Email Marketing Tips Blog

Need to “see it to believe it?” GetResponse now offers a “live” graph that lets you track the transmission of your email campaigns in real time! So, while WE KNOW our deliverability is top notch, we don’t want you to waste a minute wondering. Got a lot going on? Leave the Broadcast Bar on your desktop and monitor them! The Progress Bar is available NOW once you log in to your account. Simply click on My Campaigns and select the campaign broadcast you’d like to monitor. Isn’t it “good to know”?!

Simon Grabowski, CEO and founder of GetResponse, had this to say about the new feature: “Our clients are telling us that they are trying to do more with less these days, and that means managing more email marketing campaigns than ever before. The new Broadcast Bar allows at-a-glance status checks on multiple campaigns, making their jobs easier and less stressful, while providing managers with real-time reporting capabilities. As always the GetResponse Team would like to thank our valued clients for their feedback and encourage everyone to voice their recommendations, so we can continue to deliver the ultimate in email marketing features and service.”

Kind Regards

The GetResponse Team

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One of the things that really irritates – and interrupts – my web surfing is to land on an interesting site and immediately have a pop-up or slide-in block my view.

My issue is not with the fact that the owner is building a list. It’s that they are asking for a commitment before I know anything about them. If you push me to make a decision too quickly, I’ll just say no.

MarketingSherpa actually tested opt-in times and found that a 60–second delay caused the highest opt-in rate. They chose this time because their analytics revealed that the average visitor stayed about one minute on a site page. (Note: Based on your own analytics, you may wish to tweak this further.)

I’m not at all surprised that they found that conversions rose. In 60 seconds, your visitor has had a change to step into your site, find a cozy place to sit, and start reading or interacting. That 60 seconds gives them a much better idea of whether they’d like to “set a spell” and come back to visit, or be on their way.

I can tell you that 99% of the time, if a slide-in or pop-up immediately crosses my computer screen, I’ll usually close it without even reading the offer, because it so aggravates me.

And this testing bore that out. The 60–second delay at Ask-Leo.com delivered an average 1000% increase in daily opt-ins vs. the other time delays tested.

What could your bottom line look like with a 1000% opt-in increase? Time to test, wouldn’t you say?

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse

We’ve all seen those outrageous infomercials, advertisements or email messages touting unbelievable achievements by purchasing Product X or Service Y. (The most common niches I see for this type of advertising are weight loss and making money.)

In the past, claims like “I lost 75 pounds in three months” and “I earned $7000 my first week!”  have been allowed because of three simple words: “Results Not Typical”. While 99% of the participants may have only lost four pounds in three months, those three little words protected advertisers.

But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is about to change that. Following two separate research studies, the FTC found that consumers felt these claims were representative of what the average person could expect to achieve. They did not view these success stories as a one-in-a-million result, even with the “Results Not Typical” disclaimer.

If these changes are instituted, advertisers who use this type of success story will have to:

• Provide clinical data substantiating that these results were the average; or
• Eliminate such success stories fro their advertising campaigns; or
• If using non-representative success stories, they must be accompanied by a disclosure of what their average customer achieves.

The new guidelines would affect those who make specific, quantifiable claims. Having someone comment on the ease of use of a product or service would not fall under these new guidelines.

If you have not received your current campaigns in awhile, this is a great opportunity to update them and make sure you’ll be in compliance.

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse

I recently did some research in the local business niche and was shocked to find that the majority of local businesses with websites had no opt-in form! These were companies that marketing through chambers of commerce, yellow page advertising and local radio spots.

When they drove people to their websites, how many names were they able to capture?

None.

Nada.

My guess is that they spent a decent amount of money to have their website built. Then they added their URL to business cards, directory listings, yellow page advertising, and assorted marketing materials.

Without a way to capture their visitors’ information, all their work is an exercise in futility. Unless they’ve built an incredibly interactive site, or one which is constantly updated with newsworthy information, it’s unlikely visitors will return on a regular basis.

Bricks and mortar locations can email:

• Weekly coupons
• Restaurant lunch specials
• New products received
• Reorder reminders
• Tips on making the most of your purchase
• Wine tastings or special events

The list is limited only by your imagination.

The key is that you don’t have to be the best copywriter in the world. You don’t have to hire staff and have world-class graphics.

Interesting, timely, and valuable text emails are all you need to get started. And, if my research is any indication, you will immediately be head-and-shoulders above your competition.

Are you a local business? How do you utilize email to promote your business? We’d love to feature some of our customers…comment below!

Debbi Bressler
GetResponse

Stop what you are doing right now and look at your website or blog.

I’m assuming you have an opt-in form. But, if you are like the majority of sites I see, your visitors may not see the value in subscribing.

You see, too many say, “Sign up here for my newsletter” or “Get my free report here”.

Now, that may have worked in the 90’s, but it won’t work today. Most of us are inundated with email these days. The last thing we’ll do is sign up for something before you asked us to do so! These days, it’s all about value.

If your subscription efforts need a makeover, here are a few tips:

• “Sell” Your Subscription. Create a headline that captures the attention of your visitor.
• Build Value. Tell them what they’ll receive by signing up. (You are providing something of value, right?) Let them know the retail value of what you are offering.
• Don’t be Shy. Having an opt-in box in the corner of your page is not enough these days. You should also include an opt-in at the end of each article you write or resource you print. Catch them while they are hot and appreciative of the information you are sharing with them.
• Tease Your Visitors. If you have a blog, once a week write a teaser about what was sent to your subscribers. I offer a teleconference from one of my sites, but it is only available to subscribers. And then remind them it is simple and free to join, followed by your opt-in box.
• Use Testimonials. You wouldn’t think about writing a sales letter without testimonials…why not use them for your opt-in “sale”? Hold a contest and ask readers to submit a story on how they utilized one of your newsletter tips. Be sure to let them know that their comments may be published. Offer a link to their site as an additional benefit.
• Make Them Feel Safe. Be sure to clearly state your email policy. (This should go without saying, but you’d be surprised how many marketers never mention this.)

If you have some techniques you are using to increase response, please share them with our readers!

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse