Ever have the feeling that you’re doing everything right with your email marketing, but the “spam demons” are out to get you? Well, we’re here to demystify the issue and to remind us all why certain mundane practices are so important to avoiding the dreaded spam folder.

Let’s review the top 11 reasons (though not always reasonable) why recipients flag emails as spam. Hopefully, this will help you evaluate your subject lines, titles, email frequency, etc. before sending to determine if you’re getting too close to these “danger zones”.

Epsilon International surveyed over 4,000 consume on why they flagged emails as spam. Here are their reasons in descending order:
1.    Try to trick me into opening it (74%)
2.    Offensive subject matter (68%)
3.    Any emails I did not ask for or subscribe to (62%)
4.    Senders who are unknown to me (61%)
5.    Emails automatically filtered into the junk mailbox (43%)
6.    Any email I don’t want, regardless of whether I subscribed (37%)
7.    Email sent from a sender not in my address book or approved sender list (34%)
8.    Email from a company I may have given permission to send me mail at one time, but that I no longer wish to receive (34%)
9.    From companies with an offline relationship, but never gave permission to contact me via email (32%)
10.    From companies I have done business with but send too frequently (27%)
11.    Email that tries to sell me a product or service, even if I know the sender (24%)

Notice that almost HALF are “permission-based”, which can be virtually eliminated by using the confirmed opt-in procedure offered by GetResponse!  Other reasons can be addressed by employing anti-spam best practices and avoiding common spam words. And finally, just taking extra care to ensure that your subject lines and titles clearly communicate your brand and the content of your message – all topics we’ve covered in recent blogs.

Now let’s look at the primary reasons recipients unsubscribe (same survey) to see if there are any common threads.  As you know, we’re all about solutions, so I’ve added some “corrective actions” to provide some takeways:
A.    Irrelevant content – It’s #1 folks! There are lots of suggestions in our blog archives, but we promise to keep researching and offering you more “relevant” tips.
B.    Receive too frequently − #10 on the “spam” list but #2 here…wow! Run a free survey to find out how often your audience (s) wants to hear from you and what content they want to receive.
C.    Suspect email address being shared/sold – Both ”C” and “D” hammer this home. Always publish a concise Privacy Policy and always abide by your statement. Period.
D.    Don’t recall signing up – More common that you think, so it probably wouldn’t hurt to send a “thank you” for being a subscriber/customer every once in a while!
E.    Privacy concerns – Again, always include your Privacy Policy and ask them to read it!

Are you surprised at how easy it is to correct these negative results? And relieved we hope!

If you’d like us to blog further on any of these issues, just shoot us an email and we’d be happy to help!

Source: Ingistics LLC and Marketance™ www.marketance.com

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter, spam

About three months ago, we were trying to convince you that confirmed opt-in option is much more effective than the unconfirmed opt-in when adding qualified subscribers to your lists. We gave you several important reasons to validate our point of view.

If the last blog post didn’t convince you, we hope the results of our latest analysis will help you understand how well confirmed opt-in works for real-life GetResponse customers, and put all serious arguments to rest.

Now, onto the study: we analyzed over 700M messages sent from GetResponse Pro accounts between August 1st and November 1st 2009, and compared certain “success” factors for confirmed opt-in and unconfirmed opt-in users. We thought we’d find improvements with confirmed opt-in, but the results amazed even us!

According to the analysis, messages sent from accounts using confirmed opt-in returned 71% higher Open Rates and 66% higher Click Rates than unconfirmed opt-in account messages. That’s close to “double” the good results!

That’s not all! The number of “undeliverable” messages in accounts where users applied confirmed opt-in had 75% fewer bounces than accounts where users chose the unconfirmed opt-in option. Moreover, in confirmed opt-in accounts, spam complaints were almost 40% lower!

Based on these stats, just imagine the difference confirmed opt-in could make in the success of your email campaigns. Here are just a few of the advantages of confirmed opt ins:

• Your list is cleaner as your database includes only confirmed email addresses.
• Your recipients open your messages more willingly because they chose to subscribe to your list.
• Usually recipients remember they subscribed and rarely send spam complaints to your email marketing provider (e.g. GetResponse) or your ISP.
• You get much better click-through ratios, which can lead to higher sales ratios.
• You gain higher-value customers and fewer “unsubscribes” overall.

All these factors improve your reputation as an email marketer − and your email marketing results!

Finally, please don’t worry that if you use the confirmed opt-in option, you’ll annoy new subscribers. Most appreciate the reminder and the extra “protection” it gives them from unwanted emails. Believe us when we say, your subscribers will be grateful they are only receiving messages they truly want − and you will enjoy all of the above benefits PLUS have higher deliverability rates and a cleaner list. Remember, that’s your “goldmine”!

To be balanced, if you think there are any disadvantages to the confirmed opt-in option, just let us know. We sure couldn’t find any, but would like to hear from you – pro and con!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, list building, marketing, news

The GetResponse Team arrived safely at the Big Apple and was hard at work immediately! There was a whirlwind of last-minute activity, but no rest for the weary! As soon as they landed, they caught a taxi and went straight to the Javis Center to prepare the GetResponse booth. Here they are, slaving away to make sure that everything is done in time − and perfect of course!. So, fast lunch, quick check in at hotel, and back to the Javis Center to put the finishing touches on our “stage set”.

