Key Email Marketing Points for 2012

One of the interesting things about email marketing is that while many people say it is past its prime, studies show that email is still the most preferred method of receiving information about products and services that customers trust.

The truth is email is still a valid and viable medium for communicating with your preferred audience.  While the methodology changes, the basic message stays the same.  It is the most cost effective means of marketing available to small and medium sized businesses.

Gone are the days, however, of the “weekly newsletter,” though.  If that is still in your bag of tricks, my advice is to throw it away, or at least revisit what you do with it.  With the advent of smart filtering and auto-prioritizing of inboxes, your bland newsletter will likely never be seen.  What you need is a new trick or two.

Event triggered emails are 71% more likely to be opened rather than newsletters, according to Maciej Ossowski of Marketing Profs.  These also generate on average five times the ROI of the standard newsletter.  Event triggered emails are those emails sent after someone has failed to convert on the landing page, or has filled out a form or taken some kind of action.

Another key to making sure your email is read is to make it even more personalized.  It’s not enough to greet by name anymore.  You’ve got to know who they are, and your recipient has to feel like the message is meant specifically for them.  Use the data in your CRM to personalize to an even greater extent.  Know their name, yes; but also know what they’ve purchased or downloaded, know where they live and what they like to do, their gender, their reason for knowing you and your company.

Finally, use proper cross-channel strategies.  Your customers will have multiple opportunities and multiple touch points for your business or organization.  Make sure the message is clear not only in a personalized email, but utilize where your customers are spending their time; Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pintrest, and the myriad other social media platforms your contacts use and connect with you.

Email marketing is still strong, and continues to be the most cost effective way to communicate to your customers, clients, and contacts.  Use the right strategy and the right tools, and you can ensure a higher open rate, response rate and more success. 

Quid Pro Quo: Email Marketing

Email marketers are often so preoccupied with building lists for their customers that they overlook the motivation and psychology behind why users are willing to register their information. ExactTarget’s 2010 Email X-Factor Study included the following statistics:

• 67 percent of US internet users say the motivation behind giving their email address to a company is to receive discounts and promotions.
• 55 percent of US internet users say the motivation behind giving their email address to a company is to get a "freebie" in exchange for their email address.
• Only 14 percent of US internet users say the motivation behind giving their email address to a company is to interact with the brand.

The first two statistics are unsurprising. Incentivized marketing is a core piece of the marketing puzzle. Frankly, the fact that only 55 percent of users says they’ll register for a freebie seems on the low side, perhaps as a reflection of the quality of the free item. The numbers have likely increased in the past two years as targeting has become more precise. 

The most interesting statistic, however, is bullet point three. Users were overwhelmingly cautious about giving out their information in exchange for a presumed relationship, which is understandable. What makes the brand owner think the consumer wants to interact with them? Taco Bell may be a guilty pleasure, but the likelihood of me spending any amount of time on their website or Facebook page is pretty slim. And I’m certainly not going to provide my email address to build what they deem to be a relationship. If a brand wants to interact with me, the burden is on it to come to the table with something of value. Otherwise, I’ve got other things to do.

What makes you decide to provide your email address to a brand? Is a discount or free item still good enough or do you now expect even more?

Social Media Drives Results

The purpose of social media is not be good t social media. The purpose of social media is to be good at business and to simple use social media to get there.

All too often, small business owners lose sight of that. They get caught up in superficial measures of fans and followers. As the numbers grow, they pat themselves on the back, and think they have this ‘social media thing” down.

But when we really ask the tough questions, we are disappointed in the answers we get. In our 2012 small business, social media survey, we asked business owners what percentage of their web traffic and sales come from social media. In both cases more than 25% of the small business owners we surveyed didn’t know and another 25% for web and 35% for sales responded that social media accounted for less than 5% of their results.

If you are a “glass half empty” kind of person, you might conclude that social media doesn’t work, or that there is no way to measure it. But if you are like me, with a “glass half full” perspective, you will point to the 45 – 50% of business owners who are seeing results ranging from 6% to 76% of their total web lead and sales volume.

Social media does drive results, so if you are in one of two groups, the “I don’t know” or the “Less than 5%” you have some work ahead of you.

If you spending time on social media, but you don’t know what kind of traffic is coming to your website, you need to start measuring today.

• Install Google analytics, Wordpress stats or webtrends
• Look at the referring sites to see where you traffic is coming from . What creates more traffic for you; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, G+, Pinterest or email?
• Stop driving traffic just to your home page. Instead create specific landing pages or blog posts with unique offers so you can begin to see what your social traffic is interested in. This gives you the opportunity to tweak offers in response to successful campaigns.

