email marketing 101

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Thinking of beginning an email marketing program? What to keep in mind when getting started Sandi Karchmer Solow I Send Your Email [email protected] m

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The basics needed to begin an email marketing program, as discussed at the Atlanta Web Entrepreneurs Meet-up on July 17, 2008.

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Page 1: Email marketing 101

Thinking of beginning an email marketing program?

What to keep in mind when getting started

Sandi Karchmer SolowI Send Your [email protected]

Page 2: Email marketing 101

More about Sandi Solow…

I am a freelance email marketing manager for companies of all sizes – those that are either beginning an email marketing program or have an established program that needs additional resources. Work on an hourly- or project basis to help companies answer the following questions:

– Message: What do you want your emails to say? – Audience: Who do you want to receive your emails? – Format: What will your emails look like? – Measurement: How will we know the email was

successful?

My company: www.ISendYourEmail.com

Page 3: Email marketing 101

?Why are you going to begin an email program?

Create an editorial calendar

Develop message content

Develop an audience list and/or decide who you’ll be emailing

Potential costs determined by knowing who and how often

Getting started process flow

Selecting an email service provider is a function of needs and budget

Page 4: Email marketing 101

Why are you sending emails?

• “Because I think I should” – not the best answer

• Have a clear goal for your program– Sales– Brand awareness

• Can you sustain your idea/goal?

Page 5: Email marketing 101

Now that you know who you’ll be emailing, what are you going to send

them?• A relationship built on trust

– You’ll live up to your promise of sending relevant content

• What does your audience want to receive?– Use email collection on site to ask for

demographics and set information preferences

Page 6: Email marketing 101
Page 7: Email marketing 101

Take the time to develop your list

• Market your subscription button• “Sell” the subscribe• Promote subscribing• Empower the Front Line

Article by Kimberly Snyder published on MarketingProfs.com on June 17, 2008

Page 8: Email marketing 101

Don’t use ESP to pick an ESP

• ESP = Email Service Provider• Can help you avoid spam filters

– Message scanners review before blasting– May know of ISP issues

• Select your ESP carefully– Budget– How often you’ll be sending– How large your list size is/will be

Page 9: Email marketing 101

You’ve developed an audience… now what?

• There’s more to it than just hitting the send button– Refer to editorial calendar – Factor in time to create a compelling

message– For each blast, carefully scan your recipient

list– Afterwards, look at your message stats

(opens, clicks, blocks, bounces)– Doesn’t include time for A/B testing

Page 10: Email marketing 101

Workflow of a message blast

Write out the content

Decide email recipients

Design HTML and text emails

Test both versions of the emails in different formats; revise as necessary

Send the email

Post-blast analysis

Page 11: Email marketing 101

Pitfalls of Poor Content

• Unsubscribe rates increase• Run the risk of being called a

Spammer• Damages your brand image

Page 12: Email marketing 101

How to avoid being a spammer?

• No silver bullet answer• Only takes 0.1% to blacklist you• Don’t purchase lists• Never email someone who hasn’t

requested to hear from you • Develop a list that’s permission-

based

Page 13: Email marketing 101

How to develop a permission-based list

What is this? Pros ConsOpt-in Collect via form on site Easy to sign-up Not guaranteed

permission; anyone can sign-up

Opt-out

Give visitors the chance to sign up for something else along with a pre-checked box that will subscribe them to your list.

It’s easy and legal

Not everyone reads the pre-checked box and is later annoyed when they get your email

Double Opt-In

Collect address on site and confirm via follow-up email

Gives you a database of very strong leads

Lose people who originally sign-up

Page 14: Email marketing 101

Contact info

Sandi Karchmer SolowI Send Your [email protected]