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Thinking Outside the Inbox: Email Marketing Best Practices
The document provides an overview of email marketing strategies, focusing on best practices for email design, effective content development, and the significance of subject lines. It emphasizes the importance of audience relevance, testing, and analytical reporting to enhance engagement and achieve better results. Guidelines for maintaining list hygiene, personalization, and compliance with legal requirements are also outlined to maximize the impact of email marketing efforts.
Thinking Outside the Inbox: Email Marketing Best Practices
- 2. AgendaOverview of emailmarketing
- 3. Email design bestpractices
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- 6. Email copy &content
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- 17. List hygiene &maintenanceTo get you PUMPED about the potential that email marketing offers for us to communicate to our brokers, customers, and prospective members effectively!
- 18. Email marketingThe useof email in marketing communications
- 19. Direct promotional emailsto acquire new customers
- 20. Retention for existingcustomers
- 21. Emails sent toencourage customer loyalty
- 22. Email to enhancecustomer relationship
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- 25. Electronic equivalent ofdirect mail, print newsletter, or advertisement
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- 28. Measurable“Email marketing worksbecause……of trust between the sender and recipient.”
- 29. …it enables youto send targeted messages and see instant, measurable results.”
- 30. …it allows youto send your customers what they want, when they want it.”
- 31. …you are reachingcustomers who have opted in and you know they are interested in what you have to say.”
- 32. …there is viralpotential.”
- 33. …you can provethat it does.”Email design BPsEmail is the black sheep of web design
- 34. Readers don’t alwaysknow what to expect
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- 39. Code like it’s1999What makes a good email design?Legally required details
- 40. Physical street address,prominent unsubscribe link, viewing options, permission reminder
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- 42. Different from webdesign
- 43. Simple or noCSS
- 44. Maintains visual connectionto the brand
- 45. Webpage extends aprint brand
- 46. Subscribers make aconnection
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- 48. Short URLsBuilding theemailUse very basic code
- 49. Email clients havelimited support for modern HTML and CSS
- 50. Use basic HTMLtables to display content
- 51. Keep designs toa single or two-column layout
- 52. Most important contentshould always be above-the-fold
- 53. Top left iswhere most look firstSingle column emailHeader containing logo or link to parent siteBody content with links to longer stories or articlesFooter which includes links, physical address, unsubcribe link, permissions, deliverability instructions
- 54. 2-column emailHeader containinglogo or link to parent siteNarrow side column to house other features, links, call-to-action, etc.Body content with links to longer stories or articlesFooter which includes links, physical address, unsubcribe link, permissions, deliverability instructions
- 55. Taste Our PenneAlfredo with Chicken & Peas Tonight
- 56. Discover Special OffersFor One Last Summer Escape
- 57. MoneyWhys: Putting yourfinances in perspective
- 58. Increase Your ROIwith Customized Marketing Efforts
- 59. FREE SHIPPING onSelect Lenox® Bridal Gifts!
- 60. FREE SHIPPING onSelect Lenox® Bridal Gifts!
- 61. Test your designSetup various test accounts
- 62. Test to multipleemail clients to identify problems
- 63. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo!,AOL, Hotmail
- 64. Test in multiplebrowsers
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- 68. Host all ofyour own images
- 69. Set fixed heightsand widths for all tables and images
- 70. Make sure alllinks open in new window
- 71. Avoid large imagesabove-the-fold
- 72. Make sure imagelooks decent w/ images turned offEmail content & copyDeveloping content
- 73. Make sure contentis relevant to audience
- 74. Keep a contentfolder to avoid pressing deadlines
- 75. Everyone in organizationshould contribute ideas
- 76. Develop reserve contentthat won’t lose its relevancy
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- 78. Use those reportsto learn about your readers’ interests
- 79. Examine your website’sreports
- 80. What sections aremost popular?
