Author Archive: Megan Feltes
Are you ready for some email?
A peek at the New York Giants' email marketing strategy
This Sunday, millions of people will gather to watch the Super Bowl. For some, it’s all about the commercials. For others, it’s about critiquing Madonna’s half-time performance. And for the sports fans among us, it’s about the matchup of two football teams who had very different, and equally exciting, seasons. Regardless of which side you’re rooting for, Emma is proud to power the emails of this year’s NFC Champions, the New York Giants. The folks that handle the Giants’ premium ticket holder relations have knocked their email strategy out of the park, er, into the end zone. Take a look at a few of the ways Rachel Wohl and her team tackle email marketing.
The right message to the right people
The Giants’ marketing team understands the art of audience segmentation. With various levels of ticket holder, messaging has to be specific. By segmenting smaller groups based on ticketing level, the Giants ensure the relevancy of every message that hits the inbox. In turn, recipients trust that their time is not being wasted with unnecessary information. The Giants average open rate is a whopping 55% — that’s more than twice the industry average!
Taking time to target your messages can make a huge difference in your response metrics.
In short: While the Giants have built-in segments to work with, any business can find ways to get more focused with messaging. If you’re a nonprofit, consider creating unique audience groups for donors versus volunteers. Retail shops and restaurants can group by recipient preferences. And businesses with multiple locations can use zip codes to divide their database. Find what groupings make sense for your business and industry, and use Emma’s search and segment feature to make it happen. Then, test to see if segment-specific messages make a difference in your response rates.
Having fun with the brand
With a legacy that goes back to 1925, the Giants have established themselves as one of the most recognizable brands in the NFL. The block-style “NY” logo is as instantly familiar as their blue and red uniforms. In keeping with that tradition, the Giants’ email stationery boldly conveys the brand. And once you’ve got brand recognition, it’s easy to loosen up and have a little fun. The Giants call on Emma’s design team to occasionally adjust their existing stationery by adding subtle nods to various seasons. From hints of pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month to leaves for fall and snowflakes for winter, the stationery stays true to the brand while delivering a little surprise and delight along the way.
Adding new elements to existing stationery is a fun way to change things up.
In short: If you’re getting bored of your newsletter’s look, chances are your audience is a little bored too. Why not get creative? Adding holiday elements for an end-of -year push is an obvious place to start, but any season or special event in your business or industry can inform a slight variation on your existing template. Send a design request to our team, and we’ll walk through the details with you.
Keeping the party going
The Super Bowl is a time to party, and that’s especially true for the Giants and their fans this year. As a special thank you for continued support, the Giants planned a party for their premium ticket holders. They worked with our design team to create a custom email that has the feel of an exclusive invitation, while incorporating brand familiarity. To manage the response, the Giants linked the invitation to an Emma-powered survey, which acts as an RSVP form. When recipients fill out the survey, all the information goes right into the response section in the Giants’ account, making it easy to track and follow up.
Pairing a survey with an email invitation makes tracking and follow-up a breeze.
In short: Consider managing your next event right within your Emma account. Create an email invitation, link it to a survey that collects all of your RSVP details, and then set up triggered emails to remind attendees about the event in advance. You could even create a follow-up survey after the event to gather feedback. Need help geting started? Our support team would be happy to show you how it all works together.
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As you watch on Sunday and get swept up in the gameday antics, take a moment to marvel at all the behind-the-scenes work that boosts fan engagement and participation. We’re thrilled to be partnered with the Giants, and we’re excited to see how their marketing team continues to smartly reach their fans.
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Ready to freshen up your email stationery? Request revisions from Emma’s design team.
5 ways to jazz up your email signup form
Customizing your opt-in form, segmenting audience groups and more
Successful email marketing starts with a permission-based subscriber list. When you set up your Emma account, we create a simple default signup form to get your started. Since it’s customizable and easy to post on your website, blog or wherever you’d like to collect signups, it makes the work of collecting and segmenting your new subscribers super easy. And your account comes with unlimited signup forms – so you can create different forms to use in different ways. Here’s a list of five ways you can make your signup form useful and eye-catching:
the image is found, a quirky photo studio in Oceanside, CA, added a logo to match their email stationery, plus fun, personality-filled text.
