Email Message & StrategyEmail Message & Strategy

3 R’s of Message Strategy3 R’s of Message Strategy

Engineering Calls to ActionEngineering Calls to Action

Determining When to Mail & Determining When to Mail & TestingTesting

Q&AQ&A

Email Messaging & Email Messaging & StrategyStrategy

Ross Kramer, Ross Kramer, ListrakListrak

3 R’s of Messaging Strategy3 R’s of Messaging Strategy

Relevancy

Rendering Reputation

The 1The 1stst R R

RELEVANCYRELEVANCY

Email Marketers DilemmaEmail Marketers Dilemma

People grow disinterested as you send them the People grow disinterested as you send them the same information over time.same information over time.

Keys to SuccessKeys to Success

• Know your audienceKnow your audience• Know what your audience wantsKnow what your audience wants• Know how to fulfill audience needsKnow how to fulfill audience needs

Pathways to RelevancyPathways to Relevancy

• Start with a Preference CenterStart with a Preference Center• PersonalizationPersonalization

– Dynamic ContentDynamic Content• SegmentationSegmentation

– Interest / PreferenceInterest / Preference– Active vs. Non-ActiveActive vs. Non-Active– Behavior (Purchase Path / Click Behavior (Purchase Path / Click

Stream Data)Stream Data)

Web Analytics ExampleWeb Analytics Example

The 2The 2ndnd R R

RENDERINGRENDERING

RenderingRendering

Recent changes in email Recent changes in email receivers’ technology are receivers’ technology are forcing email marketers to pay forcing email marketers to pay more attention to rendering in more attention to rendering in 2007.2007.

RenderingRendering

Email Experience Council’s 2007 Email Experience Council’s 2007 Rendering Report showed that Rendering Report showed that out of 1,000 emails reviewed, out of 1,000 emails reviewed, 210 of them were completely 210 of them were completely blank with images turned on.blank with images turned on.

?

Other ChallengesOther Challenges

• New Microsoft Live MailNew Microsoft Live Mail• New Yahoo InterfaceNew Yahoo Interface• New Outlook 2007New Outlook 2007

RenderingRendering

Tools are available to help you Tools are available to help you quickly test rendering of your quickly test rendering of your message.message.

Rendering ToolsRendering Tools

Rendering ToolsRendering Tools

Accreditation Services Accreditation Services

• Sender Score Certified (formerly Bonded Sender Score Certified (formerly Bonded Sender)Sender)– Road Runner / Hotmail /MSN / Microsoft LiveRoad Runner / Hotmail /MSN / Microsoft Live

• Goodmail Goodmail – AOL / Yahoo (transactional)AOL / Yahoo (transactional)– Verizon / AT&T / Comcast / Road Runner /CoxVerizon / AT&T / Comcast / Road Runner /Cox

• Habeas SafeListHabeas SafeList– 4 million email networks4 million email networks

The 3The 3rdrd R R

REPUTATIONREPUTATION

ReputationReputation

Your email reputation is formed Your email reputation is formed through a symbiotic through a symbiotic relationship between relationship between permission level, message permission level, message relevancy and mailing relevancy and mailing practices.practices.

ReputationReputation

Other factors that affect Other factors that affect reputation…reputation…

Message Not Relevant?Message Not Relevant?

Can’t Read the Message?Can’t Read the Message?

No Permission?No Permission?

ReputationReputation

List Quality … Bounces!List Quality … Bounces!

List Size … Connections!List Size … Connections!

Measure your reputation atMeasure your reputation at– http://www.senderscore.orghttp://www.senderscore.org

Critical Performance PiecesCritical Performance Pieces

Content

List QualityOffer/Call to Action

Content StrategyContent Strategy

Focus on…Focus on…

– Subject LinesSubject Lines– Customer-centric Content (Think Customer-centric Content (Think

Relevancy!)Relevancy!)– TestingTesting

Subject LinesSubject Lines

Click-through rates for subject Click-through rates for subject lines with lines with 49 or fewer 49 or fewer characterscharacters were 75 percent were 75 percent higher than for those with 50 or higher than for those with 50 or more. more.

