Archive: July 2010
5 things to know about Studio Design
If you’re an Emma customer, you’ve probably heard about this little thing called Studio Design, which is an entirely different (dare we say, groundbreaking) approach to custom design. But as thrilled as we were to launch it, our customers’ enthusiasm quite simply made us feel like dancing.
And so, with the helpful feedback of our community and fellow staffers (except this guy, who really just did the dancing), we’ve put together a handy-dandy user’s guide to our own little design revolution. Which, of course, is not to be confused with Dance Dance Revolution, even though they do, on occasion, look quite similar.
1. What it is
Studio Design is a new way to get custom stationery that relies more pointedly on *your* art direction. One particularly astute customer noted that requesting Studio Design vs. Concierge Design is a lot like answering a multiple choice quiz vs. a short essay question. With Studio Design, we provide a hefty assortment of styles and motifs, and from there, you choose your own design adventure. Side note: Never fear! At Emma, said adventures never end in shipwreck or scurvy.
Click the image for a larger view.
2. Who it’s for
If one or more of the following sounds familiar, then you could be a great candidate for Studio Design:
- You want stylish, professionally designed stationery, but you want to be directly involved in the design-making process.
- Your stationery needs to reflect your brand identity, but you don’t have a lot of your own supporting graphics to use.
- You want a simple header that contains your logo or name, and possibly (but not necessarily) a slogan, background color or texture and/or a couple embellishments to make it look extra special.
- You have good, solid ideas about how your stationery should look, but you could use some help articulating what you want.
- You don’t know exactly what you want, but you know what you don’t want — so choosing from a gallery of original graphics would help you figure it out as you go.
3. Where to get it
If you’re an existing customer, just head on over to the online form.
If you’re interested in joining the Emma community, we’d love to chat and get you started! Just give us a ring at 800-595-4401, email us at hi@myemma.com or fill out a quick form.
4. How it works
The first step is to give us your basic brand information: your logo or company name, your slogan and your color preferences. You can then choose a background texture and up to two design elements to complement and enhance your brand. There are dozens of graphics in several different styles, and you can filter them thematically if you’d like (e.g. “Illustrated,” “Modern,” etc.) to help you find the imagery that will really make your brand shine.
Click the image for a larger view.
5. When it’ll be done
The turnaround time for a Studio Design stationery is two business days from the date we get your request. Keep in mind, of course, that the form does not generate a preview of your stationery. That’s because each header is handcrafted by a real designer, who uses his or her graphic design skill after you submit the request to make judgment calls on things like scale, composition, opacity and angle.
So what if you chose the most perfect shade of green, only to realize that it wasn’t so great after all? Rest assured that you can ask your designer for a revision if you change your mind about any single aspect of your stationery.
Of course, we’re still offering Concierge Design too, our completely custom option where your Emma designer designs a new stationery from scratch, based on your branding and/or art direction.
To see real-life examples of both Studio Design and Concierge, check out our design showcase. Ready to request your stationery now? Click here for the Studio Design form, or here for Concierge.
[ Post updated on 7/12/2011 to reflect changes to the Studio Design process. ]
The “how” of designing an effective survey
Survey know-how series, part one of four:
Shape your survey questions to get the most valuable information.
In a world full of emails, advertisements and direct mail, adding surveys to your communication mix can be an effective way to let your subscribers know that you’re listening as well as talking. The simple act of asking people what they think, want and know can open up a dialogue that will allow you to glean valuable information and also let your subscribers feel heard and valued.
Like email, however, a successful survey needs some careful planning and execution. In this first post of our new survey know-how series, we’re covering the “how.” That is …
“How the heck can I write solid questions and answers that will result in a positive survey experience for my audience and valuable insight for me?”
- Think about the layout of your questions. Start with a few non-threatening questions, such as the person’s experience with the subject or some non-specific demographic information, such as state of residence or an age range. You probably only have about 20 – 30 questions worth of attention span, so think about what questions are going to get you the most valuable answers. In most cases, asking up to 50 questions, such as Emma now lets you do, is best used for particularly devoted respondents or for a more in-depth look at an issue. In these situations, it’s helpful to clearly explain the purpose and benefits of the survey to your audience so that they’re more likely to stay engaged.
- Ask one question at a time, to avoid frustrating or confusing your respondents. For example, if you allow Yes/No as answers for the question “Should we spend less money on A and put that money toward B,” you may lose the attention of those who agree that A is getting too much funding but don’t agree that B deserves it.
- Write answers that are both exhaustive and mutually exclusive. To do that, make sure that all possible answers are available, but that none of them overlap. Add an “other” option if necessary to achieve exhaustiveness. So for example, if you’re asking for age ranges, the following answer choices are difficult for both 19-year-olds and 30-year-olds: A) 20-30 B) 30-50 C) 51 and above. (Sure, that example seems obvious, but we’ve all taken surveys and been faced with similarly impossible-to-answer options.)
- Lastly, use neutral language to avoid bias. Write your questions so that the respondent wouldn’t be able to guess your opinion or preference. Steer clear of leading questions or particularly positive or negative language. For example, “What is your favorite Emma summer feature enhancement?” would work better than, “Isn’t is awesome that you can now add up to 50 survey questions?”
Taking the time to order your questions thoughtfully and frame your questions effectively creates a survey that can give you just the kind of information you’re hoping to learn about your audience. And this knowledge can be a valuable tool in your organization’s decision-making.
Once you couple that survey with a “Thanks for taking our survey” automatically triggered email, you’re well on your way to having customers who feel pleased and appreciated.
Next in the survey know-how series, we’ll explore the “why” of customer experience follow-up surveys.
5 pointers for visually effective email campaigns
Two Emma customers that use images effectively in their email campaigns: Hooprama and Goddess of the Hunt.
Wondering how to improve your next effort? Creating an email campaign can seem daunting sometimes, so keep these tips in mind for your next big send.
1. Don’t be shy – use images.
There’s nothing less inviting in your inbox than opening an email only to see text, text and … oh, yeah, more text. Although your information is no doubt interesting, your readers’ time and attention spans are limited. So make your campaign fun!
Pictures are eye-catching little gems that make your content feel more readable and personalized. Thanking your audience for their support? Show a picture of your appreciative staff to put a face on your gratitude. Advertising an upcoming event? Sprinkle in some pics from last year’s shindig so potential attendees know what to anticipate. We can be vain creatures, we humans, and if there happens to be a photo of moi in your write-up of last week’s mixer, well, you can bet I’ll not only feel special, but I’ll also share it with my friends and open your next email with gusto.
Of course, if your readers’ email programs have images turned off, they may not see your photos at first, so make sure your campaign is still visually appealing by formatting the text in creative ways. Which brings us to…
2. Break up your content.
Yeah, yeah, breaking up can be hard to do (we know), but it’s vital in your email campaigns.
- Consolidate content into lists. Great for skimming!
- Highlight different sections using Emma’s table tool to insert background colors.
- Make use of layouts that space your content in unexpected ways. Think outside of the basic letter structure.
- Experiment with the horizontal rule tool to put a thin border between articles.
Visually let your readers know that even with their busy schedules, your email is quick and easy to read.
3. Keep it a little consistent.
Every Monday, I get a newsletter from Oprah. I admit it. (It’s a good read, OK?) And every Monday at work, I cringe at the thought of someone catching me read it. But what keeps me hooked is that whenever I open it, I know exactly where to direct my eyes for a hasty once-over. Before I know it, my “I-don’t-want-anyone-to-see-me-reading-this-touchy-feely-email” attitude gives way to intrigue as I start clicking the links that appeal to me. On top of that, the email stays consistent within itself, using only a couple fonts (in reasonable sizes) and sticking to a uniform, easy-to-read color scheme.
If you build a campaign that is somewhat predictable in terms of timing, content and placement, with a little restraint shown in your font and color choices, your readers will know when and where to find their favorite pieces.
Of course, for every rule, there is an exception…
4. Now spice it up.
You have to know the rules before you can break them, so once you’ve figured out a general framework for your campaigns so that readers know what to expect, find a way to still keep it fresh. Disrupt the norm occasionally with a new banner graphic that calls attention to a big event or sale you’re advertising. Keep readers guessing a little, so they never feel like they’ve read it all before. If you have a column on basket weaving every week, but this week you have nothing to share on the topic, don’t fill the space just to stay consistent. Put something new in its place or try a simplified mailing with less content this time.
