Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
The Power of Email MarketingConnect. Inform. Grow.
Presented by Mike BarnesFranchise Marketing [email protected]@constantcontact.com
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Introduction
Will cover 5 areas during this presentation…
Connect | Inform | Grow
■ Connecting to build customer relationships
■ Informing people who will buy in to your message
■ Growing your business with targeted marketing
■ UFG Specific benefits
■ Constant Contact – UFG Promotions
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Section 1: Connect
Email Marketing BasicsConnecting with your customersEngaging in profitable customer communicationsUsing email for your marketing strategy
Why Engage?
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Q. Where will the majority of next month’s business come from?
A. Existing customers
Why Engage?
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Q. What is your best source for new business?
A. Existing customers
Keep Customers Coming Back
The value of a customer
■ You’ve already paid for them
■ It’s 6-7 times more expensive to gain a customer than to retain a customer 1
■ They spend more
■ Repeat customers spend 67 percent more 2
■ They are your referral engine
■ After 10 purchases, a customer has already referred up to 7 people 2
Sources:1. Flowtown, 20102. Bain and Company
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It Takes Relationships to Build a Business
Email marketing Trusting relationships Early relationships Encourage broader
relationships through SMM
Social media marketing New relationships New prospects Encourage deeper
relationships through EM
3 Steps to Building Relationships
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Step 2:Connections that
enableongoing dialog
Prospects
Customers
Step 1:Great customer
experience
You
Step 3:Content that engages
and spreads
Followers
Friends
Friends
Followers
Suspects
Five Types of People
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Customers DisinterestedProspectsRaving Fans
$
Time… Money… Energy… Effort
Takes 7 touches, on average, for a sale to occur
■ Some buy right away
■ Others research and try
■ Some show interest but don’t trust you
Acquiring Customers
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Why Email?
Because almost everyone your business needs to reach reads it:
■ 94% of Internet users between the ages of 18 and 64 send or read email
■ An even higher number of users ages 65 or older do the same
■ 61% Use a social networking site
■ 147 million people across the country use email, most use it every day
11
Sources: Pew Internet and American Life Project 2010
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61% Use a social networking site
Why Email?
It’s cost-effective: Direct mail vs. email
■ For the same response, direct mail costs 20 TIMES as much as email 1
■ Email ROI is the highest when compared to other internet marketing mediums 2
12
1 Forrester Research, Inc.
2 Direct Marketing Association
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Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Junk email
Unsolicited and unwanted email
Email from an unknown sender
Dubious opt-out (if any)
Email Marketing Is Not…
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Email Marketing Is…
■ Delivering professional email communications
■ To an interested audience
■ Containing information they find valuable
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Basics of Email Marketing
■ Setting Expectations■ How many emails sent
■ When are emails sent
■ What type of information
■ Delivering on Promises■ Matching expectations
■ Providing relevant content
■ Abiding by CAN SPAM Act
■ Gaining Permission■ Do they know me?
■ Do they care?
■ Utilizing Professional Services
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Regular Email vs. Email Service Provider
Standard Email Programs(e.g. Outlook, Hotmail)
■ Limited # of emails sent at one time
■ No formatting control
■ List break up more susceptible to filters
■ No cohesive branding
■ No tracking and reporting of email results
Email marketing services automate best practices
■ Provide easy-to-use templates
■ Reinforce brand identity
■ Email addressed to recipient only
■ Manage lists – adding new subscribers, handling bounce-backs, removing unsubscribes
■ Improve email delivery, track results and obey the law
Email Basics Checklist
Ask yourself before you begin email marketing…
Do repeat and referral customers help your business?
Do you have a plan for delivering multiple communications?
Is your audience interested in your message?
Is it valuable to them?
Can you make your emails look professional and reflect your brand?
Do you have an Email Service Provider to help manage your strategy?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Section 1: Connect
Building a Quality Email ListThe benefits of permission-based marketingBuilding a valuable contact listKeeping your list current
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Consumers Define Spam
Build Your List Where You Connect
20
Customer & Prospect Database
1
2 3
4
Incoming or Outgoing Calls
Eventsand Meetings
Place of BusinessGuest Book
Guests
5
Online Presence
57% of consumers will fill out a card to receive email alerts when asked to by a clerk at a local small business.Source: Transact Media Group
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Email Signature
K Smitheen
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Collecting Information and Permission
■ Include your logo and brand identity.
