Optimizing your marketing automation programme for
successBy Kath Pay, CEO & Founder of Holistic Email Marketing
Copyright Holistic Email Marketing 2016
Quick information about the webinar
• Webinar duration: 45 minutes + Q&A• Webinar recording will be sent to you
via email• Hashtag #GRAutomationHub• Got questions? Message us via chat
Why test these automated programmes?
Our opinions are worthless until tested!
…So are your Marketing Director’s, and as for your Managing Director’s…
Econsultancy Conversion Rate Optimization Report 2013
Econsultancy Conversion Rate Optimization Report 2013
Although email is the easiest channel to test only 63% are testing it
Econsultancy Email Marketing Census 2014
Econsultancy Email Marketing Census 2014
Even though Email Marketing delivers the highest ROI
“Automatically triggered emails based on lifecycle (12%) or on customer activity (18%) together account for £3 of every £10 in email marketing revenue, up from 19% in 2012.”
DMA – National Client Email Report 2015
These programmes are ongoing…..
• Therefore it’s totally worth the investment• Discover what makes your customers tick – as well as which
version is best• Set up up once as a perpetual test
Aggregation of marginal gainsThe BG cycling team’s winning philosophy is ‘aggregation of marginal gains’: Get a lot of small things right, put them together, and they add up to a significant gain
www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/14/olympics2008.olypmicscycling1http://www.teamsky.com/article/0,27290,17547_5792058,00.html
“It means taking the 1% from everything you do; finding a 1% margin for
improvement in everything you do.”
Create building blocks
Who makes up your email database?
Who makes up your email database?
Your Target Market!
Your database is your target market! Use #email as your
primary testing tool & roll out findings to other channels @kathpay @getresponse
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Different wording test
A [First Name] Test, track, increase your profit – start today!
B [First Name] Start tracking and optimizing your business today!
Different wording test
B had 88% higher open rateWith a 95% confidence level
A [First Name] Test, track, increase your profit – start today!
B [First Name] Start tracking and optimizing your business today!
Apply it to your PPC ads, Titles, Sub-headings, Banner Ads….
Source: Movable Ink
Test which image achieves the best conversion – product display or model wearing garment?
Source: Movable Ink
Apply it to your homepage, product pages, banner ads…..
Test which image achieves the best conversion – product display or model wearing garment?
Test which Subject Line - Descriptive vs Benefit –is best for your product pageA Increase Customer Retention by 8% in
a Single MonthB SaaS Billing Is a Marketing Asset
Test which Subject Line - Descriptive vs Benefit –is best for your product page
Winner: Version A increased leads by 62%
A Increase Customer Retention by 8% in a Single Month
B SaaS Billing Is a Marketing Asset
Apply it to your homepage, product pages, banner ads, PPC ads…..
A B
Ask your customers which they prefer!
A B
+72%
Apply it everywhere!…..
Ask your customers which they prefer!
What to test?
image Brace Yourselves!
• Number of emails in sequence• Price points• Discount in value• Discount in %• Free Gift/access to content• Bundles• From Field• Subject line• First 6 lines
• Latency between emails in sequence • Design• Layout• Tone of Voice• Long/short Copy• Personalisation• Number of links• Landing Page
Automated emails: what can you test?
Set up permanent testing streams
What to test?
How to test your automated programmes
Create a methodologyHow to test your automated programmes
1. [Optimization Summit] 3 Days to a Better Website ($300 Off Coupon Inside!) – (Value Exchange, Incentive)
2. Learn 3 tips that made 10,000 landing pages extremely successful – (Value Exchange, No Incentive)
3. Optimization Summit 2012 –Speakers List Now Up! + Save $300 Today – (Newsworthy, Incentive)
4. Quarterbacks aren’t the only changes being tested in Denver. – (Curiosity)
5. A scientific way to increase your conversions – (Benefits)
6. Do your landing pages pass this test? – (Fear)
…testing different motivational factors via subject lines...
“Fear” was the winner – 125% more unique CTRs
Source: Marketing experiments
Gain more than short-term wins by testing – use a methodology.
Find out what makes your audience tick @kathpay
@getresponse
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Remember!What you measure is based on what you want
to achieve
Measure the correct metricSubject Line Opened Clicked Converted
Win the pampering prize of a lifetime worth $10,000
38.19% 9.35% 6.74%
Win spa breaks, a personal shopper and more worth $10,000
35.76% 11.03% 9.19%
Win a pampered new you worth $10,000
38.01% 15.45% 10.67%
Win a trip to Champneys and more worth $10,000 with Veet
33.23% 16.76% 11.01%
Statistical Validity
http://abtestguide.com/calc/
Bad results? A great learning opportunity
Thomas Edison“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. “
Testing essentials
Adhoc testing
Definition: Random, occasional test of a factor with the aim of determining which version delivers the best result. No methodology or hypothesis is used in this process.
Strategic testing
Definition:This is a regularly-performed test using a hypothesis and methodology with the two-fold aim of not only finding out which version delivers the best result, but also aims to discover insights about the audience.
Have a desire to learn about your audience
1
Identify what question are you trying to answer?
2
Create a Hypothesis3
It needs to centre around 3 main things1. Presumed problem2. Proposed solution3. Anticipated result (and reason why)
A Hypothesis can be proved or disproved
A hypothesis pretty much says, “I think by making this change, it will cause this effect.” So, based on your results, you should be able to say “this is true” or “this is false.”….
BECAUSE.......
When you use a hypothesis to test #email you’re not restricted to testing the same element. The hypothesis stands @kathpay
@getresponse
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Let’s look at some hypotheses used in email
HypothesisTo be used elsewhere?
Emotional question in Subject Line will generate more sales than a directive statement YesEmotional CTA will generate more sales than a pragmatic CTA YesDouble Loyalty points will generate more sales than 15% loyalty points Yes5 items showing in the "You may also like" dynamic pod will generate more sales than 3 items YesEmotive image of person smiling & wearing outfit will generate more sales than image displaying outfit laid out. Yes
Image 2 (looking at CTA) will generate more sales than Image 1 (looking at copy) Yes
Always be testing different streams
Create a test plan
• Total Sent• Open Rate• Click to Open Rate• Products purchased• Conversion Rate
• AOV• Statistical Confidence• Conclusion• Recommendation
Metrics & Fields to include
Hypothesis
Test in email
Analyze & Learn
Apply to appropriate channels
It’s a cycle of continuous learning
1 Don’t test for the sake of testing
2Don’t just focus on one-off results – but focus on longitudinal gains, that can rolled out everywhere
3 Be sure the measure the correct metric
Some rules…
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