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Thinking creatively about email Mike Teasdale mike@harvestdigital.com @miketeasdale
Joined up digital thinking…
But paid search is getting more expensive
While email is still growing fast 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Source: radicati.com, Email Statistics Report, 2009-2013
It’s time we took email more seriously
And recognised how hard it is to get it right
Here’s the main reason it’s hard…
Do we even know what spam is?
Spam is whatever your customers think it is. Consumer research – known versus unknown sender Marketing Sherpa, November 2007
Spam = boring stuff
Perhaps we need to learn email etiquette?
Rule one:make a good first impression
Subject line From field Auto-preview screen Email’s golden triangle
Subject lines Subject line tests -  uplift in CTR ,[object Object]
Play Astropop for EUR19.95 (122)
Discover the perfect taste (100)
Don’t forget to buy a present for yourself (105)
Win a case of your favourite tipple (146),[object Object]
You can put Free in a subject line!
From field – well worth testing Testing uplift in CTR From: PriceMinister (100) From: Alexandra at Priceminister (135) From: Wanadoo (100) From: Caroline at Wanadoo (188)
Rule two:make it personal
Relevance comes from… Triggers, like registrations Understanding the customer’s life cycle Personalisation Following behavioural cues, like web browsing
I  Choose I Want I Buy I  Become  Aware I Use I Need I Enjoy Sony Welcome programme |23
Survey information said: Within the 1st 30 days of ownership Digital Still Camera users want added memory, camera accessories, batteries, shooting kits, advice etc. Within the 2nd 30 days of ownership Digital Still Camera users are more likely to be interested in PRINTING their photos  |24
Messages or Programmes? Welcome Message ,[object Object],Welcome programme ,[object Object]
How was it for you?
How’s the new camera?
Want some help?
Need some memory?
How about printing?|25
It pays to be relevant Source: David Daniels, Jupiter Research
And personalisation also improves CTRs
Rule three:ask questions(it’s a conversation!)
Switch statements make relevance easy to achieve masthead contents Personalised intro Segment one: Customers –Here’s stuff about your local restaurant Switch statement delivers a relevant message to each group Cross-sell Segment two: Prospects – Here’s a generic offer Lead story #2 Member get member User generated content unsubscribe
£4m revenue in 2006 |31
Rule four:being persuasive doesn’t mean being ‘salesy’
‘The psychology of persuasion’, Robert Cialdini
Six principles of persuasion Consensus Authority Commitment / consistency Scarcity Likeability Reciprocation
What’s the value of a mint? No mints = control One mint with bill: tip rises 3.3% Two mints with bill: tip rises 14% One mint + personal mint: tip rises 23%
Rule four:learn when to shut up
(Thanks to Catherine Toole from Sticky Content for this)
Rule five:keep it simple
Assemble the creative assets |45
Craft the copy |46
|47
  “We literally made the decision to go to sale on the Thursday morning, and by Friday lunchtime, it looked like we were on for the biggest single day in Howies history!”  www.nonlineblogging.com |48
Rule six:keep it even simpler
Who likes this book?
Ruleseven:Keep it short and scannable
Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left.  Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability  Steve Krug, 2006 
Body copy style – usability research “How people read on the web” - classic usability testing by Jakob Nielsen Same site written 4 different ways Each site then tested against basic usability principles |56
How people read on the web Results of usability research for Sun.com |57 Source: Neilsen/Morkes
Get rid of half the words... Source: Neilsen/Morkes |58
Scanability? Source: Neilsen/Morkes |59
Don’t boast Source: Neilsen/Morkes |60
Best Combination Source: Neilsen/Morkes |61
In summary |62 Source: Neilsen/Morkes
Eye tracking on emails Heading and subhead copy critical ,[object Object]
Make hyperlinkedLarge fonts work well Images often missed ,[object Object],Readers scan down the left of an Email First part of para important ,[object Object],Email intros skipped ,[object Object],[object Object]
Auto-preview issues
Images switched off
Images on
Images off
Rule nine:watch out for the fold
Working around window sizes http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/
http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/
Is this link below the fold?
Yes – for >60% of internet users
Designing for the fold

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A creative approach to email marketing

Editor's Notes

  1. Last month social psycologist Robert Cialdini, author of the brilliant book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (of which a milion copies have already been sold) gave an