Email Marketing Lounge

Email Marketing Lounge http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/ Email marketing blog discussing strategies, best practices, industry news, and creative solutions. en Copyright 2009 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:39:27 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification EmailMarketingLoungehttp://feedburner.google.com Aeropostale - whoops!
See below:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/xDs58ysnCRc/aeropostale-whoops.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/07/aeropostale-whoops.html Email Program email testing email-campaign Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:39:27 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/07/aeropostale-whoops.html Timberland - Since You've Been Gone...
Do you have a 'win-back' program? You should!

Check out the email below:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/BTL-Eh8qAkQ/timberland-since-youve-been-go.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/06/timberland-since-youve-been-go.html Email Program email campaign email marketing Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:38:41 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/06/timberland-since-youve-been-go.html Neiman Marcus - Urgency, urgency, urgency!
The email promotes a 50% off and Free Shipping two-hour promotion that started today at 11:30AM CST and ended at 1:29PM CST. Equally impressive was the send time for the campaign, a little more than an hour prior to the event occurring - plenty of time to be ready to take advantage of the offer.

While the campaign itself is impressive, the campaign should further reinforce and remind marketers of the opportunity to utilize email to drive a sense of urgency with their subscribers. Historically, campaigns that are positioned as 1-day or limited time have a much higher response. For an active audience a limited hour promotion likely will perform even better and can be used as a way to generate incremental sales.

Here's the creative:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/FKxgahXcWXw/neiman-marcus-urgency-urgency.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/06/neiman-marcus-urgency-urgency.html Email Program email campaign email marketing Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:02:43 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/06/neiman-marcus-urgency-urgency.html Spam now at 90% - Did you notice?
The overall point being that as individuals continue to become numb to spam -- real spam -- the spam that you know you did not subscribe to and that is unintelligible in its design and offer -- we as marketers need to heighten our own efforts to ensure that our email campaigns do not suffer the same fate; that of numbness to respond.

What are you doing to ensure your subscribers do not become numb?
- Have you re-designed the creative for your campaigns?
- Have you adjusted your overall strategy (targeting, content, subject lines, delivery times)?

Or are you in a rut of send on x day - same day, same time, same content, same subscribers, same generic offer, etc...

Beware the rut of numbness! If you need help getting out of the trap, let me know.

To see the full article from CNET, see below:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10249172-83.html ]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/r7OjLVu6JnM/spam-now-at-90-did-you-notice.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/spam-now-at-90-did-you-notice.html Email Program email marketing email program email-campaign Wed, 27 May 2009 15:10:59 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/spam-now-at-90-did-you-notice.html Academy Awards - Whoops: I forgot to test my email campaign!
"TEST HTML Email for Membership Mailing"

To be quickly followed by a "Correction" email - sent very quickly, as in 24 minutes after the original send...

Below are both emails for posterity:

First email - note the broken images and incorrect subject line - don't forget to TEST!

Second email - "The Correction"

Of course there was a third email which featured the appropriate subject line and images that functioned; however, we'll leave that one out.

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/mjUAy8CHeyY/academy-awards-whoops-i-forgot.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/academy-awards-whoops-i-forgot.html Email Program email campaign email marketing email program email testing Tue, 26 May 2009 15:02:11 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/academy-awards-whoops-i-forgot.html CircuitCity.com - Brand Re-Launch Campaign

Branding: Consistent use of the Circuit City brand and a nice introduction of the new brand - Systemax. I also like the treatment of the "Re-launch Announcement" - it is descriptive and clear.

Letter of Introduction: Nicely embedded letter explaining to the subscribers why they are receiving the message, what happened, and what to expect moving forward.

Subscription Info: Clear language depicting why the new brand is mailing the subscriber and what they can do if they'd like to be taken off of the list.

Promotions: As a part of the announcement, they included a few promotions encouraging the subscriber to give the new company a chance.

