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?

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

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.

(more…)

Sitting here tonight I was pondering about what to write about and share with you. I took a spin through my collections of emails I save, I flipped through my Evernote account to see what else might have slipped my gaze, but in the end I realized that I was searching for one thing… the perfect email for me.

It got me to thinking about “what was right for me” and started me thinking about what if the only things that came into my inbox were things that I wanted… just right then. Now what does this mean? It is hard right as no one no matter how AWESOME they are in data mining, behavioral marketing, content targeting or even trigger based emails could ever hit it perfectly. I mean delivering exactly what I want right at the moment.

So it started me thinking that no matter how much we try we might never see a day where every email we get has the right time of day, day of week, offer, color scheme, buttons, subject line or even the images that I wanted in the moment. But that does not mean email is dead or does not work. Email is about marketing. And marketing is about learning about your audience enough that you can get close to not only delivering an offer that is compelling, but changing the way that we look or think about something.

(more…)

Prior to 2009, mobile sites weren’t a marketing necessity, unless you were trying to reach the youth market or early tech adopters. Obviously that’s changed…

According to Comscore.com’s recent reports on mobile device usage, the U.S market grew from 9.2 million users in 2008 to 23.8 million in 2009. And it’s not just the 18 – 35-year-old demographic using mobile.

Gartner predicts that by 2013 mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide, exceeding 1.82 billion units. They also predict mobile phone penetration will reach 90% of the world and 6.5 billion mobile connections by 2014.

While almost all sites can be viewed on a mobile device (aside from sites created entirely in Flash), the experience can be unintuitive at best and frustrating at worst, as most “mobile” sites as they exist today weren’t built with the mobile user in mind. Case in point: the typical site width is 960 pixels. The iPhone is only 320. Only two-thirds of the information can be seen from a mobile device. (while the iPad has changed this – still only over 700K sold – and growing)

So where do you start? Here are some important questions agencies and brands should be asking:

(more…)

For the past year we have all seen how everyone wants to add social media (ie Fan Us, Tweet This, Share This etc) in their email marketing campaigns. And from what we have witnessed a majority or companies, brands and email marketers are jumping on board to use it in their email marketing campaigns. We know from use ourselves that it is working, people are taking content shared via email and extending it further into the social media streams and rivers of news out there. And that is the point right… using it to extend the reach of your already engaged (ie Opted in) customer base in close conjunction with your email marketing campaigns.

(more…)

I am sharing this story as a way to encourage all of you to step back and find new approaches to common challenges; to go after success by breaking down conventional barriers. This particular story centers around the very common RFP process, and how we here at eROI took a nonconventional approach to a response. Now this could be for any type of RFP as the overall process is something that has simply been used over and over again and it is time for a change. Change is not going to come from companies (except in this case) but it is going to be driven by you.

How many times have you either submitted a RFP or received a RFP to answer? We all know the drill right?

Client Side:

Gather the troops, accumulate the collective needs, frame the problem, identify the questions you need answered in order to make an informed decision, narrow the list, begin the courting process.

Agency Side:

Receive the RFP (if it was sent to you somehow these people feel you are qualified either from work, past relationships, or the word of others), review it, decide if your company is suited to respond, spend 40-100 hours answering questions, prepare work samples, foolishly create new work or ideas to give away, pray you make it to the selection round, cry when you do not make the cut OR begin the courtship ritual.

These are such antiquated rules, and both sides complain equally about the process, so why have we all continued to be bound by it? Simply because it’s mandated by prior experience or by archaic corporate guidelines? Are those really good enough reasons to keep this painful process in place? In my option, absolutely not. It’s time for a change; time to take this process in a new direction.

(more…)

Diesel has always had a strong approach to email marketing. They typically use content and images to suck you in that you are not expecting, driving at least me, to spend some time on it. Now this one in particular felt like a hot mess. At first I thought who messed this one up and how did the rendering go so sideways. With a little further review I realized that it was all on purpose. Once I had spent time reading it through my opinions shifted. But there were some more things I noticed after a later look into the email itself that led me to think more about “was this a test of social media in email OR just a clever copywriter using marks that lend themselves to social media?” Seems that they might have missed something larger here.

Leading with the subject line “The exclusively limited Be Stupid t-shirts (hesitate and you are lost).” Now bad grammar aside it was an interesting way to build a subject line. Driving demand and curiosity at the same time. Driving into the body it was interesting to see how they used the stike outs in the copy header to focus on PANIC. The “URGENT MESSAGE” only added to the silliness.

There were all sorts of little copy areas (that were all image of course) that continued to add to the story while creating a Where’s Waldo-esque word search for me. They also used a hashtag in the top (twice) of #BESTSTUPIDTEES. Now the funny thing is that that hashtag must have been either not noticed or not worth using as in a search there was not a peep of them, even from the Diesel Twitter account. What this leads me to believe is that it was a test and a poor one at that. If they are using them in a campaign and not even taking the time to use them themselves then why use them at all? Social media in email FAIL? Well take it one step deeper and notice that they don’t even have a Twitter (688 followers + tons of tweets about the campaign but not one mention of the hashtag used in this email) or Facebook call out in this email as well.

Guys if you are going to experiement with social media in email actually present it as such or don’t use it at all. After a search around what looks like a HUGE campaign budget being spent on print and other places they have totally neglected how social could have made this viral and larger in a very easy way. They even have a microsite dedicated to it with the smallest social icon set in the bottom footer below all the action. Foolish? Or are they just not ready?

In the end it was an entertaining campaign that ended up showing me how large brands are still missing the boat when it comes to understanding the web and social media as a whole.

Other than that, creative idea – poor execution.