using email before your campaign | emsa 2011

EMSA 2011 | Innovation and InspirationOctober 19 | Brisbane Powerhouse | Queensland

Using Email BEFORE your campaign

Russ VineManaging Director

Junior


Background

• Queensland Teachers Credit Union• Formed 1965• Nicer way to bank/lend money• Gets popular• Makes huge fuss it’s not just for teachers• Uncovers odd problem• Fixes problem with innovative campaign• As explained by this short video…


So how the hell did we come up with that?

• Best explained when the campaign is reviewed using traditional case study headings:– Problem– Insight & Strategy– Creative Solution– Results


Problem

• 1,700 schools in Queensland.• Only 1,500 teachers in the database.• Modest budget.• No hero rate or hot offer to lead with.• Finance = Low interest category.• ‘Nice’ brand values.


Strategy

• Reaching teachers not the problem but signing them up on the spot unlikely.

• Developed a strategy to create an ‘opted in database’ rather than aim for ‘ready to go leads’.

• Win win would be if we could improve awareness and image along the way.


Insights

• Teachers have a very high sense of professional identity.

• Teachers are in their most teacherly mode when they are together

• Where to get them all in one place? Schools!

• Where to get them thickest on the ground? The staffroom!!


Creative Solution – Part II

• So we want talk money, to teachers, in their staffroom.

• So lets offer them a cash prize.



• So we want talk money, to teachers, in their staffroom


• So lets offer them a cash prize to make over their staffroom.



• So we want talk money, to teachers, in their staffroom


• So lets offer them a cash prize to make over their staffroom.

• So lets offer them a cash prize to make over their staffroom depending on the most votes they can raise!


Creative Solution – Part III

• Adopt a fund raiser mentality.

• Create a sense of competition around the competition.

• Email participants with updates of who else is doing what else to raise votes.

• Provide leaderboards and ‘tips’.


Creative Solution – Part I (The Prequel!!)

• What else could we do to give the promotion a little zip?

• To research a mega staffroom is to trawl for ‘best staffroom in the world’– Which reminded us of all those ‘you’ve

got to check this out’ emails that people love to send you.

– Especially when they relate somehow to your job!


And a ‘pre campaign’ primer email was born

• Sent to 40 or so teachers in the first instance.

• Breaks every rule in the social media code of conduct.

• Produced exactly as any ‘normal’ person might produce it.

• Except it is a complete fabrication!!


The results

• 1024 out of 1700 schools in Queensland participated.

• Number of teachers on QTCU database rose from 1,500 to just over 17,000.

• Over a million consumers exposed to messaging.

• 40,000 unique votes cast.


And if there is a moral to this case study

• Email is a brilliant marketing channel.

• But it is also a way of life.

• Our original computer enabled means to disseminate the things that make us smile or think of someone else.

– More personal then facebook– Certainly more permanent– And (for professionals at least) viewed more often

using email before your campaign | emsa 2011

Education