The New Email Best Practices - knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when to get back to basics

The New Email Best Practices
Knowing when and how to move
to advanced tactics and when
to get back to basics.
Nicole Delma, Founder

Nicole Delma
10 Years in Email and Database Marketing
Consultant & Founder of FOND Group
Previous:

- 3 -
Brands
Adidas
Ann Taylor
American Airlines
Aveeno
Avon
Barclays
Barnes & Noble
Bloomingdales
Bose
Carnival Cruises
Chevrolet
Coach
Dove
Ducati
Estee Lauder
Gap
Geico
Heineken
Hermes
Hilton
H&M
Jaguar
Kate Spade
Lord & Taylor
L’oreal
Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs
Moet Hennesy
Nike
Nordstrom
PrincessCruises
Puma
Quantas
QVC
Red Bull
Saks Fifth Avenue
Sephora
Starbucks
Starwood
Steve Madden
Southwest Air
Stoli
Target
Ticketmaster
Toyota
Unilever
W Hotels
Zappos

- 4 -

Templates

Segmenta-on

Content

Repor-ng

Implemen-ng
Best
Prac-ces

- 5 -

EMAIL
1. The most valuable data point
2. The most lucrative channel

- 6 -

Source: Direct Marketing Association, The Power of Direct Marketing, 2011-2012. Exchange based on *JUL 29, 2012 Exchange Rates R$1=US$0.44 "
“Email is the most successful and proﬁtable marketing channel…”
2012 Marketing Channel and Engagement Benchmark Study, Message Systems"
U.S. DIRECT MARKETING BY MEDIA!
Channel!
2012 ROI Forecast
(US $)!
2012 ROI Forecast !
(R $)* !
Commercial Email" $ 39.40 " R$ 89.55"
Internet Display" $ 22.38 " R$ 50.86"
Internet Search" $ 19.71 " R$ 44.79"
Direct Mail (Non-
Catalog)" $ 15.40 " R$ 35.00"
Social Media/
Networking" $ 12.90 " R$ 29.31"
Mobile" $ 11.37 " R$ 25.84"
Insert Media" $ 11.34 " R$ 25.77"
Telemarketing" $ 8.26 " R$ 18.77"
Direct Mail (Catalog)" $ 7.25 " R$ 16.47"

- 7 -

In Brasil, Email is the most popular
channel for brands to engage
consumers
SOURCE: EXACT TARGET, DIGITAL CARNIVAL POLL 2012

- 8 -

Email heavily influences Brasilian
consumers to purchase
87% check email from a brand daily
68% have purchased because of email
53% say they’re more likely to buy after
subscribing to a company’s emails
SOURCE: EXACT TARGET, DITIAL CARNIVAL POLL 2012

- 9 -

Successful brands know that
email is the backbone
of their digital marketing
programs.

- 10 -

Yes, email is more complicated
than ever…
But does it need to be?

- 11 -

Is Your Program Ready?
Advanced Segmentation
Real-time
rendering
DYNAMIC CONTENT!
360° reporting
CrossChannel
Device
recognition

- 12 -

Bridal Client wanted FORWARD TO A FRIEND so switched Email providers
Example

- 13 -

2out of every 100,000 recipients
ever used FORWARD TO A FRIEND
Example

- 14 -

Do you stand to gain?

- 15 -

Before we get started…
3 quick notes on marketers

- 16 -

#1
Marketers are hooked on the NEW.

- 17 -

NEW! NEW! NEW!
features
vendors
channels
releases
devices
campaigns!
reports
partners

integrations

- 18 -

January 2012 – Bought NEW Bike

- 19 -

March 2012 – Big Race, used OLD bike
because I was more comfortable.

- 20 -

May 2012 – NEW Distraction.
Buy a Surfboard

- 21 -

July 2013 – SOLD

- 22 -

What if NEW isn’t always BEST?
Perhaps we should repair our current
programs…

- 23 -

#2
Marketers are overloaded with input.

- 24 -

When it comes to marketing,
everybody has an opinion.

- 25 -

#3
Marketers must think in terms of
systems and goals.

- 26 -

We must protect the data asset and
protect the customers from ourselves.

- 27 -

EXAMPLE
NEW IDEA:

- 28 -

EXAMPLE
NEW IDEA:
“Let’s send less
promotional emails
and more emails
with style tips!”

