Email Marketing Blog

Santa isn’t the only person who should check things twice. If you are using links in your emails, especially tracking links, be sure to send yourself a test message and verify that those links work.

I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I click on email links and end up lost in space. If it’s an affiliate link your reader clicked on, you’ll undoubtedly have a lost potential sale.

This only takes a minute, but shows your professionalism and attention to detail. Get in the habit of doing so starting today!

Debbi Bressler

Email Marketing Specialist

GetResponse

In a recent post, I mentioned some findings from AOL’s Fourth Annual Email Addiction Survey.

I also wanted to share some interesting statistics to back up an earlier post entitled Spring Clean Your Email Lists because the statistics in the report tie in with that article.

• 27% are so overwhelmed by their email that they’ve either declared “email bankruptcy”, deleting (or planning to) all their email messages to start anew.
• 20% of users said they have over 300 emails in their inboxes!
• 2% admit they’ve signd up for a new email address to start fresh.
• 69% of email users said they have multiple email accounts, up from 52% in 2007.

Bearing these facts in mind, you want to be sure YOUR emails stay on the keeper list. Be that one email that they look forward to receiving.

Would your correspondence make the cut?

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse

Ever had a reader write you back with an inappropriate response?

“Take me off your list or I am going to turn this in as spam.”

Or worse.

The other day I saw an email reply from a marketer who got a nasty email from someone who joined their affiliate program. Apparently, the new affiliate could not access a free download, and automatically assumed they were getting ripped off. (Not sure how you can get ripped off if no money is involved, but that’s not the point!)

The new affiliate wrote this marketer complaining that they couldn’t download the material, they must be rip-off artists, and if the person received one single email, they would sue!

The marketer replied as follows:

“Buddy, are you four years old?

You signed up to my list, so it is YOUR responsibility to get yourself off it. If you sue me, I will sue you because you are the one who is wrong. So nanny nanny boo boo.

Grow up already.”

Now, I’m sure the marketer felt relieved for sending that email off, but I’m not sure that was the best policy!

My suggestion (if you have to write a letter like that) is:

1. Write it in Word (so you don’t inadvertently send it).
2. Keep it overnight.
3. Read it in the morning, have a laugh, and delete it.
4. Immediately remove the person from your list.

Believe me, there are people out there in the cyberworld who will make it their life’s mission to make YOUR life miserable. Don’t give them a reason!

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse

I was recently reading a case study which was available through MarketingSherpa, regarding a financial management company targeting retirement-focused baby boomers. As you can imagine, this is a very competitive market.

The results of the study showed a 44% email open rate, which is pretty amazing.

I’ll review the steps below. Be thinking about how you can apply them to your target market.

Step 1: Conduct niche research. Who makes up your market? What do they read? Where do they live? What forums or websites do they frequent online? Do they participate in social networking sites?

Step 2: Create a visual experience. In the case study, the company had a contest with participants answering questions about how they envisioned their retirement. The winner was chosen by a random drawing.

This same concept can be used whether dreaming of firing your boss or dreaming of the perfect kitchen (or husband!) Whatever you choose, create it so that people will use their visualization skills.

Let me point out that in the case study I read, the first prize was $25,000 and a free session with an investment expert. My guess is that your winner won’t be awarded as much.

It doesn’t matter. Through your research, find out what your target market value or would like to own, but do not have the time or money to possess.

Step 3: Promote the contest. Marketing consisted of online ads with a link to a landing page with an online entry form. If you’ve done your homework in #1, you’ll have a good idea of where your market hangs out and thus, where to advertise through pay-per-click advertising, blog posts, or even forum posting signature files (if allowed). Also include the link in all emails you send.

Step 4: Qualify the leads. In addition to name, phone, and email and physical addresses, add any additional qualifying questions that are relevant to your product or service. For instance, your target customer may be a homeowner, so you would ask if they owned or rented.

Step 5: Offer a bonus for opting in. Your entry should offer a promotional offer or a free report, newsletter or consultation.

Step 6: Don’t require a purchase in order to participate in the contest.

Step 7: We’ve talked before about segmenting lists. By completing Step 4, you’ve built the foundation for doing just that. For example, if a travel agent ran a contest asking people to describe their dream vacation, they could segment a list by type of travel (cruise / all inclusive resort), location (Florida vs. Maine), activity (skiing vs. scuba diving), etc. Then they can send the reader information tailored to those specific interests.

Step 8: Provide relevant content. Now that you know people’s interests and dreams, you can address those items in your newsletter. If a contest about anti-aging finds people dreaming of an eyebrow lift but not another procedure, you know what to cover in your newsletter.

Step 9: Your content should include a call to action. In addition, each newsletter should include your email, support desk, and phone number. Determine your goal for everything you send and tie that to your intended call to action.

Step 10: Include links to other information. Not everyone likes to read. If possible, provide podcasts, videos, blogs and other ways for your reader to get more information.

If you’ve found this useful, please be sure to share this link with others!

Debbi Bressler
Email Marketing Specialist
GetResponse

In the past, I’ve mentioned how I have unsubscribed from numerous email lists because marketers send me unrequested information too often. (Yes, I added my email to your list for technical updates of the product I purchased but NOT to be blasted every day with the latest “deal” you are promoting.

JupiterResearch’s survey found that frequency was the #2 reason for unsubscribing. Seems that 37% of those surveyed unsubscribed from a sender when they sent too many emails and 33% unsubscribed from offers because they get “too much” email in general.

Some additional statistics show that 39% of those surveyed felt that signing up for permission-based email leads to getting more spam (see Paragraph #1 above!). And over 25% said they unsubscribe by using the spam button.

Why go through all the trouble of building a list only to aggravate subscribers? (That is especially true if you have a list of product owners who would likely purchase upgrades and new products you develop.)  The research concludes, time and time again, that the marketers who can deliver relevant, targeted messages on a schedule that respects their reader will be read for the long term.