blue sky factory: shakeand bake your email campaigns into2010
DESCRIPTION
DJ Waldow and Joanna Lawson-Matthew of Blue Sky Factory discuss tactics to ensure that your 2010 Email Marketing strategy is in place and ready to "shake and bake."TRANSCRIPT
Baltimore, Maryland
Blue Sky FactoryDriving Email Marketing Performance
Shake & Bake Your Email Campaigns Into 2010
Joanna Lawson-Matthew & DJ Waldow
November 5, 20091:00 to 1:45 PM ET
Twitter: #bsfwebinar
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Your MCs (DJs?)
Joanna Lawson-Matthew
Senior Account Manager
DJ WaldowDirector of Community
Location:San Francisco
Location:Salt Lake City
Image credit: http://www.bon-voyage.co.uk/Image credit: http://www.unionstreetinn.com/
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
About Blue Sky Factory
Blue Sky Factory is both a full & self service ESP.
Design, execute, and track your email marketing campaigns
with Publicaster (That’s the name of our application)
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
30-45 Minutes of Education and Fun!
1. Review & Reflect
2. Email Marketing Strategy
3. Remember the Holidays
4. Shake & Bake, Baby!
5. ESP / ISP Relations
6. Review Other Components
7. Q & A
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Review & Reflect
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Review & Reflect
Review your emails from 2009
• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• What did you change from 2008 to 2009?
• Was that successful?
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Review & Reflect
Which campaigns got the highest/lowest:
• Open rate, Click through rate
• Conversion rate, Forward rate
• Unsubscribe/Complaint rate
• Share rate (SWYN)
• Mobile version views
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Review & Reflect
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Review & Reflect
Ask (and answer) the following:
1.What day(s) did you send on? Was that successful?
2.Did you try any A/B testing? What were the results?
3.Did you make any changes to your creative? Did you see improved results from this?
4.Did you try any different approaches for your offers, timing, frequency, & social aspects?
5.What did your competitors do?
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Review & Reflect
• Use this information to plan for 2010
• What are your email marketing goals for 2010?
• How will you measure your success?
Photo credit: http://smallbizadvisor.org/
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Email Marketing Strategy
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Email Marketing Strategy
•Budget
•Email Types & Frequency
•Start Small, But Consider Big Picture
•Other Departments
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Email Marketing Strategy
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Email Marketing Strategy
Photo Credit: Flickr - sgw
Questions to ask (& again, answer)
1.Do you have a budget?
2.What portion is dedicated to email marketing?
3. Is this amount increasing or decreasing? Why?
4.Are you forgetting about email & focusing on shiny new tools?
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Sales and/or Promotion
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From Name: Backcountry.com
Subject: Final Day for 20% Off
Sales and/or Promotion
Pros• Show me the money• Clear call-to-action
Cons• Not (necessarily)
relationship building• Overmailing risk
Frequency• Monthly - not enough• Weekly - just right?• Daily - deal of the day
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Alert and/or Notification
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Alert and/or Notification
From Name: American Airlines
Subject: Your Trip Is Now Eligible For Check-In
Pros• Timely, Targeted• Clear call-to-action
Cons• Not (direct) revenue
generation
Frequency• As necessary• Too much - 2 days, 1 day, 1
hr• Not enough - 1 hr before
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Survey
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Survey
From Name: malumni
Subject: Alumni Association of the University of Michigan membership satisfaction survey invitation
Pros• Short, To-the-point• (Relatively) clear call-to-
action
Cons• Can be boring• Another survey?
Frequency• As necessary: Post
interaction/visit• Monthly - too much?• Quarterly
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Informationaland/or
Newsletter
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From Name: Chris Brogan
Subject: Goals, Competition, and Friction – [bnl]
Pros• Consistent (expectations)• Great content
Cons• No clear call-to-action• No (direct, measureable) $$
Frequency• Monthly – just right?• Weekly – need fresh content
Informationaland/or
Newsletter
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Email Marketing Strategy
1. Start Small, But Consider Big Picture• Have a plan• Build a calendar• Be flexible
2. Other Departments• Are others sending email too?• Coordinate
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Remember the Holidays
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Remember the Holidays
1. Include the end-of-year holidays in your email plan• Develop a schedule leading up to holidays (work
backwards from launch date)
• Consider planning a campaign series leading up to the holiday
• Keep busy emailing days in mind
2. Get post-2009 holiday emails in your plan now
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Remember the Holidays
Smith-Harmon “Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season” http://www.smith-
harmon.com/ Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Remember the Holidays
Smith-Harmon “Retail Email Guide to the Holiday Season” http://www.smith-
harmon.com/ Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Remember the Holidays
Can’t get enough?Need more tips & ideas specific to the end-of-year
holidays?
Check out our webinar:‘Tis the Season to Start Planning
Your Holiday Email Campaigns
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Remember the Holidays
1. Use other annual holidays in your plan too
• Don't forget the smaller holidays (Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, Halloween)
• Use the holidays to build relationships with subscribers (messages of goodwill)
2. Not sure what others are doing for holiday email campaigns? Sign up for your competitors' emails now!
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Remember the Holidays
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Remember the Holidays
Photo Credit: http://www.retailemailblog.com/2009/02/season-finale-christmas-2008.html (Chad White)
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Shake & Bake, Baby!
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Shake & Bake, Baby
•A|B Testing
•Creative/Template Refresh
•Rendering
•Targeted. Timely. Relevant. Permission.
