1. Email Marketing Essentials
Basics and Best Practices for
Planning and Managing Effective
Email Communications Programs
Joel Book
Principal, Marketing Research &
Education Group
@joelbook / #ExactTarget

3. Precision Dialogue has Replaced Mass Messaging
Email Marketing
has shifted from
One Size a one-way
Fits All broadcast to a
data-driven one-
to-one dialogue.

4. US Email Marketing Spending: $2.4B by 2016

5. • Aids the Buying Process
• Keeps Customers Engaged
• Accelerates Customer Service

6. How Online Consumers Begin Their Day
58% of Online
Consumers Begin
the Day With Email.
Source: ExactTarget
SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS
Report #1, Digital Morning
Full report available at
www.exacttarget.com/sff

7. “Those who buy
products
marketed through
email spend 138%
more than non-
readers of email.”
Source: Forrester Research
“E-Mail Marketing Comes of Age.”

8. 75% of social media users say email is
the best way for companies to
communicate with them.
MarketingSherpa, 2010

9. EMAIL DOMINATES
SMARTPHONE USE

10. Email
Marketing
Innovators
Real Marketers
Real Solutions
Real Results

11. Belk Uses Email+Mobile
Updates to Promote Special
In-Store Events and Sales
Belk Facebook Page
Belk Newspaper Insert Belk Customer Email

12. Email is the Backbone of Hitachi Data Systems’
Global E-communications Strategy
Customer Newsletter
Product Launch
Webinar Invite Product News
Event Invitation
Hitachi Data Systems uses email to:
• Nurture leads; Keep existing customers connected to HDS
• Support relationship management efforts of HDS field sales managers
• Deliver relevant content to IT professionals in 30 regions and in 18 languages

13. DonorsChoose.org
Used Email to Drive
Donations of $500K
for Joplin Classrooms
Joel,
Irving Elementary School
Joplin, MO
May 22, 2011

15. Email Marketing Essentials
• Email Marketing Strategy
• Email Subscriber Acquisition
• Email Content Personalization
• Email Design
• Testing & Measurement
• Deliverability
Email Marketing Essentials

16. The 2011 Email Marketing Benchmark Report
New Research and Insights for
Accelerating Email Performance
• Published September, 2010
• Findings based on surveys with 1,115
email marketing professionals
• Top email marketing challenges for
2011
• Special sections on email tactics, list
growth, relevancy, deliverability, and
metrics
• Testing and optimization methods for
2011 and much more
http://www.sherpastore.com/2011EmailMarketingBMR1.html

17. Email Marketing Essentials
Email Marketing
Strategy
Email Marketing Essentials

18. Most Effective Ways to Use Email
Marketing
• Aid the purchase decision-making of prospective customers. Provide
relevant content that informs and persuades.
• Retain existing customers. Deliver information that reinforces the brand
relationship.
• Fuel Word-of-Mouth! Invite subscribers to “share” email with work
colleagues and friends
Sales
• Nurture leads; Provide information that aids purchase decision
• Drive repeat purchase or renewal
• Deliver offers triggered by customer behavior or customer insight
Service
• Keep customers informed of product updates and special offers
• Invite customers to attend special events
• Use email to respond to inquiries, questions and problems

19. Life Cycle Email Campaigns are Most Effective
The Customer Life Cycle
Product Product Product Product Repurchase/ Brand
Inquiry Evaluation Purchase Usage Renewal Loyalty
Business Getting Business Keeping
Once a person gives you permission . . .
• Email aids the buying process.
• Email drives repeat purchase, referrals.
• Email keeps customers connected and informed.

20. Life Cycle Email Campaigns are Most Effective
The Customer Life Cycle
Life Cycle
Stage
Product Product Product Product Repurchase/ Brand
Awareness Evaluation Purchase Usage Renewal Loyalty
Marketing
Attract Engage Convert Serve Retain Reward
Goal
• Send Welcome • Provide information • Provide links to • Invite feedback • Invite customer • Ask for referral to
Email; Thank and links to endorsements and and reviews to join user friend or
customer for website content to videos from • Send product group on colleague
subscribing aid purchase satisfied customers news and service website • Invite customer to
Email decision contribute content
• Provide link to • Reinforce the value updates • Provide
Program Preference • Send invitations to they will receive • Send triggered incentive to for blog or
Center; Invite webinars and live from becoming a alerts re product renew or newsletter
customer to events customer usage / service repurchase • Reward customer
identify product • Invite product • Thank customer for reminders • Send purchase- for loyalty.
needs and demonstration or purchase; Promote • Provide links to triggered cross-
interests trial related product-related sell /upsell offer
products/services resources on
website

21. Framework for Planning End-User Email Programs
The Customer Life Cycle
Product Product Product Product Repurchase/ Brand
Awareness Evaluation Purchase Usage Renewal Loyalty
Who Contact Type
(User / Non-User)
Offer or
What
Information
Interest or Need
Why
(Declared / Inferred)
Email Email Email Email Email Email
Programs Programs Programs Programs Programs Programs
When Timing / Trigger
Landing Page
Where
for Conversion
Metrics for
How
Measurement

22. Email Marketing Essentials
Email Content
Personalization
Email Marketing Essentials

23. Content Personalization Methods

24. Relevance and Timing are Keys to Email Effectiveness
Triggered Email Communications Produce 10X
Better Conversion than “Batch ‘n Blast Email
>10% Conversion Rate
3.9%
1.1% 2.8%
Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate
Conversion Rate
Blast Driven Profile Driven Persona Driven Behavior Driven Real-Time Triggered

25. Effective Email Marketing is Data & Technology Enabled
Source: Forrester Research - April 2009 “Campaign Management Needs A Reboot”

26. Email Works Best When Teamed with Other Media
Database Segmentation and Marketing Program Cross-Channel
Management Program Planning Development and Execution Marketing
Prospective SegmentOffline
A
Program Performance Measurement
Identify
Customers Customers
& Prospects • Offer/ Message
Customers with • Tactic
Content Personalization
Landing Page / Microsite
Customer Specific Needs • Timing
Program Development
Demographics
Product /Service Segment B
Needs, Interests Offer
Select
• Offer/ Message
• Tactic
Products
Information • Timing Online
Purchased
Offline
Analytics Segment C
and Lead Score
Determine
Timing • Offer/ Message
Campaign • Tactic
Response History • Timing
Channels
Data Acquisition / Lead Scoring
Response Tracking/ Reporting

27. Lawn Care Update Teaches
Consumers When and How
to Use Scotts Products to
Get Best Results
Scotts Alert: Now is the
perfect time to apply
Scotts Turf Builder
WinterGuard Fall Lawn
Fertilizer to your lawn.
Reply STOP to end alerts.
Other charges apply.

28. My Scotts Lawn App 2.0
What’s New
• Regional advice, not just product recos
• More articles, videos, & Scotts products
• Ability to contact Scotts (& picture identifier)
• Calendar function: create your own lawn care plan
• Share on your social networks
• Supply List
• Synchs with Scotts.com registration
• Links to coupons & offers
• Content from ATG is pushed via API to synch local
advice on the app, bringing the customized lawn
advice to consumer’s mobile devices.
What’s Coming
• Ability to measure your lawn size with GPS
• Social badging based on activities
• Gaming

29. Websense Uses Email to
Promote its Webinars

30. Example: Websense Pre and Post Webinar Communication
How Email Automation is used:
• Prospects are invited to attend a webinar
• Webinar registration is confirmed
• Webinar reminder is sent
• Post webinar survey is sent to attendees
• All prospect activity tracked in CRM
Email
Automation
Workflow

31. Volvo Uses Email to Help
Dealers Sell New
Construction Equipment

32. Volvo Uses Email to Help
Dealers Sell Used
Construction Equipment

33. Example: Volvo Construction Equipment Lead Workflow
Data cleansing
Information Request (Website)
Microsoft Dynamics CRM enables Field
Sales Managers to track lead activity
Lead report
emailed to Field
Sales Manager
Confirmation email

34. Email Marketing Essentials
Email Subscriber
Acquisition
Email Marketing Essentials

35. Guidelines for Effective Email Subscriber Acquisition
Attract
• Use SEO to attract potential customers to your website
• Leverage social media. Invite “Fans, Followers, & Viewers” to Subscribe
• Promote email sharing (Your Brand Fans are Your Best Marketers)
Engage
• Design your website/landing page to drive opt-in. Keep it simple.
• Give visitors a “reason” to subscribe; Provide an incentive
• Show example of the email(s) the subscriber will receive.
Serve
• Send Welcome Email to thank the customer for subscribing
• Invite subscribers to identify needs, interests, preferences
• Ask “Who else could benefit from this information?”

