Constant Contact Confidential

Chamber Email Marketing Best Practices

Alec SternVP, Strategic Market Development

Topics Of Discussion

Why Email Marketing?

The Power of Relationships

Creating a Winning Strategy

Chamber Examples

Constant Contact Overview

A Template For Success!

Why Email Marketing?

Why Email Marketing?Everyone is doing it!

• 75% of businesses have email lists

• 13% of total marketing budget is

spent on email

When asked what consumers would

like email to replace:

• 54% replace telemarketing

• 45% replace in-person sales calls

• 40% direct mail

Source: Association for

Interactive Marketing, DoubleClick Study

E-MAIL ME THAT

When asked e-mail usage in daily

Business activities, 85% said they

use e-mail to communicate with

customers, 80% said they

communicate with partners and

business associates via e-mail,

and 67% e-mail potential buyers

Source: Interland

Email marketing services automate best practices

– Manage lists – adding new subscribers, handling bounce-backs, removing unsubscribes

– Provide easy-to-use templates.

– Send readable formats – HTML and/or Text

– Handle unsubscribe links required by law

– Ensure email delivery, tracks results and obeys the law

Why Use An Email Marketing Service?Constant Contact…

Why Outlook Fails Standard Email Programs (e.g. Outlook, Hotmail) not designed for group email

messaging

– Limited # of emails sent at one time

– List break up more susceptible to filters

– Message can be filtered, blocked or undelivered without notice

– No tracking and reporting of email results

– If messages perceived as spam, entire corporate email server can be blocked by ISPs

What They Don’t Know CAN Hurt Them

The Power of Relationships

viaEmail Marketing

How small businesses can foster and grow profitable relationships on a shoe-

string!

The Challenge for Businesses… Keeping current relationship strong while looking for new business

Every business knows they need to keep relationships going…but how to budget the time and money?

Sales & ProfitsInvestment ($ and time)

Most new andgrowing businessesfocus on acquisition

Most profits are generated by repeat customers

Repeat Customers are Valuable

6-7 times more expensive to gain a customer than to retain a customer1

5% increase in retention yields profit increases of 25 to 100%2

Repeat customers spend 67 percent more2

After 10 purchases, a customer has already referred up to seven people2

All too often, client retention only becomes the strategy to save the business after the customer

has fledSources:1 Harvard Business Review2 Bain and Company, 2002

In Summary

Every business should be collecting email addresses from every visitor they drive to their website or find at an event.

Ongoing, relevant communications can keep your prospects and customers coming back and provide great conversion opportunities.

Email communications are the best way for small businesses to keep in touch with their customers – easily and affordably!

Creating A Winning Strategy

Collect email addresses everywhere…

Guest book

On service or sales calls

At networking eventsand meetings

At trade shows

Customer & Prospect Database

Website signupGuest Book

Determine Appropriate Format

Newsletters– Frequency: monthly / quarterly– Lots of educational content

(typically non-promotional) Promotions

– Frequency: bi-weekly / monthly– Focus on promotion / limited content– 2, 4, 6 product promotions, coupons

Announcements– Frequency: event driven– Promotional or educational with targeted

message– Invitations, special events

Frequency & Delivery

Objective: maximum impact / minimum intrusion How often to send

– Create a schedule– Include frequency in online sign-up “Monthly Newsletter”– Coordinate for maximum impact– Newsletters (monthly / quarterly)– Announcements / Event Invitations (as needed)

When to send– When is your audience most likely to read it?

• Day of week (Tuesday & Wednesday)

• Time of day (10am to 3pm)

– Test, test, test

Legal CompliancePermission – what is it and why you need it?

Two types of permission: Explicit: Opt-in from your website, a sign-

up form or guest book– “Join our mailing list”– I would like to receive info from time-to-

time

Implicit: Requests for information / registration forms, existing customer relationship

Note: Always make sure to ask for permission when collecting information from registration forms or tradeshows, etc.

Guest Book

SPAM

Evaluating Your Results

What influences the open rate?– From / Subject line– Delivery day / time– List overuse, age or quality

Why did people click through?– Call-to-action or offer– Copy

What were they interested in?

Chamber Examples UsingConstant Contact

What Other Chambers Are Saying…

"We couldn't be happier with your product and are thankful to have such an affordable tool for staying in constant contact with our visitors.“

Marti Mayne, PR ManagerMt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce

"Constant Contact is a life saver for any non-profit organization of any size."

Morgan A. Garriss, Exec AssistantSouth Fulton Chamber of Commerce

"With templates that make it so easy to use - it's impossible not to "Wow!" our subscribers every time we contact them." 

Nancy Hulse, Information Systems Mgr.Bartlesville Area Chamber of Commerce

Over 100 Chambers Use Constant Contact Today!

