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I needed to buy a skirt suit, so I went into a popular boutique in the suburb to get one.

As I entered into the shop, the shop attendant greeted me and started showing me their latest shoes and bags.

I told him, No. I was not looking for shoes and bags. I need a skirt suit. So, I went to the clothing section and started searching for it.

This is what most marketers and business owners do.

You create generic e-book no one is interested in reading. You give out as a free resource to get visitors to opt-in to your email list. But it is not converting as much as you need.

It used to work in those days, but nowadays, visitors are getting smarter. The conversion rate of a generic free e-book or report is becoming very low.

The reason is: The free e-book you offer your visitors has nothing to do with what they are looking for at the moment. It is like the latest shoes and bags that had nothing to do with what I wanted to buy at the boutique, so I ignored it.

This is the major reason why businesses are getting low conversion rate. According to Econsultancy, about 22% of businesses are satisfied with their conversion rate. That is a very low percentage.

The answer is a Content upgrade.

What is a Content Upgrade?

A content upgrade is a free resource you offer to your readers in exchange for their email address. It is not the typical same opt-in boxes you have at the sidebar, middle or end of the page. It is much more relevant, related and targeted to your audience.

When you offer your visitors something that fits in with what they are looking for on your website, they are likely to opt in. It works like magic.! You don’t need to shove it in their faces or compel them to take the desired action. They see the value of what you are offering and simply download it.

Why content upgrade works?

Content upgrade works because it is extremely related to your blog post. It provides value to your readers right when and where they need it. This makes it irresistible for your readers to by-pass it. It doesn’t affect your SEO in any way. It will rather increase organic traffic to your websites.

It will amaze you that:

Brian Dean of Backlinko used a content upgrade on his popular post and boosts his conversion by 785%.

Pat Flynn of smart passive income also boosts his email opt-ins by 500% per blog post with content upgrades.

According to Pat Flynn, “What is working even better today are smaller, unique, bite-sized lead magnets that directly relate to what people are already consuming”.

Examples of content upgrades

Below are examples of content upgrades from top marketers:

Brian Dean of Backlinko:

Neil Patel of Quicksprout

Pat Flynn of Smartpassiveincome

Bryan Harris of Video Fruit

You can see how simple it looks. It works wonders, especially when you put it at the beginning, middle and end of your blog post.

List of popular Content upgrade resources

There are different kinds of content upgrade resources you can use for your blog post:

They include:

1. Free PDF download of your blog post.
2. Checklist of your post
3. Worksheet – showing how to implement a strategy
4. Video tutorial
5. Bonus tips- That is not included in the blog post
6. Template – Fill in the blanks
7. Quick start guide
8. Transcripts of Video or Audio content
9. List of tools and resources
10. Cheat sheet etc.

How to create content upgrades for your blog post

Creating a content upgrade for your blog post is not a difficult process. Follow the steps below:

1. Get a content upgrade tool

There are different kinds of free and paid content upgrade tools you can use for your blog posts. Paid tools you can use include thrive leads, Leadpages, Optinmonster, etc. Free plugins for WordPress blog posts include Mailmunch, Forms by opt-in cat, Contentupgrader, etc.

Pick the best tool and read up on the review to enable you to choose the best one that will suit your blog posts.

2. Search for pages on your website that attracts lots of traffic.

You can use a content upgrade for new posts to enable you to maximize lead generation. You can also use it to boost your existing content, especially, those content that is attracting a lot of traffic. This will boost your conversion rate on such posts. As cited above, Brian Dean used a content upgrade on an old post and boost the conversion by 785%. That is amazing!

You can find most of your high trafficked pages on Google analytics. Go to Behavior – site content – landing pages.

3. Choose a content upgrade resource that will improve your content

Now that you have your content ready, read through each one of them and choose the suitable resource for each. For example, a checklist is good for how-to guides and list posts. PDF resource is great for blog post series. Slideshare presentation or Youtube video is good for case studies, etc.