-Return Path (2006)-Return Path (2006)

Subject LinesSubject Lines

69% of people studied said they 69% of people studied said they make the decision to click on the make the decision to click on the "report spam""report spam" or "junk" button or "junk" button using the subject lineusing the subject line. .

-Email Sender and Provider Coalition (2007) -Email Sender and Provider Coalition (2007)

Four Subject Line ImperativesFour Subject Line Imperatives

1.1. Personalization Personalization Adds the person’s first name in the subject lineAdds the person’s first name in the subject line

2.2. Include Your Company Name Include Your Company Name This will help with identifying who you are – think This will help with identifying who you are – think “report spam”“report spam”

3.3. Include the offer in the Subject LineInclude the offer in the Subject LineThis will boost your open/read rateThis will boost your open/read rate

4.4. Include a time limit or expirationInclude a time limit or expirationThis is a catalyst for “spur-of-the-moment” This is a catalyst for “spur-of-the-moment” actions/purchasesactions/purchases              

Customer–centric ContentCustomer–centric Content

Create email campaigns that work Create email campaigns that work hard and deliver highest ROIhard and deliver highest ROI

– Create relevant content tied to recipient Create relevant content tied to recipient preference preference

– Lifestyle messaging proving to be more Lifestyle messaging proving to be more lastinglasting

– Think “preview pane” - Above the fold body Think “preview pane” - Above the fold body copy must compel reader to click on relevant copy must compel reader to click on relevant offers or calls to action!offers or calls to action!

Content StrategyContent Strategy

Copy Changes:Copy Changes: Small changes can make an impactSmall changes can make an impact

Example:Example:

““Click Here” versus “Get” or “Receive”Click Here” versus “Get” or “Receive”– Test and track changes all the way to conversion Test and track changes all the way to conversion

as “Click Here” may receive higher CTR, but as “Click Here” may receive higher CTR, but other copy alternatives might convert better.other copy alternatives might convert better.

Content StrategyContent Strategy

Consider the Emotional Value of Your Consider the Emotional Value of Your Subject LineSubject Line

http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/

Content StrategyContent Strategy

Creative Changes:Creative Changes: Don’t feel that you need to Don’t feel that you need to alwaysalways stick to your templatestick to your template

Example:Example:– Email Postcards can be an effective way Email Postcards can be an effective way

to to re-invigorate sagging response rates.re-invigorate sagging response rates.

MarketingSherpa Email Awards 2007 – Best Consumer Postcard

20,000 messages delivered6,500 messages forwarded to friends!

When to MailWhen to Mail

Listrak ESP28 million emails sent

3000 campaigns

When to Mail?When to Mail?

Listrak ESP240 million emails sent

26,000 campaigns

When to MailWhen to Mail

When the inbox is cleanWhen the inbox is cleanWeekdays – Weekdays –

After 9AM but before 4PM ESTAfter 9AM but before 4PM EST

Geographical SegmentationGeographical SegmentationConsider time zonesConsider time zones

Stay away from… Stay away from… Friday afternoons and weekendsFriday afternoons and weekends

TestingTesting

You don’t know You don’t know what you don’t knowwhat you don’t know

The only way to know The only way to know what you don’t knowwhat you don’t know

……is to test!is to test!

Testing & TuningTesting & Tuning

Easy Idea: A/B SplitEasy Idea: A/B Split

• Segment “x” of list as test groupSegment “x” of list as test group• Split test group in half “a” & “b”Split test group in half “a” & “b”• Send separate test campaign to each splitSend separate test campaign to each split• Actionable results should be available Actionable results should be available

within 3 hourswithin 3 hours

Determine Sample SizeDetermine Sample Size

Ideas for TestingIdeas for Testing

Subject LinesSubject LinesPersonalizationPersonalizationSegmentationSegmentationOffer TypesOffer TypesCouponsCouponsDay Part / Week PartDay Part / Week Part

3 R’s of Messaging Strategy3 R’s of Messaging Strategy

Relevancy

Rendering Reputation

Q & AQ & A