"It's really been amazing in the 6 months we've been using Constant Contact. We'll get calls at our office if we go much more than a week without issuing an email!“

John J Crawford, President & CEOWyoming-Kenwood Area Chamber of Commerce

Sugarbush Chamber of Commerce

"This is the one tool that has made a difference in how I communicate with my members.“

Susan Roy, Executive DirectorSugarbush Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Types: Chamber Mixers – 7 times a yearNewsletters – Every 10 daysSpecial Events – As needed

Results:* 58.6% average opens over last 3 campaigns* 25.8% average click-throughs over last 3 campaigns

Comments:* Do 95% of all marketing via Constant Contact* Save $4,000 annually on postage alone* Used to only be able to communicate every 6 weeks but now all the time* Started with no computer experience

Using Constant Contact since 7/03

Sugarbush Chamber of Commerce

Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce

"I love this service! Constant Contact provides an easy, cost effective way to communicate with my members. The emails look professional and consistent and give a polished impression."

Marcy Bouley, Membership DirectorNewton-Needham Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Types: Newsletter / Member UpdatesInvitationsSpecial EventsNot-for-Profit Community Bulletin Board

Results:* 43% average opens over last 3 months* 10% average click-throughs over last 3 months

Comments:* Do 75% of all marketing via Constant Contact* Manage readability – who is reading it, clicking-through, no more sending email into a vacuum* Send 2-3 different emails a week* It cost us for a year of service what it cost for the postage of 1 print campaign* Don’t need to be technically savvy

Using Constant Contact since 3/05

Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce

Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce

"Our members especially appreciate the eye-pleasing graphics and the fact that they can register directly for programs just by clicking on the hyperlinks in the newsletter."

Jim Elliott, Communication DirectorWausau Region Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Types: e-alert – As needede-xchange – Bi-monthlye-xtra – As needede-news – Monthlyy-exchange - Weekly

Comments:* Do 50% of all marketing via Constant Contact* Use hyperlinks within campaigns for ease of registering for services

Using Constant Contact since 3/03

Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce

Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce

"We often use Constant Contact as an example to our other service providers of how their systems should work."

Drake Pothier, Communications DirectorGreater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce

Campaign Types: E-Flash Newsletter – Multiple topicsBriefs – Single topic

Results:* 41% average opens over last 3 months* 8.5% average click-throughs over last 3 months

Comments:* Do 90% of all marketing via Constant Contact* Emails are now more professional, better click-throughs, readability vs. previous emailing methods* Send 1-2 emails a week* Once I have the content and images I want to include it only takes 10 minutes to create a campaign.

Using Constant Contact since 12/03

Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce

Constant Contact Overview

Constant Contact is the Market Leader

Over 35,000 customers Fast growing, profitable company Outstanding customer satisfaction Industry awards and National exposure 210 million emails sent each month High deliverability rate of 97%+ Over 1,500 partnerships (AOL, AMEX, Intuit

and more)

“Many small businesses will find Constant Contact an excellent resource, especially those struggling to convert a static Web presence into a more robust marketing tool.”

Adam Stone,Small Business Computing.com

Constant Contact is Easy, Affordable and Self-Service for Small Businesses

List management

Image hosting

Real-time reporting

Permission management

Over 100 professional templates Free Support

Constant Contact is by far the most cost-effective,

accountable, reliable, quick and convenient method for disseminating information to

our recipients..     

Mike Nelson, Rancho Cucamonga

Redevelopment Agency

From the very first month I've had dramatic

and delightfully unexpected results.        

Betsy Harper, CEOSales & Marketing Search

We have found Constant Contact to be our best method of consistent communication.

P.A. d'Arbeloff, Executive Director Boston Public Library

Constant Contact - Customer Benefits

Free 60-day trial up to 100 email addresses– Remains free if under 50 email addresses

Customer pricing starts as low as $15 a month– Pre-payment discounts available for all customers– Special pre-payment discounts for non-profits

Constant Contact move-in service for customers– Communications Consultant calls customers to help them get started

Constant Contact customer support and training– Phone and email support for trial, free and paying customers– Constant Contact daily live webinars for getting started

And Much, Much, More…

Constant Contact Options For Chambers Use Constant Contact To Communicate with Members

– Non-profit discounts for 6 or 12 month pre-payments– 100+ pre-built templates– Free support – Self-help, email and phone

Promote Constant Contact To Your Members To Use– Free Constant Contact account up to 5000 email addresses– Co-branded landing pages to for member sign-ups– Revenue share of all the business generated under you– Marketing, promotional materials to promote Constant Contact– Access to activity and revenue reporting to check your results

Visit: http://chamber.constantcontact.com

Thank You!

Alec SternVP, Strategic Market DevelopmentConstant Contact

e: astern@constantcontact.comp: 781-472-8142

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