CONTENT + CONTEXT = INBOUND EMAIL … + CONTEXT = INBOUND EMAIL MARKETING ... How to Create Email...

CONTENT + CONTEXT = INBOUND EMAIL MARKETING

We will be starting at 2:00 pm ET.

Use the Question Pane in GoToWebinar to Ask Questions!

Question of the day

Use the hashtag #InboundLearning on Twitter 1 2

#INBOUNDLEARNING

8/5 - Designing an inbound email experience

8/12 - How to build inbound emails

8/19 - Review of customer emails

WEBINAR SCHEDULE

Mark Kilens @MarkKilens

Niti Shah @NitiFromBoston

1 Why email design and copy is so important

2 How to optimize your emails

3 A/B testing and other important tools

AGENDA

WHY EMAIL DESIGN & COPY IS SO IMPORTANT. 1

Have you ever gotten a really, REALLY bad email?

Maybe the formatting was atrocious…

The copy was out of control…

BUY NOW!

I’m telling you this is the best thing ever.

Why don’t you believe me?

The personalization was all wrong…

Dear Ann…

Bet you deleted that email, didn’t you?

Optimizing email design & copy is key to engagement & conversion.

SOURCE: SCIENCE OF EMAIL 2014, HUBSPOT

47%

OPTIMIZING FOR MOBILE IS A MUST.

Over 75% of email revenue is now generated by alternatives to generic

one-size-fits-all campaigns.

Personalized emails see 14% higher click-through rates and

10% more conversions.

SOURCE: ALCHEMY WORX: ABERDEEN GROUP

3 PERSONALIZATION PAYS OFF.

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR EMAILS. 2

“What should I optimize in an email?”

EVERYTHING!

Not to fear! We’ll show you how in 12 simple steps.

1 Identify a specific goal

12 EMAIL BEST PRACTICES

2 Personalize sender

3 Optimize subject lines

4 Personalize email copy

5 Optimize images

6 Use multiple CTAs

7 Encourage sharing

8 Edit the plain text

9 Optimize for mobile

10 Keep it short

11 Say “you”, not “I”

12 Focus on benefits

IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC GOAL.

• Generate new leads: enable sharing

• Follow up on offer download: kickback email

• Collect audience feedback: surveys

• Increase program awareness: informative copy

• Nurture leads further down the funnel: resources

• Facilitate sales process: CTA such as “call us”

• Educate customers about new features: overview

1

Goal: Generate Leads

Social sharing buttons to generate new leads

Main image communicates exactly what is in the download

Main CTA is “forward to a colleague” mailto link – NOT to download.

Goal: Follow Up on Offer Download

Utilize kickback emails to go beyond just a simple follow-up

Provide download link to thank-you page

Goal: Facilitate Sales Process

Use 1 on 1-type CTA: no impersonal links Send from authority

Short, personal message.

Goal: Increase Program Awareness

Is there someone else at the organization that would be a better fit for this email? Encourage forwarding.

Lengthier – if you target more engaged

leads they will be more likely to read through

this much text.

Main CTA is an informative piece of

content that aligns with your product.

SEND YOUR EMAIL FROM A PERSON, NOT A COMPANY.

Increase open rates by 2-5%

2

Optimize Subject Lines 3


The longer the subject line, the lower the clarity of what’s inside. The lower open rate translates to lower CTR.



• Clarify what your audience is getting




• Show your intent





• Test which copy performs best for your audience






• “Newsletter”: Lowers CTR by 30%







• “YOU”: Lowers open rate by 5%








• “Free”: Does not lower deliverability








• “Free”: Does not lower deliverability

• “Free”: Lowers open rate by 10%

3


USE PERSONALIZATION. 4 4

First name personalization increases CTR by 20%.

First name

4 USE PERSONALIZATION.


Most relevant download

Company name


Sales rep info


Optimize Images 5


• Use an image compressor

to decrease load time.

• Always edit the alt text

• Check how image renders

in different email clients

USE EACH COMPONENT OF YOUR EMAIL AS A CALL TO ACTION. 6

Edit alt-text of images + CTAs



Add CTA to Signature

8 USE EACH COMPONENT OF YOUR EMAIL AS A CALL TO ACTION. 6


Link images to landing pages

Add CTA to Signature


Link images to landing pages

Modify preview text

Add CTA to signature


ENCOURAGE SHARING TO GENERATE MORE LEADS. 7


Use a tracking URL


Use a tracking URL

Personalize message

when possible

**NOTE: If you’re viewing this deck on a PC, the numbers appear to not be centered. Don’t

adjust them! This is to account for the reformatting that occurs when moving from a mac to a

pc—they’ll look centered when recorded!

Examples

FLICKR USER BEN GREY

mailto links

Social sharing buttons


EDIT THE PLAIN TEXT. 8

• Use options tab

• Remove excess

copy & links

• Clarify CTAs

• Simplify signature

Do images display correctly?

Is the text legible? Does it zoom properly?

Is the Call-to-Action functional?

Does the logo work on a smaller screen?

OPTIMIZE FOR MOBILE 9


• Use responsive

templates


• Use responsive

templates

• Preview in mobile


• Use responsive

templates


• Set image to

percentage of

screen if desired


• Use responsive

templates


• Set image to

percentage of screen

if desired

• CTA is clickable

KEEP IT SHORT 10

• Law of diminishing returns: the longer the email, the

less likely it is to get fully read!

• Optimize for mobile, on-the-go reading

• Use the “two swipe” test: view your email in mobile,

can you read the whole email with two swipes?

SPEAK DIRECTLY TO A PERSON. 11

FOCUS ON BENEFITS, NOT FEATURES. 12

A/B TESTING & OTHER IMPORTANT TOOLS. 3

A/B TESTING

RUN A/B TESTS FOR:

• Subject line optimization

• Email design

• Content

• Positioning

• Images

• Copy

• CTAs

A/B TESTING LETS YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT’S EFFECTIVE FOR YOUR AUDIENCE

SETTING UP YOUR A/B TEST

1. Create control email



2. Create A/B Test



2. Create A/B Test

3. Change one component

in the B variation



2. Create A/B Test


in the B variation

4. Set A/B test winner for

correct variable



2. Create A/B Test


in the B variation

4. Set A/B test winner for

correct variable

5. Set A/B split and test time

INBOUND CAMPAIGNS

ADD YOUR EMAILS TO A CAMPAIGN

SEE THE IMPACT YOUR EMAIL HAD IN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

DRILL DOWN TO SEE WHICH EMAIL SEGMENTS PERFORMED BEST

EMAIL ANALYTICS

ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS

Measure stats such as:

• Delivery rates

12


• Delivery rates

• Open rates


12


• Delivery rates

• Open rates

• Click-through rates


12


• Delivery rates

• Open rates


• Contact churn



• Delivery rates

• Open rates


• Contact churn

• Hard/soft bounces

12 ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS

Analyze segment behavior:

• URL click popularity

• Unsubscribes vs, email preference changes

• Social shares by channel

• CTA click rate

12 ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS

NEXT STEPS

1 Every audience is unique. Optimize for YOUR segments.

2 Keep subject lines and copy clear and concise.

3 Optimize for different screens, devices, and email clients.

4 Use A/B testing, analytics and campaigns to measure effectiveness and make key decisions.

1. How to Optimize Your Emails for Mobile Devices

2. 10 Examples of Brilliant Email Marketing

3. Essential Crash Course on Email Marketing

4. How to Create Email Newsletters That Don’t Suck

RESOURCES

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU.

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