Email campaigns are an affordable way to convert and retain supporters. But how do you compete with the many emails, Facebook posts and tweets vying for their attention? Using real life examples, Tim Kachuriak, fundraising optimization expert, will show you why you need to challenge conventional wisdom to achieve better results. Attend this webinar to learn: - Easy methods to increase email open and click through rates - 3 key ways to optimize your landing page to increase conversion rates - How to improve results by becoming an Omni-Channel Fundraising ™ organization

1. A PROVEN FORMULA TO OPTIMIZE
(AND REVOLUTIONIZE)
YOUR EMAIL CAMPAIGNS

2. Which Email Performed Best?
(1)
(2)
(3)

3. Are Best Practices Enough?
-52%
-19%
-34%

5. MECLABS is the largest optimization institution in the world.
Copyright © MECLABS

6. 1,500+ major experiments
Over 1 billion emails tested
10,000 sales-paths tested
500,000 “decision-maker”
interviews
5 million phone calls
100+ conferences/clinics
Copyright © MECLABS

7. Fundamental Theory
7

8. Email Messaging Theory
F
Key Principles
1.
Email is a relational medium. People do not buy from
emails, people buy from people. We must
conceptualize an email as part of a sequenced
conversation containing a series of micro-yes(es)
leading to an ultimate macro yes.
Copyright © MECLABS

9. Email Messaging Theory
2. The funnel analogy distorts
reality. People are not falling into
your funnel, they are falling out.
The funnel must be inverted.
3. People don’t travel down the
center of the funnel. People are
climbing up the sides.
Copyright © MECLABS
g = 9.81 m/s2
1. The funnel is often presented as
one potentially useful analogy for
marketing. It is in fact, the
primary analogy. All marketing
should influence a decision.

10. Email Messaging Theory
(Ma)YES
(Mi)YES
Donation Experience
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
Landing Page
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
Email
(Mi)YES
Y

11. Email Messaging Theory
F
Key Principles
1.
Email is a relational medium. People do not buy from
emails, people buy from people. We must
conceptualize an email as part of a sequenced
conversation containing a series of micro-yes(es)
leading to an ultimate macro yes.
2.
The essence of marketing is the message. You cannot
control a prospect, but you can control the message.
And it is the message that attracts the prospect
towards the macro-yes.
Copyright © MECLABS

12. Email Messaging Theory
(Ma)YES
(Mi)YES
Donation Experience
(Mi)YES
Landing Page
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
Email
Copyright © MECLABS
(Mi)YES
The Message
(Mi)YES
Y

13. Email Messaging Theory
F
Key Principles
1.
Email is a relational medium. People do not buy from emails,
people buy from people. We must conceptualize an email as
part of a sequenced conversation containing a series of
micro-yes(es) leading to an ultimate macro yes.
2.
The essence of marketing is the message. You cannot
control a prospect, but you can control the message. And it
is the message that attracts the prospect towards the macroyes.
3.
The essence of the message is the value proposition. At
each stage of the conversation, you are attempting to
optimize the message in such a way as to tip the balance of
cognitive perception from negative (cost) to positive (value).
Copyright © MECLABS

14. Email Messaging Theory
Value
Force
Cost
Force
VfAc - CfAc = Nf
Copyright © MECLABS

15. Email Messaging Theory
(Ma)YES
Cost
Force
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
Copyright © MECLABS
Value Proposition
(Mi)YES
The Message
(Mi)YES
Value Proposition
Value
Force
Y

16. Email Messaging Theory
(Ma)YES
Cost
Force
Value
Force
(Mi)YES
(Mi)YES
Copyright © MECLABS
The Message
(Mi)YES
Value Proposition
(Mi)YES
Value Proposition
(Mi)YES
Y

17. PRECEPT #1
“BEST PRACTICES ARE NOT
ENOUGH, YOU NEED A
RIGOROUS METHODOLOGY.”

18. Optimization Methodology
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a) ©
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

19. Optimization Methodology
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a) ©
Value Factors (of + i)
Inhibitors (f + a)
Relevance (rv)
Offer (of)
Incentive (i)
Friction (f)
Anxiety (a)
Copyright © MECLABS

20. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
139% Increase in Clickthrough Rate
42% Increase in Revenue

21. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
257% Increase in Clickthrough Rate

22. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Test
118% Increase in Donations
50% Increase in Petition Signers
Version B - Control

23. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
369% Increase in Clickthrough Rate
121% Increase in Revenue

24. PRECEPT #2
“OPTIMIZATION DOESN’T
HAPPEN ON THE PAGE, IT
HAPPENS IN THE MIND.”

25. Email Messaging Sequence
ec < op < ct < lp©
ec = email capture
op = open
ct = clickthrough
lp = landing page
Copyright © MECLABS

26. Optimizing Email Thought Sequences
ec < op < ct < lp
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a)
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