Overall - a great a message and great learning for other brands to follow if they are in a similar situation.

Below is the message:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/mCPEcVDldHA/circuitcitycom-brand-relaunch.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/circuitcitycom-brand-relaunch.html Email Program email marketing email-campaign email-program Tue, 26 May 2009 14:05:01 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/circuitcitycom-brand-relaunch.html Kodak Gallery - Favorite Email Creative of the Day
Kodak Gallery is promoting their 'Mini Photo Book' and the design does an amazing job of highlighting the photo book in use. Additionally the four call-out boxes do a great job of jumping off the page and highlighting the critical value points tied to the book.

In respect to the creative itself, note that you too can utilize these best practices:

Call-out boxes/bullets that break the linear structure of the design
Sharpness of images contrasted against fuzzy images - the contrast is key
Clear, consistent action buttons (e.g. "Start Your Book" & "Order Prints")

Great, great design!

See for yourself:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/fMTmodnirvs/kodak-gallery-favorite-email-c.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/kodak-gallery-favorite-email-c.html Email Program email design email marketing email program Tue, 26 May 2009 08:58:48 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/kodak-gallery-favorite-email-c.html Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Fundraising via Facebook
As many marketers start to adopt additional integration points with the leading social media sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc), they will also start to utilize email as a way of driving channel adoption. From adoption, marketers will turn to utilizing email for promotion usage and analyzing performance to fine-tune and improve their program through segmentation, personalization, and sophistication.

Today many marketers are simply focused on presence and adoption; however, it will serve them well to be thinking broader in terms of ultimately how to monetize these social media applications. This example by Susan G. Komen for the Cure is a testament to a marketer thinking several steps ahead.

See for yourself:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/v2VTQvT7uT8/susan-g-komen-for-the-cure-and.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/susan-g-komen-for-the-cure-and.html Email Program email marketing email program email-campaign Tue, 19 May 2009 16:09:44 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/susan-g-komen-for-the-cure-and.html Kodak - Customer Generated Content
Many marketers have been using customer reviews - another form of customer generated content on their web site and more recently in emails. Not too many marketers though have created a way for customers to submit content that can be re-purposed and used for their marketing needs.

Kudos to Kodak for taking it a step further! And be on the look-out for next month's "moment" featuring a 'spectacular travel photo'.

Here's the campaign:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/HkoNYVinxeU/kodak-customer-generated-conte.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/kodak-customer-generated-conte.html Email Program email marketing email program email-campaign Thu, 07 May 2009 11:33:53 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/kodak-customer-generated-conte.html Old Navy - Broken Images and the Need for a QA Checklist
I would highly recommend a "QA Checklist" for any email marketer to ensure the email campaigns they are sending have the highest quality.

A quick starting point:

Ensure all links are clickable and arrive at the intended destination
Ensure all images render
Ensure overall message format appears appropriate in different email clients and browsers
Ensure overall rendering speed for the message is good for high-bandwidth and low-bandwidth subscribers
Ensure appropriate footer including CAN-Spam language is included

Below is a screen shot of the broken images:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/UMviY9gmojU/old-navy-broken-images-and-the.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/old-navy-broken-images-and-the.html Email Program email marketing email testing email-campaign Wed, 06 May 2009 09:00:45 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/old-navy-broken-images-and-the.html Finish Line - Best Creative of the Day
What makes the creative jump out is the use of a hand-written font and the leg drawings. Further, the shoe laces appearing tied together creates a nice visual separation that draws the eye.

Love it!