4. Create your content upgrade Resource

This is the major part that really needs attention. You need to create a high-quality resource to keep your leads in your email list. It takes a lot of time to create content upgrade resource. This is because you need to create a unique bonus that is specific to each post. It needs to impress your leads. There is a saying that goes: the first impression matters a lot.

Thus, you need to take your time to create the content resource that your leads will value. To do this, you need a good content writer that can use Canva or any design website. They will work on your existing content and bring out a content upgrade resource that is enticing and attractive to your readers.

Once you get this stage right, you can proceed to set up your content upgrade through your email tools.

5. Create a good call to action for your content upgrade

Now, that you have your content resource at hand, it is time to give it away. But, you need an enticing call to action to propel your readers to give you their email. I am sure you have seen a lame call to action like “sign up for our free ebook”. This would not work here.

From the examples of the content upgrade from top marketers above, you will notice call to actions like:

“Exclusive bonus: Download the step-by-step checklist that will show you how to improve conversions using the Content upgrade”

“Check out this infographic containing 21 small things you can do for your audience that can lead to BIGTIME results! It is totally free. Download it here.”

You can customize any one of them to suit your needs. For instance, I can customize the first one to read:

“Exclusive bonus: Download this free e-book that will show you how to lose 10 pounds in 1 day.”

All you need is to ensure that your resource is related to your blog post.

Now that you have your content upgrade all set up, you will start noticing an increase in the number of subscribers coming from the pages.

Author : Hephzy Asaolu

This article originally appeared on HephzySocial

Delivering contextual experiences is the best way to target your customers with content they care about and email is one of the most powerful tools in which to do so.

Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar or strictly e-commerce, email marketing can be the thing that helps your business scale.

By sending targeted, relevant messaging to your audience at the right time, it’s easy for retailers to see amazing results with their campaigns.But executing a truly personalized email campaign means having a deep understanding of who your customer is and finding the right points in their journey to connect.

Let’s take a look at the emails that every retail brand should be sending to engage with customers and boost their ROI:

The Welcome Email

This one seems obvious, but it’s worth reiterating. Your welcome email is your first impression—it helps set the tone and expectation of your emails to come.

– Delivers on your promise—If you promoted an incentive or exclusive offer upon signup, now is the time to act on it.

– Sets expectations—Be sure to cover all your bases. The type of content you’ll be sending, frequency and a little bit of background info are all important things to mention.

– Encourages engagement—Rather than come off strong right out the bat, use your welcome email to start a conversation and encourage them to connect with you on your other channels.

This automated email from Glossier hits all the right points.

Image Credit: Really Good Emails

Note the use of user-generated content as social proof—this is a great way to engage new subscribers while they wait for your next send.

The Abandoned Cart Email

Nearly 68% of online shoppers abandon their shopping cart before completing their purchase. Not all customers leave your site intentionally. Things like slow load times, a complicated checkout process and their session timing out can result in navigation from your page.

With abandoned cart messaging, you can re-engage customers who left your website and recapture sales you might have missed—in fact, over one third of clicks back to your site could lead to a purchase.

Here’s a great example from Casper:

Image Credit: Really Good Emails

This email does a great job of reminding customers of what it is they’ve abandoned. Saving the items left in their cart and displaying them within the email is an easy way to win back your customers. Add to the mix great copywriting, a compelling image and a clear CTA, and you’ll be recovering sales in no time.

The Order Notification

If you sell things online, you know how important it is keep customers in the loop about their purchase status. Whether it’s an invoice, shipping confirmation or delivery status, sending order notification emails can improve the customer experience and result in more revenue for your business.

Here are some ideas for email notifications you can send to engage customers throughout their buyer journey:

– Order Confirmation—Send your customer an automated receipt for their recent purchase, listing the details of their order.

– Shipping Status—Update customers when their order has shipped and include the date for which they should expect to receive it. Let them know when their order is on the way as soon as it leaves your facilities.

– Refund Confirmation—Not every purchase has a happy ending, but making the refund process a seamless experience can help you retain a customer. Providing real-time updates and notifications can keep customers informed of their refund status.

Here’s a great example of a shipping confirmation from Fitbit:

Image Credit: Really Good Emails

The email generates up some excitement for the customer’s recent purchase and provides helpful links and information, like order number, tracking information and contact us links.

Send Smarter Emails

Now that you have a good idea of what to send, here are some helpful tips for sending better emails:

Get personal: The easiest way to up your email game? Personalization. In fact, personalized emails have shown 6 times higher transaction rates and over 41% higher unique click rates than non-personalized emails. Retailers can take advantage of customer data to build highly-targeted campaigns based on factors like browsing history and past purchase data.

Keep your design simple: Most people spend less than 15 seconds reading your emails, so keeping things short and sweet can prove most effective. Keep your color palette minimal and always remember to include your brand assets at the top of your message so subscribers know where it’s coming from.

Use analytics to understand your customers: You might think you know your customers, but your data could reveal a different story. Looking at trends and patterns in your email analytics can help you create more focused segments and targeted campaigns.

Don’t neglect your preview text: Use your preview (or preheader) text to your advantage. This often neglected line of text can help tell a complete story and compel readers to open your message.

Optimize for mobile: Since most subscribers will be reading your emails on a mobile device, it’s important to consider how your messages display as you design your layout. Taking a mobile-first approach can ensure that your subscribers have a positive experience with your campaigns.

Integrate with your social media strategy: Social media and email work better together. Use each channel to help expand your audience and reach new customers by promoting special offers and discounts in exchange for an email signup.

Looking for more email marketing tactics for retailers? Download The Retail Marketer’s Email Playbook.

Author : Kristen Dunleavy

This article originally appeared on Movable Ink Blog

Email list building is an important part of your inbound marketing effort. Even with all of the new marketing channels, the importance of building a quality list of interested subscribers is as strong as ever. In fact, according to Smart Insights State of Email Marketing Infographic, over 50% of marketers rate email marketing more effective than other marketing channels.

Email list building, however, is just the beginning of the inbound marketing process. As a reminder, the inbound marketing process includes:

• Attract – create great content that drives traffic to your website
• Convert – get these visitors to become a known lead
• Nurture – build a relationship with the lead that turns them into customers
• Delight – continue to provide value to your customers to turn them into fans

What are some effective email list building techniques?

Make your signup form easy to find and fill out

It’s hard to believe that there are still websites that have signup forms that are hard to find. Visitors who don’t see your form and offer can’t convert. Be sure to display your form prominently on your website:

• At the top of the sidebar
• In the navigation bar
• In your footer
• In a pop up or feature box
• In a bar at the top of your page
• At the end of a blog post

Now make the form easy to fill out. The important piece of data is the email address. If you’re trying to build an opt-in email list, you really only need the email address. If you want to personalize your emails, ask for their first name. But don’t ask for what you don’t need. Less is more in email list building tactics.

Use a strong call-to-action and a compelling lead magnet

You may have the best content in your blog, but most people won’t sign up for your email list unless you ask them to. Give people a reason to sign up. An eye-catching call to action that elicits an immediate response such as watch a video demo, download a useful tool or join our challenge.

Couple that with a compelling lead magnet that provides something of value to a prospect in exchange for their contact information.

When these two work together, you will encourage visitors to opt-in to your email list and give you permission to send them more useful content.

Offer content upgrades

Content upgrades are highly targeted content offerings aligned with specific blog posts. These lead magnets work because they are not generic email lead magnets but are additional incentives for signing up for your list.

The reason these offers convert at a higher rate than your evergreen lead magnet is that they are specific to what the reader is already consuming. Content upgrades can be:

• Templates and worksheets
• Checklists
• Lists of tools and resources
• PDF of the post (for long form articles)
• Webinar replays
• Swipe files
• Transcripts (especially if you have a podcast or video)
• Quick start guides

Content upgrades take lead magnets a step further by offering timely, relevant content to what the reader is already researching. If this is something you want to implement, be sure to understand the technical details required to successfully deliver the content upgrades to your subscribers.

Set up a landing page to capture leads

If you are running a marketing campaign to drive visitors to your website with the specific goal to capture leads, you must use a landing page. A landing page should be aligned with your offer to reinforce your message and dramatically increase your conversion rate.

