email marketing: messaging & strategy
DESCRIPTION
This was a presentation on email marketing messaging and strategy given at the DMA's DM Days 07 in New York City.TRANSCRIPT
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Email Message & StrategyEmail Message & Strategy
3 R’s of Message Strategy3 R’s of Message Strategy
Engineering Calls to ActionEngineering Calls to Action
Determining When to Mail & Determining When to Mail & TestingTesting
Q&AQ&A
Email Messaging & Email Messaging & StrategyStrategy
Ross Kramer, Ross Kramer, ListrakListrak
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3 R’s of Messaging Strategy3 R’s of Messaging Strategy
Relevancy
Rendering Reputation
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The 1The 1stst R R
RELEVANCYRELEVANCY
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Email Marketers DilemmaEmail Marketers Dilemma
People grow disinterested as you send them the People grow disinterested as you send them the same information over time.same information over time.
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Keys to SuccessKeys to Success
• Know your audienceKnow your audience• Know what your audience wantsKnow what your audience wants• Know how to fulfill audience needsKnow how to fulfill audience needs
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Pathways to RelevancyPathways to Relevancy
• Start with a Preference CenterStart with a Preference Center• PersonalizationPersonalization
– Dynamic ContentDynamic Content• SegmentationSegmentation
– Interest / PreferenceInterest / Preference– Active vs. Non-ActiveActive vs. Non-Active– Behavior (Purchase Path / Click Behavior (Purchase Path / Click
Stream Data)Stream Data)
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Web Analytics ExampleWeb Analytics Example
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The 2The 2ndnd R R
RENDERINGRENDERING
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RenderingRendering
Recent changes in email Recent changes in email receivers’ technology are receivers’ technology are forcing email marketers to pay forcing email marketers to pay more attention to rendering in more attention to rendering in 2007.2007.
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RenderingRendering
Email Experience Council’s 2007 Email Experience Council’s 2007 Rendering Report showed that Rendering Report showed that out of 1,000 emails reviewed, out of 1,000 emails reviewed, 210 of them were completely 210 of them were completely blank with images turned on.blank with images turned on.
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?
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Other ChallengesOther Challenges
• New Microsoft Live MailNew Microsoft Live Mail• New Yahoo InterfaceNew Yahoo Interface• New Outlook 2007New Outlook 2007
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RenderingRendering
Tools are available to help you Tools are available to help you quickly test rendering of your quickly test rendering of your message.message.
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Rendering ToolsRendering Tools
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Rendering ToolsRendering Tools
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Accreditation Services Accreditation Services
• Sender Score Certified (formerly Bonded Sender Score Certified (formerly Bonded Sender)Sender)– Road Runner / Hotmail /MSN / Microsoft LiveRoad Runner / Hotmail /MSN / Microsoft Live
• Goodmail Goodmail – AOL / Yahoo (transactional)AOL / Yahoo (transactional)– Verizon / AT&T / Comcast / Road Runner /CoxVerizon / AT&T / Comcast / Road Runner /Cox
• Habeas SafeListHabeas SafeList– 4 million email networks4 million email networks
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The 3The 3rdrd R R
REPUTATIONREPUTATION
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ReputationReputation
Your email reputation is formed Your email reputation is formed through a symbiotic through a symbiotic relationship between relationship between permission level, message permission level, message relevancy and mailing relevancy and mailing practices.practices.
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ReputationReputation
Other factors that affect Other factors that affect reputation…reputation…
Message Not Relevant?Message Not Relevant?
Can’t Read the Message?Can’t Read the Message?
No Permission?No Permission?
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ReputationReputation
List Quality … Bounces!List Quality … Bounces!
List Size … Connections!List Size … Connections!
Measure your reputation atMeasure your reputation at– http://www.senderscore.orghttp://www.senderscore.org
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Critical Performance PiecesCritical Performance Pieces
Content
List QualityOffer/Call to Action
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Content StrategyContent Strategy
Focus on…Focus on…
– Subject LinesSubject Lines– Customer-centric Content (Think Customer-centric Content (Think
Relevancy!)Relevancy!)– TestingTesting
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Subject LinesSubject Lines
Click-through rates for subject Click-through rates for subject lines with lines with 49 or fewer 49 or fewer characterscharacters were 75 percent were 75 percent higher than for those with 50 or higher than for those with 50 or more. more.
