Effective email marketing by dave archer

Effective Email Marketing

Dave ArcherPresident and CEO

(775) 315-7635

Dave@NCET.org / www.NCET.org

NCET

• Northern Nevada-based 501(c)3

• Helps Nevadans start and grow businesses

• Monthly and annual educational events

• Serves as a clearinghouse and marketing arm for nonprofit and gov’t resources

Why Use Email Marketing

• Effective• Relatively inexpensive• Timely• Flexible

The Key to Successful

Email Marketing is…

Your List

Email Goals• Build and maintain quality list• Maximize open rates• Maximize conversion rates:

– Purchases– Downloads– Click-thru – Other

• Minimize unsubscribes / spam reports

NCET Email• Email service: Constant Contact

• Email list ~10,000 Nevada business, community and educational leaders– Built one email address at a time

• 1.7 million emails per year– From 1 to 7 email each week

– Event / Program Promotion, Newsletters

• Open rate ~ 14%

List Maintenance• Lists need TLC - and lots of it

– Unsubscribes and address changes erode lists fast

• Beware of list fatigue– Conversion rate vs unsubscribe rate

• Bounces– Contact individuals to verify correct email address or for

updates

• Blocks– Contact individuals / IT departments about spam filters,

white lists, etc.

• Buying or Renting Lists– Friends don’t let friends buy lists.

• Creating lists– Customers– New contacts / business cards– Webpage sign up form

• Unsubscribes / spam reports

List Maintenance

Effective

Emails

Email Addresses

• Your email address is as important as your brand

– Carefully consider your name and domain

– Should be consistent with your brand

• Selecting a name and a domain name

– .com, .edu, .gov, .net, .org

– Be careful with .biz

– Gmail, Yahoo, AOL?

Developing Effective E-Mails

• Format• Subject Line• Call to Action• Email Length• Frequency• Graphic and Image

• Background• Fonts• Colors• Dimensions• Compatibility• Attachments

Format: HTML vs Text

Subject Line

• Grab reader’s attention• Don’t mislead - deliver what you promise• A-B testing of different subject lines• Avoid spam filter traps

– http://spamassassin.apache.org

Call to Action

• What do you want your reader to do?– Call now– Buy– RSVP– Click-thru– Save-the-date– Image advertising

Email Length

• Need to capture attention in first sentence• Unless it’s a newsletter, keep it “above the

fold”

Above the fold

Frequency• Know your audience

– Weekly? Monthly?• Recipients will accept emails that deliver

something new, interesting or important• Will be irritated by emails containing

“useless” or repetitive information and will unsubscribe

Graphic and Images

• Too many images can distract• Too many images can increase download

times• Test by sending to yourself• How does it look on your phone?

Backgrounds• Avoid busy backgrounds• White is good…

Colors• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read? • Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?

Fonts

• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read? • Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?• Which is easiest to read?

Colors

Dimensions

• 600 – 720 pixels wide– Avoid requiring reader to scroll across email

to read• Above the fold is ideal

– Give reader a reason to scroll down

Compatibility

• HTML• Non-HTML/Text• Mac• iOS / Android

• Test your emails on different Macs/PCs, phones, etc.

Attachments

• People hesitate to open them because of possible viruses, worms etc.

• Creates yet another barrier to communicating your message

BREAKING NEWS: Bugs in your food

“The High Notes, revised”

Festive finds

Measuring Success

• Spam reports• Unsubscribes• Bounces

• Open Rates• Click-Throughs

Email Vendors

Database Software - $150 - $300

Questions?

Dave ArcherPresident and CEO

NCET

(775) 315-7635

Dave@NCET.org / www.NCET.org

Email Editing Software

$100 - $500

Spam

• Don’t send spam– Use built-in spam checker or 3rd party service

such as http://spamassassin.apache.org• Don’t be perceived as spam

– Frequency– Content

• “Opt-in” is the best policy