Email Marketing Best PracticeSix BIG questions to improve results

presented to:

E-business 2009 Conference,The National B2B Centre

17th September 2009

Dave Chaffey, Marketing Insights Limited

www.davechaffey.com/presentationswww.twitter.com/DaveChaffey

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About Dave Chaffey

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Agenda – Email Marketing Best Practice:6 questions to improve your results

Email question Key theme

1 Are we maximising signup and profiling?

Run-of-site, Value-led call-to-action

2 Are our messages REALLY getting through?

Reputation

3 How engaged are our audiences?

Activity levels

4 Are our emails contextual? Event-triggers, dynamic content insertion

5 Is our creative effective? Image blocking, banner blindness

6 Are we tracking “after the click”? Google Analytics, Bounce rates

Question 1 Are we maximising signup and profiling?

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Use a run-of-site, above the fold sign-up

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Use a run-of-site, above the fold sign-up

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Capture key profile fields

Tips:

1. KISS

2. WIFM

3. Identify 2-3 key fields for lead

qualification and targeting. Make

mandatory.

4. Pre-tick sign-up – implied opt-in

under Privacy and Electronic

Communications Regulations

5. Use incentives or show value to

maximise signup.

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“Learn more through time”:“Watch or Ask”

Question 2 Are our messages REALLY getting through?

Not bounce rate, but Inbox deliverability

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Why don’t your messages get through

►According to a DMA UK National Benchmarking report (www.dma.org.uk) average hard bounce rates are around 3%. The typical breakdown for an email bounce is:►Address does not exist, c30%►Invalid address syntax, c15%►Invalid domain, c25%►Mailbox full, c15%►Message too large, c2%►Blocked as spam, c8%

www.returnpath.net for US and Canada

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Actions to help delivery1. Before you send email (Content)

A. Limit use of spam keyphrasesB. Test e-mail against spam checker, use: www.lyris.com/resources/contentchecker See www.spamassassin.org

C. Test delivery / renderability in ISPs/FirewallsD. Educate your list members to whitelist youE. Setup Email server with best practice: Use subdomain: http://email.domain.com, SPF, SenderID, etc

2. After you send Email (Reputation):A. Remove bounces after 3 times (automatic)B. Track complaints through ‘closed-looped systems’C. Track Opens and Clicks across web mail companies and main corporate clients

Question 3. How engaged are our audiences?

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3 advanced ways of measuringemail engagement

► How do you measure engagement with email?

► Open/clicks/CTOR is NOT good enough, instead…

► Measure % Activity = Opens/clicks/CTOR/sales:

► 1. At position in lifecycle

► 2. By segment

► 3. By offer / email type

► 4. Aggregated over a longer time period

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Measuring list activity – email engagement

Tip. Measure the overall health of your list

through activity / inactivity levels over time

► These “hurdle rates” are for whole list. Repeat:► By segment► By product categories purchased

18Source: http://www.slideshare.net/gamages/advertising-fireworks-social-bonfires

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E-newsletter success is all about relevant content► B2B

► Make my work easier► Help me develop► Make me look good► Give me a great deal

► B2C► Make my life easier► Help me learn / have fun► Make me look good► Give me a great deal

See http://snipurl.com/26g8j

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Integrating your email newsletter with social media: a virtuous circle

1 Blog

3. Company Twitter

5. EmailNewsletter

2. RSS Feed

4. FacebookFan page

Track with bit.lyTrack with bit.ly

Track with Google Analytics

Track with Feedburner

Track with GA or ESP system

Manual updateor automaticallywithTwitterfeed

Automatic feedwith Feedburner

Most populartopics selected

Auto UpdateWithApp

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Question 4 Are our emails contextual?

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The most famous touch

Why Right Touching?

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What is “Right Touching”?

Right Touching is:A Multi-channel Communications Strategy

Customised for IndividualsWhich…

Delivers the Right Value PropositionAccompanied by the Right Message

With the Right ToneAt the Right Time

With the Right Frequency and Interval Using the Right Media / Communications channels

To achieve…Right balance of value between both parties

Tip: Automate email touches, targeting and content where practical

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Examples of basic registration triggered e-mails

B2B registration follow-up B2C brand education

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BT - It’s all about past actions… “Recognition of activity” and dynamic content insertion

Purchase Dispatched +7d

+14d +21d

Recognition ofprevious purchase

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More Amazon triggered examplesRecognition of

previous category browsingRecognition of

previous category browsing

5 Is our creative effective?

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Using eyetracking research to inform Email design

1. Heading and subhead copy critical• First 2-3 words most important• Make hyperlinked

2. Large fonts work well

3. Images often missed• Use text link calls-to-action

4. Readers scan down the left of an E-mail

5. First part of para important• F shape eyetrack

6. Email intros skipped • Use to personalise and engage

e.g. with hyperlinks

Need to deliverScannability and Skimmability

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Test! Test! Test! “Data Trumps Intuition”

Test version A

Send Volume: 10,000

Sample criteria: Random

Click through rate: 6.1%

Test version B

Send Volume: 10,000

Sample criteria: Random

Click through rate: 4.5%

Main Broadcast

Send Volume: 180,000

Click through rate: 5.8%

Source:

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Which layouts do you use / work?

Source:

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Effective B2BEnewsletter template

layout

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Before After

Aims: Use left column Disrupt symmetry Use scannable headlines Introduce editorial

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Don’t give too much choice?!

► Six different jams. 40% of the customers stopped to taste. 30% of those bought.

► Twenty-four different jams. 60% of the customers stopped to taste. But only 3% bought! http://sivers.org/jam

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How many links should we have?

Source:

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Get seen! Beware image blocking

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What makes email recipients click?

6 Are we tracking “after the click”?

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Tip: Use conversion goals and bounce rate to assess effectiveness

Define standard email tracking codes – example:► Name: &utm_campaign=SBIT210809C► Source: &utm_source=ES_BITE_Email► Medium: &utm_medium=Internal_Email► Content: &utm_content=SBIT210809C_Cabaret_Image

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Thank you!

► Download this presentation from:► www.davechaffey.com/presentations

► Any questions, do e-mail me:► dave.chaffey@marketing-insights.co.uk

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