- 81. Sign up forcompetitor newsletters and newsletters you like
- 82. Talk to salesreps
- 83. Customer interests, issues,questions in the context of your products and services
- 84. Ask readers whatthey’re interested inEmail content & copySpam words to avoid
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- 91. Numbers in subjectlines
- 92. Blue Sky Factoryrecommends…
- 93. Keep the “naughtylist” close by when writing emails
- 94. Test your emailsto various ISPs; make changes and retest
- 95. Use a spamchecker!
- 96. When in doubt,rewrite itChecklistOnce you are comfortable with the design and content, go through one last checklistDoes the “From” address display properly?
- 97. Is the contactinfo correct and visibly obvious?
- 98. Does the topof the email provide alternative display options?
- 99. Does the emailexplain why the recipient is receiving it and give them the chance to opt-out?
- 100. Does the emailcontain text asking readers to add your “From” address to their email address book?Email subject linesThe best subject lines:Are short
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- 102. Provide readers w/reasons to explore message furtherRemember:Attempts to stand out via cheesy phrases will not work
- 103. Provide valuable, relevant,necessary information
- 104. 50 characters orless
- 105. Avoid the threeworst words: help, percent, reminderEmail subject linesPersonalization and localization helps
- 106. Mix up subjectsfor newsletters
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- 108. Keep subject contentfresh
- 109. Describe what isinside
- 110. Only go above50 characters for extremely targeted audiences and specific circumstances
- 111. Work in tandemwith “From” address
- 112. Communicate who youare as a sender
- 113. Try framing subjectas a questionGuess that open rate!
- 115. Ibxpress survey testSurveydelivered in July 2009 to 5,764 new portal users
- 116. Tested two subjectlines using a sampled campaign
- 117. 1,510 recipients receivedsubject “Have your say and a chance to win”
- 118. 1,472 recipients receivedsubject “IBC is looking for customer feedback”
- 119. 2,782 remaining recipientsreceived email with the winning subject lineIbxpress survey testHave your say and a chance to winIBC is looking for customer feedback
- 120. Ibxpress survey testWinningsubject sent to remaining 2,782 recipients
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- 122. 149 clicks tosurvey
- 123. 301 completed surveyfrom initial sends
- 124. Reminder sent tothose who did NOT complete survey
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- 126. 240 clicks tosurvey
- 127. 541 total surveyrespondents = 9.4% conversion rateEmail testingOther things you can test:
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- 131. 20% off vs.free shipping
- 132. 30% off bs.Multiple purchase discounts
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- 134. Length of content,images, links, layout, etc.
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- 139. Who your emailwas sent to
- 140. Who opened youremail
- 141. Who opted-out ofyour list
- 142. Who forwarded youremail
- 143. How many inboxesyour email bounced from
- 144. Who clicked onwhat links
- 145. What time recipientsopened, clicked, etc.
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- 147. What you shoulddo next time to improveIndividual HMO reporting
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- 149. BenchmarkingRecent studies showthat benchmarks are going out the window
- 150. You know yourcustomers best
- 151. You are incontrol
- 152. When you send,how often, how long your messages are, what format, etc.
- 153. Every campaign isa test for next time
- 154. Social media changingemail marketing
- 155. Becnhmark yourself!List buildingand hygieneNever purchase or rent a list
- 156. Build your ownhouse list
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- 159. Co-register with partnersite or company and share lists
- 160. Grow your permission-basedemail list:
- 161. Place signup formon homepage
- 162. Link to formthroughout site
- 163. Include opt-in linkin your email signature
- 164. Add link toyour company invoices
- 165. Offer incentives forsigning up
- 166. Ask clients andfriends to opt-in
- 167. Add opt-in checkboxto any “Contact Us” formsGoals for our emktg effortsReduce our bounce rates
- 168. Be mindful oftiming
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- 171. Perform more subject,design, content tests
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- 173. Work closely withweb team
- 174. Research and stayinformed
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- 176. Improve campaigns andapply for awards
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