The Email Wars

Many of you might not have tried content sharing in your emails yet. Sure you added a Follow Us, Friend Us, Fan Us, Sweat Us (I made that last one up) link in your header or footer but is that really making an impact and driving lift to your campaigns. You might be surprised at the results and some simple tests and implementations will allow you to show results to those you need to prove the integration of the channel to with data.

Many people are promoting social sharing today in their systems, but before you go down the path for a feature you should give it a try. With developing some ideas on how to place it, where to place it, and what your goals are of using it you can get started fairly quick. Don’t over think it. It is a test. But do have some clear goals or hypothesis in mind to be watching. It is really easy to test and learn how it works for you.

I would suggest starting at the KEY point in the email. Is is a sale, deal, new article, study, event, webinar… what is it. Start by testing the main focus of the email. Give it some time to see how it works. If you are using social sharing through other means like placing links into these ecosystems manually, make sure that you are using different links in order to track them as separate efforts.

Here are the simple codes to use:

Facebook Share Button Code

Here is the Facebook share code, which can also be found at http://www.facebook.com/share_partners.php/.

<script type="text/javascript">
     function fbs_click() {
	u=location.href;
	t=document.title;
	window.open('http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+encodeURIComponent(u)+'&t='+encodeURIComponent(t),'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=626,height=436');
	return false;
     }
</script>
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=LINK_GOES_HERE" onclick="return fbs_click()" target="_blank">
    <img src="ADD_IMAGE_URL_HERE" alt="Share on Facebook" />
</a>

Twitter Share Button Code

Here is the Twitter share code:

<a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Currently reading: LINK_GOES_HERE" title="Click to share this post on Twitter">
    <img src="ADD_IMAGE_URL_HERE" alt="Share on Twitter" />
</a>

LinkedIn Share Button Code

Here is the LinkedIn share code, which can also be found at http://developer.linkedin.com/docs/DOC-1075.

<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url={articleUrl}&title={articleTitle}&summary={articleSummary}&source={articleSource}" target="_blank">
    <img src="ADD_IMAGE_URL_HERE" />
</a>

Now your challenge is to test some of your content specific (deals, articles, events) in each newsletter or email campaigns. Don’t try to overshare and give everything in the email the ability – but selective choose 1-3 areas depending on the campaign and test them. These can be used in your emails as well as used on landing pages associated with the campaigns as well.

Start simple, refine and expand.

One other thing I would suggest is to use a URL shortening service like Bit.ly or Ar.gy to track how they are used and spread across the web. Use a different one for each of the above links and medias (LI/FB/TW).

Now go get em.

“Friend”, “Fan”, “Follower”, “Like”

What impact do these new notions have on your customer and subscriber base? Are these forms of ratings, measurement, a path to engagement? Or a just a new way to passive engagement?

Over the past 12 months we have been witness to the sweeping changes that social media has brought to email marketing. Eight months ago I could count on my hands how many companies were adding social media links to their email programs… today I would need to get an abacus to keep count. But just as companies are getting up to speed with the add-on of Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to their email headers and/or footers, early pioneers are now moving toward content level sharing WITHIN their emails. I will wager this trend will surge before the end of the year as marketers see that the propensity to “share” specific articles, promotions and news begins to jump the shark.

But what does it mean?

We are all gaga (and I don’t mean Lady Gaga here) right now over the way that consumers, customers, and subscribers are openly jumping in to help promote companies’ marketing efforts. Within email we can see this engagement jumping to the off-the-chart levels that we saw in the early days of “Send to a Friend”. These two “features” are actually grounded around the same concept, only the medium has changed. But what makes this medium different?

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I wrote this article for iMediaConnection the other week. Thought you might like it.

Article Overview:

National Geographic asks for your preferences, your profile, your desire for each email type, and, most importantly, your permission
Timberland’s emails stand out due to brand consistency, large calls-to-action, clarity of messaging, and easy-to-measure creative tests
Banana Republic has stepped into its own in testing, experimenting, and being different
Rethinking “best practices”

What is “right”? Is there a correct way? Do best practices always work?
The answer to these and almost every other question in email marketing is, “It depends.” I know it’s a cop-out of an answer, but in all honesty, there is no right answer. There’s no global best practice that makes your campaign stats jump, no design layout that wins every time. It takes constant trying, tweaking, analyzing, and risk-taking. Calculated and meticulous risk-taking, I might add. And yes, in the end there is no “right,” only good job, mission accomplished, and what’s next?
Yet over the years of not just observing thousands of email campaigns but also creating them, I have weeded through the good and the bad to find those brands that are marketing in ways that move audiences and drive results. This isn’t about presenting you with empirical campaign data. This is about what works for me, and why.

Here are seven brands that are doing it right.
Read the full article

Are you running an email marketing rodeo or simply a one trick pony program? Many marketers run the latter as they look at the opt in to be a way to turn on the one way funnel similar to direct mail. Well this is not hitting a PO Box but hitting the inbox. The inbox is directly tied to this magical digital rodeo we call the internet which enables us to create actions based on actions. Have I lost you yet? I hope not.

Marketing online is taking a turn to marketing automation. There is not way using past techniques that we can always be there to know when someone is ready for A or B to happen. But using the new systems of marketing automation we are finally gaining ground to creating trigger based campaigns on actions, behavior and timing. It is something that has been a long time coming. I hope you are ready to take the bull by the horns and make the leap out of the chutes.

What are triggers in email marketing? Well they can be all of the following and more. Depending on what you are able to do I suggest you review these and saddle up with one or all of them.

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Over the years we have seen email marketing change from being a one to all to a one to one medium. Much of this has been not only pushed by the growth in the tools available that email marketers use, but in the tactics and knowledge we apply to bringing communications down to a one to one basis. Now although we would love to see more people using email in this fashion, as it would lift engagement, drive relevant campaigns, and allow people to get emails that they want from companies and brands… the problem always lies in the data.

Now I would state that the challenge does not lie entirely on the tools we use, but in the time that we invest in reading and making decisions based on the data we get back from the campaigns. Communication being taken down to a one to one basis does not rely on the subscriber, they expect it, but it comes down to the marketer doing their job of using what they know.

There are a few things I suggest that you spend some time on in the coming months.

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In looking through some recent work our team has been busting out I wanted to share a few examples of how we have been using social media in email marketing. Now I know I have busted the chops of others lately, and I am sure that we have things to test and learn still as well, but here are three examples that I find to be well executed from our team.

Why not use it in a Welcome campaign? What an ideal point to introduce it. If social media is a prime part of your overall digital marketing you need to make sure it is out in front of them. And adding not forcing social media introductions in a welcome campaign work well. These touch points are going to be one of your highest performing campaigns EVER so choose your focus wisely. If you have other goals do not make social front and center, but do introduce it in.If you have read this blog for any time at all, seen me speak, or worked with me on your campaigns you know how important I find welcome emails to be in a program.

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As a long time subscriber but someone that has not yet laid my head down at Indigo Hotels I was happy to see so many changes going on with their email marketing programs. I have had a little insight that changes were a foot there and this past campaign I was happy to see so many changes. With email that lived on the Haiku for far too long they have made the transition from an email that I always found a little odd for a travel company to one that now has my attention. They seem to have made all the right changes towards a great program.

Here is an older version from earlier this year that was okay, but the offer and all the BLUE for the hotel locations made me feel as if there was not anything more important than just a transaction. Each of the campaigns was very focused on them talking to me not having a conversation with me. Now this is not all that bad but with the new changes they have made some improvements that make me feel like they are giving me some better information as to who they are, what I might get and why I would look at a stay there. Before they did not have any social inclusion in their programs and not they have added it to the headers along with better text pre-headers that do not add too many pixels to the header pushing content down as their past layouts did talking about no image and add it to your address book. They have made the jump to a tight format that is appealing on all levels.

The funny thing is that it is not a major change in the overall information itself, but the color changes, information architecture and flow works so much better to make the content work. The inclusion of easy to read options (like mobile), occasion marketing (gets me thinking about when I could stay there) and the notions of escaping to Florida are things that are still transactional in premise but do not feel as forced as they might have before in the color layouts.

Now although they have made me happier with mobile web access and not an app (not everyone needs an app I will go on record on this over and over again) they have a little work left to do. The main one is the view as mobile version of the email. It might be the longest text email I have ever seen in my life. They need to look at changing this to either be a real mobile version or simply place some thought into what content really needs to be there. The last 2000 plus pixels listing all of their locations does not need to be there. I am presumably on a mobile device so a simple link to find these locations is all that is truly needed. Thinking through a mobile version if you offer one should be on your hit list. Mobile version does not mean text version. It means one that is viewable and actionable on a mobile device. Now I know that there are some that do not show images, but no one is going to scroll 50 click wheels down to go through all of these listing.

