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GHOST PARTNER - The Power of Email Marketing
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Transcript of GHOST PARTNER - The Power of Email Marketing
Howard Flint Local “Expert”Ghost Partner – Content Creation and Managed Marketing
[email protected] xt. 2
Facebook.com/GhostPartner LinkedIn.com/in/GhostPartner
@GhostPartner
3
Contact Information
Visit: www.constantcontact.com/learning-center
Insight Provided by KnowHow
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Introduction
This presentation has three parts…
1
2
Connecting to build customer relationships
Informing people who will buy in to your messageand share it with others
3 Growing your businesswith engagement marketing
1 CONNECTSection
Email Marketing Basics
Connecting with your customers
Engaging in profitablecustomer communications
Using email and social media as components of an engagement marketing strategy
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Why Engage?
Q. Where will the majority of next month’s business come from?
A. Existing customers
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Why Engage?
Q. What is your best source for new business?
A. Existing customers
Engagement Marketing is using technology to make “it” happen
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New tools have changed the game
Find
Convert
Keep
Find
Convert
Keep
Traditional Marketing
Engagement Marketing
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FIND MORE
“Flip The Funnel: Retention is the New Acquisition”
- Joe Jaffe (@jaffejuice)
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 9
Email marketing Trusting relationships Early relationships Encourage broader relationships
through SMM
Social media marketing New relationships New prospects Encourage deeper relationships
through EM
3 Steps to Building Relationships
Step 2:Connections that enable
ongoing dialog
Prospects
Customers
Step 1:Great customer
experience
You
Step 3:Content that engages
and spreads
Followers
Friends
Friends
Followers
Marketing Today = Building Relationships
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Suspects
Five Types of People
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Customers DisinterestedProspectsRaving Fans
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$
Time… Money… Energy… Effort
Takes 7 touches, on average, for a sale to occur
Some buy right away
Others research and try
Some show interest but don’t trust you
Acquiring Customers
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Why Email?
Because almost everyone your business needs to reach reads it:
94% of Internet users between the ages of 18 and 64 send or read email
An even higher number of users ages 65 or older do the same
61% Use a social networking site
147 million people across the country use email, most use it every day
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Sources: Pew Internet and American Life Project 2010
Why Email?
It’s cost-effective: Direct mail vs. email
For the same response, direct mail costs 20 TIMES as much as email 1
Email ROI is the highest when compared to other internet marketing mediums 2
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1 Forrester Research, Inc.
2 Direct Marketing Association
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Email Marketing Is Not…
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Junk email
Unsolicited and unwanted email
Email from an unknown sender
Dubious opt-out (if any)
SPAM
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Email Marketing Is…
Delivering professional email communications
To an interested audience
Containing information they find valuable
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Basics of Email Marketing
Setting expectations How many emails sent
When are emails sent
What type of information
Delivering on promises Matching expectations
Providing relevant content
Abiding by CAN SPAM Act
Gaining permission Do they know me?
Do they care?
Utilizing professional services
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Regular Email vs. Email Service Provider
Standard email programs(e.g. Outlook, Hotmail)
Limited # of emails sent at one time
No formatting control
List break up more susceptible to filters
No cohesive branding
No tracking and reporting of email results
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Regular Email vs. Email Service Provider
Email marketing services automate best practices
Provide easy-to-use templates
Reinforce brand identity
Email addressed to recipient only
Manage lists – adding new subscribers, handling bounce-backs, removing unsubscribers
Improve email delivery, track results and obey the law
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Email Basics Checklist
Ask yourself before you begin email marketing…
Do repeat and referral customers help your business?
Do you have a plan for delivering multiple communications?
Is your audience interested in your message?
Is it valuable to them?
Can you make your emails look professional and reflect your brand?
Do you have an Email Service Provider to help manage your strategy?
