Email Marketing Guideline

Best practices and tips to create a successful Email Marketing Campaign

Steps to follow

1. Build a segmented Database

2. Schedule your campaign

3. Create your email▼ Design and Content

▼ Technical specifications

4. Test your campaign and Improve the deliverability

5. Send and Analysis

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1 – Build a segmented database

► Probably one of the most important factors of success for an Email Marketing Campaign

► A highly segmented database is crucial to leverage results► Data collection strategy must be thought upstream► A highly segmented database will allow a high level of personalisation

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1 – Build a segmented database

► Main aspects:▼ Consider all touch points and create appropriate strategies of data collection

►E.g. competition on website, registered form on event, part of the identification process at the call centre

▼ Obtain permission: double opt-in is strongly recommended

▼ Define your “required” information and make them compulsory►Depends on the level of personalisation of your campaigns►Depends on the type of campaigns (a Newsletter may require less data than a

commercial email)►E.g. email address, name, postcode, interests

▼ Focus equal attention on existing lists►Implement strategies to transform inactive members into active ones

▼ Provide valuable benefits: convince potential subscribers

▼ Convey Trust: clearly state privacy/email policies

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► A few tips to build your database:▼ Sign-Up Form on each page of the website (with benefits)

▼ Opt-In incentives: whitepaper, report, ad-hoc analysis

▼ Add Opt-in check boxes on demo requests and any registration forms

▼ Use off-line media: direct mail, catalogs, articles

▼ Include links in employees’ email signature

▼ Brief call centre and sales team to ask permission for emails

▼ Hand out Sign-Ups forms at public events and seminars

▼ Implement rented lists and subscriptions

▼ Promote Sign-Ups in all confirmation/transaction emails (e.g. invoices, shipping)

▼ Promote Email/Newsletter in other company publications

▼ Promote Email/Newsletter in Industry Directories

▼ Distribute Press Releases based on Newsletter Articles

▼ Include Opt-In information on Customer Satisfaction Surveys

▼ Use social media to get new members

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1 – Build a segmented database

1 – Build a segmented database

► The Opt-In Form▼ Don’t ask too much information but don’t task too little neither

►Only ask for information you’ll use for personalisation/segmentation▼ First and Last Names

▼ Email Address

▼ Demographics (gender, age group, location…)

▼ Interests

▼ Frequency (for sophisticated campaigns)

►Split the sign-up process in two steps (e.g. hotdockets)▼ Compulsory information at a first level

▼ Nice to Have details afterwards

▼ Validate the email address►Double Opt-In & secondary box to re-enter address

▼ Increase the performance of your emails (open rate, CTR)

▼ Improve the overall quality of the database (deliverability)

▼ Never pre-checked the boxes

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1 – Build a segmented database

► Don’t forget your existing customers:▼ 20% of emails change every year: churn

▼ Clean your list on a regular basis

▼ Use an ECOA service: Email Change of Address Service

▼ Prompt customers to update information (on the website or link into the email)

▼ Use Mail or Phone to update information

▼ Monitor delivery rates by domain: track performance for key domains (AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo)

▼ Check Blacklists to find out if you or your email provider haven’t been added

▼ Remove “Spam” flag addresses: [email protected]

▼ Pretest your emails

▼ Understand how the email provider works (bounce process)

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2 - Schedule your campaign

► Integrate email into your complete marketing mix▼ Has to be consistent with PPC, social media marketing, mobile, direct mail,

telemarketing and trade shows►Coordinate your communication and mediums►Communicate what you do across all other departments

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Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

1. Define Offer, Target & Objectives2. Define criterion of test3. Set up Tests

1. Test design, subject lines and content

2. Analyse results and select the winner

1. Prepare and send final email2. Analyse results

Preparation Testing Sending & Analyse

3 – Create your email: The Heading

► Made of the sender, reply addresses and subject line

► Have a direct impact on the open rate &…. Spam so test them

► Rules to follow:▼ Use a friendly sender’s address and be consistent with your subject line

▼ Make it clear in “from” and subject line that the emails come from you and stick with that choice

►From & reply: [email protected] valid email address►Remind your brand: Great offer on Photo books with mycompany

▼ Focus your subject line on objective►Informational for a Newsletter vs. Call to Action for a commercial email►10% higher open rate with a strong Call to Action

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3 - Create your email: The Heading

▼ Keep it short (50 characters at most) so key information comes first

▼ Personalisation starts here: ►Use account manager’s name or add specific information in subject line (e.g. postcode)

▼ Urgency drives action►e.g. order by midnight tonight; 10% discount for the first 25 people…

▼ Tell the truth: do not oversell something in the subject line

▼ Choose your words:►Fine line between “Catchy” and “Spammy”►“Free, Marketing, Discount…” are not necessarily forbidden►but… use them with caution as they may increase spamming.

