| Over the past few years, research has | | | | e-mails they receive. The most popular |
| continued to prove the benefits of e-mail | | | | interest categories, according to the study, |
| marketing for business: low costs, high | | | | are coupons and household goods.But you're |
| conversion rates and detailed tracking are | | | | coupon is no good unless the user opens the |
| all notable features. But e-mail marketing is | | | | email. Users in the study said the most |
| becoming much more than just a tool for | | | | compelling reason for them to open a business |
| spammers and e-businesses. Consumers are | | | | email is the name in the "from" field. So |
| becoming increasingly savvy on the | | | | it's a good idea to make sure your company |
| differences between spam and permission-based | | | | name is clearly stated there. Another major |
| emails, and more and more of them are | | | | factor is the "subject" line. Users cite |
| accepting permission-based e-mail marketing | | | | discount offers and interesting news as the |
| as a positive replacement for direct mail.The | | | | most compelling subject lines, followed by |
| best news is that the majority of people who | | | | new product announcements and free shipping |
| receive permission-based e-mails open, on | | | | offers.4. Click-through and conversion: Show |
| average, 78% of them.Jupiter Research reports | | | | me the money! |
| effective email marketing campaigns can | | | | |
| produce nine times the revenues and 18 times | | | | So the user has opened your email and read |
| the profits of broadcast mailings. But | | | | the content. Great. But where's the sale? |
| crafting an effective business email is both | | | | There's good news here. For one, consumers |
| an art and a science. Here is a list of | | | | are increasingly likely to make purchases as |
| factors, potential problems and effective | | | | a direct result of a business email campaign. |
| solutions to keep in mind:1. Spam! Spam! | | | | One-third of users in the DoubleClick study |
| Spam! I don't need any Viagra! | | | | had purchased something by clicking a link on |
| | | | an email. Another 42% clicked on an email |
| The average consumer receives more than 300 | | | | link for more information, then purchased the |
| emails a week, 62% of which are spam. No | | | | product at a later time. Second, online |
| wonder there's such hostility towards the | | | | couponing is booming: 73% of consumers have |
| industry. But spam filters, bulk folders and | | | | redeemed an online coupon for an online |
| "report spam" features are helping consumers | | | | purchase, and 59% have redeemed an online |
| become more at ease about the perils of spam. | | | | coupon offline.In terms of industries, the |
| While 89% of users cited spam as a major | | | | top performers are travel, hardware/software, |
| concern in 2003, that number dropped to 85% | | | | electronics, apparel, food, home furnishings, |
| in 2004, proportionally to an increase in the | | | | gifts/flowers and sporting goods. All |
| use of spam-fighting tools.So as a | | | | companies sending business emails in those |
| permission-based business email marketer, | | | | categories said between 71% and 80% of |
| what can you do? One tip is to remind your | | | | recipients have purchased their products |
| subscribers to add you to their "safe | | | | because of an email campaign.There's no need |
| senders" list. The second, and most | | | | to fret if your company doesn't fit in to one |
| important, tactic is to make sure your email | | | | of those industries. The overall landscape |
| marketing service provider has a good | | | | for email marketing conversions is looking |
| relationship with ISPs. This will ensure that | | | | brighter every day. The average |
| your email marketing campaigns go into your | | | | click-to-purchase rate has increased nearly |
| subscribers' inboxes, not their junk mail | | | | 30% since 2004 and the average |
| folders. When choosing an email marketing | | | | orders-per-email-delivered rate has increased |
| software, make sure the company has strict | | | | more than 18% since last year.5. Stats |
| anti-spam policies and complies with the | | | | tracking: Who are my real consumers? |
| guidelines of Can-Spam.2. Images and | | | | |
| formatting: Why do my emails look broken? | | | | E-mail marketing is an increasingly popular |
| | | | tool in effective CRM, and it's about time |
| Broken email campaigns are an increasing | | | | more businesses recognize that. First off, if |
| concern among email marketers, especially | | | | your provider's email services for business |
| since several companies and web-based email | | | | do not include detailed, real-time tracking, |
| providers now block graphics as a measure to | | | | you're getting a raw deal. Real-time tracking |
| combat spam. In fact, according to ClickZ, | | | | is now an industry standard, and it's highly |
| 40% of email marketing messages delivered to | | | | valuable, as it allows you to see the exact |
| inboxes are "broken."This was actually | | | | moment a user opens your campaign, clicks on |
| something that came up during Eliteweb.cc's | | | | your link and makes that purchase. Studying |
| beta-testing phases, as we had a client in | | | | your users can help you improve your |
| the Canadian Government whose recipients were | | | | communications efforts, so each campaign |
| mostly using highly secure email programs. | | | | performs better than the last (several email |
| The solution we came up has now become one of | | | | service providers also let you compare the |
| our key competitive advantages.What | | | | performance of your campaigns).But many |
| Eliteweb.cc does is it publishes every single | | | | marketers are still in the dark. According to |
| email marketing campaign sent to a secure | | | | a recent WebTrends research, only 5% of |
| location on the web (a location only original | | | | marketers are very confident in the |
| recipients of the email can access, thanks to | | | | measurement of their online marketing |
| encrypted technology that automatically | | | | efforts, while 26% admit they're "flying |
| authenticates the user). The technology also | | | | blind." WebTrends says the low confidence |
| ensures you can track your users' behaviors, | | | | comes from a lack of knowledge when it comes |
| even if they are reading your email campaign | | | | to measurement, which means there's still a |
| at the secure web location.3. Personalization | | | | lot of work to be done.In email marketing, a |
| and relevant content: In a business e-mail, | | | | blind shot won't take you very far. But if |
| one size does not fit all. | | | | you aim properly by following these essential |
| | | | rules of play, you should soon be reaping the |
| In a recent study by DoubleClick, email | | | | same major results as so many online and |
| users were 72% more likely to respond to a | | | | offline businesses.Robert Burko is the |
| business e-mail if its content was based on | | | | president and founder of Eliteweb.cc, a web |
| the interests they had specified. That number | | | | portal that provides Fortune 500 solutions |
| points out the absolute importance of | | | | for small and medium-sized businesses. |
| allowing users to choose their own interest | | | | Eliteweb.cc's Elite Email Marketing program |
| groups and have control over which business | | | | is optimized for all the above tips. |