Best Practices:

Improving email response rates

Jason Meyers

Email is still The KingDespite the hype for Social Media, the

“killer app” is still good ol’ email.

Source: Datran Media - 2010 Marketing and Media Survey

What advertising channels performed the strongest for your company in 2009?

Declining Response

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

Open Click Action

4.0%4.6%

14.6%

4.5%5.5%

16.0%

4.8%6.3%

17.0%

2007 2008 2009

Source: 2009 NTEN eNonprofit Benchmark Study

advocacy emails

Engaging Action Alerts

• Part I - Content

• Part II - Timing

• Part III - Your List

• Part IV - Tactics

Part I - Contentwhat to say

A letter to a friend

Facts are fine, but email is about emotion

• Anger

• Fear

• Egotism

• Self Interest

• Compassion

• Connection

• Hope

• Love

Anatomy of an Email

• In order to be effective, you must convey both Crisis and Opportunity in your email

• E.g. The government has introduced legislation harmful to our cause (Crisis), but the opposition parties can defeat it (Opportunity)

Credit: Ben Brandzel

Find the “CRISISTUNITY” in your campaign

Anatomy of an Email

• A chain of events that begin with your supporter

• Answer “Why me? Why now?”

• E.g. The Government has introduced legislation harmful to our cause (Crisis), but the opposition parties can defeat it (Opportunity), but only if they get pressure from you and me (RFTOC)

Credit: Ben Brandzel

Develop a “READER FOCUSED THEORY OF CHANGE”

Anatomy of an Email

• The ASK is the actual action that starts the RFTOC

• E.g. Write a letter to the opposition party leaders

• Most important...

Credit: Ben Brandzel

Have a specific and focused “ASK”

There can be only one.

Anatomy of an Email

• Some people will automatically be “with you” after the first few lines, while others will need more information to be convinced

• Address any weaknesses in your argument

• Good practice to site news articles and other outside sources of info

• Provide another link after the supporting information

Credit: Ben Brandzel

Detail “SUPPORTING INFORMATION”

Anatomy of an Email

• If “supporting information” appeals to logic, the “movement story” appeals to emotion

• Describe “what is really going on” – e.g. "this is about ordinary people taking back our democracy”

• Describe “what we are doing” - e.g. "we're building a network strong enough to get our message heard"

• Describe the world we are trying to create – e.g. "together we can ensure no child goes to bed hungry"

Credit: Ben Brandzel

Provide a “MOVEMENT STORY”

Part 2 - Timingwhen to send

The moment of relevance• Watch the media

• Watch your web stats and search queries

• Watch twitter trending topics

“enough is enough”

Part 3 - Your Listwho to send to

This isn’t about you

“Help me, help you!”

Segmentation

• Stated interests

• Issue of previous action

• Recency of action

• Number of actions

• Donation history

• Geography

• Their riding/MP

• Customization of letters

• First contact

• Other socio-economic criteria

Part 4 - Tacticstips to maximize response

Email similar to landing page

Credit: FairSay

Auto-populate

Credit: FairSay

The Ladder of Engagement

Credit: FairSay

Ensure your emails are recognizable when they arrive

Credit: FairSay

Easily scannable in preview pane of email software

Credit: FairSay

Keep the formatting simple

Credit: FairSay

Tell the story with images

Credit: FairSay

Links to action

Credit: FairSay

“A big red button”

16%

3%

20%

52%

9%

Personalize when possible

Summary• Remember you are dealing with real people who have

complex, personal emotional ties to your issue

• Send email when it makes sense, not on some artificial schedule

• Create an email you would want to read

• Reduce the barriers to action

• Do your own benchmarking and track effectiveness over time

• Remember what you are fighting for

Jason Meyersjason@fivestones.ca

fivestones.catwitter.com/jasonmeyers

Special thanks to Duane Raymond and FairSayfor the use of Tactics slide material