When life gives you iPads & Kindles, make an email marketing strategy

How authors and publishers use email to increase reader engagement

by Suzanna Best, Sales | February 28th, 2012 | No Comments »

I’m a sucker for a hardbound novel that’s way too heavy to carry, but looks like a piece of artwork on my shelf. Even though iPads and Kindles make buying, consuming and transporting reading material incredibly easy, I’ll never stop collecting gorgeous physical copies of books.

While I hope book buying never fades away completely, a relentless technological tide and shifting economy have forced even the most traditional denizens of the literary world to go with the online flow. Since more people are reading online, it makes sense for publishers and authors to focus their marketing efforts there as well.

Here are a few examples from folks in the publishing industry who are successfully utilizing email marketing to stay in touch with readers and broaden their audience. Hopefully, these will inspire you to put pen to paper, er, fingers to keyboard.

Keep up with your favorite characters with Janet Evanovich's newsletter.

Janet Evanovich | Living beyond the page

Ever put down a book and find yourself immediately missing your favorite character? Me, too. Janet Evanovich builds excitement for her next novel by sending email updates written in the voice of Mooner from her bestselling Plum series.

Have a little fun and let your imagination do the heavy lifting. Consider using Emma’s trigger feature to send a clever (and automatic) hello from you or one of your favorite characters when someone subscribes to your newsletter.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Follow @janetevanovich on Twitter
+ Sign up for Janet’s newsletters

Want to know where Patti will be next? Sign up to receive her emails.

Patti Digh | Making an appearance

Self-help author Patti Digh would like to read to you. And more importantly, inspire you! After all, musicians aren’t the only ones who get to travel the country spreading their talent to lucky listeners.

Send an email letting fans know when you’re doing a reading in a town near them. Ask for subscribers to provide their zip codes, then use Emma’s search and segment tool to easily follow up with them when you’re pulling into their city.

+ See a recent newsletter
+ Follow @pattidigh on Twitter
+ Read Patti’s blog

Oxford American previews what's coming up next.

Oxford American | Featuring offline content

Wondering what to expect in the next issue of Oxford American Magazine? Here, the team at OA does a great job of touching on topics to look forward to, as well as encouraging email subscribers to purchase hard copy versions.

Sending an issue synopsis is the perfect way to pique your reader’s interest. Don’t forget to create links that easily direct traffic so folks can dig into your content back at your website. Then, check out Emma’s response section to see who’s clicking to read more and which topics resonate.

+ See a recent newsletter
+ Follow @oxfordamerican on Twitter
+ Connect with Oxford American on Facebook

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Want more ideas? Check out the slide show below for additional examples from authors.

Click to view the slideshow.

Not yet an Emma customer? Learn more about our products and service.

Emma City Guide: New York, NY

Tour NYC this Valentine's Day and meet some of our favorite Big Apple customers

by Emily Konouchi, Customer Support Lead | February 14th, 2012 | No Comments »

I’m back for another stop in our tour of Emma cities, and today I’m highlighting some of our New York City customers. And since it’s Valentine’s Day, I’ve added a bit of a romantic twist to my lineup of Big Apple destinations. February 14th means different things to different people — that is, not everyone expects to meet their soulmate at the top of the Empire State Building today — but the magical thing about New York City is that there’s enough romance for everyone.

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Catbird
219 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn

Were you that kid in 2nd grade who distributed handmade Valentines while your classmates settled for assembling the boxed variety? Do you gravitate toward great design, appreciate a well-curated shop and just love love? Then you’ll want to pop into Catbird this month to get in on the Valentine goodies. Or if you’re admiring NYC from afar, visit their website and ogle collections of jewelry, stationery and treasures for the home. Oh, and while you’re there, sign up for their emails to get a heads-up about free shipping offers, new products and maybe even a little special surprise on your birthday.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Kiki de Montparnasse
79 Greene Street, Manhattan

If you’ve moved past conversation hearts and Bee Mine cards (buzz), New York City has got you covered. After all, it’s home to Kiki de Montparnasse, which boasts a luxury lingerie line sure to make your Valentine’s Day special. Every product in their flagship boutique is ensconced in romance, and their online shop lets you get in on the fun even if a trip to SoHo isn’t on your agenda. Kiki de Montparnasse uses Emma to promote new products and invite subscribers to exclusive events.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Daniel Boulud Restaurants

For some, Valentine’s Day is all about candlelight, good wine and just about the best meal you could possibly imagine. Look no further than the restaurants of renowned Chef Daniel Boulud. Whether you’re catching a quick pre-theater meal at DBGB Kitchen and Bar (try the burger!) or spending the whole evening lingering over a four-course prix fixe menu at Boulud Sud, it’ll be a night to remember. Subscribers to Boulud’s emails were recently enticed with a sneak peek of the Valentine’s Day menus and a link to online reservations. They had me at Chocolate Macadamia Almond Cream Cake …

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Brooklyn Public Library
10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Public Library is an unexpected Valentine’s Day destination, but it’s a lovely place to spend an afternoon with someone you love. With an impressive permanent collection highlighting Brooklyn’s rich history and ever-changing events calendar, BPL sends the highlights to more than 100,000 subscribers so they’ll know to check out cool exhibits like Building Stories. Go yourself, and you won’t only get to be cute and couply with your Valentine, but you’ll learn about city architecture and start seeing your surroundings in new ways.

+ See a recent email campaign
+ Visit their website

Whole Foods Culinary Center
95 East Houston, Manhattan

Rather than go out for a Valentine’s Day meal with all the other couples, surprise your sweetie with a cooking class at Whole Foods Market. The Bowery Culinary Center is offering up a menu of intriguing classes this February — who wouldn’t be delighted to attend Beer & Southeast Asian Cuisine or The Winter Herbal Kitchen? The Culinary Center uses smartly placed signup forms to keep website visitors in the know, and their campaigns contain clear calls to action with class registration links.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Physique 57

Maybe you’re not in a romantic relationship right now. Maybe you’re still going to have the best-ever Valentine’s Day, thanks to your best-ever friends. If you’re looking for ideas to gather the gals for an outing, consider a group fitness class at Physique 57. In one hour, you’ll stretch, strengthen and tone by performing a variety of exercises to energizing music that’s always changing to keep things fresh. You might even catch their Love Songs playlist in an upcoming class, which was cleverly promoted in a recent email campaign. It’s the kind of exercise experience that always puts a smile on my face and makes me feel a little less guilty about indulging in a Valentine’s Day pastry later in the day.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Canal Room
285 West Broadway at Canal, Manhattan

Perhaps a night on the town is in order, too. Why not meet up at Canal Room, a music and event venue that has some pretty irresistible shows on its February calendar. Make plans to dance the night away to your favorite guilty pleasures, courtesy of 80s cover band Rubix Kube. The Back to the Eighties show runs Saturdays in February and March, and it’s guaranteed to be one of those dance-in-a-circle-you’ve-tossed-your-purses-in-the-center-of kind of nights. Canal Room fans learn about upcoming events through regular email updates, and since the email stationery matches the look of the Canal Room website, it’s a seamless experience to hop from one to the other.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Whatever your plans are, we wish you a lovely Valentine’s Day! And if you want to catch up on our other city guides in the places Emma calls home, click to read about Austin, Portland and Denver.

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Emma powers the emails of more than 30,000 businesses, nonprofits and agencies. Get 60 days free when you join today.

Are you ready for some email?

A peek at the New York Giants' email marketing strategy

by Megan Feltes, Sales | February 3rd, 2012 | No Comments »

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.

Emma City Guide: Denver, CO

Tour Denver and get to know some of Emma's mile-high customers

by Emily Konouchi, Customer Support Lead | October 18th, 2011 | No Comments »

This crisp fall weather is signaling me to spend some time in the great outdoors. And what better place to enjoy autumn’s offerings than Denver, Colorado? Home to one of Emma’s satellite offices, the mile high city is a fine place to spend a day shopping, eating and soaking up some of its downtown culture, and it’s the perfect setting for our next Emma City Guide.

I’m actually headed to Denver next month, so I’m putting together my short list of must-visit local attractions, and I found some noteworthy Emma customers along the way. Here’s my rundown of a perfect day in Denver, Emma-style.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science uses Emma to promote exhibits and special programs and to stay in touch with museum members.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd

For me, exploring a new city means visiting a museum or two. It’s a chance to feed my brain in a unique setting, chat with a docent and find a proper souvenir in the gift shop. I’ll begin my day in Denver with a visit to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This museum has been a city fixture since 1900 and provides the community with exhibitions and programs that teach visitors about the history of Colorado and beyond. I’ll hit up the permanent exhibit of Egyptian mummies first, then wander through the lifelike wildlife dioramas. Oh, and I can’t forget the planetarium. There’s so much to see, I’m planning on making a morning out of it. And when I get a little peckish, I’ll grab a sandwich from the snack bar and head outside for a leisurely lunch in City Park. It’s just outside the museum door.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

Fleur de Lis uses Emma to let customers know about upcoming sales and to notify them of changes to their website and blog.

