Email Bootcamp - MarketingSherpa...1 © 2000-2006 MarketingSherpa, Inc. You may distribute this presentation providing it is not altered in any way. Thank you. 1 Research Drawn From:

1

© 2000-2006 MarketingSherpa, Inc. You may distribute this presentation providing it is not altered in any way. Thank you. 1

Research Drawn From:

Email Bootcamp

Presented March 4, 2006

By Anne Holland, President



Facts not opinion: MarketingSherpaMethodology

Data for our reports is gathered from thefollowing research sources: Survey of Email Marketers – 3,637 in November 2006

Lab tests and partnered research

“Best of” research from dozens of expert sourcesincluding research firms, usability labs, elite vendors, etc.

In-depth interviews for case studies – 600+

2



Part I

A Quick History of Email

Marketing



Email Marketing : June 1994

‘Email Addresses of the Rich &Famous’

3



May 1999



August 2003

“Email is Dead. Let's face it, emailhas become unusable.”

Adam Curry

4



2005

“E-mail is an embattledcommunication medium.”

JupiterResearch



November 2006

10.9%

18.2%

29.1%

40.0%

1.7%

13.6%

6.8%

42.4%

35.6%

1.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

The impact of

email is

declining

significantly.

The impact of

email is slowly

declining.

The impact of

email isn't

noticeably

changing.

The impact of

email is

increasing

slowly.

The impact of

email is

increasing

significantly.

B-to-C B-to-B

Source: MarketingSherpa, Email Marketing Benchmark Survey, November 2006

5



Email #1 influencer of 1,101surveyed online shoppers

7%

32%

37% 38%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Email from a

merchant you didn't

know

Shopping

Comparison Site

Search Inquiry Email from

merchant you know

and trust

All Consumers - Top 2 Answers (5 point scale)

© 2006 MarketingSherpa Inc.



Email in Top 5 Influences for BusinessTechnology Purchasing Decisions

2.7%

2.8%

3.6%

4.0%

4.4%

4.6%

6.8%

10.0%

15.3%

18.4%

19.6%

19.6%

24.1%

34.1%

36.5%

40.6%

41.9%

48.3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Podcasts

'Cold call' telephone inquiry from company or rep

RSS feed

E-mail from a company you don't know

Radio/TV

Blogs from vendors

Search engine ad

Blogs from industry media/analysts

Direct mail pieces

Webinar/teleseminar

Blogs from other technology professionals

Industry bulletin boards/listservs

Search engine natural listing

E-mail newsletter from a company you know

Online magazines

Print magazines

Conferences/Trade Events

Word of mouth

% impacted by tactic


Source: MarketingSherpa and CNET, Business Technology Buyers’ Survey, May 2006

6



Email beats search bang for thebuck

14%

9%

23%

29%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Share of visitors generated Share of Online Budget

Email House Lists Paid Search © 2006 MarketingSherpa Inc.



Email success depends onmarketing skill

Source: MarketingSherpa, October 2005

‘Advanced’ tactics: dynamic content, A/B offers testing and segmentationby user details

© 2006 MarketingSherpa, Inc.

7



Part II

Creating and growing a high

response house list



Biggest decision: permission type

Harvested prospect

Opt-out registrant/customer

Opt-in

“Confirmed” opt-in

Double opt-in

8



Database set-up: 12+ fields

1.Source of name2. Date joined3. Not spam trap4. Bounce history5. Response history (open, click, convert,

recency)6. Demographics7. Purchase history8. Assigned account (rep, location)9. Text vs HTML10. DNE status11. Preferences12. Permission type



Other key decisions

Content preferences blinders?

Frequency of total contact?

Dynamic triggered campaigns?

Languages?

Database updating delays?

Promotions to external lists?

Ease of segmentation?