When the booth was ready, the Team could finally take a break to admire their work − and take some pictures of course. Magnificent guys!

Here is a member of the GetResponse Team waiting anxiously for the show to begin. We hope you can stop by Booth #2110 and meet them! We guarantee you’ll get lots of useful tips and email marketing knowledge that your competitors wish they had!

What’s happening? The GetResponse Team will be on deck demonstrating how to integrate email marketing and social media across channels, and how to use video emails, surveys and email analytics to double or triple your email marketing ROI. Visitors are invited to test drive their favorite solutions, sign up for free accounts and special discounts, and receive the latest Email Marketing Secrets Guide.

It’s going to be a blast − and a great opportunity to build your skills and your business! Now wave to Agnieszka!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

We’re excited to announce that GetResponse will be exhibiting for the very first time, November 4-5, at ad:tech in New York City! In case you haven’t heard, ad:tech It’s the largest gathering of digital marketers in the world and the place to be to hear about the latest research, best strategies and hottest trends. Everyone who is anyone will be there, and now they’ll all have a chance to discover GetResponse email marketing!

If you, will be anywhere near the Javits Center, we’d love to show you how you can integrate email marketing and social media , and use video emails, surveys and email analytics to double or triple your ROI! So stop by Booth #2110 to meet with one of the GetResponse representatives.  Sign up for free and get our exclusive Email Marketing Secrets Guide! And don’t forget to take part in our “Ad:tech Visitors Only” lottery to win 3 months of Free Email Marketing!

Let us introduce you to the GetResponse Team who’ll be on deck at Booth 2110, ready to demonstrate our power-packed new features and answer all of your questions:

Matthew Clattenburg is a Customer Service team member for GetResponse. He specializes in communicating with customers by telephone, email and live chat to provide email campaign support and advice, as well resolution for common issues. Matthew enjoys tasting new foods, travelling, and spending time with family and friends. In his spare time, he surfs the social media world and plays online games.

Maciej Buchowski works as an Email Solutions Specialist. He is responsible for ensuring optimal deliverability for GetResponse and developing the GetResponse Enterprise sector. In addition, he ensures our clients follow our privacy and anti-spam policies and educates both customers and prospects on permission-based marketing best practices and strategies. His personal interests and hobbies range from hiking to paragliding and outdoor adventure trips,  to being an “indoor” Internet maniac and keen follower of online innovations.

Oskar Jedynasty, Email Solutions Manager at Implix/GetResponse, is responsible for assuring the highest deliverability for all Implix products; coordinating the development process for new GetResponse features; and creating and maintaining positive relationships with GetResponse Enterprise customers. After work, he likes to relax playing basketball or volleyball, but he’s also a Texas hold’em poker fanatic!

Agnieszka Dabrowska, Marketing Specialist, is responsible for internal and external marketing communication and public relations support. She sets up the programs, deploys marketing email messages and creative, and follows email marketing best practices, guidelines, spam regulation, and deliverability issues to continuously improve the quality of communications to the marketplace. Privately, she is a huge fan of contemporary dance theatre and loves travelling and learning about foreign tastes and cultures.

That’s the team! Come and check out the latest trends and features. Hope to see you there!

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email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

Spooky times are coming so be prepared when you hear the sound of „trick or treats” coming from outside your door − anything can happen! To get you in the “spooky spirit”, we’ve prepared a few hair-rising templates you can use to invite co-workers or friends to your costume party, or surprise your customers with a Halloween message offering a special “treat” like a discount coupon, or even an online costume party!

So don’t waste time − get spooky today! Log in to your GetResponse account, find  the new templates category “Halloween”, and get your message or invite out today!

Please let us know how the Halloween templates category works for you. Any ideas or suggestions to make it better and spookier?  We’re always looking for new ways to help you succeed!

This year we decided to give you “treats” but next year it might be “tricks”…so beware!!!!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

You probably have heard that GetResponse is celebrating its 10th anniversary!

To thank you for helping us reach this important milestone, we have a very nice discount waiting for anyone who purchases or upgrades a GetResponse account!

But that’s not all. We have also prepared a video about our company. Take a look and browse through the decade with us. Imagine the excitement when the first message was sent from a GetResponse account!

So sit back, rock to the music, and watch ten years of GetResponse squeezed into two minutes!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news

We are really proud to announce that GetResponse is celebrating its 10th anniversary today! Hard to believe but true – a whole decade of email marketing!

Throughout the years, we’ve tried to continuously improve our usability, and to develop new tools and launch bigger and better versions to meet the changing needs of SOHO and small business marketers like you. We know it’s tough out there.

So today we celebrate 10 years of success, but we also celebrate you, our customer. To thank you for helping us reach this important milestone, we have a very nice discount waiting for anyone who purchases or upgrades a GetResponse account!

