WRITING TIPS TO IMPROVE EMAIL RESPONSE RATES
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Mark Feldman NetProspex VP Marketing [email protected] (781) 290-5714
@markjfeldman blog.netprospex.com
Craig Stouffer Pinpointe On-Demand [email protected] (408) 834-7577
@pinpointe www.twitter.com/pinpointe www.pinpointe.com/blog
EmailMarke+ngWri+ngTipstoImproveEmailResults
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WhatAffectsEmailResponses? SendingReputa+on(EmailMarke+ng201):◦ Properemailseverconfigura2on◦ EmailsServerIPaddressreputa2on◦ Complaintsagainstyourdomain,IPs◦ Bounces(listquality),spamtraphits◦ Correctsenderheader,etc
Readability:Content(Today’sWebinar):◦ Onceit’sdelivered–makesureit’sread!◦ Avoid“Spam‐like”content◦ Effec2veimageuse◦ Effec2vewri2ngstyleandcontentstructure
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EmailWri+ngTipsOverview FocusonB2B.GuidelinesalsoapplytoB2C Wheredothese2psapply?◦ Offer(e.g.downloadwhitepaper)◦ EventInvita2on◦ ‘Stayintouch’campaigns
◦ Businessupdate‐newslePer◦ Everywhere!
Sources:Pinpointeanalysisofmillionsofemails/hundredsofcampaigns
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EmailWri+ngTips:BreakitDown
Focusoneachpartoftheemail: Subject+From Saluta2on Introduc2on:“ThinkAbovetheFold” Body Signature Links–Effec2veUse
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Takeaway:Op+mizeforMobile ShorterContent Call‐to‐Ac2onearlier
MobileandEmail
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TheSubject:Importance “At60milesanhour,theonlythingyouhearinthenewRollsRoyceisthe?ckingofthedashboardclock”…DavidOgilvyre‐wrotethis1042mes!
40%ofreader’sdecisiontoopenisbasedontheemailsubject+‘send‐from’
69%ofrecipientsdecidewhethertoreportemailasspambasedonthesubject(source:ESPC)
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EmailSubjects,Con+nuedAFewGuidingRules:
The50/50Rule: Spend50%ofyour2meonthesubject+Intro
50%oneverythingelse(includingdesign)
The80/20RuleofEmailSubjects 8of10peoplewillskimtheemailsubjectline
<2in10willreadtherest/takeac2on
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9BestPerformingEmailSubjects1. MyCompany Sales & Marketing Monthly Newsletter
2. MyCompany Newsletter – Jan 2010: Teaser Subject/Topic
3. [Webinar]: N Tips to Improve Email Responses
4. MyCompany Webinar: Case Studies - Join Us Feb 15
5. Webinar Topic - Webinar Slides Available
6. This Week’s Phone Call / Meeting (personalized from sales rep)
7. 8 Customer Service Tips that Work
8. Reminder: Storage Survey - Your Input
9. Invitation - Breakfast on Specific Topic
* Source: Pinpointe analysis of several million customer emails
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9WorstPerformingEmailSubjects1. JoinUsforaFREEWebinaronApril22011!
2. ShopEarlyandSave!
3. RegistertoWinYourFREEiPod!!
4. SecuritySpending
5. Post‐TradeShowWebinar:ExpertInsightsIntotheKeyTrendsand
Observa2onsfromtheTradeShowFloorLastWeek
6. EuropeanLakefrontElegance
7. First‐name‐(Company)AnnouncesPartnershipwith(Company2)
8. ProductLaunch:New“Widget”Available
9. FullPressReleaseTitle[…andemailcontainsonlythepressrelease]
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WordsinTopPerformingSubjectLines(>5%clicks)
Survey,weekly,newslePer,specific‐date,issue,bulle2n,edi2on,2ps,monthly,join,video,headlines,latest,updates
WordsMostLikelytobeReportedasSpam
Confirm,Raffle,requested,rewards,10%,coupon,discount,savings,offer
Think:“Rela+onship”vs.“Date”OngoingCommunica+onvs.“1+medeal”
SubjectLinePhrases
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GOOD Short,concise,specific,relevant,benefits Offervalue,resources Non‐hyped Orenindicatesdateorsequence
BAD 1Timevs.Sequen2al “Takevs.Give” Non‐descript/vague
SubjectLines–TakeAway
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Tes+ngSubjectLineLength
Objec+ve Doessubjectlengthimpactresponserates?