9



Segmentation = Highest Impact

No segmentation: 7.2% CTR

Any Segmentation: 12.4% CTR

0.48%4.14%6.68%30.86%Averages

0.20%3.50%1.10%13.10%> 100K

0.80%3.70%4.00%13.40%50K–100K

0.50%4.00%7.60%28.50%10K–50K

0.30%3.90%9.00%48.80%5K–10K

0.60%5.60%11.70%50.50%< 5K

ClicksOpensClicksOpens

Not SegmentedSegmentedAudience Size

Topica 2005 research:



Best segments

Customer vs prospect

New opt-in (30 days)

Actives vs inactives

Recent patterns (Offer, Response)

Triggered – Bday, Cart abandon, etc

Job title (vs industry)

10



How to Gather Names

Web site opt-ins

- Form on entry page

- Above the fold

- At end of content/articles

- Check boxes on reg forms



Form tests work wonders

MOTLEY FOOL STUFF

11



Winner



Offline tactics

Zapping

Write-ins

Telemarketing/CSRs

Sales Reps

12



Buying names (carefully)

Append

Lead generation

Offers in email newsletters

Co-registration (co-reg)

Search marketing



30%

24%

14%

32%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Our co-reg names perform

about as well as leads

from our own website.

Our co-reg names don't

peform as well as our

website leads, but they're

worth it.

Our co-reg names aren't

performing well.

We don't separate out the

performance of co-reg

names.

Source: MarketingSherpa, Email Marketing Benchmark Survey, October 2005


Co-registration

13



Co-registration Sample:Weather.com



Search landing page

14



Part II – Email Law & Filters

SpamLaws.Com

CAN-SPAM

- From & subject line

- Street address

- Working unsub link – for brand

- Suppress DNEs



CAN-SPAM & Affiliate Marketing

0.30%3Sent to Forged Email Headers

0.00%0Sent to Harvested Email

0.10%1Sent through Open Relay

8.00%80Subject Line Relevancy

15.80%158Bad Unsubscribe Option

22.90%229No Postal Address Provided

57.40%574From Line Accuracy

CAN SPAM Failure RateTotal FailuresCompliance Failures by Category

Source: Lashback Inc. for MarketingSherpa, November 2006

15



2007: Filters & Reputation

SBCReputation 79%Content 21%

Mac.comReputation 83%Content 17%

ComcastReputation 85%Content 15%

RoadRunnerReputation 100%Content 0%

HotmailReputation 40%Content 60%

CablevisionReputation 79%Content 21%

NetZeroReputation 90%Content 10%

GmailReputation 100%Content 0%

Bell SouthReputation 97%Content 3%

Yahoo!Reputation 80%Content 20%

NetscapeReputation 88%Content 12%

EarthlinkReputation 77%Content 23%

ATTReputation 90%Content 10%

VerizonReputation 86%Content 14%

MSNReputation 32%Content 68%

CoxReputation 50%Content 50%

AOLReputation 100%Content 0%

USA.netReputation 78%Content 22%

Mail.comReputation 100%Content 0%

CompuServeReputation 100%Content 0%

AdelphiaReputation 44%Content 56%



Reputation is based in part on:

Complaints

Permission type

Frequency without relevancy

IP address

Authentication

Blacklists

List hygiene

16



Part III: Strategy

The basics of creating a killer email

campaign

Guest presenter:

Scott CundillFounder & CEOMajestic InteractiveSunday, March 4, 2007



Step 1: Planning

Do unto others… Quantify your objectives!

Sales vs Lead generation? Auto responder? Survey? Follow up? Delivery notification? Inform and educate? Invitation to an event? Stay in touch? Update details?

How will it integrate? Plan for “what if” scenarios Inform your departments!

Tell the rest of your department about it Let your sales team know what to expect Notify your call centre!

17



Step 2: Writing

Write it like you’d say it

Be short

Be personal!

Provide value add content wherepossible!