Don’t delay! We’re giving you an entire month, but time flies! To take advantage of the discount, you must purchase your new or upgraded GetResponse account between October 26 and November 30. The “10% off” promotion is valid only on www.getresponse.com and the 10% discount applies to the initial payment you choose for your plan.

So don’t wait another minute! Log in and upgrade your GetResponse account, take the discount and join the GetResponse Team as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the best email marketing solution on the market.

If you’re new to GetResponse, what better time  to launch your email marketing! Just purchase a new GetResponse account and start growing your ROI today with your 10% off your new email marketing account.

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

When subscribers receive your message, the real marketing begins. Success depends on whether they 1. open and read your message; 2. click through it; 3. respond to your call to action. So if your delivery rates are great, as with GetResponse, and your open rates are running at about 20% to 30%, you don’t have to worry as that’s considered about average. Of course, it varies by industry but the point is − you can always improve by paying attention to a few of the “basics”.

First of all, be very thoughtful when creating your email “Subject” and “From” fields. Let’s start with “From”: Subscribers may only have a few minutes once or twice a day to plow through say 40-50 emails, some old, some new, some junk. So it’s important to let them know the email is from a source they know and trust. Do not send emails from addresses like:  ‘”admin@company.com” , “service@company.com” or “abuse@company.com”.  However, once subscribers have become familiar with you and your staff, you may be able to use the senders personal email address to make a more personal connection. The bottom line is: be very clear and consistent with your branding, even when the message is coming from another department or third-party.  An example of a good “From” field for a newsletter would be: GetResponse Newsletter from “newsletter@getresponse.com”

Now, onto the next challenge! Almost everything that happens in the next second or two depends on the subject line, which should have “stopping power”. For example, the wording should be concise but catchy, dramatic or funny, or offer great (time-limited) savings, or perhaps important statistics and useful “insider” information.  So put yourself in your subscriber’s place and imagine what would make you stop, open and read!

Important note! While keeping your subject line to 6 words or less is the goal, once again, including your brand or product name here makes it instantly recognizable and keeps recipients reading! According to Jupiter Research report, including your company name in the subject line can increase open rates by 32% to 60% over a subject line without branding! Think about it…what if 10% of that 60% purchased your product!

Once you’ve crafted the perfect “Subject” and “From” fields, you’re ready to create content. If you need some help, just click on these previous posts. Good luck and don’t forget the “basics”!

Drawing a Blank? Create Newsletter Content Ahead of Time!
Drawing a Blank? Part 2: Content That Delivers Value

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

Poor “Jane” is getting a bad rap when it comes to all-text email marketing. After all, it’s up to us to format our plain text emails so they’re really attractive, easy to read, and interesting, right? Too often we’re blaming less-than-thrilling results on the plain text format, when it could be our lack of content design that caused the “yawn heard round the world”.

So let’s go back to the basics for one blog and address the problem of “content” mapping or formatting, and why it matters to those of us who send all-text emails from time to time.

I’ve collaborated with a couple of online writers to come up with these suggestions, so we hope you find them useful. After the first few practice runs, it should only take a few minutes to incorporate these tips – and vastly improve your email marketing results.

Now, here’s the theme we want to hammer home about plain-text emails. More than any other format, it’s critical to create a CONVERSATION with all text – not a lecture, product brief, or mini-brochure.  So let’s think about that…how do we “converse”?

That’s right, in short exchanges, often punctuated with questions, exclamations, and “agreement” phrases (“right?”). Now you’re probably saying ‘sure, easy for a professional writer to do!’ Listen, if you can carry on an intelligent conversation for 2-3 minutes, YOU CAN DO THIS! No excuses! So…

1.    Chunking:  Our writer calls content mapping “chunking” so let’s go with that. It means separating your paragraphs into no more than 2-3 sentences (forget the 5-sentence rule) of interesting, related content. What does that look like? Is it more than 5 lines?

2.    Line Length: Now format the content so that each line is @ 70 characters long. Less is even better if you have a large mobile audience. Gmail is going to cut it off @ 130 characters anyway, so keeping it short means less ungainly wrapping and MUCH faster and easier scanning. The goal is to create small chunks of no more than 3-4 lines.

3.    Headers and Subheads: Use the same care and creativity you put into your titles and subject lines to break up your content “chunks’. Leave breathing space between each section, and space after each header/subhead. Accent with symbols, icons, shapes, etc. to catch the scanning eye. Let your readers choose if, and what, they want to read.

4.    Content Design Review: Look at your completed email message. Is it too long overall? Focus more on design “stopping power”, readability, and ease of scanning. Can each “chunk” stand on its own? Are the sections in the right order for maximum impact? Do my eyes strain anywhere to find content or separate topics? Good, you’re done!

So keep these “chunking” and content design practices in mind when you’re creating your all–text email messages and be amazed at the power of “Plain Jane”!!!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter

We really like announcing new GetResponse features! This time we’d like to tell you that there are two new ways to personalize in personalization module. Here are the new rules:

• Unsubscribe url – unsubscribe user from campaign

• Forward to a friend – enable sending message to five email addresses

The last one is great for adding more viral marketing to your campaigns. Urge everyone to use it!

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autoresponder, autoresponders, email, email marketing, marketing, news, newsletter