bob johnson consulting, llc 1 email communications: a guide to achieving higher impact annual...

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC 11

Email Communications:A Guide to Achieving Higher Impact

Annual Educational ConferenceAnnual Educational ConferenceState University of New YorkState University of New York

Council for University AdvancementCouncil for University AdvancementJune 15, 2006June 15, 2006


Remember 8 tips about the Internet…Remember 8 tips about the Internet…

People are impatientPeople are impatient









We know this about Internet readers…We know this about Internet readers…

People scan first, read afterwards…People scan first, read afterwards…

They are very impatient…They are very impatient…

You have to capture their attention immediatelyYou have to capture their attention immediately


Impatience demands brevity….Impatience demands brevity….““Whenever I find myself Whenever I find myself

growing grim about the mouth; growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off- then, knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.” sea as soon as I can.”

I must go to sea when:

– I'm depressed or melancholy – I stop in front of coffin

warehouses – I follow funerals – I have a powerful urge to knock

people's hats off

With thanks to Brian Niles, TargetX


The marketing power of email…The marketing power of email…

Email is person-to-person contact that Email is person-to-person contact that

establishes & maintains relationshipsestablishes & maintains relationships

– It creates a circle from your website to your audience It creates a circle from your website to your audience

and back to your website if content is of interestand back to your website if content is of interest

People thus engaged are more likely to take the People thus engaged are more likely to take the

“desired action step” at the appropriate time“desired action step” at the appropriate time


Today, email is still very popular…Today, email is still very popular…

90 percent of Internet users are email users…90 percent of Internet users are email users…

Communicating effectively is essentialCommunicating effectively is essential


RSS as an alternative to email…RSS as an alternative to email…

Less than 10 percent of Internet users subscribe to RSS Less than 10 percent of Internet users subscribe to RSS information feeds…information feeds…

RSS isn’t replacing email anytime soon…RSS isn’t replacing email anytime soon…

Each will have a role in the communication mixEach will have a role in the communication mix


8 Practical Tips for Email Set Up 8 Practical Tips for Email Set Up


Practical email set up tip…Practical email set up tip…

For in-house list, use your brand name in the subject…For in-house list, use your brand name in the subject…

You want instant recognition in the mailboxYou want instant recognition in the mailbox



For a purchased list, try to use the name to which For a purchased list, try to use the name to which the recipient gave permission…the recipient gave permission…

The recipient might recognize that nameThe recipient might recognize that name



Make sure email links are clickable…Make sure email links are clickable…

The last thing you should do before sending…The last thing you should do before sending…

Don’t ever skip this stepDon’t ever skip this step



Make the “Opt-out” method clear…Make the “Opt-out” method clear…

At the end of your emailAt the end of your email



Key text message in no more than 5-6 lines…Key text message in no more than 5-6 lines…

Bullet points for critical points from subject line…Bullet points for critical points from subject line…

Review the subject line after writing the messageReview the subject line after writing the message



Remember the preview window…Remember the preview window…

Nearly 50% of people with a window use it to decide Nearly 50% of people with a window use it to decide whether or not to open an email…whether or not to open an email…

This makes the first sentence criticalThis makes the first sentence critical



Give people a choice between HTML and plain text…Give people a choice between HTML and plain text…Remain wary of images and rich media…Remain wary of images and rich media…

Don’t distract people from your main messageDon’t distract people from your main message


HTML in newsletter and email…HTML in newsletter and email…


88% Higher Click-through


How long should it be?How long should it be?

No fixed answer…No fixed answer…Can be four typed pages in a Word document…Can be four typed pages in a Word document…

Can be a single page…Can be a single page…Should be more than headlines and links to a websiteShould be more than headlines and links to a website


Create an email newsletter strategy…Create an email newsletter strategy…

Don’t do a newsletter “just because”…Don’t do a newsletter “just because”…

Have reasonable expectations…Have reasonable expectations…

Stay in touch with your audience…Stay in touch with your audience…

Monitor what people click through to adjust contentMonitor what people click through to adjust content


Answer these questions…Answer these questions…

Why am I doing this?Why am I doing this?

Who am I writing to?Who am I writing to?

What am I writing about?What am I writing about?

What voice will I use?What voice will I use?Michael Katz, Blue Penguin Development, Inc.Michael Katz, Blue Penguin Development, Inc.

Can I do this at least once a month?Can I do this at least once a month?– Once a week isn’t too often, if…Once a week isn’t too often, if…

Bob JohnsonBob Johnson


Why am I doing this?Why am I doing this?

To cultivate a long-term relationshipTo cultivate a long-term relationship

To create top-of-mind presence when a reader is To create top-of-mind presence when a reader is ready to take an action:ready to take an action:– Enroll in a continuing education courseEnroll in a continuing education course– Apply for a master’s degreeApply for a master’s degree– Recommend a college to a friend or co-workerRecommend a college to a friend or co-worker– Respond to an annual fund solicitation by mail or Respond to an annual fund solicitation by mail or

phonephone


Who am I writing to?Who am I writing to?

Audience quality is more important than sizeAudience quality is more important than size– Strive for a loyal following of reasonable sizeStrive for a loyal following of reasonable size

Most important audiences are related toMost important audiences are related to– EnrollmentEnrollment– Fund raisingFund raising– Alumni participationAlumni participation– Media coverageMedia coverage

Most audiences require “versioning” for highest Most audiences require “versioning” for highest impactimpact– New “version” doesn’t require a 100% new newsletterNew “version” doesn’t require a 100% new newsletter


What am I writing about?What am I writing about?

Content has to attract the audienceContent has to attract the audience– UsefulUseful– RelevantRelevant– InterestingInteresting

Test conventional wisdom with audience Test conventional wisdom with audience researchresearch

Don’t worry overly much about each individual Don’t worry overly much about each individual item in the newsletteritem in the newsletter– But track click through for popular itemsBut track click through for popular items– Let popularity influence content decisionsLet popularity influence content decisions


How will you know if it works?How will you know if it works?From the TargetX experience…From the TargetX experience…

House FilesHouse Files Rented FilesRented Files

BouncebacksBouncebacks 1-2%1-2% 10-15%10-15%

Opened/ViewedOpened/Viewed >40%>40% >20%>20%

Click-ThroughsClick-Throughs >10%>10% 2-7%2-7%

Opt-OutsOpt-Outs 0.5-1%0.5-1% 0.5-1%0.5-1%

ConversionsConversions Email is one of many activitiesEmail is one of many activities


Examples for review…Examples for review…

Email only…Email only…

Email newslettersEmail newsletters


The HTML/website alternative…The HTML/website alternative…


For ongoing expertise …For ongoing expertise …


Thank You!Thank You!

Bob Johnson, Ph.D.Bob Johnson, Ph.D.President and Senior ConsultantPresident and Senior Consultant

Bob Johnson Consulting, LLCBob Johnson Consulting, LLC226 Chauncey Court226 Chauncey CourtMarshall, MI 49068Marshall, MI 49068

[email protected]@bobjohnsonconsulting.comwww.bobjohnsonconsulting.comwww.bobjohnsonconsulting.com

248.766.6425 (mobile) 248.766.6425 (mobile)

bob johnson consulting, llc 1 email communications: a guide to achieving higher impact annual...

Documents

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bob johnson consulting

practical email

email users

marketing power of email

email communications

step slide

message slide