Hotel Indigo, you have come a long way and I am happy with the progress. My only challenge to you now it to starting thinking about usability with mobile/text versions. I know you can do it and it just might get this email snob to find one to stay at soon.

In a meeting last week I was introduced to 42 Below Vodka. Not with shots or cocktails, but from their website and cheeky marketing. Our clients that were in town from New Zealand for a planning meeting were showing me examples of the NZ brands that push the envelope. America has had one of our first tastes with Flight of the Conchords, but I think that anything NZ is just on the start of gaining more ground.

Is humor always transferable country to country OR always right? So many brands have gotten in some sort of trouble in years past, but none of them have been liquor brands that I know of. We kind of expect them to push it a little further than most. And 42 Below is definitely doing that.

First the opt-in location is titled the “Hot Spam Injection”. I think we could stop right there with that one but it is only the entrance to this rabbit hole. They then follow with this disclaimer copy, “I want to receive life changing information on 42BELOW products & events! I understand that your Spam-Bot technology will relentlessly flood my in-box fast and effectively with amazing emails.” An animated gif to the right showing odd folks in states of lubricated celebrity helps to set the scene.

I am quite sure that even in jest this might hold people back from opting in. Humor is good while it is on brand but this might be too far for some people they are trying to reach. They have a great on-page confirmation message  giving instant gratification, as well as an age gate that worked too. If you are going to go this far you might as well go all the way.

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The pre-header is something that I feel is very important. Some others I have talked with recently (you will remain unnamed) have said they don’t feel it is as important as it can shove content below the scroll in the inbox and more importantly on mobile devices. I can agree with them when it is treated as an add-on or afterthought, but the pre-header today, IMHO, is more important than ever in giving people not only the gist of an email communication, but empowering them with quick actionable links to use for a better experience.

We have seen it used for a long time for whitelisting, viewing as a web page, and even unsubscribing; but the future of the pre-header is much greater in your email marketing campaigns than the old school elements. When used properly pre-headers truly allow you to give an overview of the content contained in the email for quick scanning, links to offers, links to mobile versions, couponing, and also access to alternate versions of an email. The last being what I wanted to share with you in the second example.

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Where Are You At with Your Email Marketing Evolution?

We have the pleasure of working with marketers of all levels. Some are just starting out in digital with years of experience in database marketing; some are brand new hires that are excited about doing the right thing and want to learn. The more established are busy segmenting, testing and evolving their email marketing programs. Remember that no one is an expert and no one can cheat evolution. In the Email Wars, there is no Captain America, and no injections of Super-Email Marketer Serum. That is one of the best things about marketing. In order to get wins, we are all in constant state of testing ideas, plans, reviewing past campaigns and finding new ways to do our jobs. Now, if that is not a good path for evolving then I do not know what is.

I remember this past February, at the Email Evolution Conference, when the audience was asked to raise their hands based on how long they have been email marketing. At first the air was full of hands with 1-3 years of experience. Then, the air started to clear as we moved to 3-5 years. As we reached 10 years, there were only a few hands in the air. Now, this wasn’t a case of people not sticking it out in digital marketing, but the fact was made readily apparent that we are still in a young medium (interactive/digital/online – or whatever you want to call it) that changes weekly. Heck, I wake up most days and am exposed to something new within minutes that I never considered before. What a great time to be alive and in marketing as long as you can digest the noise, sort the clutter, and make rational decisions.

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In going through some past portfolio work from the eROI team and clients I work with this weekend I came across a good example that made me think about how we approach layouts and content. Often we see people using a few tried and true layouts that might work for the simple means of getting content to fit in a form, but when you start to look at the content, the goals, and how we read you might find some more creative ways to use layouts to your advantage.

There is a movement due to the growth of the mobile device market to use more single column image driven layouts. While this a good strategy to simply think about how to best render on the device, does it fit the real understanding of what marketers really know about the devices? In a recent survey we are just completing, we learned that many of the marketers feel that mobile design and rendering is important, while the majority of them still do not know what percentage of their readers are actually checking content on mobile devices. We will all get there, but it will take time. So instead of designing for the what if, think about designing around the content and messaging you have to work with. Let the content drive the layout and design. If you are coding these using best practices then your versions (html, text, mobile, etc) will fall into place.