■ Describe your email content and how often you’ll be sending
■ Ask about your customers’ interests to stay relevant
■ Ask for additional contact information when necessary
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■ Include your logo and brand identity
■ Personalize your message
■ Reinforce permission and ability to change preferences
Sending a Welcome Email
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Confirming Permission
■ Include your logo and brand identity
■ Ask for explicit confirmation
■ Include a confirmation link
List Building and Permission Checklist
Ask yourself as you build your list…
Are you collecting contact information at every customertouch point, including social media?
Are you asking for permission as well as contact information?
Are you clearly describing your email frequency and content?
Are you sending a welcome email or a confirmation email, especially to those who have joined your list via social media?
Are you using permission and subscription reminders tostay current? 24
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Section 2: Inform
Creating Valuable Email ContentDetermining what is valuable to your audienceChoosing an effective email formatDeciding what day and time to send
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The Basics of Valuable Email Content
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Content Has to Meet Your Objectives
“I want to…”
■ Promote■ Motivate purchases
■ Increase event attendance
■ Inform■ Inform potential
customers
■ Differentiate my business
■ Relate■ Increase loyalty
■ Encourage more referrals
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Quality Knowledge
Savings
Content Has to Have Valueto Your Audience
Promotional EmailDiscounts, coupons, offers, incentives. Relational
EmailSpecial privileges, acknowledgement
Informative EmailAdvice, research, facts, opinions, tips
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Coming Up With Valuable Email Content
■ Share your expertise
■ Use facts & testimonials
■ Give guidance & directions
■ Offer discounts & coupons
■ Exclusivity & VIP status
■ Hold contests & giveaways*
■ Acknowledge your audience
* Check applicable regulations before deciding to hold a contest or giveaway
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Keeping Email Content Concise
Host large bodies of content…
■ On your website
■ In a PDF document
■ In a longer archived version
Email only essential information
■ Use bullets or summaries
■ Link directly to the information
■ Give instructions if necessary
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Determine Appropriate Format
Newsletters
■ Frequency: Regular i.e. monthly / weekly
■ Lots of educational content (typically non-promotional)
■ Use bullets, summarize information, be concise
Promotions / Invitations / Surveys
■ Frequency: Depends on your business and sales cycle
■ Focus on promotion / limited content
■ Use content to invite click-through or other action
Announcements
■ Frequency: Event-driven
■ Press releases, holiday greetings, thank you cards…
■ Use content to build deeper relationships
Frequency & Delivery Time
How often to send■ Create a master schedule – be consistent!■ Include frequency in online sign-up “Monthly Newsletter”■ Keep content concise and relevant to planned frequency■ Invest time to repurpose content on social channels
When to send■ When is your audience most likely to read it?
■ Day of week (Tuesday & Wednesday)■ Time of day (10am to 3pm)
■ Test for timing■ Divide your list into equal parts■ Send at different times and compare results
■ Re-stimulate social conversations: repost, retweet
Get the maximumImpact with
Minimum intrusion.
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Ask yourself as you create content…
Are you trying to promote, inform, or relate?
What is your audience interested in?
Is your email format branded and supportive of your message?
Is your email concise and does it include a strong call to action?
Does your content match your frequency and timing?
Are you consistently repurposing valuable content on social channels and investing time to engage and respond?
Email Content Checklist
33Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact,
Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Section 2: Inform
Getting Email Delivered and ReadEmail filters and other delivery challengesCreating email from and subject linesUsing technology to deliver your email
Is Your Email Fabulous or Filtered?
35
Filtering & Blocking (Avg 81% delivered –
CTCT 97%**)
ESP
Email Authenticated
**Return Path verified
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
AOL MSN Yahoo
other ISPs
Image blocking Block-listing
Individual filters Friends-listing
Bouncing Reputation
Challenge responses
Sender authentication
Blocking
Deliverability issues:
Email Spam
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Email Filtering, Bouncing, & Blocking
Filtering
■ Sorts email to a folder, i.e. ‘junk’
■ Based on content or origin
■ Reduce by avoiding
spam-like content
Bouncing & Blocking
■ Returns email to sender
■ Based on criteria or condition
■ Minimize by linking to documents instead of attaching,
keeping email addresses current, keeping your sender reputation clean
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Scanning Your Emails Before Sending
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Getting Email Opened
The “From” line – Do I know you?
Use a name your audience recognizes■ Include your organization name or
brand
■ Refer to your business in the same way your audience does
■ Be consistent
60% of consumers say the "from" line most often determines whether they open an email or delete it. Source: DoubleClick
Matt Long
Joe Hahn
Nancy Feldman
Create a Great Subject Line
The “Subject” line – do I care?