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1 CONNECTSection
Building a Quality Email List
The benefits of permission-based marketing
Building a valuable contact list
Keeping your list current
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Consumers Define Spam
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Consumers Define Spam
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Build Your List Where You Connect
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Customer & Prospect Database
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2 3
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Incoming or Outgoing Calls
Eventsand Meetings
Place of BusinessGuest Book
Guests
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Online Presence
57% of consumers will fill out a card to receive email alerts when asked to by a clerk at a local small business.Source: Transact Media Group
Email Signature
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Integrate Email Marketing and Social Media Marketing
Make a Join My Mailing List available on all social media platforms.
Make social media buttons a consistent part of all emails.
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Make it easy for people to SHARE
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Collecting Information and Permission
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Include your logo and brand identity
Describe your email content and how often you’ll be sending
Ask about your customers’ interests to stay relevant
Ask for additionalcontact informationwhen necessary
C o n s i d e r a s k i n g f o r y o u r a u d i e n c e ’ s p r e f e r r e d s o c i a l n e t w o r k .
Sending a Welcome Email
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Include your logoand brand identity
Personalize your message
Reinforce permission and ability to change preferences
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Using a Permission Reminder
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List Building and Permission Checklist
Ask yourself as you build your list…
Are you collecting contact information at every customertouch point, including social media?
Are you asking for permission as well as contact information?
Are you clearly describing your email frequency and content?
Are you sending a welcome email or a confirmation email, especially to those who have joined your list via social media?
Are you using permission and subscription reminders tostay current?
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SHORT BREAK #1:MOVIE TICKET GIVEAWAY
2 INFORMSection
Creating Valuable Email Content
Determining what is valuableto your audience
Choosing an effectiveemail format
Deciding what day andtime to send
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#EmailGhost
Content Has to Meet Your Objectives
“I want to…”
Promote Motivate purchases
Increase event attendance
Inform Inform potential customers
Differentiate my business
Relate Increase loyalty
Encourage more referrals
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Quality Knowledge
Savings
Content Has to Have Valueto Your Audience
Promotional Email
Discounts, coupons, offers, incentives.
Informative Email
Advice, research, facts, opinions, tips
Relational Email
Special privileges, acknowledgement
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Coming Up With ValuableEmail and Social Content
Share your expertise
Use facts & testimonials
Give guidance & directions
Offer discounts & coupons
Exclusivity & VIP status
Hold contests & giveaways*
Acknowledge your audience
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* Check applicable regulations before deciding to hold a contest or giveaway
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Keeping Email Content Concise
Host large bodies of content… On your website In a PDF document In a longer archived version
Email only essential information Use bullets or summaries Link directly to the information Give instructions if necessary
Repurpose content sound bytes for Social Media Drive social content back to
Email Archive or Website
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Come with Parker Travel Adventure Group and meet fellow travel enthusiasts near you. Join us for our annual rafting trip August 23 _ 26, starting at the base of Glen Canyon. There are still six spaces available for anyone interested in joining the group.
Complete package start $399 with flights from New York and Boston.
Content is not limited to words.
Howard’s Content Rules, #23
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Content is not limited to words.
Your organization has a story to tell.
Howard’s Content Rules, #23 & #24
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Content is a critical new skill you NEED to learn, to thrive in
the new economy.
Howard’s Content Rules, #17
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7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
3. Organize ahead of time
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
3. Organize ahead of time
4. Keep the post alive all month
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
#EmailGhost
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
3. Organize ahead of time
4. Keep the post alive all month
5. React appropriately
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
3. Organize ahead of time
4. Keep the post alive all month
5. React appropriately
6. Plan to be spontaneous
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
1. Everything is content
2. Be consistent
3. Organize ahead of time
4. Keep the post alive all month
5. React appropriately
6. Plan to be spontaneous
7. Don’t be afraid
7 Habits for Consistent Writing (Email or Social Media)
The world is ruled by content.Big or small.