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3 – Create your email: the body

► Images are required but…▼ Images are blocked by default on main ISP’s

▼ Large images take time to load (max: 200ko for your email)

▼ Don’t forget the ALT description

▼ Create an HTML and Text version

► Find the right balance▼ Should be 50/50 between text and images

▼ Is used by ISP to filter spam

► Place key information at the top▼ 50% of people only use the preview pane

► Use bullet points to highlight benefits

► Always use strong call to action► Should be at the top right or left hand side

► Repeat it at the bottom left hand side

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3 – Create your email

► Don’t forget to track your links▼ Use Google URL builder to integrate results to your analytics

► Create an HTML, text and online version

► If you can, use a designer to create appealing design

► A few technical tips:▼ Always insert table and sub table to arrange the layout▼ Keep email at a fixed width of between 500-650 pixels wide▼ Avoid Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

► Only use inline STYLE attributes, no internal/external style sheet

▼ Avoid Scripts, iFrames and Advanced Features▼ Avoid using previous emails/code▼ Use automated header and footer▼ Resize images before embedding them into the email

► Too large images will cause bugs in ISP’s Refer to Lyris HTML Email Survival guide for further details

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3 – Create your email: Make it personal & awaited

► Personalised emails will get much better results…▼ …hence the importance of a segmented database

► Use the right email provider that will allow a good segmentation

► Most common personalised fields▼ Dear $NAME$

▼ Find our local stores in $Postcode$

▼ Don’t forget to set-up default results

► Use previous campaigns to target people and adapt communication▼ Dynamic content is the easiest way to personalise emails

▼ Triggered emails based on actions (advanced automation)

► Use customer data of your CRM, ecommerce and sales force automation system (refer to Arnaud’s article – self promotion )

► Use teaser and create a conversation▼ Send emails in a distinct sequence of series

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3 – Create your email: a few tips for your newsletter

► Identify core focus of your newsletter and stick to it► Establish regular columns and features► Table of contents► Use short teaser articles► Use sidebars for specific information► Have a personality► Insert a FAQ/Ask the expert ► Insert Case Studies with clear achievements► Use customer testimonials focused on your added value► Use CTR to refine the content for next sends► Consider conducting reader surveys to adapt content► Subtle self promotion► Provide a feedback/comment link after each article► Solicit content from experts or clients► Engage readers with social media tools

4 – Test your campaign

► A test campaign should always precede a send▼ Test Subject line, Offers, Date and Time, Segments of your database

▼ Define minimum sample to be relevant (at least 500 recipients)

► Test your emails:▼ Run your email by a content checker

▼ Check the layout and visual aspects in all ISP’s►Create account for main domains►Or use testing tool: www.litmus.com►Don’t forget mobile browsers: www.mobiready.com

▼ Check the links►Pointing to the right landing page►All tracked►Test the unsubscribe link►Check the online version

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4 – Optimize the deliverability

► ISP increasingly focused on spamming▼ 97% of emails is spam

► Spam filters will check:▼ Content of your emails to spot spam-like words

►Text, Subject line, image description…►Discount, Free, $, Order…

▼ The text/image balance►Image with embedded text is identified as potential spam

▼ Use of big fonts

▼ Capital letters, exclamation points, $$$

▼ Sender IP address, Sender reputation and domain names referenced in heading

▼ Sender and reply addresses validity

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4 – Technical tips to improve deliverability

How email gets delivered:

► Create a reverse DNS on mailing IP’s▼ ISP’s check the authenticity of sender.

► Set up an SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and a sender ID with your email provider▼ Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is a way for mail servers to declare themselves as legitimate senders of emails ▼ Sender ID confirms that your email provider is legitimate to send emails on your behalf

► Get your certification (whitelisting)▼ Get people to add your sender adress in their email safe list▼ Register (you & your provider) with return path to get a sender score certification▼ Apply to specific Yahoo whitelist program

► Limit sending rate: 150-200K messages per hour► Accept bounces► Validate HTML content to avoid malicious code ► Avoid scripting► Monitor spam complaints and make sure you don’t import previous unsubscribes into your database

▼ A quarter of marketers do not suppress unsubscribed emails▼ 17% are not removing hard/soft bounces

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5 – Send your campaign

► Final checklist:► Default value name► Text and HTML version► Tracked links► Check the copy► Tested for Spam► Heading and footer with right addresses & subject line► Right spelling► Online version► Unsubscribe link

► Define the best time and date:► Based on your tests and the validity of your offer► Between Tuesday and Thursday before 5pm seems to be the right slot

► Metrics to use:▼ 75% of emails are opened within the first 24 hours and 95% within the three days

► Open rate: should be above 25%► CTR: should reach 3% at least► CTR on opened► Delivered: 95% as a minimum► Conversion if relevant