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A|B Testing
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A|B Testing
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A|B Testing
What to test... 1. Day2. Time3. Subject line4. Creative5. Call-to-action6. List7. (Everything, but one variable at a time)
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Creative/Template Refresh
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Creative/Template Refresh
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Rendering
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Rendering
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Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
The Secret to Successful Email Marketing
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Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
Send Timely, Targeted, Relevant
Emails To Subscribers Who Have Asked For
Them“…delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.” S. Godin (1999)
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
2008 Return Path Study...• 60% did not send a welcome message; 30% failed to
send any message at all (within first 30 days)
• While 70% asked for more than email address at sign up, 75% didn’t use this info to personalize or customize messages
• Took an average of 9 days for the first regular email message to arrive (65% percent of those emails didn't contain a special offer)
Return Path, 2008 Study: http://www.returnpath.net/downloads/resources/GreatSubscriberExperiences.pdf
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
Return Path, 2008 Study: http://www.returnpath.net/downloads/resources/GreatSubscriberExperiences.pdf
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
Return Path, 2008 Study: http://www.returnpath.net/downloads/resources/GreatSubscriberExperiences.pdf
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Timely. Targeted. Relevant. Permission.
Return Path, 2008 Study: http://www.returnpath.net/downloads/resources/Ecommerce_Study_v030509.pdf
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ESP / ISP Relations
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ESP / ISP Relations
•Domain/IP Reputation
•Get to know your Account Manager
•Push the limits of what your ESP can do
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Domain / IP Reputation
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Account Managers
The lovely female voice you hear
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What Can Your ESP Do For You?
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
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What Can Your ESP Do For You?
*This is not a real quote. I heard it from a B-school professor once. I believed him.
*"Microsoft Word 'power users' use
<2% of the application's
features."Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
What Can Your ESP Do For You?
How to become an Email Marketing "Power User" in 4 easy steps:
1.Read, attend industry webinars, tradeshows, mixers, etc
2.Ask your ESP (Account Manager)
3.Roll up your sleeves
4.Sign up for your ESP’s resources - blog, newsletter, webinars
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
ESP / ISP Relations
• Take the time now to make sure your IP reputation is in good standing, work with your ESP
• Ensure you are subscribed to all available Feedback Loops (most ESPs will do this automatically)
• Set up authentication records (Sender ID, SPF, Domain Keys)
• For more on authentication:http://blog.blueskyfactory.com/industrytrends/
three-ways-to-improve-email-deliverability/Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
ESP / ISP Relations
• Get Permission: Ensure email list is 100% opt-in
• Segment: Avoid "batch & blast" or "spray & pray"
• Remember the Mantra:
However, none of the ISP relations stuff matters unless you...
Send timely, targeted, relevant emails to subscribers who have
asked for them
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Review Other Components
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Review Other Components - Opt-in Process
• Easy to find, Easy to fill outo Opt-in form on all pages of websiteo Ask for minimal info, gather more data later
• Set expectations regarding frequency, content
• Explain benefits of subscription (W.I.I.F.M.)
• Give subscriber options for targeted emails
• No pre-checked boxes (affirmative consent)
• Link to Privacy Policy / Terms & Conditions
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Review Other Components - Opt-in Process
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Review Other Components - Welcome email
• Send an immediate email to welcome and acknowledge new subscribers
• Remind subscribers of benefits of subscription
• Outline the types and frequency of emails they
can expect from you • Consider including a special offer as a "thank
you" • Option to change preferences or opt-out
completely • Ask subscribers to whitelist your From addressCopyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Review Other Components - Welcome email
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Review Other Components - Transactional emails
• Transactional emails are the most read emailso Average open rate: 47%1
o Average click through rate: 20%1
• Use your branded email template to “shake” them up
• Perfect opportunity for a marketing/sales push, as long as the main purpose of the email is transactional
1. Transactional Emails: Make Your First Impression Count. Loren McDonald, Thursday, April 23, 2009. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=104687
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Review Other Components - Transactional emails
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Review Other Components - Transactional emails
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Review Other Components - Landing pages
• Ensure your landing pages are optimized for conversions
• Is your landing page call-to-action easy to find
and click on? • Is your call-to-action clear? • Be consistent between email and landing
page (Avoid "am I in the right place?!?")
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Review Other Components - Landing pages
Not-so-subtle sales pitch: Interested in this offer? Enter Now
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Review Other Components - Opt-out Process
• Ensure your opt-out mechanism is easy to find on your emails, and works!
• Remember that all opt-outs must be removed
from your lists within 10 days • Consider also adding an opt-out mechanism to
your website • Dare Alert! Move your opt-out link to the top of
your emails (Welcome the Unsubscribe)
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Almost Done…
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Are We Really Done?
• Review your emails from 2009 and reflect on the results. Use this info in 2010.
• Plan what types and frequency of emails will be in your 2010 email marketing strategy.
• Don’t forget to wish your subscribers happy holidays (and remember, it’s not always about the sale).
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Are We Really Done?
• Don’t be afraid to shake things up in 2010 with A/B testing, creative revamps and more targeted emails.
• Become BFFs with your ESP and the ISPs.
• Remember there’s more to your strategy than just emails (and this coming from an ESP!).
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009
Stay Connected
Joanna Lawson-MatthewSenior Account Manager
[email protected]@joannalm
www.blueskyfactory.comblog.blueskyfactory.com
@blueskyfactory
Thank You!Please submit your questions now.
DJ WaldowDirector of Community
@djwaldow
Copyright Blue Sky Factory 2009