| Dealers of all sizes have increasingly switched on to | | | | to guides" or "tips and tricks", information on your |
| the value of the web as a marketing medium, others | | | | business, or research questionnaires. These will help |
| have been able to take this a stage further by | | | | to mark you out as someone to be trusted and |
| embracing e-marketing through e-mail and SMS | | | | involved with. |
| activities. The benefits are clear, low cost, potentially | | | | 7. HTML versus Plain Text |
| enhanced accountability and a saving on traditional | | | | HTML is the version that uses colour and images in |
| print media. All valid points, but to be effective | | | | case you were unsure. One thing that's important to |
| e-marketing requires good marketing processes to be | | | | know about HTML format used in email, is that not all |
| in place, because 'spamming' customers could have | | | | email programs know how to interpret it. Most do, |
| the opposite impact to that desired and really alienate | | | | but some do not so what you send may not be |
| customers. | | | | what the customer receives. According to Jupiter |
| 1. High Quality Copy | | | | Research, 54 percent of consumers clicked links in |
| Good copy requires all the same processes as any | | | | e-mail promotions because they featured products or |
| other marketing medium; planning, skill, imagination, an | | | | services that interested them. But that's not the end |
| appreciation of the brand and above all, a focus on | | | | of the story. |
| the customer and the desired impact and action. | | | | Forty percent of e-mail subscribers said they clicked |
| Invest in a good copywriter and test different | | | | through e-mail offers because written copy captured |
| approaches measuring the results. | | | | their interest. Even though HTML is widespread, |
| 2. Build a Database to be Proud of & Use it | | | | compelling written copy remains hugely influential in |
| The vast majority of people in the UK have an e-mail | | | | driving 'click-throughs'. In all events the focus should |
| address; do you have an e-mail address for the vast | | | | be on the message, not how "pretty" it looks. Plain |
| majority of your customers? For every customer it is | | | | text e-mail is smaller, delivers and downloads quicker, |
| important to capture e-mail and mobile telephone | | | | and is also much less likely to be erroneously marked |
| details and then to keep this on a central database. | | | | as spam. |
| Naturally data protection regulations must be adhered | | | | 8. Personalise Things |
| to, with customers having the choice of opting into | | | | Inserting a person's name into an email increases |
| direct marketing - do get legal advice on this | | | | open rates by as much as 10%. - Jupiter Research |
| important subject as a starting point. | | | | (2006). |
| Data capture points are everywhere; on line, during a | | | | Use mail merge marketing software to generate |
| sale, at the service desk, at off site events. Whilst it | | | | personalised mass emails that can include person's |
| is possible to buy in additional data, it will never be as | | | | name or any personalised information that should be |
| good as the data built within the business. Also don't | | | | relevant to your prospect. Your message should |
| forget to add your own e-mail address to every | | | | "say": "I am not computer-generated spam, I got to |
| campaign to check its arrival and any spam filter | | | | you because I know you and I think this specific |
| impacts. | | | | offer meets your needs". |
| 3. Resist the temptation to over communicate. | | | | Always include an opt-out (unsubscribe) function in |
| Quality not quantity is key - research shows that | | | | your e-mail, even if that is just an e-mail address |
| consumers prefer to get e-mail marketing messages | | | | where people can send a message to unsubscribe |
| weekly, or even monthly as long as the | | | | and naturally act upon the request. Always measure |
| communication is useful. Always ask yourself when | | | | the level of opt outs, it is a handy guide that your |
| putting a campaign together, 'What would make me | | | | e-mail is not valued and that content/frequency |
| call in and ask about that offer?' | | | | should be reviewed. |
| 4. Spam Filters | | | | 9. Marketing E-mails Must Have a Familiar Preview |
| Spam filters can be very effective at undermining | | | | Most people using a PC decide if an e-mail is |
| your campaign. Words such as 'free' or 'offer', | | | | interesting by previewing it, without opening it. They |
| symbols such as '£' of '%' or the use of capitals can | | | | take this decision based on the sender's email |
| all ensure your well intended email goes straight to | | | | address and email subject line. To increase the |
| the junk file, or be deleted before it ever arrives. | | | | success rate of your marketing e-mails, make sure |
| E-mails containing large images and attachments can | | | | your sender name is visible, trustworthy and easily |
| also be blocked by firewalls and filters. There are | | | | recognised. Do not send marketing e-mails from |
| spam testers available on-line (naturally these are not | | | | robot-looking e-mail addresses. Send your marketing |
| guaranteed). Success relies upon the use of softer | | | | e-mails from an e-mail address that triggers the |
| copy, so it's back to testing and the use of well | | | | feeling "I know who sent this e-mail". Knowing and |
| considered copy. | | | | trusting the sender is the primary reason for opening |
| Before sending out a large quantity of marketing | | | | an e-mail. |
| e-mails, check your mail server provider settings. | | | | Use the subject line to summarize the e-mail content. |
| Most e-mail server providers prevent spam by | | | | The subject line should tell the e-mail content, not sell |
| blocking users from sending too many e-mails, during | | | | the e-mail content. Keep your subject line to 50 |
| a short period of time. | | | | characters or less. |
| 5. Mobile E-mail | | | | 10. Test Test Test |
| Your carefully crafted multimedia content or images | | | | There is no consistent reason why a campaign |
| are not going to be readable by most people. | | | | works, or not - so test and measure everything by |
| According to SurveySampling (2007), about 65% of | | | | using references on every e-mail to assess the |
| decision makers are viewing your marketing e-mail on | | | | results and use a known mailing as a benchmark to |
| their text-only mobile devices (smart phones, PDAs | | | | see if it outperforms the known results. |
| and tablets). The growth of these devices is | | | | And finally, - it's easy!! Capture the mobile and e-mail |
| exponential - so how does your e-mail look on a | | | | addresses of your customers, - not just the ones |
| screen only a few inches wide? | | | | who buy but perhaps even more importantly those |
| 6. Mix it Up | | | | who don't. Maintain that simple database and regularly |
| Don't use e-mail solely for sales campaigns. | | | | put together simple and well thought out offers and |
| Customers will soon get tired of this approach and | | | | hit 'Send'. The process is very cost effective to |
| you risk them simply hitting the delete button | | | | manage and you'll be pleasantly surprised when the |
| without ever opening it or adding your mail address | | | | phone rings more and more! |
| to their junk file. Instead mix things up. Create "how | | | | |