We’ve given you a handy image slot right at the top, and it’s a great place to add a little something that helps identify you when someone visits this form. It’s another great way to help cement your branding with folks who are interested in you.
2. Tell people why they should join.
You’ll see that we start you off with some pretty basic copy, but you are free to edit this. Why not tell people what to expect from you and your email campaigns? You could even offer a special incentive for subscribing, like a coupon sent automatically using an Emma welcome trigger.
3. Ask for information you can use.
The default form asks for three things: email address, first name and last name. You can expand these fields to gather the data that will help you learn more about your audience and also help you target future messages. Choose from a set of standard fields or create custom fields on Emma’s audience page, and then decide which ones appear on your signup form (and even which fields are required versus optional).
Hooprama created distinct audience groups so new subscribers know exactly what they’re signing up for.
4. Create instant segmentation with audience groups.
You can determine which audience groups new subscribers are filtered into automatically. Or, let folks choose which groups they’d like to join. Allowing self-selection creates an instant feeling of trust for your new subscriber.
5. Make different forms for different needs.
Emma lets you create unlimited forms for versatile uses. Add a form to your website, your blog, your Facebook page and more. By using different forms, you’ll be able to keep a separate group count — and know where folks are finding you. Knowing which form is most effective helps inform your larger marketing strategy. Who knew a little form could do all that?
Bonus tip: Pay attention to your Thank You Page
Even if you’ve set up a welcome trigger email, your new subscribers will see your Thank You Page first. Why not give this a little love, too? Emma makes it easy to edit the default text to add your own message and personality, as well as a logo.
For further inspiration, check out Molly’s recent post about a signup form experience we love. As always, Emma’s friendly support team is available to help you through the steps of making these forms as useful as possible.
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Want to learn more about Emma? If you’re not a customer yet, you can get started here. Current customers, find out more about your account in our Help Guide.
Rumor mill: Does email reputation affect your SEO rankings?
We’ve been watching a bit of juicy web gossip spread like wildfire today. It’s set off alarm bells for folks using email marketing as well as the companies that provide email marketing services. It all started with a blog post by Jake Ludington that described his website’s recent SEO ranking issues. He received a tip from “someone at Google” that new algorithms involving email reputation were in play. Jake surmised that a large number of non-responsive Gmail recipients on his email newsletter list were causing reputation problems that began to affect his Google rankings. His advice to combat the issue is to regularly purge unresponsive recipients from email marketing lists.
Here’s the interesting part. The head of Google’s Webspam team, Matt Cutts, quickly and rather decisively debunked Jake’s theory in the blog’s comments section. Matt explained that search rankings and email domain reputation are not linked. That hasn’t stopped the rumor from spreading rather rapidly and igniting discussions about list cleanliness and Google’s ever-changing reach.
To be sure, we’re big proponents of keeping your list up-to-date. A regular review of your list and removal of non-responsive recipients can only help your reputation as a legitimate sender. While it might not affect your SEO rankings, it does reflect on your organization’s reputation and helps keep your response rates high.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the issue. The post is still being shared via social networks and it’s not clear that people are taking the time to read through to the comments. What do you think about the way the rumor spread online? Has Google done enough to put people at ease? Any other take-aways from the story?
The real draw on game day: Super Bowl ads
We'd welcome some follow-up email marketing from Betty White, pictured here in last year's ad for Snickers.
This year’s Super Bowl ad buzz includes email, social media and more.
Confession: I’m not what you’d call a fan of football. Raised by rabid Bears and Broncos fanatics (let’s just say that this year was not much fun in the Feltes house) and having my Sunday afternoons hijacked by gridiron madness, I did what most children are wont to do: search for a way to rebel. I focused on the ancillary activities that surround the cult of football, like cheerleaders, Friday Night Lights and, of course, Super Bowl commercials.
Who can forget Betty White’s triumphant return to the American psyche on the receiving end of a brutal tackle in last year’s Snickers ad or the annual visit from the Budweiser Clydesdales? Or one of the best known Superbowl ads that aired only once, Apple’s 1984 Orwellian spot featuring trudging drones, a woman throwing a hammer and the introduction of the Mac operating system? Those pricey seconds of ad time tend to seep into pop culture and live on.
