What are the characteristics of a great email marketing campaign?
I've read a lot of sources saying that email marketing is obsolete, and others saying that it's still alive & kicking. There are also contradictory articles on what works for subject headers, how long it should be, how frequently you should email, etc. What has been your experience with email marketing campaigns? What works, what doesn't?
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Apr 15, 2014
Right now, success is based on great data with some sort of insight (the customers preferences, buying habits, etc). In the future, it will be opt-in. The EU Data Regulation will impact email marketing in ways we can't imagine. Due to come into force 2016. Check http://bit.ly/SCiEUDR
Apr 8, 2014
Hi Rob,
1) What do you want to communicate?
2) Segment your content affinity
3) Do not use sales pitch
4) Do not talk about how good you are, you talk about why you do what you do.
5) It focuses much of the message speak to their motivations. (Feature> attribute> Consumer Benefit = Magical dream )
6) Simplify the maximum
7) emphasizes what is relevant to the target.
8) Balance text content with images (50/50)
Recommendation:
People do not buy technology kg ... etc, people buy rewarding experiences or ideal situations.
Jesús F. Gordillo
General Manager Kellenföl Advertising
kellenfol.com
Apr 2, 2014
Awesome question for starters, you are making me go in my bag of tricks lol. Email marketing is like caring a fragile box, one wrong move everything can break. The people that told you email marketing is obsolete are those that do not know how to carry the box, they always deliver a broken item. Yes email marketing is alive and kicking, when you know how to carry that fragile box. What do I mean? Well caring the box symbolizes email marketing. ( I know you figured that) Well to carry the box properly you must take the appropriate steps, In email marketing you must do the same. For example when caring a box you must take your time. If you move to quickly the fragile item will break. (The fragile item is the consumer and his or her connection.) When sending out a email marketing campaign one must take his or her time NEVER EVER over load the consumer with a bunch of emails, it is rarely effective. One must never under email the consumer he or she may for get about you. But if you email properly (not to much but not to little with just the right amount of information each time) you can and will capture the consumer attention.. This is a tiny gist of information I can offer you on email marketing. For more and full explination please contact me.. My services are not free. I have bills to pay :)
Mar 29, 2014
Targeted audience
Relevant information, not marketing 'weasel-words'
Keep it short.
Sensible call -to-action
Mar 27, 2014
Here's the answer you may not want to hear but it's the truth.
What works for some, may not work as well for others. It depends on your list, what relationship you've built with your list, how responsive your list is to you, etc...
As a marketer, we get the fun task of testing everything we do (at least we're supposed to).
You will have to test. I believe most common autoresponder services will let you send out the two different versions of an email - one to half your list and the other email to the other half.
And just about all services have analytics so that's another way to see what's working for you.
Just start by testing the headline because that's the first thing people see.
Email marketing is dead for people who don't do it right. For other's it's the easiest way to stay in contact with those who are interested in your products and services...and it's the simplest and easiest source of income.
Corrisa
Mar 27, 2014
Personalized email increases the # of Opens. Freemiums increase the # of Sign Ups, immediate personal Follow Up increases the # of Conversions.
Mar 27, 2014
Email is still very much alive... although many marketers don't know how to use it properly.
Like all great marketing, it starts with understanding your target audience and what will motivate them to take your desired action. You have to use best practices to design emails that will work on mobile devices and in preview panels. You need a subject line that will motivate the target to open it (and be shorter than 40 characters with spaces).
It should be short, sharp and to the point. Use bullet points and subheads to break up copy. Have multiple places to click (including links and buttons), include an image (people like to look at pictures of other people) and your message should be solutions/benefit oriented with a clear call to action.
Frequency strategies are complex and would take far more space than I have here to answer.
Hope this helps.
Mar 27, 2014
Lower your expectations. All advertising industry statistics show that any well executed mail (or email) campaign gets only 3% response from target clients. Most don't get 1%. Another facet to consider is the rule of 20. The first 10 tries don't net anything more than mild interest. It takes at least 20 attempts to break through into sales. By then you've completely alienated or angered some recipients. Nobody honest said it was going to be easy.
Without advertising you can't sell much. But advertising isn't selling. It's akin to canvassing (creating a list of interested parties) versus closing (ushering prospects into sales column). As a defense mechanism, customers get their heart set on something that either isn't yet available or once was. Sales will always be a one on one transference session. It separates buyers from money and remorse. Ads don't have that persuasion. Advice from an expert and reputation for excellence remain more powerful.
In short, don't spin your wheels with disinterested parties, get a qualified list of prospects, get your foot in door, then don't blow it when you get a chance.
Mar 27, 2014
Hi Rob,
I have mixed feelings about email marketing, as do I about internet marketing in general. More businesses are getting into it, and it leads to a lot of businesses just blasting emails to people in bulk and in turn much more noise to people. Unless you are like me, or even yourself maybe, you are constantly subscribing and unsubscribing knowing that this is the only real way to to see what a business has to offer as far as content or services.
The best answer or insight I have for this is that the most important part about email marketing, as is the case with really any online marketing in general is that you have to understand your customers and what they want to know... Which is clearly a lot easier said than done. The best way to do this is at the opt in point, by getting as much information as possible. For one client of mine they are a scuba dive shop, and the form people fill out for their newsletter directly asks what they want to hear about. This is a real simple way to put it into the customers hands, and for you to know specifically what to send. However, segmenting would depend on what specifically you have going on marketing wise.
Another thing that I find works well is simple. Just be direct... in your subject line, and extend it to the content of your email. If your email is a free tutorial about how to use google+ about business, than your subject line should simply say that, and the email should speak for itself.
This is just my 2 cents, there are also tons of great responses below!