| Enabling Business Through Technology and | | | | call-to-action component as close to the top of your |
| Teamwork | | | | email head and repeat adding the C to A component |
| Email Campaigns that WORK! | | | | throughout your email outline. |
| Over the years, email campaigns and the use of email | | | | - Writing a concise statement of what your are |
| to promote, sell and inform potential and existing | | | | offering and using this as your SUBJECT line is very |
| customers has grown in popularity and use. Recent | | | | effective in getting the reader to click through and read |
| statistics show that email spending is slated to grow | | | | your email. As an example, if I wanted to introduce a |
| from $885.0 million in 2005 to $1.1 billion in 2010 (Jupiter | | | | new computer service such as computer security |
| Research, Feb 3, 2006). U.S. Marketers plan to use | | | | check (checking a customer's computer to insure that |
| Email marketing 72 % more than they did in 2006 | | | | it is secure and has the appropriate software to |
| (Emarketer Feb 2007). Watch out traditional marketing | | | | protect the system and it's network), I could use the |
| channels! | | | | old way of introducing this service by placing in the |
| Why should you develop an Email Program? Why | | | | SUBJECT line "Computer Security Services". This is |
| not? | | | | very generic and I doubt I would get many people to |
| - It's much less expensive than traditional forms of | | | | click through to read my message. But what if I |
| marketing, such as direct mail. | | | | changed the SUBJECT line to read "Are you tired of |
| - You can reach a potentially huge audience. | | | | worrying about the security of your computer?" If I |
| - Email has better return on investment than nearly any | | | | saw this, I would be tempted to see what the writer |
| other form of marketing. | | | | was stating, because all of us are worried about our |
| - Emails arrive almost instantaneously, unlike regular | | | | computer security and the network that supports it. |
| mail. | | | | Also, consider using your company or personal name if |
| - It's proactive: it lets you push the message to an | | | | the potential reader knows of your company or you |
| eager audience. | | | | (lends creditability). |
| - You can test and measure reactions to your | | | | - Find and use a professional looking email format that |
| message easily. | | | | "sparkles" and allows you to set your email to be seen |
| - It's interactive: you can send email in response to | | | | as a newsletter or graphical presentation. In a previous |
| website visitors' actions. | | | | article, I suggested several companies that allow you |
| Developing an effective email campaign is not hard but | | | | how to design your own email, newsletter, etc. Find |
| it does require a strict discipline and attention to detail. | | | | one you like and use it. Some of you may ask "What |
| Nothing is worse than to send an email out to your | | | | if I don't want to use this type of format? Which is |
| address list and learn later that you had misspelled | | | | better.... HTML or Plain Text? " The answer is that if |
| words and grammatical errors. Yuk! | | | | you are sending your email to the general public, HTML |
| I suggest you follow these steps in preparing your | | | | is best, but if your message is going to "technical" |
| email campaign: | | | | readers, use text because they just want to read the |
| - What is the purpose of your email campaign? Is it to | | | | facts and move on. |
| inform the public of a new product or service? Is it to | | | | - Remember, the goal of an email is not to sell an item. |
| sell a current service or product? Is it just to keep your | | | | It is to get a CLICK. Structure every word to get them |
| new clients informed? Defining the purpose is a critical | | | | to click-through to the page that is optimized for |
| first step and should be the single action that you | | | | conversion. Optimize the email to get the click; optimize |
| spent the most time considering. The purpose sets the | | | | the landing page to get the sale. |
| stage for writing great "content" and "value" | | | | - Measure the results. It is very important to determine |
| statements. | | | | the impact of your email campaign. Some software |
| - Once you have clearly defined the purpose, you can | | | | (email) companies have a built-in tracker that allows |
| start to write your "copy". IMPORTANT: Valuable | | | | you to view the number of click-through's and other |
| content is a key factor in developing your email piece. | | | | valuable information. Industry standards average for |
| Remember, the use of bullet statements and short | | | | clicks is from 4% to 20%; however, new techniques |
| sentences are key to get the reader to view your | | | | and technology improvements, especially the use of |
| "Call to Action" page(s). Ask yourself "does my | | | | interactive features, is changing how we view and |
| message create a perception of value in the eyes of | | | | measure the "click" statistic. |
| the readers?" If not, start again or hire someone who | | | | I read the other day in a technology magazine that |
| is skilled in creating great content and developing the | | | | "Email is the killer application in the current technology |
| value ideas. | | | | age" and I fully agree and that an effective email |
| - Always place a "CALL TO ACTION" component(s) | | | | strategy can and will improve your sales or whatever |
| (call this toll free number, click here to order, register | | | | goal you are seeking to obtain. Remember, it all starts |
| here or whatever you are using) or just a simple "click | | | | with a PURPOSE and VALUABLE CONTENT. |
| through" on your email. A key tip is to position your | | | | |