- 29 -

IMPLEMENTATION:
BEFORE – WEEKLY MAILINGS
7 X PROMOS
AFTER – WEEKLY MAILINGS
4 X PROMOS
3 X EDITORIAL

- 30 -

RESULTS:
• Open rates up by é15%
• Click rates down by ê3%
• Unsubscribe rates up by é5%
• Email sales decline by ê20%
• Spam complaints ê25%

- 31 -

RESULTS:
• Open rates up by é15%
• Click rates down by ê3%
• Unsubscribe rates up by é5%
• Email sales decline by ê20%
• Spam complaints ê25%
WHY?

- 32 -

Email marketing is part of an incredibly
complex system.

- 33 -

complex system.
15 YEARS OF MAILING SALE EMAILS

- 34 -

Value Prop attracted Customers
Interested in SALES
Ongoing promos further
condition customers
Sudden change in value prop Customer goals not met

- 35 -

Marketers must think in terms of
systems and goals.

- 36 -

EXAMPLE
NEW IDEA:
“Let’s send less
promotional emails
and more emails
with style tips!”

- 37 -

EXAMPLE
NEW IDEA:
CMO GOALS:
1. Reduce dependence on
promotional emails
2. Improve profile of brand
by offering better content
3. Increase open rates,
decrease spam
4. Maintain or increase
revenue

- 38 -

complex system.
15 YEARS OF SALE EMAILS
FAILED
MAIL LESS SALE, MORE STYLE

- 39 -

rightcustomer@gmail.com

þ Sign up to receive style tips and more!
Attract the right customers for your
messages and track them

- 40 -

Email success is about meeting
customer goals.
15 YEARS OF SALE EMAILS
STYLE ACQUISITION CAMPAIGN
MAIL LESS SALE, MORE STYLE
SUCCESS

- 41 -

Systems Thinking + Goal Matching
= Happy Customers

- 42 -

1. Marketers are hooked on the NEW.
2. Marketers are OVERLOADED with input.
3. Marketers must think in terms of
SYSTEMS and GOALS.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

- 43 -

How do you know when it is time to
move to the NEW and how do you
approach it?

- 44 -

You must know what HAS worked for
you and what IS working for you now.

- 45 -
TEMPLATES
The New Email Best Practices - Templates

- 46 -
The best templates
make it easy for the recipient
to accomplish their goals.

- 47 -
Recipient Goals and Expectations
•  Adherence to the original value prop
•  Ease of use
•  Consistency


- 48 -
Recipients Goals – Stick to the Original Value Prop

- 49 -
New Email Best Practice for
Templates is to build a design
that ‘works’ across all platforms
and all devices.
Recipients Goals – Ease of Use

- 50 -
Consistency: Does your email look beautiful
everywhere?
Brand X Domain (Email Client) Breakdown*

- 51 -
FY2012
FY2013

What devices drive traffic to your site?

- 52 -
Test
and
measure
performance
of
your
templates
across

Desktop
Email
Clients

Recipients Goals – Consistency
*SOURCE: LITMUS RENDERING ENGINE

- 53 -
Test
and
measure
performance
of
your
templates
across

Web-‐Based
Email
Clients


- 54 -
Test
and
measure
performance
of
your
templates
across

Mobile
Email
Clients/Devices


- 55 -
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

If you aren’t accounting for
rendering, your test results
are all flawed.

- 56 -
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

We don’t have this tracking in
place, what can we do NOW?

- 57 -
**SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012
Standard Mobile Pixel Count**
68%
are
240x320

Stage 1 | Optimize for
general mobile and tablet
so emails ‘work’ on all
devices
•  640 pixels wide
•  Alt text all images
•  Minimize images to reduce download
time
•  Enhance buttons/CTAs (size/color)
•  32 x 32 social icon conformance
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

- 58 -
Stage 2 | Responsive
Email Design (RED)
optimizes format by
device and screen size.
•  Alt text all images
•  Minimize images to reduce
download time
•  640 pixels wide adjust to 320 on
mobile
•  Enhance buttons/CTAs (size/color)
•  32 x 32 social icon conformance
•  Content areas render dependent on
screen size
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

- 59 -
Stage 3 | Track device performance data
using ESP or Partner Vendor
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

- 60 -
Stage 4 | Optimize content by device to target
offers and CTAs
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

- 61 -
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
ON
MOBILE
OPTIMIZATION

*SOURCEPew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) released its Future of Mobile News, Oct 2012
**SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012
•  Stage 1 – Optimize for all mobile and tablet so emails
‘work’ on all devices
•  Stage 2 –Optimize format by device using Responsive
Email Design (RED) to detect and adjust for screen
size.
•  Stage 3 - Track device performance data using ESP or
Partner Vendor
•  Stage 4 – Optimize content by device to target offers
and CTAs
Templates
–
A
Staged
Approach
to
Mobile
Op-miza-on

- 62 -
NEWS
Read Content Within Email
Recipients
Goals
–
Speciﬁc

What does the recipient want to accomplish with this email?
ACTION
Leave Email and
Go to Site
ALERT
Informative,
Take No Action

- 63 -
SEGMENTATION
The New Email Best Practices - Segmentation

- 64 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

The best segmentation
ensures the recipients goals
are in line with the senders.

