email newsletters workshop lvsc 2008 read only

Maria Diaz – [email protected]

E-communications WorkshopWhy, how to, do’s and don’ts

2 July 2008


Introduction

• Charity Technology Trust - CTTCTT is a charity that provides charities with the best available technology solutions to enable them to improve their operational efficiency.

• Maria DiazE-Communications Manager @ CTT


Workshop structure

• Session 1Why, how to, do’s and don’tsby Maria

• Session 2Questions and answers and sharing of experiences.by all of us


What is e-communications?

A paper free written communication delivered electronically to more than one recipient.


Why e-communications1. Cost Effective2. Immediate3. Flexible4. Personal5. Interactive6. Responsive7. Measurable 8. Versatile 9. Easy to Share

10. Environmentally Friendly11. Source of Income


Who is your audience?

General interest in your work Donors/StakeholdersFundraisersCampaignersTrusteesOther


If you don’t know who they are…… ask them:

- Do you want to receive emails from us?- What areas of our work are you interested in?- How often do you want to hear from us?- In what format do you wish to receive your email?

HTMLPlain text

- Do you give me permission to email you?


Data Protection Facts

Email and mobile information need to be collected with OPT-IN3rd Party uses (including other charities) need to be notifiedScripting of permission statements is vital


Effective permission statements

Use the tone of voice of your organisationAppeal to thrift ‘cost effective communication’Fit the message to the audienceCover all future uses/channels to marketBe clear about who is collecting the info (Trading arms/affiliated companies)Offer the right to opt-inGive them a reason to hand over the information


Write the contentRelevant to the intended audience Personalise the emailBe concise – Use click through links to your website for more informationBe clear – What do you want the subscriber to do – Call to actionProvide something extra – benefit to be subscribed.Avoid - where possible - spam words/characters


Spam words/characters

Avoid exclamation or interrogation marks as much as possible, in the text and very importantly, on the subject line.

Avoid spam words like free, software, save, marketing, click here, etc.


Template design

Template - What is it?Determine your template’s visual identity

- Consistent with your online identity?- New for the particular online publication- Similar to your offline publication/s

Design it to work for you- Sections

Creative that stands out in the crowded inboxHTML and plain text version


Design

Note that recipients read from top left to bottom rightDesign appropriate to the contentChange elements of the design to ensure it stays fresh, seasonal imagesConsider the foldDesign should be consistent and within brand guidelines


Some design tips - HTML


Template size

The average size for screen resolution is 1024 x 768pixels

The template width should not exceed 700 pixels

Bear in mind the frequent use of email preview reading pane


Template size

√ Right LengthAvoid vertical scrolling where possible


Call to actionMake it clear

Place your call to action at the top of the e-newsletter

i.e. if you want a donation, please place the donation button / link at the top.


Bear in mind graphic blockers

Avoid having the call to action inserted only on a graphic (banner or button)

If you use a graphic button, remember to add the same link within the text too.


Avoid using tables with thick borders

X Wrong – Border thickness is 4 pixels

√ Right – Border thickness is 1 pixel


Visual balance

√ Right – Consider image per text ratio.

In the example, there is a visual balance between the amount of text and the pictures included


Balance links to content

√ Right – Consider link per text ratio.

Make the links obvious

Remember the importance of the first link


Use ALT tags on images

√ Right – Always use ALT tags (alternative text or mouse over text) on all images.


Warning - Use of colour

X Wrong – Some colour combinations are tiring to the eye and difficult to read


Avoid using style sheets

Different email clients interpret style sheets in different ways

To achieve best results, avoid using them


Use a popular font type

Use a popular font type (Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, etc) despite the font on your brand guidelines being different.

Most users will not have that font available on their computers and substitution would occur.


Plain text design


Plain text version

Make it as attractive as possible…


Cheat!

Write a brief introduction to the e-news and ask them to click through to a link where the HTML (online) version lives


Functionality linksBoth versions should include:

– Personalisation – where possible– ‘Forward to a friend’ and “social network

bookmarking” links– Subscribe to receive our e-news– Very top – ‘Web Online version’ link– Automatic change your details– Comments or suggestions email link– UNSUBSCRIBE - Mandatory


Be original – Experiment!

• Don’t be frightened to try new things• Fragment your data and send them

different layouts or subject lines - Note what works best

• Use your email call to action to engage your audience with other media (SMS, Video, Audio, etc)


Test before send

• Send a test to various colleagues and ask their opinion (share the guilt!)

• Test that all the links work• Test the same campaign on different email

clients – Outlook, Hotmail, AOL, Lotus…• Test all the functionality links• When possible, leave it for a while and

come back to it


When to send

• Regular publications (Monthly, weekly, etc)

• Core days of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

• Core hours of the working day (Mid morning, mid afternoon)

• Consider just before lunch time when it is raining or when it is very cold


Other points to consider…

• Use a friendly email address and always the same.

• Subject line – 35% of email users open messages based on it (Jupiter)

• Data segmentation and relevance


Delivery

The mechanism used to send and deliver bulk emails

Three types of email tools

- Outlook/Eudora/Lotus/other PC/POP3 based email system

- In-House bulk email broadcast software

- ASP bulk email broadcast software


Email tools

√√XReports

√√XFit the purposeASP s/wIn-House s/wOUTLOOK

√√XTemplates

√√XHTML and plain text part send

√√XManages Bounces

√√XHTML

√XXSPAM

√√XSubscriptions

√XXBandwidth

√√XAddress Books


Email tool specification

Open rate, Click throughs, bounces, unsubscribes

ReportsDesign, look and feel managementTemplatesHTML and Text versions2 part sendHard (email not there) and Soft (unavailable)Bounces

HTML email with WYSIWYG editorHTMLBeing blockedSPAM

Subscribes and unsubscribesSubscriptions

Internet Pipe sizeBandwidth

Address Management/history/export/importAddress Book


Post send• Open rates• Click through rates• Which link was most successful• Make a note of what peak time/s• % Un-subscribes• % Hard-bounce emails• % Soft-bounce emails – Correlation with holiday

period, half term…• Use click through information to further segment

your data – Subscriber retention• Forward to a friend – Who is promoting you?


Post send– Safely remove un-subscribes – Delete hard-bounce emails – follow up phone

call?– Manage changes in existing data – Email

address changes, email format, etc.– Write next newsletter taking into account what

was read.– Note the peak opening time– Take into account feedback received


The key to successFor the marketers:

– The right content– To the right audience– At the right time

For the recipients:

– Who is it from?– What’s in it for me?– What do I do next?


Session 2

Questions and answers and sharing of experiences.by all of us


Thank you!

Maria DiazE-Communications ManagerCharity Technology Trust

[email protected]