Fleur de Lis
8000 E Belleview Ave, Ste B40
Greenwood Village

After a picnic lunch, I’ll scout out a couple local shops. Fleur de Lis (a paperie) will make a delightful first stop, just south of the downtown Denver Tech Center. It’s a luxury paper boutique, the kind of place that instantly inspires you to dedicate more time to old fashioned correspondence. But they also stock beautiful gifts and accessories, like picture frames, portfolios, pens and personalized stamps. If you’re planning a wedding or special event, this is a one-stop shop for custom save-the-dates, invitations and gifts for the wedding party or guests of honor. Treat yourself to something nice, too.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website and blog

CLP Jewelry uses Emma to showcase products and announce trunk shoe events to retail partners and fans.

CLP Jewelry
Carried by multiple retailers

While meandering back to downtown Denver, I’ll likely embrace my inner cowgirl and pick up some locally crafted jewelry from Emma customer CLP Jewelry. Christy Lea Payne’s designs are decidedly western, made with soft worn leather and natural stones and metals, and they reflect Christy’s signature rustic style.

Her pieces are carried in a number of local Denver boutiques, but she does wholesale business with shops all over the country. You can visit the CLP Jewelry website to find a retail location. Yeehaw.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

The Denver Philharmonic Orchestra uses Emma to share its season schedule and promote ticket sales.

Denver Philharmonic Orchestra
KPOF Hall, 1340 Sherman St

Time to take in the local music scene. I’m going to skip the bars and rock venues and class things up a bit by attending a concert by the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. The Denver Philharmonic is one of the longest standing — and best — community orchestras in the western United States.  Now in its 64th season, the DPO is led by conductor Adam Flatt and calls KPOF Hall its home. The DPO’s repertoire proves to be a mix of familiar and new-to-my-ears pieces, and the concert will cap off a lovely day in the Front Range.

+ See a recent campaign
+ Visit their website

And there you have Denver in a day. I hope your fall promises a travel adventure or two. Don’t forget to check our our previous city guides for Austin and Portland, and happy trails!

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Not an Emma customer yet? Get 60 days free when you join.

Email goes local

How a few Emma customers use email to enhance their local presence

by Annie Parsons, Community Relations | October 5th, 2011 | No Comments »

It’s easier than you think to find email trends that mimic fashion trends. One might go so far as to say that “local” is the new black. Location-based marketing is all the rage, and it starts with making connections with fans and customers in your neighborhood.

Today we’re proud to feature a few Emma clients who do local email strategy really well.

Besaw’s Restaurant & Bar

For over 100 years, Besaw’s Restaurant & Bar in Portland, OR, has had the same mission: providing delicious, seasonal and local edibles to their guests. The folks at Besaw’s use Emma to communicate about the local touches they build into everything they do, from using veggies from their own garden to supporting nearby charities. It’s a great way to inform their subscribers of latest menus and happenings, and it also demonstrates their commitment to the community they live and work in.

Moreover, they use Emma’s trigger feature to send their patrons a birthday greeting that includes a coupon for a treat of their choice. If free dessert doesn’t win the locals over, nothing will.

+ See an email campaign
+ Join Besaw’s email list

Team Diva Real Estate

Just a jump north from Portland on I-5, Team Diva Real Estate in Seattle is a team of real estate agents defined by their approachability and command of Seattle’s neighborhoods. Their Emma campaigns focus on specific qualities that make each Seattle neighborhood unique, and they support independent, local businesses by offering their clients discounts to more than 15 shops through a “Diva Deals” card.

Every month, their newsletter also highlights one person’s story of home ownership, lending a very real, personal feel to each campaign. Team Diva gives their audience solid real estate information without sacrificing excellent, community-focused content. As a result, it’s no surprise that their response numbers are consistently high, and they have a strong community of fans.

+ See an email campaign
+ Follow @SeattleDivas on Twitter

FoodWorks Colorado

And finally, as a resident of Denver, which is one of Emma’s satellite cities, I’ve become fascinated by the work of FoodWorks Colorado. FoodWorks runs both a cannery and a packaging plant, employing those who may have had trouble finding jobs. They distribute healthy produce, meat, bread and other nonperishable food to local nonprofits that provide food at no charge to those in need. Every fall, they host Project Glean, which gives community members the opportunity to gather 400,000 lbs. of seasonal, locally grown crops to help feed the hungry. Emma is proud to power the emails of an organization that’s doing so much good for their community.

