How To Run a Successful E-mail Campaign
Whatever happened to Selling Tips #1, #2, and #3?
We were inspired by the Star Wars people. We figured that if they started at #4, went to #6, and then started over at #1, there must be some great benefit. After all, look how successful they are.
Actually, the average reader isn't interested in the first of anything. No track record on that. Lets see if they stick around. After 10 years of being in this business, one old timer said to me: "Looks like you're going to make it. Guess I'll start buying from you."
And we all know that one ad or one promotional mailing is not as effective as three. We knew there was a better chance of your opening the 4th in a series than the first. Below are ten similar tips to getting people to open and respond to your e-mails.
1. Don't assume because you get 50 advertisements per day that everyone does. Some of your customers have plenty of time to open, digest, and respond to your e-mails. It is this author's personal opinion that e-mails are the most efficient means of communicating a marketing proposal today. Most efficient in time, money, and energy.
2. Send out one e-mail per week, not more not less. Consistency is so critical in this kind of advertising. In the print business it would be similar to a "keeper" ad, the little 3 inch ad in the back of the magazine that is in that same place issue after issue. One day the customer needs something, and they know right where to get it: The in box, the trash (maybe), or wait a day or two for the next e-mail.
3. The Subject line is key. It should be a series like Tip #1 or Idea #4 or Profit maker #6. It should have an identifier that clearly makes it from you. Your e-mail might go straight to the trash the first few weeks, but at some point it gets opened because (see the opening paragraphs above.) It should have some reason to open it now. That might be because it is timely (e.g. Special this week only), or irresistible (e.g.Top This!), or cute (e.g. Missing Personnel.)
4. When do you send it Most experts suggest Tuesday - Thursday. We send out our corporate e-mails on Tuesday - Thursday because we think you will open product information during business hours in the normal course of your day. We send out the Selling Tips on Friday because we think you are more likely to open something educational on Friday afternoon or over the weekend.
5. The body must be compelling. Not just because you want them to act today, but because you want them to open it next week, and the week after. Every week needs to be "worth it." Personally I would not send a stand-alone ad. In fact, many spam filters send pure HTML straight to "Junk." Use the e-mail for text with a link to your ad. If you only have a web site ($100 or less per year) for one reason, use it to house your ads, so that you can link the ad to your e-mail.
Your body copy should be lots of fun. You might have a funny story, a personal detail, or a contest to get interest. Keep a running joke, or story, or contest so there's a reason to keep opening the e-mail. Then have an even more compelling reason to get the customer to go to the ad. But don't kid them. It's got to be honest and worthwhile.
6. As mentioned in an earlier blog (June 3), have a signature at the bottom that includes all contact information and maybe one last selling proposition. Also note how on my e-mail I give you a second reason to click through. This also helps increase traffic.
7. Keep the e-mail short. Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs, total e-mail short.
8. Have a way to count your response. You can get a free counter for your web site. Just go to the bottom of this blog. You'll see my counter. If you click on "free counter by Bravenet" it will walk you through setting up a free counter.
You can also get various kinds of e-mail management programs. One that comes highly recommended is Constant Contact which you can get at:
http://reseller.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=shortys.
I don't make any money from these recommendations, but in this case another ASI favorite, Shorty, does if you use that link.
9. Use the feedback you receive to sharpen up your play. Everyone's customer base is different. We even tend to have a few customer types within one customer base. Try different things to see if you get more hits. Try sending out two different e-mails the same week, each to half your list. See which approach is better.
10. Read books, e-mail tips, and web sites about e-mail techniques so that you can constantly sharpen your methods.
I promise to come back to this subject often as I see things that might help you.
Next week I'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Web sites, but were afraid to ask. You'll have to wait until Friday the 24th for the SEO story. (Search Engine Optimization. But in case you're working on that now. Here are two clues. The search engines cannot read pictures. Use bold letters in your text on all keywords. More later.)