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All hail the mobile future, as it is here now.

I love living in the future. Who would have ever thought that things we saw on TV as kids would be here today and in our lives. I know it makes me feel and sound old, but this new device is truly inspiring. Now I have heard some complaints about it, but the funniest one to me so far (that I have heard on multiple occasions) is how heavy it is! Guys, it weighs a pound and a half… is that too heavy for a TV/ book/ magazine/ library/ jukebox/ photo gallery/ email inbox/ web browser/ gaming machine? If it is too heavy – or heavier than you expected – get a 2 pound weight and do some reps or curl that 20 oz coffee mug a few more times a day.

And while I am at it… this post was sent from the future.

I thought it might be interesting (since this post is about reading on the iPad) that I should write (with one fast finger) from mine. Now being that the keyboard is different (do not read “bad” here), it has taken a little longer to make as many typos and grammatically incorrect sentences as I typically do, but give me time and I will be knocking out crap faster than ever and from odder locations.

These thoughts are based on about two weeks on it, and it has been one heck of a two-week stretch, that I only have a few finds thus far. And to preset expectations for this post, I would like to say that more will be found with time and testing.

So, will this be a game changer? Well, if you are talking about video games then yes, just got done running a few laps of Asphalt 5, but this is going to be a device that slowly shifts in how we use it. Regarding email I am not overly convinced it is going to be a positive or a negative yet. It has a little of both.

1. Fewer than 1 million sold so far (maybe more by the time you read this). Now I am sure it will grow, but as an early adopter myself I do not find myself reaching for it more than I do my iPad Foldable XXL(i.e. Laptop) or iPad Nano (i.e. iPhone). Amazingly those two devices are still my primary ways to engage, interact, and work. I expect as more understanding, openness to outside business software, and use grows we will see it make a larger impact. But how? I am not sure yet. 700K were sold out of the gates which is impressive but still not accounting for much of a metric surge in analytics with sites and email clients.

I think that once we see 3G roll out in the coming weeks we might see even more people that were holding out move to acquire a device. I have wifi wherever I go so it really makes 3G a non-factor. I assume that the story will be the same for many that do not venture to places without connections. PS it is ok NOT to have an internet connection or device from time to time; you will not die. Trust me, I have experimented with being disconnected, and I survived. It was a lot like that TV show Lost but with less black smoke monsters and more mai tais.

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We have all been jawing about the use of animated gifs in emails over the past 8 months and I love that we are starting to see them being used more and more when they make sense. Now not only to they really make an email work well, drive deeper engagement, and even make us all pay more attention to them when they start dancing in our inbox but they are something that we can all use.

VIV Magazine has been doing some new campaigns with their newsletter taking them over the top in a good way. My senses also tell me from the length of the subject lines, the layouts and the great attention to detail that I would wager that one of our “favourite” email marketers from across the pond (hello Dela) is behind this crafty work. I could be wrong the based on the email I have seen his fingerprints are all over this. I hope I am right.

I wanted to call out a few things that really make this work and you should note. Armed with some of these tricks/ideas you might be able to make some strides in testing these techniques in your own programs.

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Every once in a while I get a nice surprise. I was told the other day that Levis had a great new welcome email and that it lived up to the promise on the home page. What was this promise? Well if you look at the home page at the footer they state “Sign up for email & we’ll send you a promo code for free shipping.” Well it had all the makings of a good offer and I wanted to test the delivery.

The sign up was painless, and the promise was delivered. I even tried to game the system by signing up deeper into the site with a link that presented zero shipping promise. What this tell me is that they have made sure to deliver on it no matter where it comes from. So for those that did not happen to see the offer in the footer of the site it actually delivers a surprise. That is something that I always love and think that shoppers love as well.

We all know from past studies and tests that people just love them some free shipping for online orders. Nice work Levis.

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The other week Anna Yeaman at StyleCampaign put forth an idea and backed it up with a test on the concept of the uses of black and white as a background in an email and how it performs. Her test has been on my mind making me take a closer look at not only our work but of other campaigns I see since. In paying closer attention to how some people have used these colors to make their email campaigns not only look better, but become more usable.

Now the colors black and white are stylish colors. They are both elegant colors that can really make a campaign stand out. She shared the results how used alone they made a big difference in test but also took it a little farther showing how they can work together. Now I like her use of the black frame on the white background, but taking a simple look at them again I really wanted to see how some other programs were using them and how they made me feel.

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