This year’s ad buzz is in full swing, and it’s all about online tie-ins. A survey conducted by the ad agency Venables, Bell & Partners finds that Super Bowl viewers, especially in younger demographics, are planning to use social media sites in record numbers, not only to comment on the game, but also on the ads. The upcoming ads are already being promoted via social media platforms with movie directors tweeting about Super Bowl specific movie trailers and car makers like Audi and Mercedes Benz launching Facebook and Twittter content in anticipation of the actual ads.
So, how does email fit in? HomeAway, an Austin-based vacation rental site, is using a mix of traditional ad creative and social media and then tying it all together with email. Their 2011 campaign, titled “Ministry of Detourism,” invites viewers to create their own customized ads. The HomeAway TV spot won’t air until the 3rd quarter of the game, but they’ve already started building buzz by leveraging their email list. A campaign went out last week with a link to a landing page containing a two-minute teaser of the TV spot. By using social media platforms, subscribers will soon be able edit the ad content and then share their own versions. I love the idea of using a targeted email to drive recipients to branded landing pages and specific content. And as we’ve mentioned before, the use of video can result in markedly increased click-throughs.
Leveraging the Super Bowl’s popularity in a completely different way is Papa John’s. This week, they announced a promise of free pizza if the game goes into overtime. Instead of spending millions on a short TV spot, they are investing in a give-away aimed at driving brand awareness and building their online customer base, while still banking on the draw of game day. In order to be eligible for the free pizza, people must join Papa John’s online customer loyalty program. Of course, they include a handy checkbox opt-in for email deals right there on the form. It’s a brilliant wager, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the message folks receive, win or lose, will be coming to the inbox. Incentives are a great way to encourage new email subscribers to join your list, and Papa John’s is doing it right. The give-away is relevant and has built-in anticipation.
Finally, let’s take a peek at email marketing’s current golden child, Groupon. Breaking from the brand’s normal online-driven advertising, Groupon is taking the plunge into traditional media with a first-quarter spot. Why the foray into television when word-of-mouth has been such a success for them? Groupon isn’t saying, but some suspect that this is Groupon’s bid to separate themselves from a quickly growing pool of competitors in the “daily deal” realm. I think it’s an interesting move, and one that clearly makes sense for them. I doubt you’ll see Groupon ditch online advertising completely, but this move guarantees wider exposure to potential subscribers. Granted, a million-dollar ad buy won’t make sense for most brands, but it’s always good to explore your marketing options and maintain a good mix of messages.
Every day we’re seeing more information about what brands are planning for their Super Bowl campaigns, so if you’re interested in tracking the buzz, head to SuperBowl-Ads.com, an aggregator of all things Super-Bowl-marketing. The real fun will be seeing how these campaigns play out on game day and beyond. Will Groupon gain competitive ground? How will HomeAway continue reader engagement after the customized ads are submitted? Will Papa John’s deliver a piping hot pepperoni pizza to my door on February 7th? Will Coach Taylor lead the East Dillon Lions to their first State Championship? (Oops, wrong post.) More importantly, how will you apply the lessons of Super Bowl advertisers to your own marketing strategy, through email, social media or otherwise?
How to avoid overloading your customer’s inbox
We’ve been hearing lots of chatter about the impact of email marketing on the 2010 holiday shopping season for retailers. Earlier this week, The New York Times reported that the largest retailers increased their email marketing campaigns by 15% over the 2009 season and, on average, large retailers sent out 152 emails per subscriber in 2010.
The article includes a quote from Responsys Research Director, Chad White, who cautions that the increase in volume could have consequences, namely that “subscribers might either opt out or they’ll tune out, or, worst of all, they might file a spam complaint.”
Very true, Mr. White, we couldn’t agree more. And that’s the rub. While email marketing remains the most cost-effective, most trackable direct marketing method and is still the champ when it comes to marketing ROI, those juicy returns only come with forethought to strategy and smart implementation.
A few things to consider before upping your frequency:
- Prepare your audience in advance. Encourage your recipients to update their preferences or answer a survey prior to increasing your volume. This simple step can build trust and decrease opt-outs and complaints.