■ Keep it short and simple
■ 30-40 characters including spaces (5-8 words)
■ Incorporate the immediate benefit of opening the email
■ Capitalize and punctuate carefully
■ Avoid copying the techniquesinherent in spam emails
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30% of consumers say the “subject" line most often determines whether they open an email or delete it.Source: DoubleClick
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Avoiding “Spam-speak”
The words: free, guarantee, spam, credit card etc.
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
Excessive punctuation !!!, ???
Excessive use of “click here”
$$, and other symbols
No “From:” address
Misleading subject lines
40
SPAM
Example: Typical spam “From” and “Subject” lines
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Email Delivery Checklist
Ask yourself before you send your message…
Are your images working together with text to identifyyour email?
Are you avoiding spam-like content in your emails?
Is your Email Service Provider authenticating your email?
Is your From line familiar and are you using a familiaremail address?
Does your Subject line include the immediate benefits ofyour email?
Have you extended the reach of your email by makingit sharable?
41Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact,
Inc.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Section 3: Grow
Increasing Email Click-Through and Response Rates
Tracking and improving email deliveryIncreasing opens, clicks, and forwardsReducing unsubscribe requests
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Email Tracking CodeESP Interaction
+
How Tracking Works
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Understanding Bounced and Blocked Email
“Hard Bounce”
■ Permanent condition■ Email address
non-existent
■ Misspelled/no longer in use
“Soft Bounce”
■ Could be temporary■ Server was down
■ Mailbox is full
■ Email was blocked
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Utilizing Bounce and Block Reporting
Bounce Scenario With Automated Reporting
■ Undeliverable email is returned to the Email Service Provider
■ Bounce information fed into one simple report
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Dealing with Bounced & Blocked Email
Non-existent address
■ Check for obvious misspellings
■ Try to obtain a new address
Undeliverable/mailbox full/ email blocked
■ Try re-sending later
■ Correct temporary issues
■ Obtain a new address if a recurring issue is present
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Understanding Click-Through Rates
A click-through happens when your subscriber clicks a link to…
■ Visit your website
■ Download a file
■ Take an online survey
■ Send you an email Clicks are tracked by inserting special HTML tracking code in the link
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Capitalizing on Click-Through
Use click tracking to determine…
■ Audience interests■ Clicks tell you what
topics were interesting
■ Save clickers in an interest list for targeted follow up
■ Goal achievement■ Use links to drive traffic
toward conversion
■ Compare clicks to conversions and improve
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Understanding Unsubscribe Requests
An unsubscribe request happens when your subscriber no longer wants to receive your emails.
■ Offer your subscribers permanent list removal
■ Best practice is automatic removal with an unsubscribe link
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Reducing Unsubscribe Requests
Why do people unsubscribe?
■ Over-communication
■ Irrelevant content
■ Poor targeting
Enable your audience to leave comments when unsubscribing from your list!
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Encouraging and Rewarding Email Forwards
Use your forward report to…
■ Thank people who forward your emails
■ Learn about the value of your email content
Help your audience spread
the word. Ask them to forward your email.
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Email Tracking and Response Checklist
Ask yourself after you send…
■ Are there any bounced or blocked emails that require attention?
■ Is your open rate trending upward or downward?
■ Did your audience take action on your email by clicking through or forwarding your email? What were they interested in?
■ Did anyone unsubscribe from your list? Did they give you feedback?
■ Did you identify any areas for improvement so your next email is more targeted and more effective?
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Any Questions?
Branded Templates in Constant Contact Template Picker
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Includes:
•Branded UFG templates that can be used to create your email campaigns
•Plus 300 additional templates that include Newsletters, Promotion, and Holiday Templates that can be customized by you for your needs
Campaigns with Content Distributed Monthly
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Published to your account monthly.
Just customize with your location information, and any special promotions you want to include, then send!
Constant Contact UFG Pricing
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Pricing Plans start as low as $15/month
Discounts for UFG Franchisees 20% Off for a 6-month Prepayment
25% Off for a 12-month Prepayment (saving you $45+)
Special Promotions – Gift card giveaway
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
Sign up by March 31st for a paying Constant Contact account and receive a $50 American Express gift card. Eligability requirements:
•Must be a paying customer for at least 90 days•Must having a US billing address•Signup through their respective franchise link
Special Promotions – iPad giveaway
Copyright © 2012 Constant Contact Inc.
All UFG Franchisees that sign up for a paying Constant Contact account or any existing Constant Contact customers are eligible for an iPad 2. This will be raffled off at the 2012 UFG World Expo.
New customers must sign up by March 31st and through their corresponding UFG franchise link to be eligible
How to Get Started
Contact Your Communications Consultant!
Caitlin PerryPhone: 855-778-5761
Email: [email protected]
Sign Up Online
http://signarama.constantcontact.com
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