#CommuniCon18

Email Marketing: Tips and Tricks for Emails that Get Results

Kate BrimerOnline Engagement Coordinator, UT FoundationDarren HughesDirector of Online Engagement, UT FoundationChristie KennedyDirector of Communications, Tickle College of Engineering

Pros & Cons of iModulesJane AlumnaB.S. Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries

ANDIUT’s main alumni and

donor database

iModulesCurrently includes

graduated alumni

alumni.utk.edu

alumni.tennessee.edu

www.advanceutia.com

Pros & Cons of iModules

• The Foundation has the best alumni and donor data.• Users who click through to forms are soft-authenticated.• User interactions feed our business intelligence models.• We must honor contact and unsubscribe preferences.

Pros & Cons of iModules

• It isn’t Emma, Constant Contact, MailChimp, Campaign Monitor, I mean, come on, who even uses HTML anymore?

Historical Data

Total Unsubscribes: 25,617

Historical Data

• The Foundation’s data collection processes work 129,926 (9/27/11) vs. 237,620 (7/5/18) +82.9%

Subject Lines

• Emphasize what’s special, exclusive, or urgent.

Good:• A Vol in Sochi (31%)• Special discounted tickets to see

Inky Johnson in Charlotte July 27! (29%)• You're Invited to a Behind the

Scenes Tour of the Tennessee Theatre! (30%)

Needs work:• Join the Knoxville UT Knoxville

Alumni Chapter at the Clarence Brown Theatre! (21%)

Subject Lines

• Emphasize what’s special, exclusive, or urgent.• Choose clarity over

creativity.

Good:• Seattle Vols - I need your

feedback! (31%)• You're invited to the UT Law

Memphis Alumni Reception (34%)

Needs work: • VolunTOUR the Tickle College

of Engineering June 14! (19%)

Subject Lines

• Emphasize what’s special, exclusive, or urgent.• Choose clarity over

creativity.• Mention event location or

chapter area (get city specific, if needed).

Good:• A Big Orange Evening in St.

Louis! (33%)• Visit with fellow Architecture

and Design Alumni in New York City (28%)

Needs work: • Join fellow Vols for a UT Blood

Drive Challenge! (16%)

Subject Lines

• Emphasize what’s special, exclusive, or urgent.• Choose clarity over creativity.• Mention event location or

chapter area (get city specific, if needed).• Use the preheader.

Good:

Needs work:

27%

14%

Subject Lines

• Emphasize what’s special, exclusive, or urgent.• Choose clarity over creativity.• Mention event location or

chapter area (get city specific, if needed).• Use the preheader.

Take it seriously!• Brainstorm with colleagues• Don’t be afraid to pitch bad

ideas• Make the most of the 40-50

characters that will display in a mobile in-box• Allow time for A/B testing

Email: Accessibility

• Establish a clear focus and provide appropriate hierarchy. • Use color intelligently.• Don’t use images or colors as sole conveyors of information.• Use true text, not images, for the most important information. • Don’t use graphics that can cause seizures.• Avoid justified and centered copy. • Bump up your text size.• Avoid “click here” links.• Use alt text for images.

@TCE Averages49.3% open rate11.22% CTR

Low37% open rate12% CTR

High71% open rate18% CTR

Content Tips& Trends

Content CTR by Type

• Infrastructure (new buildings)• Events (Boo in the Courtyard, Engineers Day)• People (new folks, leadership appointments)• Research & specific projects (EcoCAR)• Achievements • Opportunities• Colloquiums/presentations/lectures (unless major

speaker)

Engr Vols Open Rate

CTR

April 18 49.56% 11% April 4 45.38% 3% March 21 46.21% 4% March 7 47.92% 4% February 21 51.15% 5% February 7 54.87% 8% January 24 55.97% 6% January 10 58.44% 10%

Questions?

#CommuniCon18