Which raises another issue, really…
5. Keep an eye on that length.
Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Long-winded email campaigns, my friends, won’t always endear you to your audience. Although it may seem slightly counterintuitive, creating long messages is an easy (and quick) mistake to make.
And it’s understandable — after all, you’re an amazing organization doing great things, and you want to share it all. The truth is that it’s harder to spend time figuring out what’s most important to your readers. The key is to take the time to do just that. When your email campaign is too long, readers are less likely to read your content. Such a paradox!
So here’s the secret: Don’t give it away all at once. You want to direct readers to your website, right? Well then, leave a little to the imagination and make them want more. Give only a headline or a brief teaser to an article so they can easily scan for topics that pique their curiosity. Then direct your readers to the full story with a “see more” or “continue reading” link, which will take them straight to your website. Right where you want ‘em.
And now, with your images, easy-to-read chunks and manageable length, your readers won’t feel over-or-under- whelmed with the “body language” of your email. Prepare to be heard (and seen).
Subject line remix
Five effective subject lines that defy conventional wisdom.
If you’ve ever seen tips for writing an effective subject line or maybe even attended a conference about email marketing best practices, you’ve probably been advised to abide by a certain set of tried-and-true principles.
First, the experts often say, include your company or brand name so that the mailing becomes instantly trusted and recognizable. Next, keep it short to make the most of the fixed space for subject lines in most email clients and webmail applications. And lastly, use the subject line to highlight the most important part of your campaign message and get your readers to click.
These are great guidelines and are always a helpful place to start. But it’s worth going your own route sometimes, too. I’ve recently noticed five subject lines in my inbox that have seemingly ignored or temporarily kicked conventional wisdom to the curb, yet still grabbed my attention.
Subject line #1
He Is Both Father and Mother
- The mailing content: A Father’s Day story from a non-profit celebrating a father who played both roles to his family after his wife passed away.
- Why it stood out to me: Curious, quirky and open-ended phrasing.
Subject line #2
Pods, Prefabs, Parking, Planting, and Paralyzing the Press
- The mailing content: An assortment of environmental stories.
- Why it stood out to me: Effective use of alliteration.
Subject line #3
School Lunch: Would You Eat That?
- The mailing content: A story of a teacher eating the same lunch as her students every day.
- Why it stood out to me: A hot topic in the news, followed by a question that instantly engaged me.
Subject line #4
Do You See God in Your Coffee?
- The mailing content: A report on searching for the perfect cup of coffee at local coffee shops.
- Why it stood out to me: Again, an engaging question (and one that brings back fond memories of late-night, college-dorm-style philosophical discussions).
Subject line #5
Abe Lincoln slaughtered vampires!
- The mailing content: A review of a newly released novel.
- Why it stood out to me: Pop culture references paired with American history … now that’s a winning combination. Even if you don’t have a vampire novel to promote, you can sneak in a reference now and then that’s on everyone’s minds. (FYI: Millard Fillmore was totally on Team Jacob).
All these creative examples take a unique angle – looking for a relevant but unexpected way to present your mailing can yield strong results and bring new life to your newsletters and other campaigns.
So when is the appropriate time to mix it up a bit and try your hand at something outside the norm?
- If you’re in a rut and you’ve been following the same formula for writing subject lines for the last year, it’s prime time to mix it up.
- If you’ve found success in the past with a certain style but your response numbers are beginning to trend in the wrong direction, even previously successful subject lines are worth revisiting.
- If you find yourself about to announce a new service or product, that’s also a great opportunity to try something new.
Feel free to weigh in below with recent subject lines that grabbed your attention … I look forward to your feedback.
Creating effective welcome triggers
How three customers crafted stylish and effective automated welcome emails.
Setting up a trigger is simple.
You’re probably familiar with the trigger email feature, which allows you to queue up emails that send automatically whenever a specific event occurs, instead of sending manually to a group all at once. This is such a handy tool to have at your fingertips that we wanted to spotlight a few ways to make the most of it.
Emma allows you to set up four styles of triggers: when someone signs up to receive your emails, when someone has a birthday or other date-related event, when someone clicks a link in a campaign or when someone completes a survey.