Try not to be too sales’ish

Don’t use large fonts with many boldcolors

Don’t just mimic a print ad

Don’t make it look like a poster

Write several versions



Step 3: Designing

If images don’t add value, leavethem out

Graphics are there to supplementyour copy, NOT replace it

Keep images small and to the point–click through to a website formore

Be consistent with your brand, butdon’t overdo your CI

The primary call to action MUST beabove the fold

Make it attractive to click!

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Step 4: Improving

Look for ways to increase theeffectiveness using:

Data gathering and feedback forms

Viral marketing

Cross / up-selling lead generation



A few of my secrets…

Data is much easier to get than asale

Build the relationship until you getdata back from the customer… THENuse that data to give them what theyasked for!

Ask the customer to update their owninformation!

If people won’t give you data, thenthey won’t spend money with you.

Don’t try and sell to people whohaven’t given you information

Educate first! Don’t just thrust hardsales messages down people’s throats

Integrate with other media!

19



www.majesticway.net

Thank You

Scott [email protected]+27 11 784 9800



Part IV: Design that works

Subject lines – 35 characters

From – high consideration

Text – 60 characters

Click above fold

Click non-image dependent

20



Stat: 15-20 seconds spentwith average opened &clicked message

“Less copy, better headlines& let’s sell it on the landingpage”

Hannah Paramore, Paramore Redd



Template eyetracking tests

21



Sample eyetracking test



Preview pane review

22



Sample preview-friendly redesign



Expanded version

23



Best newsletter to consumers ‘06



Best postcard-style ‘06

24



Part V: High impact campaigns

Relevancy, relevancy, relevancy

Dec. 18th[Sherpa] Your Access Info for Tomorrow's TeleseminarMeasured open: 18.6%

Dec. 19th[Sherpa] Just 1 Hour Until the Email Marketing TeleseminarMeasured open: 50.5%

Dec. 20th[Sherpa] Thanks + "Email Marketing Benchmark Guide 2007"Measured open: 48.7%

sp10034ballcatISO-885929843Huge Imparticle.phpSend this invitation29843Post Your Comment



Welcome Series


58%

45%

37% 37%35%

33%30%

24%

19% 20% 19% 18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

0-30 days 31-60 days 61-90 days 4 - 6 months 6 months - 1 year 1 - 2 years

Open rate Clickthrough

25



Welcome Series B-to-C Sample



Welcome Series B-to-B Sample:Segue Software

26



Triggered campaigns:Non-converting clicks

IdeaArt Valentine’s Day

#1. 72k names $6025 gross

#2. 9k names $8690 gross

Greenbrier December Offer

#1. 40k names -549 units sold

#2. 502 names – 167 units sold



Non-Converting Click CampaignCreative samples

27



Triggered: Cart Abandons

Source: MarketingSherpa, Ecommerce Benchmark Survey, January 2007‒ 1,923 respondents

25%

27%

38%

46%

37%

27%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2006

2007

Very effective Somewhat effective Not very effective


73%

63%

Chart: Em ails to Consumers W ho Abandon a Cart:Effectiveness

2006-2007



28



Part VI: Measurement

Emails “delivered” is a lie

Emails “opened” is a lie



Best basic measurements

Measured opens

Non-response by ISP

Unique vs total clicks

Conversion

Lifetime value by source

Content-type tests

29



Email conversions

Direct sale

Direct registration/sign-up

Time spent on landing page

Lifetime clicks to stories

Phone calls

Redeemed coupons

Office politics



Averages – Nov 2006

Open Rates

BtoC - 10-19%

BtoB – 20-29%

Click Rates

BtoC ezine – 2.1-5%

BtoB ezine – 5.1-10%

Conversions

BtoC free offer blast – 2-3.9%

BtoB free offer blast – 2-3.9%

30



May you beat the odds!

Thank you

Anne Holland

President

MarketingSherpa

Documents

Email Bootcamp - MarketingSherpa...1 © 2000-2006 MarketingSherpa, Inc. You may distribute this presentation providing it is not altered in any way. Thank you. 1 Research Drawn From: