| Hopefully you enjoyed Part 1, this is Part 2 | | | | which is why sending mass emails from Outlook is |
| Me: What is your opinion on e-newsletters? | | | | just not a good move. |
| | | | My second tip would be to create a Lead Magnet. By |
| Karen: At the moment, personally, I am sending | | | | this I mean having different sign-up boxes for |
| HTML emails that discuss various blog posts I've | | | | different topics you email about. This is good |
| done in more detail, but my Newsletter list is only a | | | | because people want to know about that topic, and |
| sub-set of my database. I don't have any images, it's | | | | then you have something to communicate with them |
| all text, but I do format the text so it's easier to | | | | about. Putting 'Click here for our Newsletter' might |
| scan, because that's the other thing; people don't | | | | have worked 5 years ago, but it doesn't work now. |
| read it the same way they read a book, so you | | | | People haven't got time to read newsletters just to |
| have to structure it so that people can scan it and | | | | see if there is something of interest to them in it. |
| pick up the right information, and then go to | | | | My third tip would be to create an Ideal Customer. |
| wherever you are pointing them. I'm not necessarily | | | | By understanding who you are emailing to, your |
| using the format of a Newsletter, but I'm still doing | | | | emails will be more effective, because you use the |
| the same function, and I think that depends on your | | | | language appropriate for that profile, and you will |
| market. If your email isn't easy to read without the | | | | include information that that person actually wants to |
| images, then I do tend to unsubscribe. That's my | | | | know about. |
| own personal behaviour, so I think if I'm doing that, | | | | My fourth tip would be to keep headings under 41 |
| perhaps people who are reading my Newsletters are | | | | characters. This is for both the subject line, and |
| doing that, so that is why I don't have a lot of | | | | headers in the body of the email. |
| images. | | | | My fifth tip would be to track your stats. Even |
| Me: How often would you recommend sending out | | | | though I'm giving you these tips, you may say it |
| emails? | | | | doesn't work for me. This doesn't mean my advice |
| Karen: I think that depends on your market, where | | | | isn't right, it means that it isn't right in your particular |
| they are in the buying cycle, and what you're trying | | | | instance, but it's giving you a good starting point. |
| to do with them. First of all, your email marketing | | | | Although marketing has elements of science, largely |
| should have a schedule; you should know what you | | | | it's an art, and you will increase your performance in |
| are going to be doing, with a combination of content | | | | marketing by measuring, tracking, evaluating and |
| and promotion. Providing you've got the content and | | | | using that feedback to alter your marketing in the |
| promotion mix right, then the frequency will really be | | | | future. |
| down to what the market can bear and what the | | | | As a bonus tip, I would tell you to plan. Have a |
| market likes. You can find this out by asking for | | | | programme of communications you are going to |
| feedback. So I'm afraid there's no rule; there are | | | | have with your list. Try doing a rolling 3 or 6 month |
| some 'schools' that say you must be in contact with | | | | programme, depending how fast-moving your |
| your customers every week. Well frankly, if some of | | | | business is, that's enough for you to have an idea of |
| my suppliers contacted me every week, I would | | | | 'OK, this is what I'm going to do with giving them lots |
| probably not continue to be a client. | | | | of information, this is the information I'm going to |
| Me: What would your Top 5 Tips be for start-up | | | | give them, but why am I giving them this |
| Email Marketers? | | | | information? Because I want to promote xyz later |
| Karen: My first tip would be to sign up to an email | | | | on.' If you've got that worked out, writing content |
| marketing client. This is really important - they all | | | | doesn't become a chore because you know why |
| have the mechanisms you need to maintain your | | | | you're doing it. |
| email reputation, and your reputation is key to this, | | | | And that's all folks! I'd like to say a special thank you |
| because you don't want to end up being blocked, | | | | to Karen for agreeing to be interviewed. |