PostCon: Email Part 5- Produce Engaging Content Every Time

Produce Engaging Creative – Every TimeWacarra Yeomans

Director, Creative ServicesResponsys

We’ll cover• Engaging Creative• Producing Engaging Creative• Every time

205/03/23

Engaging Creative

05/03/23 3

What makes great creative?

05/03/23 4

Example: Schwann’s before after

05/03/23 5

Example: Comcastbefore after

pop quiz

How many pandasdo you see?

05/03/23 7

Your brandWhat is engaging creative?

05/03/23 8

05/03/23 9

Exercise

05/03/23 10

Brand Exercise

05/03/23 11

Brand Exercise

05/03/23 12

Brand Exercise

05/03/23 13

Brand Exercise

05/03/23 14

Brand Exercise

05/03/23 15

Your customerWhat is engaging creative?

05/03/23 16

Your Customer

You should remember certain things about me

Help me understand why this is valuable information for meI understand this is a

business conversation and will sometimes be

promotional

I expect my experience with your

brand to be consistent

05/03/23 17

Smartphones are used everywhere

Home 97%

On the go 83%

In a store 78%

Restaurant 71%

Work 71%

At a social gathering 60%

Doctor’s office 56%

Café or coffee shop 50%

Airport 49%

Public Transport 36%

School 30%

(Source: Google Mobile Planet Report)

62% use their phone everyday

05/03/23 18

And we’re doing lots of things at once

Source: Google, Our Mobile Planet: United States

05/03/23 19

“… a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently

among the overabundance of information sources that might

consume it.” – Herb Simon

05/03/23 20

The inboxWhat is engaging creative?

05/03/23 21

Phones are larger, tablets smaller

05/03/23 22

How we read email?

05/03/23 23

05/03/23 24

05/03/23 25

Mobile email solutionsScalable layout

– Layout is static– Single layout for all screens– Device can scale to fit screen

– Content is mobile-friendly– Text is large and legible– Buttons are touchscreen friendly– Content is organized and concise

– Media queries aren’t used

26

Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)

05/03/23

Mobile email solutionsFluid layout

– Layout is fluid– Single layout that fills any screen– Width is flexible so content can wrap

– Content is flexible– Text is large enough to read– Buttons are touchscreen friendly– Text areas can expand and contract– Images often remain static

– Media queries aren’t used

27Source: https://litmus.com/blog/webinar-mobile-email-strategies-approaches (Retrieved 5/8/13)

05/03/23

Mobile email solutionsResponsive layout

– Layout adapts to screen size– Multiple layouts can be presented– Can be used with fluid layouts– Can be used with static layouts and

breakpoints (also called “Adaptive”)– Content is mobile-optimized

– Elements can change style, size, and position

– Presentation adapts to best suit screen size

– Media queries are used– Establish breakpoints for layout changes– Establish conditions for presentation changes


05/03/23

Mobile email solutionsDevice-specific layout

– Layout is specific to screen size– Single version for a single purpose– Separate versions for different audiences

– Content is created for specific context– Optimized for individual segments– Often promotes timely, local, or

device message– Media queries aren’t used

– Device is detected– Content sent at time of open


05/03/23

When responsive design?When your audience tells you to use it.*

* Make sure your audience is receptive before investing time and resources.

3005/03/23

31

@Media Supported @Media Not Supported

Kindle Gmail/Yahoo App on All Platforms

iPhone Android Outlook Exchange

iPad Android 2.1 and lower

iPod Touch BlackBerry OS 5

Palm Web OS 4.5 Windows Mobile 6.1

Windows Phone 7.5 Windows Phone 7

Windows Phone 8

Android 2.2 and up

Let’s start with your device.

05/03/23

When responsive design?If your audience is using:

– Android– iPhone– Relatively new Blackberry devices

(not a large crowd)

Responsive emails might be for you.

3205/03/23

When responsive design?If your audience mainly uses:

– Desktop clients (Outlook/Gmail/Yahoo!)– Older Blackberry operating systems– Windows phones

Responsive emails probably aren’t right for you.

3305/03/23

Responsive Design Recap

34

Advantages Disadvantages

More cost effective. Higher initial investment.