We were inspired by the Star Wars people. We figured that if they started at #4, went to #6, and then started over at #1, there must be some great benefit. After all, look how successful they are.
Actually, the average reader isn't interested in the first of anything. No track record on that. Lets see if they stick around. After 10 years of being in this business, one old timer said to me: "Looks like you're going to make it. Guess I'll start buying from you."
And we all know that one ad or one promotional mailing is not as effective as three. We knew there was a better chance of your opening the 4th in a series than the first. Below are ten similar tips to getting people to open and respond to your e-mails.
1. Don't assume because you get 50 advertisements per day that everyone does. Some of your customers have plenty of time to open, digest, and respond to your e-mails. It is this author's personal opinion that e-mails are the most efficient means of communicating a marketing proposal today. Most efficient in time, money, and energy.
2. Send out one e-mail per week, not more not less. Consistency is so critical in this kind of advertising. In the print business it would be similar to a "keeper" ad, the little 3 inch ad in the back of the magazine that is in that same place issue after issue. One day the customer needs something, and they know right where to get it: The in box, the trash (maybe), or wait a day or two for the next e-mail.
3. The Subject line is key. It should be a series like Tip #1 or Idea #4 or Profit maker #6. It should have an identifier that clearly makes it from you. Your e-mail might go straight to the trash the first few weeks, but at some point it gets opened because (see the opening paragraphs above.) It should have some reason to open it now. That might be because it is timely (e.g. Special this week only), or irresistible (e.g.Top This!), or cute (e.g. Missing Personnel.)
4. When do you send it Most experts suggest Tuesday - Thursday. We send out our corporate e-mails on Tuesday - Thursday because we think you will open product information during business hours in the normal course of your day. We send out the Selling Tips on Friday because we think you are more likely to open something educational on Friday afternoon or over the weekend.
5. The body must be compelling. Not just because you want them to act today, but because you want them to open it next week, and the week after. Every week needs to be "worth it." Personally I would not send a stand-alone ad. In fact, many spam filters send pure HTML straight to "Junk." Use the e-mail for text with a link to your ad. If you only have a web site ($100 or less per year) for one reason, use it to house your ads, so that you can link the ad to your e-mail.
Your body copy should be lots of fun. You might have a funny story, a personal detail, or a contest to get interest. Keep a running joke, or story, or contest so there's a reason to keep opening the e-mail. Then have an even more compelling reason to get the customer to go to the ad. But don't kid them. It's got to be honest and worthwhile.
6. As mentioned in an earlier blog (June 3), have a signature at the bottom that includes all contact information and maybe one last selling proposition. Also note how on my e-mail I give you a second reason to click through. This also helps increase traffic.
7. Keep the e-mail short. Short words, short sentences, short paragraphs, total e-mail short.
8. Have a way to count your response. You can get a free counter for your web site. Just go to the bottom of this blog. You'll see my counter. If you click on "free counter by Bravenet" it will walk you through setting up a free counter.
You can also get various kinds of e-mail management programs. One that comes highly recommended is Constant Contact which you can get at:
http://reseller.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=shortys.
I don't make any money from these recommendations, but in this case another ASI favorite, Shorty, does if you use that link.
9. Use the feedback you receive to sharpen up your play. Everyone's customer base is different. We even tend to have a few customer types within one customer base. Try different things to see if you get more hits. Try sending out two different e-mails the same week, each to half your list. See which approach is better.
10. Read books, e-mail tips, and web sites about e-mail techniques so that you can constantly sharpen your methods.
I promise to come back to this subject often as I see things that might help you.
Next week I'll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Web sites, but were afraid to ask. You'll have to wait until Friday the 24th for the SEO story. (Search Engine Optimization. But in case you're working on that now. Here are two clues. The search engines cannot read pictures. Use bold letters in your text on all keywords. More later.)
posted by Randy W. Kirk at 4:21 PM
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