EmailSubjectVaria+onstested:(Short,Long) CaseStudiesWebinar:UsingSplitTes2ngtoImproveHTMLEmailResponseRates(Feb4th)
[Webinar]SplitTestCaseStudies(Feb4)
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SubjectLengthvs.ClickRate
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SubjectLengthTakeAway
Shortoutperformedlongby4x
Idealsubjectlinelength:45~55Characters*
StayRelevant,Specific
*BasedonanalysisofthousandsofPinpointecustomercampaigns
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Sendfromsomeonetheywillrecognize
Reinforce“1to1rela2onship”
Legi2mate/validemailaddress(!) Consider:personassend‐from+companyinsubject
GOOD:
“CraigStouffer”[email protected]
“StevenSmith,Pinpointe”[email protected]
UsuallyBAD:
“[email protected]”<[email protected]>
“DoNotReply”<[email protected]>
TheEmailFromField
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ComparingImpactof‘FromField’
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Sendfromsomeonetheywillrecognize
…Orsomeonetheythinktheywillknow(Commonname)
EmailFromFieldTakeAway
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TheOpening:“AbovetheFold”“FOLD or JUMP”: Subject + First 2 ~ 3 lines
You have email subject + 3 lines to get attention… … Use it wisely!
Consider: Can your opening sentence stand on its own?
Think: “The 3 + 30 approach:” Tell the 3 second version of your story first … Then tell the 30 second version
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AbovetheFold‐ExamplesWORKS:
DOESN’T WORK:
Company
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WHAT:(Inthisorder) Theoffer(orthemainpoint/objec2ve) Mainbenefit Responseinstruc2ons
HOW: Dividekeymessageintosec2ons Shortandconcise Linkstolandingpageswithsuppor2ngdetails
TheBody‐Structure
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Domul+plelinksimproveresults?
Compared20newslePercampaigns(*MarkBrownlow)
Analyzed‘teaser’/introtextwith1,2links 2ExamplenewslePerintroparagraphs:
UsingLinksEffec+velyinEmail
Results (Average across 20 campaigns): Average CTR for campaigns with 1 link: 6.8% Average CTR for campaigns with 2 links: 8.57% Improvement: Extra link = +25%
* Source: Mark Brownlow www.email-marketing-reports.com
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TakeAway:UseMoreLinks!
ClickRatevs.#Links
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StayCAN‐SPAMcompliant‐ Alwaysincludeasignature
Don’tforgetphysicaladdress Unsubscribelink Contactemailaddress
TIP:OKto‘adver2ze’belowsignature: Linksinfooter–2ndhighestclickrateoverall Sociallinks(e.g.:TwiPer,Facebook,Blog) Text+linktospecialoffer Offerforfreedemo/trial/etc
TheSignature
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ForToday’sAmendees Pinpointe:
◦ Free‐1monthPinpointeSubscrip2onService
◦ $49‐$550value◦ www.pinpointe.com/get‐started
◦ Couponcode:PPTNPW100
Netprospex:
◦ FreeNetProspextrialaccountwith100contacts◦ Accessto19millionbusinesscontacts
◦ Verifiedemail/phone
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Other/UpcomingWebinars
EmailWri+ngTips(Thisone)
CaseStudies:SplitTes+ngtoImproveResults
EmailMarke+ng201:HowaSPAMFilterWorks
GeongSocialwithEmail
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AboutUs.
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19milliondecisionmakers
User‐generatedcontacts Verified+guaranteed Hard‐bouncereplacement
Alljob2tles&industries Thousandsofnewcontactspermonth
Title,emailaddress,directdial,socialmedia,URL
Buyortrade
WhatSetsNetProspexApart?
www.NetProspex.com [email protected] 888-826-4877
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Recycling:Fast,Easy,Free!
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WhatSetsPinpointeApart?
• “ConstantContactonsteroids!” –Pinpointecustomer
• TheMostFeatureRichEmailMarke2ngSolu2on
• Enterpriseversion:5‐250+users,highvolume
• 6,000+companiesusingPinpointepla}orm
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TrackingandRepor+ng
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ContactInforma+onGotowww.pinpointe.com/get‐started
Usecouponcode:PPTNPW100 (through 2/28/2011)
Joinusforfuturewebinars
Forques2ons,ortorequestatrialaccount,pleasecontact:
PinpointeSales(EmailMarke+ng)
(408)834‐7577,Op2on#2
www.twiPer.com/pinpointewww.pinpointe.com/blog
Mark Feldman NetProspex VP Marketing [email protected] (781) 290-5714
@markjfeldman blog.netprospex.com
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