Mobile optimized, resulting in better user experience.

Technology is not fully supported on every platform.

Design will be relevant longer. Technology constantly changing.

Invest in copywriting• You only have 20 words to make an impact.

• Make.• Them.• Count.

05/03/23 35

Your storyWhat is engaging creative?

05/03/23 36

What is storytelling?

05/03/23 37

Marketing Stories

Brand Stories

Product Stories

Personal Stories

05/03/23 38

Brand Stories

39

Product Stories

05/03/23 40

Product Stories

05/03/23 41

Product Stories

05/03/23 42

Personal Stories

05/03/23 43

Producing Engaging CreativeBriefing your creative team

05/03/23 44

4 components of a great brief

The Briefing Document

05/03/23 45

ObjectiveWhich of these is more clear?•Drive conversions?•We need to upsell to people who have purchased airlines.•Currently 5% of our customers who purchase flights also purchase hotels. We’d like to see 10% by the end of this campaign.

05/03/23 46

Every Time

05/03/23 47

Evaluating Creative

05/03/23 48

Tips for evaluating creative

05/03/23 49

Tips for evaluating creativeUse the 7 principles of user experience•Hierarchy•Utility•Usability•Aesthetics•Identification•Stimulation•Value

05/03/23 50

7 principles of user experience

Hierarchy•Is the first element I see the most important part of the message?

05/03/23 51


Utility•Is this the right channel or delivery method for this message?

05/03/23 52


Usability•Does this email function like I would expect?

05/03/23 53


Aesthetics•Does this represent our brand?

05/03/23 54


Identification•Can I identify myself with the product or message? Does it fit into my daily activities?

05/03/23 55


Stimulation•Does the message give me inspiration? Or wow experiences?

05/03/23 56


Value•What’s in it for me?

05/03/23 57

05/03/23 58

Exercise

HIERARCHYOn a scale of 1-10, is the first element I see, the most important one?

05/03/23 59

UTILITYOn a scale of 1-10, is this the right channel or delivery method for this message?

05/03/23 60

USABILITYOn a scale of 1-10, does this email function like I would expect?

05/03/23 61

AESTHETICSOn a scale of 1-10, does this represent our brand?

05/03/23 62

IDENTIFICATIONOn a scale of 1-10, can I identify myself with the product or message? Does it fit into my daily activities?

05/03/23 63

STIMULATIONOn a scale of 1-10, Does the message give me inspiration? Or wow experiences?

05/03/23 64

VALUEOn a scale of 1-10, what’s in it for me?

05/03/23 65

05/03/23 66

Exercise

Giving Feedback

05/03/23 67

Giving Feedback: Copy & Design

• Assume every word, punctuation mark, color, font and pixel are there for a reason before giving direction

• Let the team explain creative decisions• The writer and designer are counting on you to make

sure the work meets business objectives• Try to differentiate client direction from your personal

preferences (Both are valid! But in different ways)• Ask questions and make suggestions, so the writer

and designer have a choice and trust your team• Be specific about what isn’t working• If there are more than a couple notes, TALK

05/03/23 68

Giving Feedback: Copy• It looks easy, but it’s not • Give direction rather than rewriting• Ask questions about word choice• Keep the editing within the copy discipline

– When typos happen, it’s a reflection on the writer

• Include examples so the writer can easily understand what you’re looking for

05/03/23 69

Giving Feedback: Design• At first glance, what are you immediately drawn

to?– In two seconds can you tell what this email is about?– Do you look at the primary message first?– Is a secondary message bolder and

carrying more visual weight?• Be specific about what isn’t working• Keep the end user in mind

– How will a subscriber interact with this message?• Decide whether your responses are personal

preference or business objectives

05/03/23 70

Do’s and Don’tsDON’Ts• Say “I don’t like that”• Stand over someone while they make changes,

unless you are invited

DO’s• Keep the objective in mind – is this meeting the

objective?• Think about your word choice when giving

feedback• Be specific about what you’re looking for

05/03/23 71

Questions?

05/03/23 72

05/03/23 73

Thank you!

Wacarra YeomansDirector, Creative Services – [email protected]@wac_intosh

05/03/23 74