-Return Path (2006)-Return Path (2006)
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Subject LinesSubject Lines
69% of people studied said they 69% of people studied said they make the decision to click on the make the decision to click on the "report spam""report spam" or "junk" button or "junk" button using the subject lineusing the subject line. .
-Email Sender and Provider Coalition (2007) -Email Sender and Provider Coalition (2007)
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Four Subject Line ImperativesFour Subject Line Imperatives
1.1. Personalization Personalization Adds the person’s first name in the subject lineAdds the person’s first name in the subject line
2.2. Include Your Company Name Include Your Company Name This will help with identifying who you are – think This will help with identifying who you are – think “report spam”“report spam”
3.3. Include the offer in the Subject LineInclude the offer in the Subject LineThis will boost your open/read rateThis will boost your open/read rate
4.4. Include a time limit or expirationInclude a time limit or expirationThis is a catalyst for “spur-of-the-moment” This is a catalyst for “spur-of-the-moment” actions/purchasesactions/purchases
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Customer–centric ContentCustomer–centric Content
Create email campaigns that work Create email campaigns that work hard and deliver highest ROIhard and deliver highest ROI
– Create relevant content tied to recipient Create relevant content tied to recipient preference preference
– Lifestyle messaging proving to be more Lifestyle messaging proving to be more lastinglasting
– Think “preview pane” - Above the fold body Think “preview pane” - Above the fold body copy must compel reader to click on relevant copy must compel reader to click on relevant offers or calls to action!offers or calls to action!
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Content StrategyContent Strategy
Copy Changes:Copy Changes: Small changes can make an impactSmall changes can make an impact
Example:Example:
““Click Here” versus “Get” or “Receive”Click Here” versus “Get” or “Receive”– Test and track changes all the way to conversion Test and track changes all the way to conversion
as “Click Here” may receive higher CTR, but as “Click Here” may receive higher CTR, but other copy alternatives might convert better.other copy alternatives might convert better.
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Content StrategyContent Strategy
Consider the Emotional Value of Your Consider the Emotional Value of Your Subject LineSubject Line
http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/
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Content StrategyContent Strategy
Creative Changes:Creative Changes: Don’t feel that you need to Don’t feel that you need to alwaysalways stick to your templatestick to your template
Example:Example:– Email Postcards can be an effective way Email Postcards can be an effective way
to to re-invigorate sagging response rates.re-invigorate sagging response rates.
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MarketingSherpa Email Awards 2007 – Best Consumer Postcard
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20,000 messages delivered6,500 messages forwarded to friends!
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When to MailWhen to Mail
Listrak ESP28 million emails sent
3000 campaigns
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When to Mail?When to Mail?
Listrak ESP240 million emails sent
26,000 campaigns
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When to MailWhen to Mail
When the inbox is cleanWhen the inbox is cleanWeekdays – Weekdays –
After 9AM but before 4PM ESTAfter 9AM but before 4PM EST
Geographical SegmentationGeographical SegmentationConsider time zonesConsider time zones
Stay away from… Stay away from… Friday afternoons and weekendsFriday afternoons and weekends
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TestingTesting
You don’t know You don’t know what you don’t knowwhat you don’t know
The only way to know The only way to know what you don’t knowwhat you don’t know
……is to test!is to test!
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Testing & TuningTesting & Tuning
Easy Idea: A/B SplitEasy Idea: A/B Split
• Segment “x” of list as test groupSegment “x” of list as test group• Split test group in half “a” & “b”Split test group in half “a” & “b”• Send separate test campaign to each splitSend separate test campaign to each split• Actionable results should be available Actionable results should be available
within 3 hourswithin 3 hours
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Determine Sample SizeDetermine Sample Size
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Ideas for TestingIdeas for Testing
Subject LinesSubject LinesPersonalizationPersonalizationSegmentationSegmentationOffer TypesOffer TypesCouponsCouponsDay Part / Week PartDay Part / Week Part
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3 R’s of Messaging Strategy3 R’s of Messaging Strategy
Relevancy
Rendering Reputation
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Q & AQ & A