a creative approach to email marketing
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Joined up digital thinking…
But paid search is getting more expensive
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
Wireless email users
Worldwide IM users
Worldwide email users
131 261434
603
816
1008
12421411
15811739
2191
2375
2555
2741
2916
While email is still growing fast
Source: radicati.com, Email Statistics Report, 2009-2013
20092010
20112012
2013
IT’S TIME WE TOOK EMAIL MORE SERIOUSLY
AND RECOGNISED HOW HARD IT IS TO GET IT RIGHT
HERE’S THE MAIN REASON IT’S HARD…
Do we even know what spam is?
Marketing Sherpa, November 2007
Spam is whatever your customers think it is.
Consumer research – known versus unknown sender
Spam = boring stuff
Perhaps we need to learn email etiquette?
RULE ONE:MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
Subject line
From field Auto-preview screen
Email’s golden triangle
Subject lines
Subject line tests - uplift in CTR
Astropop: space is yours (100) Play Astropop for EUR19.95 (122)
Discover the perfect taste (100) Don’t forget to buy a present for yourself (105) Win a case of your favourite tipple (146)
All the reader wants to know is…
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
You can put Free in a subject line!
From field – well worth testing
Testing uplift in CTR
From: PriceMinister (100) From: Alexandra at Priceminister (135)
From: Wanadoo (100) From: Caroline at Wanadoo (188)
RULE TWO:MAKE IT PERSONAL
Relevance comes from…
Triggers, like registrations
Understanding the customer’s life cycle
Personalisation
Following behavioural cues, like web browsing
I Choose
I Need
I Become Aware
I Buy
I Use
I Enjoy
I Want
Sony Welcome programme
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Survey information said:
Within the 1st 30 days of ownership Digital Still Camera users want added memory, camera accessories, batteries, shooting kits, advice etc.
Within the 2nd 30 days of ownership Digital Still Camera users are more likely to be interested in PRINTING their photos
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Messages or Programmes?
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Welcome programme
• Thank you• How was it for you?• How’s the new camera?• Want some help?• Need some memory?• How about printing?
Welcome Message
• Thank you
Untargeted broadcast emails
User-triggered campaigns Lifecycle messaging campaigns
Clickstream based campaigns
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
20.0%
27.0%26.0%
33.0%
9.5% 9.3% 9.3%
14.0%
1.1%2.3% 2.3%
3.9%
Open rate Avg. CTR Avg. conversion rate
It pays to be relevant
Source: David Daniels, Jupiter Research
And personalisation also improves CTRs
RULE THREE:ASK QUESTIONS(IT’S A CONVERSATION!)
contents Personalised intro
Switch statement delivers a relevant message to each
group
Lead story #2
Cross-sell
Member get member
User generated content
unsubscribe
masthead
Switch statements make relevance easy to achieve
Segment one: Customers –Here’s stuff about your local restaurant
Segment two: Prospects – Here’s a generic offer
£4m revenue in 2006
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RULE FOUR:BEING PERSUASIVE DOESN’T MEAN BEING ‘SALESY’
‘The psychology of persuasion’, Robert Cialdini
Six principles of persuasion
Consensus
Authority
Commitment / consistency
Scarcity
Likeability
Reciprocation
What’s the value of a mint?
One mint with bill: tip rises 3.3%
Two mints with bill: tip rises 14%
One mint + personal mint: tip rises 23%
No mints = control
RULE FOUR:LEARN WHEN TO SHUT UP
(Thanks to Catherine Toole from Sticky Content for this)
RULE FIVE:KEEP IT SIMPLE
Assemble the creative assets
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Craft the copy
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“We literally made the decision to go to sale on the Thursday morning,
and by Friday lunchtime, it looked like we were on for the biggest single day
in Howies history!”
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www.nonlineblogging.com
RULE SIX:KEEP IT EVEN SIMPLER
Who likes this book?
RULE SEVEN:KEEP IT SHORT AND SCANNABLE
Don't Make Me Think!: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Steve Krug, 2006
Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what's left.
Body copy style – usability research
− “How people read on the web” - classic usability testing by Jakob Nielsen
− Same site written 4 different ways
− Each site then tested against basic usability principles
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How people read on the web
Results of usability research for Sun.com
Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control condition)
Promotional writing (control condition) using the “marketese” found on many commercial website
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognised attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996 some of the most popular places to visit were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,466)
0%
Source: Neilsen/Morkes| 57
Get rid of half the words...
Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control
condition)
Concise text with about half the word count as the control condition
In 1996, six of the best attended attractions in Nebraska were Fort Robinson State Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
58%
Source: Neilsen/Morkes| 58
Scanability?
Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control
condition)
Scannable layout using the same text as the control condition in a layout that facilitated scanning
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognised attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996 some of the most popular places to visit were:• Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors)• Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166)• Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum (100,000)• Carhenge (86,598)• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002)• Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,466)
47%
Source: Neilsen/Morkes| 59
Don’t boast
Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control
condition)
Objective language using neutral rather than subjective, boastful, or exaggerated language (otherwise the same as the control condition)
Nebraska has several attractions. In 1996, some of the most visited places were Fort Robinson State Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
27%
Source: Neilsen/Morkes| 60
Best Combination
Site Version Sample Paragraph Usability Improvement (relative to control
condition)
Combined version using all three improvements in writing style together: concise, scannable and objective
In 1996, six of the most visited places in Nebraska were:• Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors)• Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166)• Arbor Lodge State Historical Park and Museum (100,000)• Carhenge (86,598)• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002),• Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,466)
124%
Source: Neilsen/Morkes| 61
In summary
Source: Neilsen/Morkes
Site Version Usability Improvement (relative to control condition)
Promotional writing (control condition) using the “marketese” found on many commercial websites
0%
Concise text with about half the word count as the control condition
58%
Scannable layout using the same text as the control condition in a layout that facilitated scanning
47%
Objective language using neutral rather than subjective, boastful, or exaggerated language (otherwise the same as the control condition)
27%
Combined version using all three improvements in writing style together: concise, scannable and objective
124%
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Eye tracking on emails
1. Heading and subhead copy critical• First 2-3 words most important• Make hyperlinked
2. Large fonts work well
3. Images often missed• Use text link calls-to-action
4. Readers scan down the left of an Email
5. First part of para important• F shape eyetrack
6. Email intros skipped • Use to personalise and engage
e.g. with hyperlinks
RULE EIGHT:DON’T MUMBLE
Auto-preview issues
Images switched off
Images on
Images off
RULE NINE:WATCH OUT FOR THE FOLD
Working around window sizes
http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/
http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/
Is this link below the fold?
Yes – for >60% of internet users
Designing for the fold
RULE TEN:THINK COMMUNITY, NOT CUSTOMERS
Icanhascheezeburger.com
The lolcats customer engagement funnel
Rate photo
Share/steal photo
Comment on photo
Submit photo
Re-caption photo
RULE ELEVEN:EVERYTHING IS STARTING TO JOIN UP
Email and social media are making friends
http://rapportive.com/ - plugin to Gmail via Firefox / Chrome
RULE ELEVEN:CONTENT IS STILL KING
Be interesting!
Just a stock cube?
- Recipes- Tips and tricks- Video demonstrations- Competitions