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/PhLsb3vaGL0/finish-line-best-creative-of-t.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/finish-line-best-creative-of-t.html Email Program email marketing email-campaign email-design email-program Tue, 05 May 2009 15:15:51 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/finish-line-best-creative-of-t.html adidas - Utilizing Personalities and the adidas Insiders
Two great twists:

Utilizing 'Personalities' - from the images of today's leading athletes to the call-out in the text to "Follow football star Reggie Bush, to NBA All-Star Dwight Howard", adidas has it down with leveraging the star personalities at their disposal to create a stronger connection with their subscribers.
The "Insider" Club - a great call-out to join 'adidas Insiders'. The special community allows subscribers to:

"Share your ideas and thoughts with key people at adidas and see it play a direct role in new adidas products and marketing."
"Get a sneak peek into what adidas is going to do next."
"Get to know other like-minded members and network with them."
"Have an impact on the future of adidas."

When you click-through on the link you are prompted to take a quick survey which indicates whether you are qualified to be an 'Insider'. Unfortunately I was not, however, I love the concept.

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/sE6Df-omtiE/adidas-utilizing-personalities.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/adidas-utilizing-personalities.html Email Program email marketing email program email-campaign Mon, 04 May 2009 10:21:50 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/05/adidas-utilizing-personalities.html Boston Proper - Sex Sells... even in Email sex in advertising. As an example, check out this image from a 1921 National Geographic magazine... a scantily clad woman pitching tire valve caps.

Sex in advertising has certainly evolved, but many things still ring true.

For example, in today's Boston Proper email campaign the following items are asserted:

"Sexy Summer Catalog"
"Wear it like no one else"
"Summer heat" - next to the image below
"Lose yourself in the exotic"

It is safe to say that while things change, they often times also stay the same.

Below is the email:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/wHh7xHr396g/boston-proper-sex-sells-even-i.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/boston-proper-sex-sells-even-i.html Email Program email-marketing email-campaign email-program Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:43:52 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/boston-proper-sex-sells-even-i.html The Tyler Place - Even small businesses are flocking to Facebook and Twitter the Tyler Place today that shares their decision to join the Facebook and Twitter revolution. The Tyler Place, a family vacation spot in Vermont that is incidentally an amazing time, shuns TV, electronics, mass media, etc, but is fully embracing the world of Facebook and Twitter. Despite the skepticism of "Ted" one of the original owners...

And why not? If you are an amazing summer retreat, what better than to have a Facebook page where previous visitors can interact, share stories, share pictures, etc. I can also envision the Tweet regarding a sing-along by the campfire or climbing the rock wall...

Here's a real tweet from them:
"The osprey is back on her towering nest in Fairfield Swamp. Phoebes are trying to nest under the eaves. Swallows have returned. Spring!"

Last week Yesmail hosted a webinar on social media integration in your email program that was attended by over 150 of our clients - a turnout that was further affirming of the interest and desire to understand and embrace the social world we live in.

If a small business like the Tyler Place can take the leap - so can you!

And of course, if you need any help - give us a call.

In the meantime, check out the Tyler Place's great email:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/gxWcMgOwg0c/the-tyler-place-even-small-bus.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/the-tyler-place-even-small-bus.html Email Program email marketing email program email-campaign Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:19:59 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/the-tyler-place-even-small-bus.html Kodak - Gearing Up for Mother's Day
A few subtle items that might not jump out at everyone, but really make this email effective:

Offer Tag: By including a text offer tag at the very top of the email Kodak is ensuring that everyone viewing the email on a non-HTML rendering mobile device first views the offer. Smart.

Viral 'Share This' Icon: By including 'Share This' functionality, Kodak is encouraging their subscribers to share the offer and actual email content via the social media community of their choice (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc).

Imagery: Great re-use of the 'mother' in the main image, the image in the picture frame, the image in the pocket video camera, and on the landing page you click-through to.

Overall a great email. See for yourself:

]]> http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EmailMarketingLounge/~3/Vluk7dZR5uw/kodak-gearing-up-for-mothers-d.html http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/kodak-gearing-up-for-mothers-d.html Email Program email design email marketing email-marketing email-campaign Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:23:58 -0800 http://www.emailmarketing.com/yesmail/2009/04/kodak-gearing-up-for-mothers-d.html