Successful Mutations of E-mail Marketing
by Dyanna S. Culp (Temos)
The reputation of E-mail marketing lies in the gutter; smeared
by misuse and misunderstanding of its true potential. Like millions
of others, I'm frustrated and disgusted by the volume and indiscriminate
targeting of the e-mails I receive.
What marketing morons are behind the majority of these messages?
Don't they realize that as the problem grows we become faster at hitting
the delete button and rush to download the latest anti-spam programs?
Mass e-mailing is a downward marketing spiral; becoming less and less
successful. The low percentage of click-throughs that translate to
profits is becoming smaller and smaller as spammers frantically send
out more and more e-mails.
Many are proclaiming the death of Direct Marketing e-mail.
But, all we really need is a change in "HOW" this new tool is used
to reach customers. Mutant variations sometimes survive extinction
of the original form. The goal is to attract potential customers,
not to enrage them. Traditional, time tested marketing strategies
always start by profiling the target audience. They begin by defining
the demographics and personal preferences of the audience most likely
to be interested in a product. Second, a message or sales pitch strategy
is developed. Then comes the question: what are the most effective
methods for reaching the desired audience?
Effective e-mail marketing occurs when using your own client contact
database.
Every contact you've ever had that could be a potential customer should
be in your e-mail database. If you don't have such a list there are
fast and effective ways to compile one.
Strategies for Building a Customer Contact Database
- Offer a free monthly e-mail newsletter with news related to your
industry and your products. In a prominent position, on all of your
Web pages, place a newsletter sign-up link.
- Use low cost advertising on permission based e-mail newsletters.
For instance, Sprinks now offers "Direct Sprinks" which designs
massive numbers of newsletters to fit "signed up" target audiences.
The differences between open rates on mass e-mails and these permission
based targeted newsletters is astounding. In contrast to the miniscule
click-throughs mass e-mails receive; a recent industry report showed
permission based e-mail has the potential to receive open rates
as high as 61.4%. You select a target audience, place a text hyperlink
ad, and pay per-click rather than a large flat fee at www.sprinks.com
- Establish Web site member-only login sections - require an e-mail
for participation.
- Add fun online surveys to your Web site- require an e-mail for
participation.
- Offer free screensaver downloads or useful software programs
-require an e-mail in the final step before downloading.
- Use Enticing Portal Text Hyper Links on sites that match your
target audience. Establish a landing page for the clickthrough URL.
Fill the landing page with a newsletter sign up, free preview of
a members only section, free screensavers, etc- all requiring an
e-mail input. Depending on the source, these text link ads are available
as PPC (pay-per-click) or the less cost effective CRM (cost per
impression).
Don't rent or sell your client lists!
After establishing a client database you may be tempted by lucrative
offers to buy or rent your list. If you value that list, don't even
consider it. Instead, place notices wherever you collect e-mails
making it clear you DO NOT sell or rent contact information. You'll
see a higher sign-up rate from an appreciative audience.
You have no list and don't want to wait?
Impatience is not a virtue or a successful business tactic, but
if you must rent or buy e-mail addresses- proceed with caution.
The cheaper lists are usually worthless and filled with people who
seem to have no idea how they got on these "permission based" lists.
Spend a few more dollars for a targeted demographic group. Of course
the majority may still not appreciate your solicitations, and you
could end up on the spam lists with your ISP contacting you regarding
your spamming problem. Most semi-reputable alternatives offer Full
Service E-mail package deals. They design it, e-mail out using their
opt-in lists, and track your results.
Some Outsourcing Options:
- Livemercial is a savvy state of the art e-mail marketing company.
Minimum cost will run around $2500 for a streaming video e-mail
to one million targeted customers on a cream of the crop opt-in
list. The more well known (and even more expensive Naviant) is actually
a Livemercial vendor. www.livemercial.com
- Annodyne Interactive has been in the news for their recent Rollerblade
Flash e-mail campaign. www.annodyne.com
- Innovyx clients include Adobe and Hyatt hotels. www.innovyx.com
- Yes Mail has anti-spam awareness, and has been around since 1995.
www.yesmail.com
- National Dial Net is basic, affordable, and claims adherence
to e-mail marketing law. www.nationaldialnet.com
- More Names Now is a low cost option. View their Consumer master
file with 30 categories and demographic details at: www.morenamesnow.com
A successful message "involves" the recipient.
A large number of marketing studies (many funded for some odd reason
by the Department of Defense) demonstrate that message interactivity
generates higher reader retention and delivers other benefits such
as improved click-through rates.
Some suggestions:
- Ask a question in your message headers, but make it relevant.
Don't ask if they need life insurance, and then have content for
Viagra or the most prolific spam of 2003- increasing your cock size.
- Have a survey in the e-mail, or a contest registration link.
- Use interactive flash or html
Plain text, html or rich media?
Using a plain text e-mail means all recipients will see the message
as you intended, but it will be so very boring... html gives you color,
interactivity, embedded hyperlinks and will be accepted by most
"modern" e-mail user systems. Rich Media is the queen of e-mail
marketing and includes imbedded flash or the more exotic - streaming
video. Rich media may lose many potential viewers, but the message
can be loaded to a site and the e-mail have an alternative html
teaser message leading to the Web version of the rich media e-mail.
Always provide easily visible opt out options in the e-mail AND
on your Web site.
Many of us are wise to the fake opt out links that just verify the
message was sent to a live e-mail account. Providing an opt out
on your Web site makes you more legitimate, allows viewers to easily
opt out, and could save you from the spam police.
The legal future of e-mail marketing could be rigid.
37 states now have e-mail Spam laws. Most are in their infancy but
it won't be long before all will be enforced with varying degrees
of penalties. Fired up by the do not call legislation, the U.S.
Senate and House recently approved a federal anti spam bill with
severe financial penalties for each individual case of spam. Review
federal, state and international spam laws, at: www.spamlaws.com
The Future Survival of E-mail Marketing requires refining and mutating
existing strategies. Continued use of mass non-targeted spam e-mailing
will result in decreased click-throughs, the spam police, ISP threats
to drop service, and before long- legal consequences from both state
and federal laws. Possible penalties include seizure of financial
assets of both the company and individuals involved in spamming.
Have no doubt that the government can trace the source of spam e-mail
campaigns. If in doubt, go back a few issues and review the section
on The FBI's Carnivore / DCS1000 in the article Cloaking Technology
Part II E-mail and Online Privacy.
Establish a cozy relationship with customers who actually want
your e-mails.
By building a customer database, offering information and products
in which your targeted audience is interested, and exerting control
over how often you hit the send button- you'll have people eagerly
awaiting your news and special offers. Companies like Strategic
Data Corporation, Net Perceptions, and Marketswitch have invested
large sums in new targeted marketing analysis software- clients
already include giants such as AOL, AT&T and MCI. We in the online
industry must champion changes for responsible marketing tactics
or forever lose the privilege to Big Brother.
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