Category Archives: Email Marketing

Email marketing posts show you how to build your email list, and starting email marketing campaigns without your own list. There are details on some common errors, what you can do to avoid them, and how to fix mistakes you’ve already made.

There are also posts on how to measure your email marketing results, and what metrics really matter. You may think the list size is the most important thing (but it isn’t). Getting a high rate of unsubscribes, bounces, and spam reports? Find out what to do about it.

Find out what your response rate should be and how yours compares to your industry counterparts.

Plus, posts on easy ways to improve your email design to improve readability and increase your click through rates (a metric that does matter). There are also posts with tips on how to write subject lines that sell. Since the subject line is the first thing your readers will see, it’s important to get that right!

How to Put Your Email Marketing on Automatic Pilot

Posted on March 31, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image via Wikipedia

In yesterday’s cliffhanger, I promised to tell you how to automatically send email mails and market to your readers without lifting a finger. You set it up once, and then let it run all by itself.

The secret?

Email marketing autoresponders.

What exactly is an email autoresponder anyway?

An auto-responder is an email (or a series of emails) you write and schedule in advance. Once they’re written and set up in your email service provider, they go out automagically when a new person subscribes.

You can write as many (or as few as you like). You can even add to them over time.

How to use email marketing autoresponders

Welcome new subscribers to your newsletter

When someone signs up to your newsletter, use an autoresponder message to welcome them. Tell them a bit about what your content will be, and give them a sample. A follow-up automatic message could ask for feedback on the newsletter, if they have any questions, etc.

Teach something

Or, you could develop an e-course, with a series of lessons teaching your readers how to do something.

You can also create a series of inside tips, such as “cheats” for your video game, or how to use your software.

Prepare them for a long-term goal

This could be a series of tips on how to prepare for a big life change or reach a goal. For instance, a series of tips on getting ready to run your first marathon, with exercises, distances to run, the best shoes, what to eat, and so on.

Or, it could be a life change, such as relocating to a new country. You could send a series of emails on packing, getting visas and documents, finding a new school, taxes, moving companies, etc.

Segment your audience

Another option is several separate series of emails designed for your different audiences. This can be based on different levels of expertise, varying interests, or different life stages.

For example, if you run a photography blog you might set up an autoresponder series for beginners, another for gadget lovers, and a third for professionals. Or, you might separate it by different types of photography: food, portraits, landscape, etc.

What other uses can you think of?

The Worst Way to Grow Your Email List

Posted on March 25, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Yesterday Chris Brogan wrote a post asking people to stop adding him to their newsletters without his consent. He pointed out that the fact that you sent him an email once, and he answered it, doesn’t count as permission. It’s just about the worst email marketing mistake you can make.

Ironically, as I was writing this post, an email popped up in my inbox. It was from someone who spoke at an event I attended. We never had a personal conversation. She doesn’t know who I am. Yet, she felt it was OK to contact everyone at the event and try to sell her services. That’s not marketing; that’s spamming. And, it’s the worst way to grow your email list.

There are much better ways to grow your email list.

Use double opt-in

This means you ask for the email address, send a confirmation link, and don’t add someone to your list until after they confirm that they want your messages. It can all easily be done automatically (with AWeber or another service).

Contact people when it helps them

For example, if you met someone at a meeting who wanted a referral, by all means send it.

Or, send an email if you come across something that will interest them. If you talked about Legos and you see there’s an exhibit of Lego art in town send them the information.

Bonus tip: If you keep doing this (sending relevant and interesting information) they’re far more likely to like, trust, and hire you.

Behave the way you would in person

Be considerate. You wouldn’t drive up to a stranger’s house and expect them to lend you money, would you?

Show that you listened to what they said when you spoke. Mention something you discussed, and how much you enjoyed talking to them.

Do it shortly after the event, not months later (when they won’t remember you).

Make it easy to unsubscribe

A bit earlier in the day, Direct magazine reported the results of a study which found that 39% of emailers require three or more clicks to unsubscribe! And 30% send one or emails following that unsubscribe request!

Yes, it’s technically legal to email people without express permission. It is not legal to keep emailing them (at least in the US) after they opt-out. You do have 10 days to remove the name, but it really shouldn’t take that long.

Treat opt-outs with respect

People will always unsubscribe for various reasons. When they do, make it easy. Don’t make them go through three clicks, or wind their way through a confusing menu of options. One click, one page. And, when they go, tell them you’re sorry to see them go.

What do you think?

What are your own email pet peeves? Is unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters taking up way too much of your time? Or is it not a big problem?

Image thanks to morguefile

Is Your Email Viral or Vile?

Posted on March 23, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Viral tegument (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An old adage says that happy customers tell three people. Unhappy customers tell 11 people. Viral marketing depends on using word-of-mouth, social networks (in-person or online) and email to spread ideas and information. And, in this age of social media, email marketing failures can spread faster than ever.

As in the real world, viruses can be helpful, or downright nasty. Remember that statistic? Three people if you’re happy; 11 if you’re not. Here’s what happened and how to avoid this email marketing mistake.

Is this email viral? Or is it vile?

A friend got a holiday email from a client a few months ago, which she forwarded to me.

It was addressed “Dear [name of company] friend,”

It thanked her for being part of their family of customers, partners, and friends. Then, it directed her to a link. The link led to their web site, where holiday music played and the background showed all their offices worldwide.

It wasn’t personalized. Don’t you greet your friends and family by name? Personalizing your emails make them more, well personal, more human. Personalizing isn’t hard to do. It’s just adding a simple field in your email form.

Are you being human and helpful? Or annoying?

But, this email wasn’t really about human connections. It was all about the company sending it.

There was nothing to interact with except to see more… about them. How many offices they have, the number of people they employ.

