Email 2009: Trends and Solutions in a Tough Economy AMA Reno-Tahoe Chapter Luncheon Loren McDonald VP, Industry Relations Silverpop

Trends Shaping Email in 2009

1. Beyond Customer Control to Customer Expectation – The Amazon Effect

Choose if They Want to Opt-in …

Determine If, When,/Where, What, How They Read … If What When/Where How

When to Report as Spam …

When They’d Prefer Another Channel … C

And When They Want the Relationship to End …

… and now – SUPER EXPECTATIONS

Your Competitors Are Creating Great Expectations

“ Spray-N-Pray”, “Batch-N-Blast” – Low Relevancy = Goodbye NO

2. Channel Explosion and Consumer Preferences

Communications/Marketing Channel Explosion = Choices and Preferences To 1990 Newspapers Direct Mail Telephone Radio TV Fax Mobile Phones 1990-2000 Internet Email Instant Messaging Search 2000-2008 Webinars/Webcasts RSS feeds Blogs Podcasts Social Networks SMS Video Sharing (YouTube) Mobile Applications Twitter

… But Newspaper Generation Still Rules 72% of U.S. population will be 20+ in 2010

And Email Still Rocks for Business Communications

3. The Email Volume Overload

What’s the Total Impact of Frequency 5 times per month 12 times per month Revenue – Churn – Reputation….

Retailer Case Study – Increased Frequency Unsubscribes and spam complaints went through the roof

Financial Impact of Increased Mailings

4. Your List Is Shrinking & Going Inactive

Enable Preferences…Manage Expectations

5. Most of Your Prospects Are Long Term – The Unconverted Majority

B2B Email Drip Programs Nurtures Prospects Email 1 Telesales Email 2 Direct Mail Email 3 Telesales Day 1 Day 8 Day 12 Day 14 Day 2 Drips: CTRs of 3X

PPC: 95%+ Don’t Convert Immediately If avg. PPC conversion rate is 2%-5% - what happens to the other 95%+?

Most Common Mistake: No Easy and Obvious Sign Up

6. Your Emails Are Being Viewed in a Growing Number of Environments

Same Email… May Be Read In Multiple Environments Web Browser PC client Mobile Client Social Network RSS Feed Web Version

BlackBerry Email & Browser Experience Browser Version BlackBerry Browser Email Version BlackBerry IS installed email client Original Email

7. Email Becomes “Social” – The New Forward to a Friend

Evolution of Viral Email …

Recipient Taken to Social Site Email Subject line becomes “Title” and “Mailing Notes” become the Meta teaser-text to be displayed. Email recipient can add their own comments or endorsements Users can select a thumbnail from some of the images in email, or opt to not include a picture

Friends Are Notified in Their “News Feed” Whit Lanier posted a link: Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week “ This Looks Like a lot of fun” No tickets and no coupons! During Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week, simply make a reservation, show up, and ask your server for the Restaurant Week 3-course prix-fixe menu http://www.opentable.com/blahblahblha_linkypoo%tracking%

Do Your Emails Need Ketchup?

Ketchup can make almost any food edible, or even pretty tasty!

DISCOUNTS…! are Ketchup!!!!!!!!!!

2. A welcome program that sets expectations and creates value for new subscribers out of the gate and confirms that their decision to opt in to your email program was a good one.

3. Creative subject lines that motivate people to take the action they (and you) want, not just open the email VSL // See a fantastic sixties rock movie you've never heard of VSL // The best classroom drama since 'The Breakfast Club' Best Buys on Ready to Assemble Furniture (Crate & Barrel) Announcing the January White Sale (Kirkwood Mountain Resort) Intriguing OK, and so ….

Cross-Platform Design Tips 4. Emails designed to render well on multiple environments and platforms—PC, Web and mobile

5. Creative and compelling copy that motivates people to want to know more and act

6. A competitively positioned email program, which serves a clear need to recipients relative to your competitors’ offerings.

7. Emails with genuine personality that provide a reason for subscribers to anticipate your next message