why email marketing fails dan belhassen greatbignews.com modern earth inc
TRANSCRIPT
Why Email Marketing Fails
Dan BelhassengreatBIGnews.com
Modern Earth Inc.
Your session leader
Dan Belhassen Founder & President of Modern Earth Inc., an
Internet technology company Website creators, online software developers,
search engine consultants, new media marketing specialists
Booth in exhibit hall
Don’t believe the session title…
Email marketing can do great things for your program
IF you follow some best practices..
The promise of Email Marketing
Reach thousands for pennies
Significant ROI
Why not explore this medium?
Budgets are tight?Internal IT roadblocks?Concerned about time requirements?Afraid of being labeled a spammer?
What can they look like?
What can they look like?
What can they look like?
Top 10 Best Practices
Based on LERN practices & feedback from our clients
Touch your market!
On a regular basisBased on their need to knowTimely content
New brochure/session starting soon!Meaningful content
Since you’re interested in kids camps..Call to action
Registration ends in 6 days!
Send segmented promotions!
Don’t use one look for all your markets Different designs for each of your 7 segment, ie:
Seniors
Boomers
Gen X
Gen Y
Children Activities
ESL
Certificate Courses / Accreditation courses
Health & Wellness
Sports
Plus an “alert” template to change expectations
Send segmented promotions!
Sample “General” template
Send segmented promotions!
Sample “GenX” template
Send segmented promotions!
Sample “GenY” template
Forget newsletters!
Who has time to READ A NEWSLETTER?
Think PROMOTIONS Receiver focused Easy to scan “What’s in it for me?”
Don’t “over content”
Less is moreDon’t make reading your promo workBetter a fast, interesting readGive them a reason to read it
Use teaser paragraphs
Small paragraphs
Click link to read full text Use link tracking to know what people are
actually reading
Measure your results!
Keep track of open & click statisticsThe truth about open rates
40% is “Good” 80% periodic readership average The long tail…
Measure results & seek improvements
Use humour or controversy!
Entertainment drives readership
Readership drives registration
Be different! Einstein with a clown nose = “serious fun”
Blend promotion & content!
Feature high profile instructorsUse anecdotesUse past student testimonials
Pass the WIIFM test
Send follow ups!
Use click-through tracking to send targeted follow ups
Pay attention to what gets low clicks And what gets high clicks!
Track conversions!
Click-through > website
Website > registration form
Registration form > submission
Sample Marketing Plan
Sample plan is for community programs Easily modified for other program types
Sample Marketing Plan
Assumptions 4 or 5 brochures per year Not yet doing email marketing 1,000 initial subscribers
Culled from past reservations Online registration capability
Detailed for one quarter Replicate for rest of year
Sample Marketing Plan
August Modify website to accept email subscribers
Create promotion page with incentive Free course? Gift certificate draw? Register with a friend discount? Let them know clearly what to expect
Train your staff to ABA!
Feature email promos in brochure
Sample Marketing Plan
August Modify online system to capture email
addresses (opt in if required)
Brochure -2 days Send promo “watch for brochure..”
Brochure +3 days “Looked at the brochure yet? Download instructions
Sample Marketing Plan
September Create a series of spotlight promotions 10 courses in one theme Include images and more details Sidebar for “courses in danger”
Low & high enrollment Once per week for 4 weeks
Sample Marketing Plan
October Promo every 2 weeks
Spotlight 6 upcoming courses
Focus on “part two” courses
Sample Marketing Plan
November One promotion
Promote upcoming winter brochure
(also any other up-coming courses)
Sample Marketing Plan
Replicate plan for other 4 or 5 brochures
Modify as suitable for your programs
Create a plan, stick to it, evolve it
Gathering email addresses
Gathering email addresses
Ask for them!“Do you want to be notified of upcoming
courses?” Phone / online registration Phone inquiry Website prompt In the classroom (evaluation form) Community course promotion events
Selecting a system
Key features Deliverability Tracking (opens, click-throughs) Import subscribers & prevent duplicates Capture email from website Send to a friend w/self sign up option Design matches your branding
Questions?
Dan Belhassen (866) 766-7640 [email protected]
Presentation available at http://modernearth.net/lern2006
See me at our booth in exhibit hall
Thank you!
www.greatBIGnews.com
www.modernearth.net
Presentation available at http://modernearth.net/lern2006