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Determine Appropriate Format
Newsletters Frequency: Regular i.e. monthly / weekly Lots of educational content (typically non-promotional) Use bullets, summarize information, be concise
Promotions / Invitations / Surveys Frequency: Depends on your business and sales cycle Focus on promotion / limited content Use content to invite click-through or other action
Announcements Frequency: Event-driven Press releases, holiday greetings, thank you cards… Use content to build deeper relationships
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Mobile Email
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#EmailGhost
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Customer Spotlight: BoardWalk Consulting LLC
List Size: 3,600
Open Rate: 35.5%
Location: Atlanta, GA
Customer Since: April, 2004
Website: www.boardwalkconsulting.com
Sends mostly-monthly newsletter, smorgasBoard, and special announcements.
Mines campaign reports for topics of most interest, based on click-through data.
Sees dramatic increase in web site traffic after each campaign.
Readership and downloading of articles on web site has more than doubled in past year, and business has grown 71%.
“Whenever we hit ‘send’ on a campaign, the phone rings.”Sam Pettway, founding director
Definition: OPEN RATE
The email open rate is a measure primarily used by marketers as an indication of how many people "view" or "open" the commercial electronic mail they send out.
Open rates are typically measured using an HTML <img> tag embedded in outgoing emails, calling for a small, transparent tracking image. When the client or browser used to display the email requests that image, then an "open" is recorded for that email by the image's host server.
The open rate for an email sent to multiple recipients is then most often calculated as the total number of "opened" emails, expressed as a percentage of the total number of emails sent or -- more usually -- delivered. The number delivered is itself measured as the number of emails sent out minus the number of bounces generated by those emails.
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Branding Emails Consistently
Use different formats and similar designs…
Include your logo
Use consistent colors
Use meaningful graphics
Avoid drastic changes
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Calling Your Audience to Action
Calls to Action include… Links to click on
Information to print out
Phone numbers to call
Instructions for reading the email
Instructions for saving the email
Describe the immediate benefits… What’s in it for your audience?
Why should they do it now?
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Frequency & Delivery Time
How often to send Create a master schedule – be consistent! Include frequency in online sign-up “Monthly Newsletter” Keep content concise and relevant to planned frequency Invest time to repurpose content on social channels
When to send When is your audience most likely to read it?
Day of week (Tuesday & Wednesday) Time of day (10am to 3pm)
Test for timing Divide your list into equal parts Send at different times and compare results
Re-stimulate social conversations: repost, retweet
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Get the maximumImpact with
Minimum intrusion.
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Ask yourself as you create content…
Are you trying to promote, inform, or relate?
What is your audience interested in?
Is your email format branded and supportive of your message?
Is your email concise and does it include a strong call to action?
Does your content match your frequency and timing?
Are you consistently repurposing valuable content on social channels and investing time to engage and respond?
Email Content Checklist
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Matt Long
Joe Hahn
Nancy Feldman
Getting Email Opened
The “From” line – Do I know you?
Use a name your audience recognizes Include your organization
name or brand
Refer to your business in the same way your audience does
Be consistent
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60% of consumers say the "from" line most often determines whether they open an email or delete it. Source: DoubleClick
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Matt Long
Joe Hahn
Nancy Feldman
Create a Great Subject Line
The “Subject” line – do I care?
Keep it short and simple
30-40 characters including spaces (5-8 words) Incorporate the immediate benefit
of opening the email Capitalize and punctuate carefully
Avoid copying the techniquesinherent in spam emails
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30% of consumers say the “subject" line most often determines whether they open an email or delete it.Source: DoubleClick
Emails with shorter subject lines significantly outperformed emails with longer subject lines. - MailerMailer
Email messages that mention Facebook in the Subject Line will have a 32% higher open rate than those that don’t.-Worldata, 2011 X
Create a Great Subject Line
The longer the length (in characters) of a B2C email subject line, the higher its open, click, and click-to-open rates, finds Adestra in a July 2012 study of 932 million emails from more than 40,000 campaigns across 6 sectors, sent over a 6-month period.