If you are spending time on social media and you are tracking your response, but you are not getting the results i is easy to say that social media doesn’t work. But the survey shows that it does for more than 50% of the business owners who participated in the study. If it is working for them, and it is not working for you, maybe the problem is you and not social media. Take a hard look at your content.

• Make a concerted effort to talk to people not at them.
• Engage by asking questions, and responding to the questions of others.
• Share content created by others so you become perceived as a resource and subject matter expert.
• Look for people to follow. Consider following people in your industry or people who are talking about things in which you are interested. Use a program like twitter alerts to find conversations which you can make a contribution to.
• Don’t just broadcast one bland update entitled New Blog Post from each day. If you don’t share anything else of value, no one will pay attention to this.

If you are not getting the results you want, start doing a little research. Look at what your competitors are doing. Follow several social media experts, and take the time to read their blogs. Start asking questions, and try a few different approaches.

If this sounds like too much work, you can simply stop playing around with social media completely. But if you choose that alternative, recognize that the business will pass you by.

Intrigued by the statistics in this blog post? Want to learn more? You can download the white papers from our 2011 study here. And we would really appreciate your help with our 2012 study. We are still collecting data, and the survey will only take a few minutes. Click here to share how your company is using social media. We want to know how you are using social media, and in return we will send you a copy of the 2012 study when it is ready.

There are leads to be gleaned from social media. Do you have your share?

Building a Better List

Earlier this month, email marketing company GetResponse released the results of its study on cross-channel marketing. According to the report, while the majority of small- and medium-sized businesses have figured out simple email list building via web forms and incentives, less than half are taking advantage of the opportunities available through other channels, including social media.

Of those surveyed, only 40 percent said they include web forms on every page of their site. Just 41 percent said they use Facebook to build their email lists. This second statistic, in particular, doesn’t line up with a StrongMail survey from the end of 2011 that indicated that almost 70 percent of businesses intend to integrate social into their email campaigns. What can one make of this disconnect? Intent and application are still far apart, and that is puzzling.

Social networks like Facebook and Twitter are direct lines into the unique interests of each user. By identifying and engaging with customers through these channels, marketers can more precisely pinpoint the triggers that activate user response. Any business not actively trying to build a presence on Facebook from which they can build a better email marketing list is losing out. And no business owner would admit to intentionally reducing their market.

 

The explanation, therefore, comes down to ability or capacity. The business either doesn’t know how to use social tools to build its email marketing list or it doesn’t have the staff to implement a plan properly. Regardless of reason, the solutions are simple: Either take the time to learn or hire an expert. Bringing in someone who understands how to tap into those markets will help to build a better email list. If you’re unsure whether you want to spend the money, just consider how much opportunity you’re already losing.

Have you noticed a difference in the marketing efforts directed at you from companies that actively engage in social media?

Does Incentivized Email Marketing Work?

Incentivized advertising – offering freebies or discounts in exchange for checking out a company or product – has been shown to be a fairly successful tactic. A study late last year by KN Dimestore and SocialVibe indicated that incentivized ads increased brand perception and likelihood of subsequent purchase. As long as the consumer’s responsibility is minimal, the response is typically positive. Who doesn’t love free stuff?

Incentivized email marketing, however, is a bit trickier. Our inboxes already seem like they’re too cluttered. Still, free stuff or great discounts translates across mediums. But not all incentives match consumer needs. For example, an email offering a free package of diapers in exchange for registering on a manufacturer’s site sounds like a great deal for the person with small children. But for the single, 21-year-old video game enthusiast with no kids, that’s a fast tap of the Delete key.

Incentivized email marketing can work, as long as the company sending out the messages considers the following:

1. The message must be targeted. The previous instance about free diapers is a great example. Organizations need to correctly identify the audience for their email marketing messages to ensure a decent level of return.
2. The message must be personal. Generic email that doesn’t connect to the end-user is a dead end. Email marketing messages must appeal on an emotional level to make an impact.
3. The message must be simple. An offer with too many strings attached is a direct line to user frustration. The message must be easy to process and effortless to implement. A couple of clicks and a direct interface – no elaborate information uploads – and you’re apt to get more conversion.
4. The message must be worth it. In the immortal words of Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes, “Give me something I can use!”

How do you feel about incentivized email marketing? Do you like getting deals in your inbox or do you find it all overwhelming? Are the deals worth the effort?

Email Marketing – What Not To Do

A guest blog post by Ron Finklestein

I receive dozens of marketing emails monthly. I take action on almost all of them. I delete, unsubscribe or block as spam. 

Here is why:

1.       Create a boring subject or create a subject that is not engaging or truthful. You need to think of the subject as the headline of a sales letter. If the headline is not reflective of the email, engaging or otherwise noteworthy, I simply delete it.

