Email Marketing Strategies for Chambers on Commerce

Email Marketing Strategies for Chambers

ACCE DIALogue Tele-SeminarNovember 17, 2009

Who Is This Clown?

Will BurnsDirector of Communications

Maryland Chamber of Commercewww.mdchamber.org

(410) 269-0642, Ext. [email protected]

http://twitter.com/will_burnswww.linkedin.com/in/wburns

I Steal Ideas From

Agenda

• Why Email?

• Trends

• Basics

• Best Practices

Why is Email Important? Email is the Digital Glue

--Greg Cangialosi President & CEO, Blue Sky Factory

• Dominant Online Activity

• Ties Together Other Online Activities

• Great Way to Promote Programs, Events & Activities

Email Still DominatesInternet Activities

• 89% of American adults send and read email.

• 47% use social networking websites

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project

Email 89%

Search to find information 88%

Search for a map or driving directions 86%Look for Information about a hobby

or interest 83%Look for information about a service or product they are thinking of buying 81%

Get News 72%Look for How-To and Do-It-Yourself

information 59%

Trends

Trends - Social Media

Trends - Users Want Control

Trends - Email is Everywhere

Desktop Client Web Browser Smart Phones

Trends - Email Overload

Desk covered with stacks of paper

Hundreds of unread emails

A calendar full of appointments

Why Would They Read Your Email?

Trends - Email Overload

“It’s Not Information Overload. It’s Filter Failure”

--Clay Shirkywww.shirky.com

Author of: Here Comes EverybodyThe Power of Organizing Without Organizations

Trends - Email Overload

Is Your Chamber a Filter or a Fire Hose?

Email Basics

Basics - Content• Newsletters

• Announcements

• Promoting Events

• Providing News and Information

• Promoting Products or Programs

• Member News

• Legislative Updates

• Calls to Action

• Administrative/ Transactional

Email Service Providers

Choosing an ESP

• Price

• Feature Set

• Reputation & References

• Integration

• Support - Design, List Management, Compliance, Coaching, Technical

ESP Features

• Better Delivery Rates

• List & Bounce Management Tools

• Design & Spam Testing Tools

• Templates

• CAN Spam Compliance

• Technical & Design Support

• Reporting & Analytics

Basics - List Management

• Permission & Compliance

• Deliverability

• List Maintenance/Hygiene

• Segmentation

• Measurement

Basics - Permission

• Get Permission to Send Email

• Set Recipient Expectations

• Send Relevant Messages

• Don’t Abuse the Relationship

• Don’t Sell the List

Basics - Compliance

• CAN SPAM Compliance

• Include your physical address

• Make it easy to opt-out

• Clearly identify the sender or sending organization

• Don’t use deceptive subject lines

• For more, visit www.ftc.gov/spam

Basics - Deliverability

• Tips for Avoiding Spam Filters

• Use a reputable vendor

• Practice good list hygiene

• Keep sender addresses as short as possible

• Minimize the use of trigger words, all caps and excessive punctuation: FREE, Guarantee, Winner!!!!!!

• Encourage your recipients to put your “from address” in their address book

Basics - List Maintenance

• List Maintenance/Hygiene

• Scrub Your List

• Monitor Delivery Reports

• Manage Bounces

• Be careful with email addresses like info@, sales@, etc.

Best Practices

Email Program Tips

• Give Subscribers More Choices - Message Type, Message Frequency, etc.

• Use More List Segments to Ensure Messages are Relevant

• Consider a Reengagement Campaign for Members Who Haven’t Opened Recent Emails

• Simplify All Email Templates

Design Tips

• Include a “View in Web Browser” Link

• Design for the Preview Pane

• Use Old Fashioned HTML. Avoid Excessive CSS, Dynamic, Scripts, Video, etc.

• Test Creative in Various Email Clients

• View Your Email Design With Images Disabled

Content Tips

• Carefully Craft Your Subject Line

• Make Your Email Scannable. Use subheads, bullet points, bolded text.

• Make Your Message Simple

• Clearly Define Your Call to Action

Measurement

• Measure

• Test

• Experiment

• Optimize

Measurement

• Open Rates

• Click Through Rates

• Conversions

• Opt-Out Requests

• Bounces

Testing

• A/B Tests - Split your list in half

• Headlines - What type of headlines get the most click throughs?

• Design Tests - How will your message render in various email clients?

• Spam Tests - Will your message make it through the most common anti-spam programs?

Testing • Experiment - What Works Best?

• Subject Lines

• Day of Week | Time of Day

• Email Designs

• Newsletter Headlines

• Calls to Action

• Landing Pages

• Sender Names

• List segments

Basics - Segmentation • Segment ideas for chambers:

• Message type - Newsletter, Event Notice, Legislative Info,

• Subject Matter - Health Care, Taxes, Environment, Small Business, Human Resources

• Industry Sector - Retail, Restaurants, Financial Services, Creative, Manufacturing, Technology, Marketing

• Job Function - Leadership & Management, Human Resources, Government Affairs, Marketing & Sales, IT

• Action - Join/Renew Date, Registered for/Attended an Event, Purchases a Product, Referred a Member, Responded to a Call to Action

A Few Examples

Email Best Practices Make Your Email Scannable

Email Best Practices Make Your Email Scannable

Email Best Practices Make Your Email Scannable

Email Best Practices Designing for the Preview Pane

Email Best Practices Designing for the Preview Pane

Email Best Practices Clearly Defined Next Action

Email Best Practices Clearly Defined Next Action

Email Best Practices Clearly Defined Next Action

Email Best Practices Clearly Defined Next Action

Don’tSend an Email That is Just One Big Image

Don’tSend an Email That is Just One Big Image

DoCheck Your Messages With Images Turned Off

DoCheck Your Messages With Images Turned Off

Shareable• Push to Social

Email Push to Social

Email Push to Social

Email Push to Social

Email Push to Social

Email Best Practices Personalize Messages

Dear Will,

Email Best Practices Send Relevant Messages

Email Best Practices Send Relevant Messages

Email Best Practices Send Relevant Messages

Email Best Practices Take Advantage of Transactional/Administrative Emails

Questions?

Thank YouWill Burns

[email protected]