Effective Email Drip Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

Using Email Marketing to Convert More Leads
Why email marketing?
Reynaldo Villar | LinkedIn: #reynaldovillar | Twitter: @reyvillar | Orlando, FL, 2009
 Lower lead generation and conversion costs
 Valuable revenue-generating asset
 Better tracking capabilities
 Higher return on investment (ROI)
 More submitted apps!

 For every dollar spent on email marketing in 2007, marketers can
expect an estimated $48.29 ROI. (Direct Marketing Association, 2007)
 66% of those surveyed said they had made a purchase because
of a marketing message received through email. (ExactTarget “2008
Channel Preference Survey,” 2008)
 Email produced the highest response rates (4.09%) for those
companies whose primary objective was to generate leads.
(Direct Marketing Association, “Response Rate Trends Report,” 2007)

Drip marketing
A form of “persistence marketing” used on leads that may require
more time to make a buying decision:
1. Builds awareness and trust with
your prospects.
2. Provides information that will help
prospects make their decision.
3. Increase the probability that they’ll
remember you (favorably) when
they do decide.

Your email marketing checklist
1. Know the law!!!
2. Select an ESP - email service provider
3. Plan a long-term campaign
4. Build your mailing list
5. Launch tips for higher open, CTR and conversion rates!

Know the law!
Understanding the CAN-SPAM Act is
crucial for your long-term marketing
success:
 Not knowing and following the rules can
cost you money.
 Not knowing and following the rules
could go into your permanent record!
 Understanding the CAN-SPAM Act will
increase your delivery, open, click-
through and conversion rates…as well
as your sales.

Embrace the law
Each commercial email MUST contain:
 Your valid physical mailing address
 An advertisement disclosure (unless double opt-in)
 Correct and legitimate header information
 An easy and no-cost “Opt-Out” mechanism

Follow the law
NEVER do any of the following:
 Sell or share email addresses that have opted out.
 Build your list through scraping or illegal harvesting.
 Intentionally delay or hinder opt-outs.
 Use deceptive or misleading subject lines.
 Use deceptive or misleading “From” or “To” information.

Use an ESP
 Automatically checks “spam factor” and enforces CAN-SPAM
requirements.
 Makes it easy to create and send emails to thousands of
prospects and leads.
 Cost: free trial; then affordable monthly rates.
 Recommended for beginners:
 www.iContact.com
 www.mailchimp.com
 www.ConstantContact.com

Plan a long-term campaign
1. Segment your list
2. Create a 12-month calendar using different types
3. Decide on a template design
4. Autoresponder messages
5. Sequentially programmed messages
6. [Advanced] rules-based emails

Plan for long-term needs
 How to satisfy your content needs
 Brainstorm special promotions
 Look for cross-selling opportunities
 Collaborate with other businesses
 Integrate with your website and other marketing efforts

Build your mailing list
 Start with current clients and prospects
with emails.
 Add your 3rd-party Internet leads.
 Insert a subscription widget into your
website.
 Use list-building campaigns.
 Don’t buy lists!
 Encourage “forwards” with easy links.

Growing your list
 Content strategy: e-books, tools, etc.
 Contests
 Send only relevant emails to segments
 Give them a reason to stay on your list
 Triggered emails
 Ask for referrals and pass-alongs

List hygiene
 Clean out duplicates and bad addresses
 Pay attention to “opt outs”
 Note: unsubscribes are better than spam complaints
 Expect turnover of 20% to 30% per year
 Remove or segment non-prospects

Elements of an effective email
 Avoid fluff and generalities
 Leave readers feeling smarter
 Always have a “Call to Action”
 Always include a privacy statement
 Keep it clean (content and design)
 People like freebies, but they want relevance

Subject line tips
 The first 40 characters are key!
 Test and keep testing!
 Up to 60% increase when localizing info and company
name included (Jupiter Research, 2007)
 2/3 of "report spam" or "junk" button clicks are due to the
subject line (Email Sender and Provider Coalition, 2007)
 The best subject lines tell what's inside; the worst subject
lines sell what's inside (MailChimp, 2007)

Your subject line is crucial

When should you send?
 Weekend deliveries are best, with open rates of up to
38.3%. (eROI Email Statistics, 2006)
 Saturday is best for click-throughs (5.4%), followed
closely by Thursday. (eROI Email Statistics, 2006)
 Consumers overwhelmingly prefer to receive
commercial emails on Wednesdays and Fridays. (eROI
Email Statistics, 2006)

Email marketing tips
 For better response and conversions: Test, Test, Test
 More emails/week = more opt-outs
 Use landing pages when possible
 Simpler alternatives: blogs and autoresponders

Your email marketing checklist
1. Know the law!!!
2. Select an ESP - email service provider
3. Plan a long-term campaign
4. Build your mailing list
5. Create and use effective (relevant) content

Effective Email Drip Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

Effective Email Drip Marketing on a Shoestring Budget

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