It was entirely self-focused. In fact, the only thing remarkable about it is how bad it was. The only reason I kept clicking was “for science.”

Is your email about you? Or about your customers?

Was it supposed to be viral? Make people care? Feel good about the company?

Is that the right way to interact with your customers? And make them feel good about being your customers in the first place?

I don’t know how many people saw this email, or if my friend sent it to other people as well, but I do know I’d never hire this company.

What do you think? How could they have done better?

Which Email Marketing Metrics Really Matter?

Posted on March 8, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Photo compliments of: lrargerich

The other day, Rob (at Robs web tips) asked which is more important: 3,000 blog subscribers with a 10% open rate? Or 300 active subscribers who all click on your emails? What email marketing metrics should you worry about and measure?

The total number of subscribers? Is a bigger list always better than a smaller one? Or is it something else that really counts?

There’s so many different stats to watch: list size, open rate, bounces, clicks,..Which email marketing metrics and which numbers really matter?

A little marketing secret

Here’s a secret that many web marketers don’t know. Internet marketing is really “old-fashioned” direct marketing. It’s just sped up really fast (and with less paper). When all we had was snail mail, we had a general sense of deliverability (how many letters reached their destination), based on whether any of them came back with wrong addresses.

There was no way to tell who looked at the envelope, who opened it, or who read the letter. All we had to go on to tell if the mailing was a success was the number of orders we got.

Now, we can not only get that information, we can measure and track it.

The marketing metrics that matter

What really matters is not the raw numbers of subscribers, but the percentage of people who are actively interested in what you’re saying: the opens, the click through rate, and if you’re selling something, the conversion rate (percentage of sales you get).

Monitor your open rates and clicks. If they’re low, find out why.

Are you covering topics of interest to your readers? Set up a quick poll (with surveymonkey) and find out.

Do your subject lines and headlines need work?

If you’re selling something, look at the copy. Is it focused on you, or what your readers will get?

Which numbers have you been tracking on your blog or newsletter? Which ones do you think are important? Not sure? Ask in the comments.

UPDATE: For another take on this, check out Bob Poole’s post: Wrong

B2B Email Marketing: How to Stay Out of the Spam Folder

Posted on February 18, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

This post is inspired by Bob Poole’s post yesterday (Did You Just Sucker Punch a Potential Customer?)

He compared spamming people (sending email to someone who didn’t ask for it, doesn’t want it, and doesn’t know you) to visiting a prospect and punching them in the nose when they open the door.

Not a good way to make a positive impression. And, when you’re a small business, you can’t afford that sort of mistake.

So, a few words about permission, list “rental,” list building, and how to stay out of the spam folder.

You need permission to email people

There are people (even marketing consultants) who think it’s OK to spam a big list “just once.” Or, to use a two-year-old list that they inherited from another company. I have even heard people say that it’s OK to send unsolicited emails as long as they’re text, but not HTML (huh?).

All bad ideas, and bad business email marketing.

Only use fresh email lists

Using names you got from a directory, a contact form, or a carbon copy is not permission. It’s also a waste of time and effort. The people on that directory list didn’t ask for spam, they signed up to get more visibility for their companies. You can ask people you contact you if they’d like to sign up, but don’t add them yourself. Sending marketing emails to people who were carbon copied on a project will also make you look bad.

An out-of-the-blue email from a company they never heard of will go straight to the spam folder.

CAN-SPAM doesn’t help

Yes, it’s technically legal to send email to people in the United States (but not Canada) without specific permission (the irony about CAN-SPAM is that it inadvertently created more spam).

However, the people who get it will think it’s junk. They will bounce it, mark it spam, blacklist the company that sent it, and after a while your messages won’t get through.

What do YOU do when you get email like that? Do you smile happily? Or do you hit that unsubscribe button as fast as you can?

What’s more, many people don’t see (or know about) unsubscribe options, so they hit the spam button instead. That will just make your reputation even worse.

Is a sucker punch the best way to make a good first impression? Is that the best way for a small business to run an email marketing campaign?

The truth about buying lists

Most email lists for sale are garbage. They’re often opted-in without real permission, using little pre-checked boxes on other forms (such as account signups). They offer to “send you offers from third parties.” What they really mean is that your email box will soon fill up with junk.

Plus, purchased lists are obsolete the minute you buy them. The older they get, the more out of date they will be. You’ll get more bounces, a lower delivery rate and a higher risk of being labeled a spammer.

Lists are like fish. The older they are, the more they stink.

The rented ones are better, but they’re expensive. B to B lists can be up to $350 per thousand names (minimum order 5,000 names). If someone is offering to send the list directly to you, run away.

Reputable list owners have their emails delivered by a third party. If they’re offering to send three times in one month, run even faster. That list has been burned out.

There is no such thing as a legitimate opt-in email list of 1,000,000 names for $100. They’re all lemons.

How to get permission to email

If you want to reach people, there are better ways than a sucker punch to build your list.

Here are a few of them:

Write a helpful (not a sales pitch) article in a relevant magazine or newsletter (with a link to learn more about your services).
Send out a press release.
Offer a report of some kind (for free) to build up your list
Send personal invitations to your prospects, asking if they would like to sign up (don’t sign them up yourself)

Don’t use your desktop email software

Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail are fine, but not for business email marketing. Use a professional email service (like AWeber or Mail Chimp). They will manage the opt-ins, opt-outs, and the bounces. You can also get tracking data (showing how many people received your email, the number of people who opened it, and how many clicked through to your web site). Plus, the delivery rate will be higher, as they’re a recognized, legitimate mailer.
There are more tips in my free Email Made Easy ebook. Download it here. No opt-in needed. Feel free to share it.