| In a down economy it is essential that you get the | | | | few of us have the time or inclination to really work |
| best return possible on money invested in direct | | | | our data. For example; the purchasing history of a |
| marketing campaigns. In particular, with email | | | | fashion store customer may well show a marked |
| marketing campaigns we are all looking for how we | | | | preference for clothes of a particular colour. Why not |
| can make each email count and increase conversion | | | | use this data to dynamically choose the colour of |
| rates. By taking just 3 simple and cost effective | | | | product images sent in individual html emails? While an |
| steps you can improve your email marketing | | | | email to Mrs Smith might include a picture of a red |
| campaigns and greatly increase your ROI. | | | | dress, the email sent to Mrs Jones would show a blue |
| Advanced segmentation | | | | version of the same dress. I am sure you can find an |
| We all know how important segmentation is to a | | | | equivalent piece of data in your records that could be |
| campaign's success, but how many of us really take | | | | used to similar effect in your next email marketing |
| the time and effort to use that knowledge | | | | campaign. |
| effectively? The answer is 'Not Many'. Lots of busy | | | | Using techniques such as this to make an email |
| marketers get through a whole year (if not a whole | | | | relevant to individual recipients is critical to making |
| career) without worrying much about any | | | | sure it gets opened, read and acted upon. Again, |
| segmentation beyond recency, frequency and value | | | | why not resolve to have a talk to your email list |
| of past purchases. | | | | broker about how they can help you use the data |
| While this basic level of segmentation is good in itself, | | | | you have at your disposal to create more effective |
| there does come a time when we have to break out | | | | email marketing campaigns. |
| of our comfort zones if we are going to really excel. | | | | Engage with new subscribers |
| Segmenting our email marketing data into lists that | | | | Warmly welcome new subscribers immediately upon |
| share common characteristics allows us to target the | | | | subscription. Even better, have a tempting offer or |
| right people with the right message. Age, Gender, | | | | promotion ready for them. Then do all you can all |
| Class, Income, Location and Hobbies are just a few | | | | avoid losing your new subscribers within the first |
| of the myriad ways we can split lists to give | | | | couple months. Do you have a staggered email |
| ourselves a greater chance of converting prospects | | | | marketing programme ready to go as soon as they |
| into sales or to build ongoing relationships with | | | | join? Many companies have been doing this very |
| recipients. | | | | effectively for years but so many others are ignoring |
| If it all seems like too much work, talk to your list | | | | this simple but hugely successful technique. |
| brokers (they are the experts after all). They can | | | | It really is essential to keep in regular contact with |
| take on the graft for you as part of their role, | | | | subscribers with details of new products and services. |
| allowing you the to sit back and bask in the glory of | | | | Do send them a monthly newsletter including your |
| the increased ROI that comes from really effective | | | | latest news, offers and free trials. Incidentally, If the |
| data segmentation. | | | | first email a customer receives from you has clear |
| Get relevant, get personal | | | | white list instructions, it will help ensure that it is not |
| Personalisation is not just putting a customer's name | | | | also the last email they receive from you. |
| in a subject line. In order for our mailings to stand out | | | | Above all, from the start be clear about when, how |
| amongst the in-box competition we need to make | | | | and what you'll be emailing them in the future to |
| offers that are truly relevant to the individual | | | | avoid mismatched expectations and disgruntled |
| recipients. This means understanding the data we | | | | subscribers. |
| hold and using it effectively. | | | | Admittedly these are all very basic suggestions, but |
| We can all bandy around terms such as 'dynamic | | | | sometimes it does us good to remind ourselves of |
| content' and 'life-cycle based messaging' but again, | | | | the basics. |