27. OPTIMIZING EMAIL CAPTURE
EC < OP < CT < LP
Copyright © MECLABS

31. Optimizing Email Capture
ec < op < ct < lp
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a)
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

32. Marketing Experiments
Email Value Proposition Assessment
Copyright © MECLABS

35. Marketing Experiments
Email Value Proposition Assessment
Copyright © MECLABS

39. Marketing Experiments
Email Value Proposition Assessment
Copyright © MECLABS

40. Tipping the Value Exchange
Value of
Contact Info
Value
of Offer

41. Optimizing Email Capture

42. Optimizing Email Capture

43. Optimizing Email Capture

44. Optimizing Email Capture

45. Optimizing Email Capture
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a) ©
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

46. Optimizing Email Registration
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
42% Increase in Registration Rate

47. Reducing the Cost Force
What is the cost of submitting an email to this form?

48. Reducing the Cost Force
Nature of Information Cost Scale
Low Cost
Name
Email
Phone Number
Company
Title
Address
Social Security #
High Cost

49. Reducing Cost Force
Not this
But this

50. Reducing Cost Force
Not this
But this

51. Reducing Cost Force
Not this
But this

52. OPTIMIZING OPEN AND
CLICKTHROUGH
EC < OP < CT < LP
Copyright © MECLABS

53. Optimizing Email Opens
ec < op < ct < lp
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a)
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

54. Improving Email Open
Focus on Envelope:
– The “To” Line
– The “From” Line
– The “Subject” Line

55. Optimizing Email Clickthrough
ec < op < ct < lp
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a)
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS
Copyright 2011 MECLABS

56. Improving Clickthrough Rates
Focus on Email Message:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Know the goal
Internal Subject line
Personalized Salutation
Headline
Value Proposition
Call-to-Action
Testimonials
Relevance is the
multiplier

57. Relevance
Internal Relevance:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Personal interests
Demographics
Personality
Communication Styles
Level of Engagement
Donor Lifecycle
External Relevance:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Seasonality
Special Events
News
Limited Time Offers
Holidays
Weather

58. February 1, 2011

59. Using External Relevance

60. Using External Relevance

61. Optimizing Email Appeals
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a) ©
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

62. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
139% Increase in Clickthrough Rate
42% Increase in Revenue

63. Optimizing Email Appeals
Original
Optimized
139% Increase in Clickthrough
42% Increase in Revenue

64. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Test
118% Increase in Donations
50% Increase in Petition Signers
Version B - Control

65. Optimizing Email Appeals
Version A - Control
Version B - Test
369% Increase in Clickthrough Rate
121% Increase in Revenue

66. OPTIMIZING LANDING PAGES
EC < OP < CT < LP
Copyright © MECLABS

67. How Do We Measure Success?
Conversion Rate:
– Total number of goal completions / Total Unique Visits
– A measure of the effectiveness of complete thought
sequence
– NPO Avg: 2.72%

68. Optimizing Landing Pages
Focus on the Offer:
– The Ask (Offer) is the impact that is promised in exchange
for a donation
Focus on the Incentive:
– An Incentive is an appealing element introduced on the
landing page to achieve the desired action
Focus on Eliminating Friction:
– Friction is anything that causes psychological resistance to
a given element on a web page

69. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow

70. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
1

71. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow

72. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
2

73. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
3

74. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
4

75. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
5

76. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
6

77. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow
Click Count:
7

78. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
8

79. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
9

80. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow Click Count:
10

81. Top Offender: Online Giving Workflow

82. Optimized Online Giving Experience

83. Optimized Online Giving Experience

84. Optimized Online Giving Experience

85. Optimized Online Giving Experience

86. Optimizing Landing Pages
eme = rv(of + i) – (f + a) ©
eme = email marketing effectiveness index
rv = relevance to the constituent
of = offer value
i = incentive to take action
f = friction elements of the process
a = anxiety elements of the process
Copyright © MECLABS

87. Version A
Version B
137.8% Increase
in Donor Conversion

88. Version A
Version B
67% Increase
in Donor Conversion

89. Version A
74% Increase
in Donor
Conversion
274% Increase
in Revenue
Version B

90. PRECEPT #3
“TESTING TRUMPS MARKETING
INTUITION.”

91. Testing Against Best Practices

92. Testing Against Best Practices

93. Testing Against Best Practices

94. Testing Against Best Practices

95. The “One Thing”
“Adequacy is the
Enemy of Excellence”

96. Three Key Principles
1. Best Practices Are Not Enough– You Need a
Rigorous Methodology.
2. Optimization Doesn’t Happen On The Page, It
Happens In The Mind.
3. Testing Trumps Best Practices.

98. Thank You!
Tim Kachuriak
Tim@Kimbia.com
@DigitalDonor
linkedin.com/in/TimKachuriak
Blog: www.DigitalDonor.com