Using a landing page keeps your visitor focused on what you want them to do. If they land on a regular webpage, there are too many distractions that can interrupt the process and cause the visitor to leave without converting.

A landing page also provides more accurate data because they are only visible to those who click on the link from your campaign. If you land your lead generation campaign on a regular webpage, the analytics data is intermingled with regular website traffic.

The bottom line with lead generation campaigns: keep it simple, don’t make people think, and guide your visitor through the action you want them to take.

Create something people want to sign up for

There are many ways to re-purpose your content into formats that can generate qualified leads.

• Turn your content into a course delivered through an email series. The content can be text, audio or video, whichever is easiest for you to create. Taking content you have already created and rearranging it into an educational series can build your email list quickly.
• Take this same content and turn it into a webinar. Record the webinar and then offer it as a lead magnet.
• Create a challenge. Turn your skill into guided experience that helps people get to a specific end result. Challenges can be anything you can guide people through in a short period of time such as “Create your own WordPress website in 7 days”, “Take the 30 day fitness challenge” or “Write your book in 8 weeks”.

You get the idea. Break your expertise down into a step-by-step process that can be completed quickly. Challenges create a very targeted, high quality list of people who now know what you do.

Use Facebook to get more subscribers

There are several ways you can use Facebook to grow your email list:

• Add your sign up form to your landing tab on your Facebook Page to encourage new fans to sign up.
• Set your Facebook Page call-to-action button to sign up and send the visitors to a landing page.
• Add regular posts to your Facebook Page with your opt-in offer. Use an image of your offer in the post to get attention and encourage people to click on the post.
• Run Facebook ads to drive people to your landing page to sign up for your list. You can target people who have liked competitor’s Facebook Pages or other businesses that reach your target audience. These people are more likely to want your lead magnet.

Depending on your business and the reason for you to grow your email list, you can use organic tactics or increase your list quickly through Facebook advertising.

Email list building – an ongoing marketing activity

Email list building is an activity that small businesses should be doing regularly. It is the critical first step in your inbound marketing strategy. Be sure to not just drive traffic to your website, but to get people to sign up. Don’t waste time gaining traffic with no visible results.

Having an email list built on people who are interested in what you have to offer and have given you permission to send them information is a valuable asset for your business, but your work is still not done. Now that you have started to build your email list, you need a plan to provide valuable information to them and keep your business top of mind.

What other creative ideas do you have to build a quality email list for your business?

Author : Debra Murphy

This article originally appeared on Masterful Marketing

We live in an era of high-speed digitization and are deluged by the humungous flow of information we encounter every day. With a smartphone in every hand, the situation is even worse.

As an email marketer, you need to acquire the skill to STAND OUT from the crowd with email designs that are minimalist. Templates with clean fonts and beautiful designs have a calming effect on the mind of the subscriber, and that’s what is going to help you make a mark in the future.

Moreover, a recent study states that around 54% of emails are now opened on mobile. This on-the-go email viewing trend demands easy-to-navigate interfaces and designs that load fast and render well. No one has the patience to scroll through complex, lengthy, or broken emails.

The concept of minimalism revolves around stripping away unnecessary clutter to highlight what needs to be highlighted.

This practice not only provides a great UX but is also a winner for email marketers. How? A clean, uncluttered design guides the subscriber towards the most important part of the email as far as the marketers are concerned- the CTA.

So in a nutshell, a minimalist email is all about elementary typography, brilliantly simple styling and a strong sense of visual hierarchy. And you can also add a GIF to provide an awesome UX.

Things to consider while you create a minimalist email design

So, if you are convinced that you want to try a minimalist email design in your next campaign, here are a few things you need to know as you don the designer’s hat.

• The positive power of negative space

White space or negative space makes emails easy to read. It’s not really fair to look at it as ‘blank’ or as the name says- ‘negative’ space, especially not in this case. In a minimalist email, white space balances out the design.

