Powerful Promotions through Email Chapter Two. Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted Chapter Two Direct.

Powerful Promotions through Email

Chapter Two

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Chapter Two

Direct Email MarketingPiggyback Email MarketingViral Marketing

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Direct Email Marketing

“A measurable system of marketing that uses one or more advertising media to effect a measurable response and/or transaction at any location, with this activity stored in a database.” from Direct marketing magazine

SimilaritiesDifferencesPromotionsNewslettersTiming

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Direct Marketing – Similarities

MeasurableMultiple contacts are necessaryMust manage operationsMessage construction is key– ADD tips FROM COX INET MKTG BOOK

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Differences – email vs. direct mail

Contains the whole story (and about 50 pages of collateral)Limited to printed materialsCosts = .35 – 1.00 per piece

Better to use short, fast-loading high-impact teasersCan use graphics, videos clips, etc.Costs may be as low as $.00075 per mailing

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Differences – email vs. direct mail

Not certain as to day or hour message arrivesResponses from mailings are delayed and more expensive

Can time the message

Responses may be immediate – action can be immediate

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Permission-Based E-Mail

User Reactions– 2% Delete Without Reading– 7% Open Somewhat Annoyed– 30% Were Indifferent– 48% Were Curious to Read– 13% Were Eager to Read

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Promotional E-mail

Order and Shopping Cart ConfirmationsSales of Add-on Products and ServicesMore receptive audience4% to 12% Response Rate

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Promotional Email Guidelines

Prospects– Include joke or fantastic fact– Regular mailings increase awareness

Existing customers– Acknowledge your appreciation of business– Only send emails if you have needed information

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

How To Be EffectiveDon’t Use Traditional CopyUse An Accurate HeadingMake It PersonalGet To The PointGive IncentivesDrive Them To Your WebsiteBuild A RelationshipFollow Through

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Creating Email

Offer– Call to action– Live text link – graphic– Incentive to click-through

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Creating Email

Incentives– Promotional give-away– Special sale– Sweepstake, lottery, prize

Unique Information

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Creating Email

Header– Subject Field– Why the email is important– Be specific– Use the space for brand

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Creating Email

Body– Brief– Same look and feel– Easy to read and navigate– Personalize– Opportunity to opt-out

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Creating Email

Rich media– Better response rate

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Email – not SPAM

Frequency managementEmail alerts– High information value

Personalize the message– More than just a name

Mimic successful tactics from direct marketingAdd “immediacy and interactivity”

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Newsletters

Newsletters contains information that is useful to the prospect, whether they buy your product or not.Content is key– Specific to needs of your customers– See Table 2-1, pg 29 in Bergman text for ideas

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Timing

Newsletters – regular basisPromotional mailings– Once a month – rule of thumb– Too often = many opt-out requests– Consider customer needs– Product nature – Information intensive?– Split your list and test to determine frequency

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Piggyback Email Marketing

Definition: Renting space in someone else’s newsletter.Right newsletter = most cost effective methodNot appropriate for local businessesFrequency – similar to newspaper adsVendors – see CD

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Viral Marketing

DefinitionSuccessRequired elements

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Viral Marketing

Natural consequence of a positive experience– Word Of Mouth– 81% pass-along … 49% to 2+ people

Early examples– Hotmail– Dancing Baby

Speed up the awareness process w/out SPAM

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Viral Marketing

Both parties must gain something from the interactionWord-Of-Mouth Advertising

• Forward to a Friend Option• Quiz Results• E-Greetings

– Difficult to Measure

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Viral Marketing

Newsgroups/usenet– 20,000 discussion forums

Online groups– Browse the discussion – look for opportunity to contribute– Keep posts short, casual– Initiate discussion incognito

Don’t SPAM– Kicked off the ISP

Content from The Essential Guide to Web Strategy for Entrepreneurs unless otherwise noted

Chapter Two Assignment

Develop a Viral Marketing idea (related to your final project)– Submit creative and implementation plan

Write three emails– Attract customers to your site– Follow up email for 1st time visitor– 3rd email to entice purchase or action