Over the past few weeks I have discussed several topics involving email marketing. In this post I plan to highlight a few tips to keep in mind the next time you create your email marketing campaigns.

• Use quality control for your emails. You can reduce the amount of errors found in your emails by checking your contact list, Clicking all links including links associated with any images in your emails, and proofreading and verifying important information.

• Keep your branding consistent. Use a template to capture the look and feel of your company’s website or establish a clear and concise layout from one email to the next.

• Segment your lists. Using list segments allows you to send to a specific portion of your list according to common criteria. For example, you can create a segment that only contains contacts that live in California. Then, you can send an email to those contacts that only contain information pertinent to California residents.

• Send out surveys for quality feedback. A survey is a great tool because it allows you to hear the opinions of all your customers and gives them a chance to describe in detail what they like and do not like about your product or service.

Thanks for reading. I will be back soon to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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• Segment your campaigns with more than just one demographic. Depending on your product or service, create your campaigns with other attributes you might know about your audience. Do you know the gender (male or female) of each recipient? This could dramatically affect response rates if you have products that cater to a specific demographic.

• Use purchasing behavior to boost results. Segment your lists based on what each customer purchased in the past. For example, All consumers who purchased product A will be categorize into List A and all consumers who purchased product B, will be categorized into List B and so on. When new products and services become available, select the most relevant list to target.

• Segment based on general customer interests. If your product or services can be divided into categories, you can easily recognize how to segment your list. For instance, a sporting goods store may segment based on the type of sports/activity the customer is interested in.

If you are using iContact as your email marketing service, you can easily segment your list based on 15 standard fields as well as custom fields you have created. Custom fields enable you to segment your lists based on a criteria not already captured by the standard fields.

Thanks for reading. I will be back soon to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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Many Email Marketers fail to recognize when preparing their email campaigns is the importance of testing messages before they are sent out.  Sending out your promotional emails to a small group of people is a great way to understand what really drives your message. Even more, your test audience can give you substantial feedback that can greatly impact the effectiveness of your messages.

Another reason to test your promotions through email marketing is because it can dramatically affect your other communication channels. By sending out well crafted emails and tracking the results, you can save both time and money before investing in other marketing materials, such as direct mail.

Thanks for reading. I will be back soon to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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Since localization is a form of segmentation, you must be aware of specific languages as well as certain cultural and social customs that would affect your sending reputation. Many countries have a variety of different cultures within their borders and therefore it is imperative to target these audiences individually to improve results.

Also take note that when sending your messages, salutations are perceived differently in other cultures. Some countries embrace personalized emails and you will see positive outcomes. In others, people interpret salutations as an invasion of privacy.

Probably the most important rule when localizing your email campaigns to specific regions of the world is to adhere to their laws. Anti-spam requirements are the most important, but you also want to investigate any other laws that might involve doing business electronically or the use of personal information.

Thanks for reading. I will be back next week to discuss more topics on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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In a study conducted by Ovation Marketing, a majority of consumers who subscribe to email campaigns, click the link that takes them directly to the company’s landing page over clicking the product link advertised in the email. Those same consumers bought products off the website that were different from the products listed in the emails. Results from this study, it is highly recommended that you segment your email lists properly and advertise a variety of products that will attract a bulk of your readers.

Finally, when constructing your email campaigns, you want to concentrate on the layout of each email. Make sure that links to your products and services listed on your website are easily accessible to readers in your emails. By having accessible links it allows you to watch customers’ click and purchase behaviors through website analytics and fine-tune your e-mail messages to increase customer response.

Thank you for reading. I will be back next week to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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A survey is a great tool because it allows you to hear the opinions of all your customers and gives them a chance to describe in detail what they like and do not like about your product or service.  Often times a company is weighed down with negative comments, and very rarely hears the positive ones. A survey is an unobtrusive way to reach out and get an objective opinion about your business performance.

Before creating a survey, ask yourself, “What are the goals for this survey?” Spend time examining what you would like to achieve. After your objectives are in place, you can begin to segment your email lists to get the best results. For instance, if you run an apparel shop, you would probably want to segment your lists and target your surveys based on your customers’ geographic location and the appropriate apparel for that area (i.e. customers in Alaska would be more interested in cold weather clothes). 

Thanks for reading, I will be back soon to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis 

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 In order to leave a good impression with gatekeepers such as (ISPs), double check your lists for valid email addresses and make sure your audience is comprised of people who have agreed to sign up for your newsletters.  This will ultimately reduce your complaint rate, eliminate red flags, and decrease your chances of being labeled a spammer.

 Another smart tip in maintaining a positive sending reputation is by using one IP address. Spammers often change their IP addresses to avoid being tracked down. By keeping your IP address consistent you are less likely to attract your provider’s attention to your messages.

 If you use iContact as your primary email marketing service, we have active relationships with all of the major Internet Service Providers. If there is ever a case you believe your email campaigns have been flagged, you can contact Customer Service and they can help you sort out the issue.

 Have a great weekend and I will be back next week with more tips on email marketing.

 Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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 So after all, why is buying or selling email lists against email marketing best practices? For one, it is risky.  Having a list of recipients who have not given you permission to send them emails or opt-in to your lists, have no true affinity or association with your brand. Continually, many email marketers would suggest there has never been a significant return on any bought or sold lists.

When creating your email lists it is best to build them organically through other brand marketing channels. By using permission-based email marketing, you gain the trust of your audience and protect their right against SPAM. iContact does not accept customers who currently use bought or sold lists.

 Thanks for reading and I will be back soon to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Taylor

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• Review results from last year. What worked and didn’t work? Analyze results from the previous year and determine your successes. If you segmented your campaigns, was there a certain demographic that made an impact?

• Plan ahead and mark the calendar.  Consumers have come to expect exceptional deals on Black Friday (day after thanksgiving) and online deals to follow soon after. Schedule your campaigns to guarantee your emails get out to consumers ahead of the pack.

• Set up Autoresponders. Holidays can be a busy season for both you and your customers. Make sure you have autoresponders set up in case you are too busy to produce new content or unable to respond to customers immediately.

• Include a call to action. Whether it is to view a special offer, enter a competition, or just to download a new brochure, encourage your audience to stay connected to your products or services.

 

I hope you have a great weekend. I will be back next week with more tips on email marketing.

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As the holiday season is fast approaching, predictions show a 14.7 percent growth in sales over the 2007 season (eMarketer, 2008). It is important for email marketers to prepare cost effective measures to support this increase in business activity. Email marketing can be a great way to increase your presence amongst customers while keeping marketing expenditures relatively low.

One tip is to send out emails early on to capture those early-bird shoppers. By organizing and planning out your email campaigns a few months in advanced, you can eliminate the chances of customers overlooking your emails during shopping season.

Thanks for reading. I will be back by the end of the week to discuss more tips on email marketing.

Cheers,

Ryan Allis

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