- 65 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

Emails are people.
People build relationships.
People have history.

- 66 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

How did you meet?
Where and when did last see each other?
What happened?

- 67 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

The New Best Practice for
Segmentation
focuses on tracking key data that
informs the nature of the
relationship.

- 68 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

EMAIL
ORIGINAL

OPTIN
SOURCE

ORIGINAL

OPTIN
DATE

RECENT
OPTIN

SOURCE

RECENT
OPTIN

DATE

HappyCusto
mer@gmail.
com

Store_53
09/01/2002
World_Cup_
Sweeps

03/08/2013

Optin Source
• Shows performance by acquisition
• Allows for customized welcome series
• Defines relationship
• Supports deliverability

- 69 -
Explicit Data –
Original Email Source
Recent Email Source - the
most valuable attributes
you will collect
Profile Data
Survey Response
Demographics
Appended Data
Segmenta-on–
Honoring
the
Recipients
Goals
and
Interests

- 70 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

Keep explicit data lean.
Let the customer show you.
See Appendix 1 on Preferences Center

- 71 -
Implicit Data – Let actions demonstrate
interests (online and offline)
Purchases
Customer Service Inquiries
Store Visits
RSVPs
Contest Entry
Attendance
Downloads
Opens
Clicks
Social Media
Partner Associations
Segmenta-on–
Honoring
the
Recipients
Goals
and
Interests

- 72 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Segmenta-on

Frequency should be guided by
engagement. Show, not tell.
See Appendix 1 on Preferences Center

- 73 -
SEGMENTATION KEY TAKEAWAYS
•  Original Email Source is #1
•  Behavior should inform interests & frequency
•  Begin scoring and applying basic modeling
•  All email addresses are not created equal.
Segmenta-on–
Honoring
the
Recipients
Goals
and
Interests

- 74 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Content

CONTENT

- 75 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Content

The best content
ensures the recipient they are a good
match for the information you are
offering.

- 76 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Content

Are you ready to support dynamic content?

- 77 -
Email
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Content

YES, if you already do the following:
1.  Track email source
2.  Have a strong welcome program
3.  Successfully track and target on
behavioral data
4.  Are comfortable not mailing when there
isn’t a match

- 78 -
KEY CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO DYNAMIC CONTENT
•  Dynamic content is most successful once
behavioral modeling has been proven
•  Effective lifts can be achieved through
strategic targeting and non-mailing
•  Prioritize auto-frequency adjustment and
reengagement over dynamic
•  Move to Dynamic content ONLY when clear
financial conversion opportunity is apparent
Content
–
Dynamic
or
Sta-c

- 79 -
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Repor-ng

REPORTING

- 80 -
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Repor-ng

The best REPORTING
Shows how well you are
matching the recipient goals with the
sender goals at different stages.

- 81 -
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces
–
Repor-ng
Vocabulary

Open – Engaging content
Click – Made it easy to meet a goal
Click to Open (CTO)– Attracted the right people
Unusbscribe – No longer on target – it’s ok.
Unsubs climb as opens do.
Abuse/Spam – Destroys deliverability

- 82 -
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Repor-ng

The New Email Best Practice for
Reporting focuses on a clean list and
internal benchmarks.

- 83 -
Industry
Benchmarks
are
self-‐reported
and

can
be
tremendously
unreliable
based
on
list

hygiene
and
internal
methods
of
calculaXon.

Factors
That
Aﬀect
Rates:

-‐Age
of
List

-‐Frequency
of
mailing
to
that
list

-‐Source
of
emails/quality

-‐Data
integrity

Repor-ng
–
A
Note
on
Benchmarks

- 84 -
•  Track
and
monitor
engagement
eﬀorts

•  Stringent
list
hygiene
ensures
accurate
reporXng

and
deliverability

Repor-ng
–
Establishing
Benchmarks
to
Monitor
Engagement

SAMPLE: BRAND X
Current List Engagement*

- 85 -
Engagement

Rates*
BRAND
X

Current

(69k
Circ)

If
Trimmed
-‐23%

(57k
Circ)