2.       Don’t tell me where you are located, how many employees you have, or the technology you use. I don’t care. I will only care about those things when you give me a reason to care. Otherwise it is just noise that I have to try to understand. Just tell why I should care by answering this question: what’s in it for me. The other pieces will take care of themselves. 

3.       Do not write long email. Keep is short. I don’t want to or have time to read a long sales letter. Just tell why we should do business together. If I have interest, I will ask for the supporting documentation.

4.       Don’t use fancy prose or make comments that are not real. Be authentic, thoughtful and real. I once received and email from someone and I was going to call them, until I read the last line. It said, “We will triple your business.” I knew they could not do that. Especially since they were not selling, they were marketing. If they said something like “we will triple the amount of web traffic”, I could have accepted that. If you feel compelled to make a comment, support your comment with documentation, testimonials, facts or endorsements.

5.       Don’t make me look for contact info. Make your contact info easy to find and give me the web site so I can do some research to see if I am really interested.

6.       Don’t use endorsements that are not real or lack credibility. I once asked to speak with a client who worked with this company to see if they would deliver on their promises. I was told we do not give out customer info. I ask them to send my contact info to selected customer and have them contact me. They would not do that. I finally asked for some testimonials. The testimonials were so weak and so badly written I was embarrassed to receive them.

Selling via email is no different than writing a direct mail piece. The same rules apply. Keep it simply. Be honest. Tell me why I need to care about what you do. Tell me why you are the expert. Finally, prove that you can do what you say.

Ron Finklestein
Business Growth Experience
ron@businessgrowthexperience.com
330-990-0788
Helping Business Owners Grow, Prosper and Get Results.

Updating Your Email CheckList

Nine years ago, I created an email newsletter to support my other marketing activities. Distributed once a month, the list grew. Open rates and click through were high. I felt good about this piece of my marketing. But then something happened. Suddenly everyone discovered email marketing.

It became a challenge to stand out in someone’s inbox. Then with the explosion of social media, I began to wonder if email was dead. Did it still have a place in my marketing mix? The answer was clearly YES. I just have to work harder to stand out.

Here is a list of the things you can do to improve your email effectiveness.

1. Be reader-cen
   tered, not writer-centered. – Create content which is interesting to your target customers, not just a list of products for sale. Remember this is a “NEWS” letter
2. One size does not fit all – Not everyone in your mailing list is interested in everything you sell or write about. By subdividing your list into smaller groups, you can send more relevant content to your subscribers. As a result you will have fewer people opting out, and more people opening and clicking through to your content.
3. Draw them in with a killer subject line. For many people, this is all that appears in their email screen. If your subject line doesn’t catch their attention, you may not have a chance to tell them the rest of the story. If your list is large enough, divide your audience into two groups and test different headlines.
4. Keep it brief
5. and digestible. Ideally your newsletter should be between 250 – 400 words. Consider telling just part of the story in the email. Then add a link to the rest of your story on your website. If the reader is interested they will follow the link. If they don’t follow the link they weren’t interested.
6. Have your copy proofread. If you are not good at details have someone else look at your writing. It is hard to establish credibility when the piece is filled with typos.
7. Pick the right day. Newsletters sent on Tues, Wed and Thursday are more likely to be opened and read. Avoid the day after holidays as well. Readership will also typically decline in the summer and in December as people head out on vacations and their attention turns to things other than business.

These are my top suggestions. What would you add to the list?

About Lorraine

As Creative Director, Lorraine is typically at the center of the managed chaos that is Roundpeg. With more than thirty years as a marketing professional (lie, tell her she doesn’t look that old) Lorraine keeps Roundpeg popping with a never-ending stream of new ideas.

A native New Yorker, Lorraine is a Hoosier by choice, and is committed to fostering growth and entrepreneurship in her adopted city. Recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal as one of the Most Influential Women in Indianapolis, she is an active member of the local Indianapolis business community.

When not at Roundpeg, Lorraine can be found sharing what she knows in seminars and presentations around the country. She has a BA from Queens College, City University of NY, and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Follow @lorraineball | Connect on LinkedIn

Touch Points Create List-Building Opportunities - 10 Examples + 2 Tips

By guest blogger Barb Girson

If you want to grow your email list, you must be on your toes. There is opportunity everywhere. Every time you connect with your clients or prospects, it is a touch point and can become a list-building moment. The key is to ASK.