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Avoiding “Spam-speak”
The words: free, guarantee, spam, credit card etc.
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
Excessive punctuation !!!, ???
Excessive use of “click here”
$$, and other symbols
No “From:” address
Misleading subject lines
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SPAM
Example: Typical spam “From” and “Subject” lines
The Swinery is a specialty butcher shop in Seattle
They sent an email newsletter to 3,765 subscribers
Received 816 opens (22%)
But it was viewed an additional 485 times & ”liked” by 181 readers
Represents a 60% increase in reach
Measuring Effectiveness:The Swinery
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.
Email Delivery Checklist
Ask yourself before you send your message…
Are your images working together with text to identifyyour email?
Are you avoiding spam-like content in your emails?
Is your Email Service Provider authenticating your email?
Is your From line familiar and are you using a familiaremail address?
Does your Subject line include the immediate benefits ofyour email?
Have you extended the reach of your email by makingit sharable?
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SHORT BREAK #2:MOVIE TICKET GIVEAWAY
#EmailGhost
3 GROWSection
Increasing Email Click-Through and Response Rates Tracking and improving
email delivery
Increasing opens, clicks,and forwards
Reducing unsubscribe requests
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Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 77
Tracking and Reporting
Email Client
Constant Contact Reporting Page
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Measure Increases in Overall Reach
Social Stats shows “Shares” and “Likes” for Shared Email Campaigns
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Deal with Bounced &Blocked Email
Non-existent address Check for obvious misspellings
Try to obtain a new address
Undeliverable/mailbox full/email blocked Try re-sending later
Correct temporary issues
Obtain a new address if arecurring issue is present
Bounce Management
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Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 80
Analyze “Open” Rates
Use open tracking to spot trendsOpen rates trending down
Fewer subscribers are enabling images
Fewer subscribers are clicking links
Steady open rates Assume email is being received
Check your ESP’s average delivery rate
Reporting Page
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 81
Capitalize on Click-Throughs
Use click tracking to determine: Audience interests
Clicks tell you what topics were interesting
Save clickers in an interest list for targeted follow up
Goal achievement Use links to drive traffic toward conversion
Compare clicks to conversions and improve
Reporting Page
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Understand Unsubscribe Requests
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An unsubscribe request happens when your subscriber no longer wants to receive your emails
Offer your subscriberspermanent list removal
Best practice is automatic removal with an unsubscribe link
Reduce Unsubscribe Requests
Why do people unsubscribe?
Over-communication
Irrelevant content
Poor targeting
Enable your audience to leave comments when unsubscribing from your list
Take action on feedback
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Email Tracking and Response Checklist
Ask yourself after you send…
Are there any bounced or blocked emails that require attention?
Is your open rate trending upward or downward?
Are you measuring your increase in overall reach, including social networks?
Did your audience take action on your email by clicking through or forwarding your email? What were they interested in? Are you encouraging online reviews by these customers?
Did anyone unsubscribe from your list? Did they give you actionable feedback?
Did you identify any areas for improvement so your next email is more targeted
and more effective?
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Use NutshellMail to Engage,on Your Time
Track your Page Insights
Reply from your Inbox
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Read Fan comments
Sign up for a Free
NutshellMail Account.
www.nutshellmail.com
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Q & AGhostPartner.com
#EmailGhost
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Howard Flint Local “Expert”Ghost Partner – Content Creation and Managed Marketing
[email protected] xt. 2
Facebook.com/GhostPartner LinkedIn.com/in/GhostPartner
@GhostPartner
94Visit: www.constantcontact.com/learning-center
Insight Provided by KnowHow
Thank You for attending!
Are you “Local”?
Local Internet Marketing
Local Directories | Reputation Management | Online Reviews | MORE…
Thursday November 15th
9am-11:00am@
Aurora Cineplex
The Next Opportunity…
GhostPartner.com