Open
12.48%
16.20%

Click
1.29%
1.67%

SAMPLE
Content
–
Frequency
and
Reengagement
How
to

- 86 -
KEY TAKEAWAYS REPORTING
•  Accurately use reporting terms and know how to
interpret the data
•  Industry Benchmarks are highly unreliable
•  Benchmark against yourself
•  Before investing in reporting, clean and reengage
your lists

Repor-ng

- 87 -
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces
-‐
Implementa-on

ImplemenXng
Email
and
Data
Best
PracXces

What
to
do
NOW

- 88 -
SAMPLE
PLAN
FOR
COMPANY
X:
Implement
Founda-ons
of
Email
and
Data
Best
Prac-ces

Current

Goal
Implica-ons

Template
Op-miza-on

and
Redesign

•  Templates
are
not
opXmized
across
all

devices

•  Designs
are
not
opXmized
based
on
user

goals/data

•  Majority
of
landing
pages
are
not
mobile

compaXble,
hindering
email
engagement

and
performance

•  Redesign
standard
templates
to

adhere
to
best
pracXce

•  OpXmize
specific
business
appeal

templates
based
on
user
and

sender
goals

•  Mobile-‐opXmize
all
templates
and/
or
(Responsive
Email
Design)

•  Mobile
OpXmize
all
landing
pages

•  IT
prioriXzaXon

•  Editorial/Publishing

Feedback

•  CreaXve
&
UI
resources

Simplify
Subscrip-on

Management

•  SubscripXon
management
is
not

engaging
or
uniform
so
users
are
not

clear
what
exactly
they
will
be
geing

•  Data
isn’t
be
standardized

•  Users
adopXon
is
hindered
by
the
subpar

experience

•  Robust
user-‐friendly
Preferences

Center
with
interest
opXons

•  User
engagement
is
enhanced
by

user-‐friendly
design

•  IT
prioriXzaXon

•  CreaXve
&
UI
resources

List
Cleanup
and

Reengagement

•  Dead
and
dormant
emails
sit
on
list,

reducing
performance

•  All
customers
are
mailed
standard

frequency
of
emails
per
week,
regardless

of
whether
they
open
or
click

•  Cleanup
of
lists
and
recalibraXon

of
performance
metrics

•  Reengagement
Series
design
and

execuXon
w/Frequency

management
prompts

•  IT
prioriXzaXon

•  Vendor
Support

•  CreaXve
resources

Improve
Email
Collec-on

and
Welcome
Series

•  Points
of
email
collecXon
are
not

opXmized
for
capture
or
validaXon

•  Offline
and
partner
opportuniXes
are
not

facilitated
through
uniform
forms

•  Lack
of
welcome
series
means
criXcal

opportunity
to
engage
and
cross
sell
is

missed

•  Enhanced
on-‐site
capture
visibility

•  Enhance
social,
mobile,
partner,

print
callouts

•  Standardize
offline
capture,
bring

online
wherever
possible

•  Email
validaXon
at
capture

•  Triggered
confirmaXon
and

strategic
welcome
messaging

•  IT
prioriXzaXon

•  Vendor
support

•  CreaXve
resources

- 89 -
Implemen-ng
Best
Prac-ces
–
What
to
do
Now

*SOURCE: Onmobile.com, May 2012
Rolling
out
mobile-‐friendly
templates
and/or
(RED)
templates
and
mobile-‐friendly

landing
pages
will
immediately
boost
conversion
metrics.

- 90 -
More than 60% of emails in the US are opened on a mobile device and Brazil
increases annually.The majority are not uniform or optimized for mobile conversion.
•  Most email templates cannot be easily read on
mobile devices nor are they are not optimized to
maximize conversion based on user goals
•  Users receive improperly scaled templates that
prohibit easy interaction
•  Landing pages deter the conversion process
•  First, General Mobile Optimization
•  Next, Responsive Email Design (RED)
•  Messages work with images turned on or off
•  Detailed mobile tracking to evolve and optimize over time
•  Mobile-specific messaging to drive mobile conversion
Current State Proposed Enhancements
90
Template
Op-miza-on
and
Redesign

- 91 -
Simplify
subscrip-on
Management:

Opt-‐Down op-ons
reduce
acri-on
and
enhance

engagement
metrics
by
giving
readers
choices
they
want

•  Allow users to proactively manage their email
preferences before reaching the point of opt-out
•  Prompt to give more information about their interests
so we can target them more effectively
•  Allow users to provide feedback on why they are
opting down/out
•  Give users a ‘pause’ option – especially useful for
news which people often want to pause while away
•  Clearest Choice is Unsub From all emails
•  No option to opt-down, collect info from user, pause
Resources needed: IT prioritization, Creative & UI Resources
ERROR MESSAGE!