36. Websites have become the “Hub” of Marketing
Word of Mouth
Search Engine Sponsored
Marketing Events
Webinars Direct Mail
Public
Relations Website Trade
Shows
Online Print
Advertising Advertising
Corporate Broadcast
Blogs Advertising
Social
Networks

37. Company Websites are Trusted Most by Consumers

38. Use Search to Attract Subscribers to Your Website
The Customer Life Cycle
Website Product Product Product Re-Purchase/ Brand
Visit Evaluation Purchase Usage Renewal Loyalty
Acquisition Tactics
Search (Paid and Organic) 93% business buyers
87% of commercial
Online Advertising
Lead go online to research
website traffic comes
Print Advertising
Generation
Marketing Events
products and suppliers.”
from organic search.
Social Networks Source: Forrester Research
MarketingSherpa

39. Example: HP Technology at Work
Articles are personalized
Deals are personalized to to subscriber-defined
HP products purchased or interests and preferences.
relevant to SMB
technology needs.
Events are personalized
based on location, HP
products used or defined
interests.

40. HP uses SEO to attract
SMB technology
buyers to its website
and invites them to
subscribe to
Technology at Work
HP invites subscribers
to identify preferences
for newsletter content

41. HP explains why
these questions are
being asked and
how information
will be used to
customize
Technology at Work

42. 75% of social media users say email is
the best way for companies to
communicate with them.
MarketingSherpa, 2010
© 2009 Online Marketing Connect

43. Fans & Followers are Good. Customers are Better.
Conversion
Metrics
To Monetize Social Media,
Convert Fans & Followers to Email Subscribers

44. CROCS CONVERTS 2000+
FACEBOOK FANS TO EMAIL
SUBSCRIBERS EACH WEEK

45. SCOTTS INVITES
FACEBOOK FANS TO
BECOME SUBSCRIBERS.
( And 50% Convert! )

46. 93% of internet users turn to
Email to share content.
Source: “Content is the Fuel of the Social Web”
AOL and Nielsen Online, April 2011

47. DREAMFIELD’S USES
EMAIL TO FUEL WORD OF
MOUTH MARKETING
Email Subscribers
• Consumers: 454,000+
• Healthcare Pros: 40,000+
In 5 years, Dreamfields has
grown sales from $5 Million
to $25 Million!

48. Hitachi Attracts Subscribers through Content Sharing
Emails are designed to make
it easy for subscribers to
share articles, respond to
offers and access content on
the Hitachi Data Systems’
website.
“Share This”

49. Subscriber Acquisition
Great ways to build lists
• Paid search to drive traffic to a registration form
• Incentives – coupons, whitepapers, downloads
• Leverage Social Media – Invite subscribers to
“share” email with followers and friends on social networks
• Ask for permission – even verbal is better than none
• Direct Co-Registration (partner directly with a site – have that
site ask its users if they want to opt-in)

50. Subscriber Acquisition
Awful ways to build lists
• Buying lists, or appending email addresses
• Emailing to trade show attendee lists
• Emailing to public association lists
• Obtaining addresses from websites (harvesting)
• Indirect Co-registration (“targeted” lists where the recipient never
was told they’re going to receive email from you specifically)

51. Email Marketing Essentials
Email Design
Email Marketing Essentials

52. Email Design Best Practices
1. Visually Organize for Eye-Tracking
2. Design for the Preview Pane
3. Optimize for Image Blocking
4. Engage with Eye-Catching Design
5. Use Graphics to Guide the Eye

53. Tip #1
Visually organize for eye tracking. Use a wireframe.
1. Content Variety
2. Eye-catching words
3. Break up text & bullets
4. Relevant images
5. Hyperlinks

54. Tip #2
Design for the Preview Pane –
The majority of subscribers won’t
go beyond this point.
Check List:
Images On:
• Header depth
• Alt tags
• Primary message
• Pre-headers Images Off:
• Image Placement

55. Tip #3
Don’t ignore image blocking – the majority of
subscribers have images blocked by default.
• Alt tags aren’t silver
bullets
• Message is hidden
behind grey blocks and
red “x”s
• A blocked message
can’t entice higher
opens and clicks.

56. Tip #4
Engage with Eye-Catching
Design Techniques
Why this design works
• Logo is in upper left
• TOC appears in in upper left
quadrant
• Article descriptions are short with
links to full article on website
• Shaded backgrounds and color
headers designate content areas
• Multiple social sharing options via
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
• Type font and size are easy to read.
Example: B-to-B

57. Tip #4
Engage with Eye-Catching
Design Techniques
Why this design works
• Emotional, relevant imagery
• Clean, uncluttered graphics
• Color backgrounds & borders
for content areas
• Buttons, color links to entice
responsive action
• Clear call-to-action
• Interactive zones invite
engagement: “Suggestions”
and “Tell us about Yourself”
Example: B-to-C

58. Tip #5
Guide the eye with graphic
intention
Performance-driven design guides
the eye seamlessly and strategically
through the message:
• from the preview pane to the
opened email
• capturing the eye at desired
engagement stops
• landing at the calls-to-action.

59. The Email Design Toolkit
Whether you’re a savvy designer, a
marketer, or an executive, our new
Design Toolkit has everything you need
to improve your interactive design.
In this three-part kit, we’ll help you
master three important facets of
interactive design:
1. Design Philosophy. Seven Design Principles That Will
Drive Customer Engagement
2. Taking Design Beyond Email. 5 Easy Ways to Improve
Conversions Across All Interactive Channels
3. Designing for Today. Eight Tips on Designing for
Outlook 2007 and 2010
Download at the RESOURCES section of www.exacttarget.com

60. Landing Page Best Practices
1. Make landing page design, headlines, and content
relevant to the email’s offer or call to action.
2. Remove any unnecessary distractions including other ads,
promotions, navigation, etc.
3. Make sure the Landing Page has one specific objective.
Don’t force the subscriber to make multiple decisions.
4. All content on page should “state” or “support” the value
proposition and objective of the landing page (i.e.
capture email opt-in, place order, register for event, etc.)

61. Landing Page (Before)
Objective: Drive Signup for Free Email Newsletter
Problem
The form is lengthy and
asks for 11 different
pieces of information to
subscribe to a “free”
publication.
These extra fields and
steps create friction,
making it more time
consuming and
aggravating to complete
the offer form.

62. Landing Page (After)
Solution
The form has been
reduced from 11 fields
to just 3. The flow of
the entire page is
shortened, thereby
substantially reducing
friction and increasing
conversion.
If additional fields are
needed to gather
necessary subscriber
data, do this post-
conversion in the
“Welcome Email.”.

63. Landing Page
Best Practice Example: Layout
Not this But this
The flow of the two - 53.28% Decrease In Conversion 15.57% Increase In Conversion
column design on
the left required the
customer to “go
back” toward the
top of the page to
see the entire offer.
This resulted in a
53.28% drop in
conversion.
The simple vertical
layout produced a
15.57% increase
in conversion!

64. Landing Page
Best Practice Example: Creative Continuity
Make sure the email creative and landing page creative are
consistent. If they don’t conversion will suffer.
Email Landing Page

65. Email Marketing Essentials
Testing and
Measurement
Email Marketing Essentials

66. Email Campaign Elements for Testing
100s of Potential “Success Factors”
1. Subject Lines 11. Images 21. Taglines 31. Landing Page
2. Sender Lines 12. Offer / Promotions 22. Creative 32. Polls / Surveys
3. Personalization 13. Response Buttons 23. Press mentions 33. Call to Action
4. List Segmentation 14. Day / Time Sent 24. Store Locations 34. Sound
5. Greeting Text—Content 15. Color 25. Phone Numbers 35. Numbering
6. Greeting Text—Style 16. Coupons 26. Animations 36. Themes
7. Body Text—Content 17. Pricing 27. Charts 37. Discounts
8. Body Text—Style 18. Free Trial 28. Strikeouts 38. Refer a Friend
9. Closing Text—Content 19 HTML vs. Text-Only 29. Signatures 39. Click to Talk
10. Closing Text—Style 20. Unsubscribe 30. Testimonials 40. Email Sign-up
NOTE:
Insights gained from testing may be applied to ALL Marketing
Channels:
(TV, Radio, Print, Tradeshows, Websites, Email, Social & Search)

67. Elements Tested Most for Optimizing Email Performance

68. Sender and Subject Lines
Sender and subject lines are your first impression!
• Most important factor in decision to open/delete
– 60% read sender name/address first
– 54% read subject line second
• Have direct impact on open, click, conversion and complaint
rates -- your bottom line
• Subject Line testing should be mandatory!

