign up for additional emails after confirming subscription
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Enhancing Data Collection (Eten and Genieten)
Eten and Genieten (Food and Drink) Incentivised and Quick sign up
Explicit opt in check box with
Confirmation email Same branding but lots of text too
Invites you to do quick survey
“make sure we give you what you want” “max 3 minutes of your time”
Survey Page 1: 3 questions on food / drink
Page 2: asks more general questions:.
Most relevant selections captured as on page 1 in case they don’t do pg 2
Other brands have same process Collect different generic information
All data fed in to central database building up a more complete picture of recipients
Welcome SeriesThink Welcome Series, Not Just a Single Email
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HMV Welcome Series
Subject lines: Welcome part 1/2/3
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Takeaways
Take baby steps
Test subject lines
Redesign for preview pane and blocked images Test layout, use of images, HTML
Incorporate additional welcome content
Monitor open, clicks and conversions for recipients of Welcome messages – impact on overall response rates
Expand from a single welcome email to welcome program
Continuously test
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Q & A
Follow Us
Columns
• Media Post - Email Insider
Blogs
• Silverpop – “Tales”
Newsletters
• Digital Marketer
Contact: Loren McDonald
Twitter: @LorenMcDonald
Julie Joseph
www.silverpop.com