- Segment your audience and target your messages accordingly. Gone are the days of the mass e-blast (or as I call it, the e-bludgeon). Send targeted campaigns highlighting products and deals that you know will appeal to smaller segments.
- Pay close attention to response rates and be flexible. Don’t send it and forget it. Check your data for trends that show negative or positive reactions and then adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Be purposeful. While the holidays are an obvious time to increase your sending, look for opportunities (an event, a new product launch, an off-season sale) to up your frequency throughout the year.
With a little strategy and planning, you’ll be on your way to email marketing greatness and an increased bottom line.
Want to work at Emma? Our sales team is hiring
What is Emma’s New Years resolution? To hire more sales people for our Nashville office, of course!
We’re adding to our direct sales team here in Nashville. Our current roster includes folks with proven selling skills, strong customer service backgrounds and a healthy knowledge of technology and online marketing trends. Emma is a bastion of personal service, and that commitment infuses everything we do – so any potential customer’s interaction with us starts with a top-notch sales experience that is decidedly not “salesy.”
What might an Emma “non-salesy” sales person do all day? Allow me to take you on a tour (and we’re walking, we’re walking). My typical day starts with reaching out to folks who inquire about our services. We take a consultative approach to selling, so I dig beyond the basics to help small businesses and non-profits shape their communications strategy, teach them how Emma can be a part of it and help them get started in their accounts.
When I’m not on the phone, I’m answering emails, so excellent verbal and written communication skills are invaluable, not to mention a healthy dose of patience, flexibility and humor. Within an hour’s time, I might find myself teaching a boutique owner how to effectively grow her mailing list, chatting with the IT team of a technology firm about the best way to implement our API and then responding to a non-profit board member with a joke about our shared love of all things bacon-wrapped. Mmm, bacon.
Now it’s your turn to visualize. When you join our team, you’ll be responsible for meeting (and exceeding) a personal sales goal, but you’ll also be working with the entire sales team to reach larger goals. You’ll spend some time each day researching industry trends and helping the sales team stay up-to-date on the changing landscape of marketing best practices. You might find yourself involved in an impromptu Hall & Oates sing-a-long before moving on to work on any number of exciting projects and initiatives around the Emma house. You’ll work closely with other departments to enhance and improve the Emma product and the overall Emma customer experience. We’re all responsible for shaping the future of Emma, and that’s pretty darn cool, eh?
Emma’s open, learn-as-you-go environment encourages an entrepreneurial spirit and a lively workplace atmosphere. That leads us to have more than your average amount of fun on a daily basis, but we’re also focused on our goals. The right candidate to join our team will have that same spirit, drive and work ethic. Love of bacon not required. (Love of Hall & Oates is another story.) Sound like the gig of your dreams? We hope so. Learn more about the position or apply here.
A few of our YMCA friends
A quick note from the NAYDO conference in Charlotte, NC, where Steve Turney and I are meeting some really great folks from YMCAs all over the world. (Hi, Carlos from Kenya and Johan from Norway!) We’re learning so much about the YMCA organization and mission — these people seriously rock the philanthropy.
We’re also having the pleasure of chatting with Emma customers and hearing how we’re helping Y’s, big and small, reach out to their members, volunteers and donors in new ways.
One lovely story comes from Kevin Kosik of the Berkeley-Albany YMCA in Berkeley, CA. They used Emma to drum up support for their run at a $250,000 prize from Pepsi Refresh. They sent Emma email campaigns to encourage their members and friends to head to the Pepsi Refresh site to vote. It would have been an even better story if they’d actually won, but he was proud to say that the Berkeley-Albany YMCA, a small regional non-profit, came in ninth overall in a crowd of some pretty heavy contenders, and he credits Emma for their stellar showing.
Another quick shout-out to our friends at the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, who won a coveted Eagle Award for Excellence in Fundraising. This amazing team raised more than $77 million last year (um, wow) and continues to push the envelope with a lofty goal to create an endowment that equals their operating costs (um, double wow).
We’re so proud to be even a small part in these amazing organizations. With one more day of the conference to go, Steve and I are hoping to make some more connections and hear some more cool stories.
Emma is a member of the Email Sender & Provider Coalition and the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group.
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