69. To Determine Best Subject Line . . . TEST!
Tips for More Effective Subject Lines
 Get their attention! (You have about 2 seconds!)
Good: “A Special Offer Just for You”
Better: “Download Your $20 Victoria’s Secret Savings Coupon Now.”
 Use your company or brand name in subject lines.
 Use shorter subject lines (35-45 characters). More effective.
 Check click-through statistics from email campaigns or keyword
search results on your website before writing a subject line. Use
most popular keywords in your subject line.
 Test multiple subject lines a day ahead and send the winner.

70. What’s on Your Dashboard? Key Email Metrics

71. Email Marketing Essentials
Deliverability
Email Marketing Fundamentals

72. Don’t Take Deliverability for Granted!
FACT: 1 in 5 emails sent never sees the inbox
X

73. What Consumers Consider Spam
56%
consider messages from known
senders to be spam if they aren’t
“interesting”
50%
consider messages from known
senders that are sent too frequently
to be spam
48%
are using “report spam” buttons for
reasons other than to report
unsolicited email
SOURCE: Marketing Sherpa & Q Interactive

74. It’s All About Your
Reputation!

75. What is Email Reputation? Why Does it Matter?
• Your email reputation is how ISPs view you and your
email.
• Reputation is driven by complaints; Unclear opt-in practices
drive complaints
• Email reputation controls access to the inbox:
• Bad reputation: Emails trapped in spam folder or are blocked
• Good reputation: Emails delivered to the Inbox
• Your Sender Reputation is based on:
• Spam complaints
• Spamtrap hits
• Delivery-vs-bounce percentages
• Authentication (Sender ID, Domain Keys, SPF)
• Third-party blacklistings
• ISPs plan on more domain-based measures in future

76. Using SenderScore.org from Return Path
0-100 Score. Higher is better
Check your Reputation! Use Return Path’s free
www.SenderScore.org tool.

77. Building a Good Sender Reputation
1. Earn the subscriber’s trust! Use an honest,
straightforward opt-in process to start
your relationship effectively.
2. Serve your subscribers. Deliver relevant
content. (If people don’t want your mail, your
reputation suffers.)
3. Comply with CAN-SPAM (as a starting point, not finish
point)
4. Honor unsubscribe requests.
5. Remove addresses when they bounce.

78. Building a Good Sender Reputation
6. Unsubscribe people who file spam
complaints.
7. Don’t play games with permission.
8. Send people only what they expect.
9. Use clear, easy-to-understand processes for opting in
and unsubscribing.
10. Don’t buy lists, don’t append. Purchased or Rented
lists will kill you. It causes reputation and blocking
issues that are hard to fix.

79. Your Reputation is at Stake. Protect it.
The Reputation Equation
How to Monitor and Manage Your
Email Sender Reputation.
Download from the
Resources section at
www.exacttarget.com

80. 10 Tips for
Effective
Email
Marketing

81. 10 Tips for Effective Email Marketing
1. Design your websites(s) to engage visitors. Provide access to
useful content; Use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to attract
prospective customers to your website.
2. Invite website visitors to subscribe to email. Give them a
“reason” to subscribe. Tell them what they will receive.
3. Send a Welcome Email to each new subscriber. Thank them for
subscribing. (Optional: Provide an incentive (i.e. coupon) to
take action.)
4. Create a Subscriber Preference Center. Use it to identify needs
and interests. Use that data to deliver relevant, timely content.
5. Develop email programs specifically for each stage of the
customer life cycle.

82. 10 Tips for Effective Email Marketing
6. Pre-Sale. Use email to provide information that aids the
customer’s decision-making process.
7. Post-Sale. Use email to keep customers engaged. Deliver
information that enhances the product usage experience.
8. Integrate email with mobile. Invite email subscribers to opt-in
to receive text alerts about special promotions or events on
their smartphones.
9. Follow proven design techniques for email and landing pages.
Test and refine to optimize performance.
10. Integrate email technology with CRM, e-commerce and
reservation systems; Automate triggered sending based on
customer data, transaction or event.

83. Thank You!
Joel Book
ExactTarget, Inc.
jbook@exacttarget.com
EmailMarketingbytheBook.com
@JoelBook
http://www.linkedin.com/in/joelbook