That first type, sending an automatic welcome email when someone signs up for your mailing list, can especially make a difference in how engaged you are with your audience.
A welcome trigger is one of the best and simplest ways to make contact with new subscribers. After all, they’ve just signed up and you’re fresh on their minds, so you know they’re interested in what you have to say. However you craft your welcome email, don’t think of it as just an auto-sender. It’s your opportunity to connect with your audience, capture their interest and set their expectations.
Ask yourself:
- Is my welcome email enticing? Check that your subject line is branded and specific, and consider including a coupon or special offer in the email.
- Does the tone of my welcome email convey my brand’s personality? (Nothing is duller than a welcome email that looks as if it’s been written by a robot.)
- Have I set expectations for what my subscribers will receive going forward?
So let’s take a look at a few examples.
1. Chinet, manufacturer of household products, created their welcome trigger at the end of May, and it’s experiencing some of the highest response rates we’ve seen across all industries: a 78% open rate and a whopping 93% click-through rate to their $1-off coupon. Which goes to show that there’s no need for extravagances — a moderate coupon can be wildly successful among interested subscribers.
Chinet's welcome trigger offers a coupon.
2. Maggie Whitley’s welcome email is bold and colorful, conveying a playfulness that matches her website and brand. She’s the owner of Gussy, an online shop of ruffled totes, headbands, baby blankets and more, and she lets her fans know from the get-go that she’ll personally communicate with her subscribers, as well as send out audience-wide campaigns. Her email marketing is all about creating relationships. The welcome email offers 15% off any online purchase, and it’s seeing a 79% open rate and 21% click-through rate.
Gussy's welcome trigger takes a colorful approach.
3. The European American Bakery Cafe offers a $5-off coupon in their welcome email and sets expectations about what subscribers will receive, including exclusive online offers, a first look at new menu items, invitations to upcoming events and shop updates. These are perks shared exclusively by new people in the bakery’s club, and their welcome email is seeing a 74% open rate and 29% click-through rate.
A welcome trigger with perks.
*****
So is it time to develop or revise your organization’s welcome strategy? A welcome trigger that’s immediate and engaging sets the tone for future communication and paves the way for a lasting relationship with your subscribers.
For more about how to use Emma’s welcome triggers, visit our help section.
Where in the World is Emma in 2010? July Edition
Jonathan Gesinger & Taylor Schena presenting at HOW in Denver, June 2010.
We were all about representing in Denver & Portland last month, but we didn’t really have much going on in our other Emma city, Austin, TX. We’re making up for lost time now, attending two events there in July.
You all hear from me each month about these events, so — as much as you love that, I know – wouldn’t it be cool to hear from the Emma peeps who will be attending this time around? (I hope you said yes.)
MarketingProfs Digital Marketing World 2010
July 7 :: The comfort of your own computer
“We’ve participated in virtual conferences before, but we love the idea of this one being exclusively about email marketing and social media integration. There’s so much great content out there, and for this event, it’s free!”
- Rami Perry, Emma Small Business Manager
Technology Business Accelerators event at University of Texas
July 8 :: Austin, TX
“This is a really fantastic event for us to share Emma’s expertise with more than 300 marketers and small business professionals who are hoping to learn more about marketing their company online. We’re so excited to be partnering with the IC2 Institute at The University of Texas. Hook ‘em, Horns!”
- Jonathan Gesinger, Emma Satellite Business Development Manager
Alabama Franchise Alliance Kick Off Luncheon
July 13 :: Birmingham, AL
“This event is all about effective communication strategies, and I couldn’t think of a better topic for us to speak about for these franchisors and franchisees. They’re looking for better ways to communicate both with one another and with their customers, so I’m looking forward to showing them some best practices.”
- Casey McCormick, Emma Sales Associate
Online Marketing Summit’s Regional Tour
July 21 :: Austin, TX
“Our previous OMS sponsorships in Denver and Portland led to lots of great conversations about email marketing, so we’re glad to have such a popular, content-driven event here in Austin.”
- Jonathan Gesinger, Emma Satellite Business Development Manager
If you’re in the area for any of these events and want to say hello in person, just leave us a note here and we’ll set something up. Keep enjoying your summer!
Emma is a member of the Email Sender & Provider Coalition and the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group.
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