Here are 10 examples of when/where you can grow your list by asking for an email address:

1.       Point of purchase in a store

2.       Phone

3.       Networking events

4.       Speaking events

5.       Web site

6.       Email signature

7.       Life-styling (out and about town)

8.       Social Events

9.       Referrals

10.   Family/Friends

Two tips to help you collect email addresses:

1.        When you get someone's business card, ask if you can add them to your list. I usually say, "I have an email list that is published up to 3x's a month, which includes sales tips, articles and special offers for entrepreneurs, and small business owners. If you want to be included, please put an "E" for ezine on the back of your card to let me know I confirmed permission." In most cases,  people will put the E on their card.

2.       When you take an order, offer to email the receipt. This is another great opportunity to explain  why being on your email list will benefit them.  Not only is this a useful sales  tactic, but it also is environmentally conscious by saving the paper used to print receipts.  

Seize opportunities each time interact with potential clients by inviting them to join your list.  Stay on your toes! See opportunities wherever you go.

To Join Barb Girson's email newsletter list (published up to 3 x's/mo)

Visit MySalesTactics.com to learn more about Barb Girson's strategies and tactics to help you gain confidence, get into action and most importantly grow sales.

¹ http://www.mysalestactics.com/coaching/my-email-marketing-sales-circle

²  http://www.mysalestactics.com/resources/free-articles/follow-up-do-and-follow-up-dont

³ http://tinyurl.com/Barb-snewsletter

⁴ http://www.mysalestactics.com/

Tune in to our A2U – Podcast  on Tuesday, Feb. 7  at 4:00 PM ET to hear Barb Girson speaking about email marketing tips.

5 Ways to Build your Email List using Strong Incentives

By: Dan Hodgson

People are becoming more and more selective when it comes to giving out their email addresses online.   Many feel they receive more than enough email already and don't want anymore that will be perceived as “junk”.  As a result, people will only subscribe to email lists from which they believe they'll receive a lot of value.  I know I behave this way, and I bet you do too.

When I see an email opt-in box on a small business website, the opt-in message often says one of two things:  either “sign up to our email list” or “sign up to our newsletter”.  These messages don't provide any real incentive for a potential subscriber to give up their email address.  They don't communicate what value the subscriber will get by doing so.  Because of this, new subscriber sign ups will be rare.

In order to effectively build an email list, you need to dangle a proverbial carrot, that thing your website visitor really wants.  They need to be given a good reason to provide their coveted email address to you.  Otherwise, when they leave your website you'll be empty-handed.

So, what should you offer for free as your opt-in incentive?  Here are 5 solid opt-in incentives  to encourage your website visitors to sign up to your email list:

1. Ebook or report –  These are ebooks or reports in PDF format that get delivered instantly by email when someone opts-in to your list.  Think about what your prospective customers would like to know about.  What would they like to learn from you?  If you're a hair salon perhaps it's an ebook about the top 10 hair styles for 2012.   If you're a business consultant, it could be a 5 page report on how to handle the top 5 management issues in any organization.

2. Webinar – Webinars are great when you want to demonstrate or show people something visually. These are common in the B2B services industry, but they can also be effectively used in B2C markets as well.  Those attending your webinar can also interact with the presenter at specific points.  This gives you a format to answer any questions and receive valuable feedback from your audience.  They get valuable information from you and you get feedback from them, creating a win-win.

3. Prize drawing – Who doesn't want something for free?  Essentially these are like sweepstakes where you randomly pick a winner after a certain period of time or after reaching a certain number of subscribers.  I've been seeing a lot of these lately and they can work quite well. You just need to think about what you'd like to offer for free and when would you like to select the winner.  If you're a restaurant, maybe it's a prize drawing for a free dinner for 2 people. 

4. Coupons or special offers – This strategy can work well for nearly any business.  What discounts would you like to offer consumers? Focus on coupons for popular items if you'd really like to ramp up your subscribers. The coupons or special discounts you're offering should be special and unique to the opt-in incentive. I don't recommend placing coupons that also appear in coupon mailers or magazines sent to consumers. Otherwise, potential subscribers won't perceive it to be as valuable. Come up with something specifically for your opt-in incentive.

5. Audio clips – Audio clips are great when you want to address new subscribers in an audio format.  They can be interviews you conduct with others in your industry who are valued in the eyes of your subscribers. You can also do interviews with internal team members addressing important issues or topics your new subscribers would like to hear about.

By having a solid incentive to offer website visitors, you'll find your email list opt-ins will increase substantially.  Select one of the five strategies above and customize the free giveaway to your business.   I'd recommend testing a few different strategies to see which one works best for gathering up new subscribers.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me via Twitter or through my company website.  Both are listed below.

© 2012 Dan Hodgson

Dan Hodgson is President and Founder of Etude Technologies, an Internet Marketing company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Etude Technologies shows small to medium sized businesses how to leverage the Internet by building powerful web presences and generating leads online.

Visit them online at www.etudetech.com or follow Dan on Twitter: @danjoseph