+ See an email campaign
+ “Like” them on Facebook

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We have lots of customers making the most of their local presence, and we’d love to hear about some of your favorites. Which local businesses, organizations and nonprofits are communicating effectively in your neighborhood?

Emma takes you back to school

A roundup of school-related email campaigns

by Jamie Bradley, Sales | September 28th, 2011 | No Comments »

The smell of dry erase markers and school bus exhaust. Suddenly re-acclimating the entire family to 6:00 am morning alarms. Fall leaf motifs now that it’s finally cooler than 90 degrees in the shade. Yes, for the students among us, summer is officially over, and school is back in session.

Luckily, a lot of schools and businesses help parents and students get back in the loop by sending regular email communications in preparation of the first day of school — and all through the school year.

Take a gander at some campaign examples that get an A+ from us …

Percy Priest Elementary

Percy Priest Elementary sends a weekly newsletter to parents to keep them up-to-date on everything from where to buy official Percy Priest Elementary Tigers gear to quick links for important information on bus routes and lunch menus. Also, I love that the focal point is a personal note from the school principal. In the end, they’re delivering timely and relevant information that’s also visually appealing. Oh, and they have a knitting club? If only I could go back to school (and back in time) …

+ View the online version of the campaign
+ Visit Percy Priest on Facebook

The ScrapKins

The ScrapKins is a Brooklyn-based organization that aims to get children excited about recycling and teaches them fun ways to incorporate social consciousness via cute-as-can-be little monsters. This particular email is announcing a new game for iPhones that is both educational and, well, pretty fun too. So, as your little ones in the backseat get restless in the carpool lane, they can learn some valuable life lessons while you jam out to your favorite Jon Secada compilation CD.

+ View the online version of the campaign
+ Visit their blog

The City of Orange City

Schools aren’t the only Emma customers getting in on the back-to-school spirit. This example from one of my favorite Emma customers, The City of Orange City, IA, is chock-full of great goings-on, but specifically seeks to highlight some kid-friendly activities around town. Recorder Lessons for only 50 cents? Preschool Story Hour at the library? Don’t mind if we do, Orange City. And it’s lovely to see that they’ve incorporated social media links at the bottom — it’s a great way to keep their audience clicking for more.

+ View the online version of the campaign
+ Follow them on Twitter

Want to see a few more examples? Take a look at the slideshow below.

Click to see some more school-related campaigns.

Ready to give Emma a try? Get your first 60 days for free when you join in September.

Meet Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute

by Gina Nykerk, Business Development, Denver | September 16th, 2011 | No Comments »

As Emma’s business developer in Denver, I have a chance to get to know many of our clients in town. One of my favorite organizations is Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute, a nonprofit that provides education and coaching to entrepreneurs. An Emma 25 recipient in 2008, RMMFI utilizes email marketing to grow their audience and keep volunteers, donors and program participants up to speed on their latest events, workshops and more.

Offering programs that help entrepreneurs go from “Business Curious” to “Business Serious” and moving those who’ve demonstrated initiative through a 12-week Business Launch Boot Camp, they help entrepreneurs take a business idea from conception to reality, and even provide microloans to business owners who are ready to launch or expand business in the Greater Denver Area. Much needed services in today’s economy, if you ask me.

How they do it

RMMFI makes it easy to sign up for their emails.

Why we like it

To put it simply, their emails look good. After rebranding their website, they followed suit with an email rebranding — and asked the Emma design team to whip up a special event stationery as well. Their branding is bold and classy, and their content stays fresh. Each email provides new information, and they’ve learned the art of the intriguing subject line. (Recent subject lines include “September = Support & Structure” and “What Happens After Boot Camp?”) I see well over 300 emails in my various inboxes each day, and their campaigns always stand out.

Want to see a few examples? I can’t blame you.

• In this July email to clients and program participants, RMMFI uses a visually appealing balance of images and text to announce their upcoming Business Launch Boot Camp.
• In this May email, RMMFI sends a Save-the-Date email on their Special Event stationery.
• In this targeted email to program participants, RMMFI takes the opportunity to update registrants with time-sensitive, event-day information.

Is there a nonprofit in your community nailing their email marketing efforts and keeping you clicking for more? We’d love to hear about ‘em and see some examples.