- 92 -
List
Cleanup
and
Reengagement

•  Dead and dormant emails sit on list, reducing
performance
•  All customers are mailed standard frequency of
emails per week, regardless of whether they open or
click
•  Metrics are skewed because of the older emails
Reactivation
Campaign
•  Cleanup of lists and recalibration of performance metrics
•  Reengagement Series Design and Launch
1.  Auto-reduce frequency for customers who have
received multiple messages and have not opened or
clicked
2.  Re-incentivize with targeted Reengagement
Campaigns
3.  Cross sell to another property

- 93 -
Improve
Online
and
Oﬄine
Email
Collec-on

•  Prominent homepage placement touting benefits
•  Popover for first time visitors or registrants who are not
logged in
•  Incentivized subscription with contesting and access to
email exclusive content
•  Offline standardization and digitization where possible
Proposed Enhancements
•  Sign-up is hard to find, doesn’t collect data
on the spot, not on every page
•  Sign-up is not prompted with pop-up
•  Value prop isn’t clear and consistent
•  Processes are not consistent and doesn’t validate
Current State

- 94 -
Welcome
Series:

A
Strong
Welcome
Email
Series
Is
the
First
Step
to
Long-‐Term
Engagement

•  A series of emails that warms up the customer to the
email program
•  Explains the brand, its email programs and community
and what to expect
•  Highlights ways customer can interact with the brand
Works via social, events, activities
•  Cross sells other properties, features, partners, apps
when ready
•  Confirms valid email and prompts more data capture
(profile completion)
94
•  Lack of welcome series means critical opportunity to
engage and cross sell is missed

- 95 -
Q
and
A

Email
and
Data
Best
PracXces

THANK
YOU

CONTACT:
nicole@fondgroup.com

TWITTER:
fondgroup

- 96 -
The
Preferences
Center
–
KEEP
IT
SIMPLE

•  Keep Email Subscriptions simple, few, accurate
•  Keep everything else in a profile/interests section so it
can be evolved without re-permissioning
•  Preferences
should
generally
NOT
include
frequency

•  Create
an
opt-‐down
page
and
pause
opXons
shown
at
the

point
of
unsubscribe

APPENDIX
1
–
THE
PREFERENCES
CENTER

- 97 -
START
with
observaXon
and
form
hypotheses
you
can

test:

For
Example,
rank
past
top
performing
subject
lines
to

see
which
phrases
net
the
highest
opens
and
among

which
customers:

1.  Exclusive

2.  Limited
Time

3.  View

4.  Win

5.  Free

APPENDIX
2
–
TESTING
AND
OPTIMIZATION

- 98 -
Design
an
A/B
Subject
test
to
see
if
‘Exclusive’
or
‘Limited

Time’
impact
open
rates
or
whether
this
was
due
to

targeXng
and/or
content

1.  Exclusive
2.  Limited Time
3.  View
4.  Win
5.  Free
Content
–
Tes-ng
and
Op-miza-on

- 99 -
How
to
determine
Sample
Size/StaXsXcal
Signiﬁcance?

Use
a
Widget
or
other
free
online
tools

Content
–
Tes-ng
and
Op-miza-on

- 100 -
Content–
Tes-ng

When A/B Testing:
•  A/B Testing should be used to prove major hypotheses and
only when very large list size is possible
•  Determine which criteria you want to test and choose one
•  Start from the outside in (segment, subject, header, body,
CTA)
•  Determine confidence level (95% is common in marketing)
•  Determine sample size needed/assess feasibility
•  Repeat testing frequently, prioritizing financial risk

- 101 -
Content–
Tes-ng

Multivariate Testing: testing more than one aspect of an
email to get fast response on ‘better’ in lieu of ‘best’

- 102 -
Content–
Tes-ng

Evaluating Segmentation Test Results:
•  Use Statistical Significance
•  Develop attrition benchmarks to limit overbroad mailing
•  Assign $ values to the existing emails on your list
•  Determine acquisition cost of a new email

- 103 -
•  A/B
tesXng
is
slow
to
yield
results,
again,
use
only
for

tesXng
major
variaXons

•  Get
comfortable
tesXng
mulXple
variables
at
once

•  IdenXfy
a
primary
goal

•  Always
use
staXsXcal
signiﬁcance

•  Establish
Internal
Benchmarks
and
maintain
strict
list

hygiene
so
they
can
be
accurately
measured

Content
–
Tes-ng
and
Op-miza-on

The New Email Best Practices - knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when to get back to basics

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The New Email Best Practices - knowing when and how to move to advanced tactics and when to get back to basics