Actionable insights and tactics to improve open and click through rates of your email marketing. We delve into the valuable insights in the IBM Watson Marketing 2018 Marketing Benchmark Report that analyzed email and mobile marketing messages deployed by several thousand IBM Watson Marketing clients located in more than 40 countries. WE GO BEYOND THE STATS to actionable tips and strategies you can put into practice immediately, like: Quick adjustments you can make to improve your data-management practices that will improve audience engagement. The subject lines that will get you the opens. Tweaks you can make to improve your click-through rate. AND MUCH MORE!

1. Key Insights and Actionable Tactics
from the IBM Email & Mobile
Metrics Benchmark Report

2. Agenda
I. Using Benchmark Data to Take Your Marketing Program to Another
Level
II. A Look at the Data (Open Rates)
III. Tactics to Improve Your Open Rates
IV. A Look at the Data (Click Through Rates)
V. Tactics to Improve Your Click Through Rates
VI. Bonus Round: Marketing Benchmarking Best Practices
VII. Q&A

3. Presenters
Loren McDonald
Marketing Evangelist
Watson Marketing
@LorenMcDonald
Dave Clemen
VP of Digital Operations
LSC Digital
@TheDaveClemen

4. #WatsonMarketing
Benchmark data can
help you answer …

5. @LorenMcDonald

6. #WatsonMarketing
But benchmarks are most
valuable…

7. #WatsonMarketing
When you use them
to take your
marketing program to
another level.
11

8. #WatsonMarketing
Geo/Regions:
40 countries
organized
into 9 regions

9. #WatsonMarketing
20
Industries

10. #WatsonMarketing
Mean
Median
Top Quartile
Bottom Quartile
“Average is the new bottom.”

11. The Stats & The Tactics
11

12. #WatsonMarketing
Overall mean open rate = 22.8% / Top quartile = 46.7%
Top Regions:
- Canada – 38.5%
- Australia/NZ – 36.7%
Bottom Regions:
- Asia Pacific
- India

13. Unique Open Rates (by Industry) %

14. Unique Open Rates (by Transactional vs. Non-Transactional) %

15. What Are Some Elements We Control that Impact Open Rates?
IP Reputation (if you have a dedicated IP) / Authentications (DKIM, SPF,
SDIF)
Size of Email Campaign
*Source: MDR’s 2017 Digital Trends Report

16. What Are Some Elements We Control that Impact Open Rates?
Subject Lines “The Battle of the Inbox”

17. The Two Most Important Tips for Subject Lines
Does your subject line answer the questions of the reader:
• “How does clicking on this email make my life better?”
• “Why is it worth my time to open this email?”
Targeting a specific audience? Use it in the Subject Line!
Geographic targeting
I.e. “If you sell in Mississippi, you’re going to appreciate this.”
Job title targeting
I.e. “5 Life-Changing Tips for Sales Professionals”
Subject targeting
I.e. “You love sales. You’ll appreciate this.”

18. Time of Day
6 AM 8 AM
3 Campaigns
413,820 Emails Delivered
Average Open Rate:
13.89%
3 Campaigns
419,607 Emails Delivered
Average Open Rate:
22.43%

19. Image to Text Ratio Test
Total Open
Rate: 19.78%
Total Open
Rate: 24.75%
Total Open
Rate: 24.75%
21%
of Recipients
6%
of Opens
21%
of Recipients
17%
of Opens
21%
of Recipients
16%
of Opens

20. Click-To-Open Rates (by Geography) %

21. #WatsonMarketing
Top Industries:
- Consumer Products
- Leisure, Sports
Bottom Industries
- Consumer Services
- Nonprofits, Assoc.

22. Click-To-Open Rates (Transactional vs. Non-Transactional) %

23. #WatsonMarketing
Highest Read Rate:
- Canada (72%)
Lowest Read Rate:
- United States (60%)
Read = 8 seconds +
Skimmed = 2-7 seconds
Glanced = Under 2 seconds

24. #WatsonMarketing
Mobile:
- United Kingdom (63%)
Desktop:
- Canada (30.5%)
Webmail:
- Latin/S. America (63%)

25. You MUST Consider ALL Devices and Platforms
Default setting is to block images. Make sure that recipients will
know the value of the email and how to take action if all
images are blocked
Emails with large images are typically treated as promotional
email and are steered away from the users inbox. Drop the
images to improve engagement.
When you test your email always view on a mobile device. Is
the text readable without zooming? Does the button
accommodate a thumb? Do you have to scroll before you see
any text or a way to take action?

26. Design Traits Every Email Should Have for Improved CTR
Strong headline with unique value proposition at top of email
Make LINKS look like links: Order Now vs Order
Now
Design for simplicity
Clickable element(s) above the fold
If you are going to use buttons make
sure they are “bullet proof” and at
least 44 pixels by 44 pixels

27. Bonus Round:
Marketing Benchmarking
Best Practices

28. #WatsonMarketing
Use benchmark
data to… Drive Change
Get More Budget & Resources

29. #WatsonMarketing
Consider
benchmarking your
marketing processes.

30. #WatsonMarketing
Leverage AI, such as
Watson Assistant.

31. Q&A
Loren McDonald
lmcdonal@us.ibm.com
Watson Marketing
@LorenMcDonald
Dave Clemen
dclemen@lscdigital.com
LSC Digital
@TheDaveClemen
2018 Marketing
BenchmarkI. Using Benchmark Data to Take Your
Marketing Program to Another Level
II. A Look at the Data (Open Rates)
III. Tactics to Improve Your Open Rates
IV. A Look at the Data (Click Through
Rates)
V. Tactics to Improve Your Click Through
Rates
VI. Bonus Round: Marketing