Often we see there is more energy and passion applied to the
graphic design than there is to the content, personalization
headline and call-to-action elements combined. Unfortunately,
poorly designed and coded HTML messages have about a 70%
chance of being ignored deleted or filtered. Remember the
golden rule: it’s all about them! Don’t make your subscribers
hate you. Offer something of value, and do it less often. Less
is more when it comes to email marketing.
Sign-up Process
You only have one chance to make a first impression. Potential
subscribers like to see past issues and credibility signals
before they’re willing to trust you with their email address.
Single opt-in without requiring confirmation is the best way
to grow subscribers, but the worst way to grow a healthy list.
Confirmed opt-in with a confirmation email that the subscriber
must take action on is a good choice for building lists, but
will definitely hurt sign-ups compared to an open
subscription.
We create HTML emails for the best response
We work to improve the usability and conversion potential of
your emails.
• We put the main call-to-action above the fold.
• We use narrow layouts that work in all email clients
• Include less calls-to-action and sales messages.
• We use images sparingly because Image-heavy email can cause
problems with Yahoo, AOL, MSN, Gmail, Hotmail and many other
web-based email readers that disable images by default.
• We set up the mail format to provide value in the mailings
with unique tips, content, coupons and specials.
• We use a large, bold headline and put action calls, offers,
coupons and specials front and center. |
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Email Delivery Platforms
In the old days it was often recommended that companies
purchase their own email server platforms or build their own.
By the way, Computer eCommerce doesn't actually send out
emails, we just construct them and set them up for your use.
Thankfully there are some great platforms you can use:
• iContact
• Emma
• Constant Contact
• Feedburner
• Campaigner
Delivery Schedule
Less is more. Send less often and provide more value. A good
rule of thumb is to send bi-weekly if you’re offering links to
good content, or once per month if you’re sending a
straight-up sales message. Test these schedules against each
other:
Tue, Wed, Thu or Fri at 9:30-10am or 1:30-2pm
Fri at 4pm until Sunday 4pm and Tue-Thu at 5-8pm
Response & Offer Testing Procedures
We can create different versions so you can test the effectiveness of different subject lines by following
experts advice.
Experiment with different conventions in your Subject lines,
and with including the brand or not. Some examples:
1: [Brand Name]: Jewelry Sale - 15% Off Everything
2: Now Available: Boutique Lingerie at Brand Name
3: Handbags: Candy-Colored Clutches
Final Tips and Thoughts
Subject lines are extremely important; we can help you make sure you’re
testing what messaging works best.
Make it easy for your subscribers to opt-out of your emails.
Don’t force them to jump through hoops, fill out forms, or
perform incantations. Just let them go. |