• Typography- sparse and unadorned

Typography needs to be used appropriately in minimalist emails. It’s a good practice to limit the use of fonts; this helps to create a clear, less confusing design. Typography must help to depict your brand’s image. As the emphasis here is on hierarchy, make sure your text is aligned in proper grid in the email framework.

• Wise use of color

It’s best to go with monochromatic schemes but in case you love your emails bright and beautiful, or that is what your brand image demands, you can always use bright colors especially to highlight the important elements.

• Consider using icons rather than text

The concept on which minimalist emails are based- ‘less is more’ also applies to the amount of text you use. And to make sure the use of text is limited in your email, you can use something that we actually use every day- icons. Apart from saving space, icons also improve convenience and visually guide subscribers around the email.

• Adhere to visual hierarchy

A minimalist design proves effective if it is structured effectively. You need to organize the elements in the email such that the subscriber clearly gets a sense of visual importance. The reader, at just one glance, should be able to figure out the important portion of the email.

Be it the IT industry or brands from the fashion world, there are plenty who have adopted minimalist email design. The Monks, from the awesome emails in their inbox, have sorted out some really good minimalist emails. Take a sneak peek into the collection:

1. Apple

When it comes to minimalist design, the first brand that comes to our mind is Apple. In this slick minimalist email from the brand, the bright background highlights the hero image and the offer. As you scroll down, you can see a lot of white space that helps the reader to focus on what is important- the various products suggested to buy as gifts for loved ones during the holiday season.

2. Spotify

If you had started believing that minimalism has no place for animation, this one is going to prove you wrong. The subtle GIF in the hero image goes perfectly well with the minimalist design of the email. The bright blue color has been balanced out by the white space and highlights the important points in the email quite well.

3. Harry’s

Here’s a welcome email from Harry’s. Minimalist, creative and just awesome! Their favorite mammoth as the hero image, minimal text, CTA prominent & rightly placed, followed by their cool mammoth fact- we really like this one.

4. Hipmunk

The online travel company’s nurture email is a minimalist email that has the potential to create maximum impact. With their chipmunk all over the email, the template looks great. Uncluttered navigation in the header, a good balance of text and images in the clean email copy, a bright and prominent CTA, social media links and unsubscribe in place make the email perfect.

5. Lyft

We’re sharing another welcome email (:p )but we couldn’t help it, it’s really nice. Lyft is a transportation network company and we’re fans of their emails. Take a look at this one. The introduction gives a clear idea about what the brand is about and what kind of emails to expect from them in the future. Bingo! The same CTA above the fold and at the bottom in bright pink is just what it should be like. While they explain ‘how lyft works’ through an image and some text, minimalism is maintained to the core.

6. Grammarly

Here’s an appreciation email for former customers from another brand that is popular for its minimalist emails. They’ve used a simple hero image, good amount of white space is left throughout the copy to make sure the reader’s focus is on the purpose of the email, a discount is offered on an upgrade, and the CTA in yellow stands out. What also catches the eye is the twitter testimonial they have added.

Wrap-up

Minimalism is a way of thinking. It puts you in a dominant position as you can control the reader’s eye movement as they scroll through your email. Also, fewer the elements in the design, fewer the chances of the design going out of style. It is this timeless potential it carries that makes minimalist emails a vital element of email design.

Author : Kevin George

This article originally appeared on Email Monks Blog

Hidden somewhere in the depths of your website is a white paper, webinar or infographic that you and your team put a whole lot of heart and soul into. Sorry to break it to you, but it’s not getting any clicks (and, likely, it isn’t going to, either).

Alas, there’s still hope that your creation will see the light of day. Enter email marketing.

However, when one of the them gets it right, it’s glorious.

Below are our top three tips for crafting a click-worthy email campaign that will get your content the attention it deserves.

3. Clarify the “why.”
   

   Knowing why you want someone to engage with your content is the most important step when developing your email campaign – and the only way to avoid spamming people. What is the purpose of this piece of content, and why should readers care? Will downloading your white paper help them solve a common problem?

   Consider your purpose, as well. Are you trying to nurture someone who already interacted with the content on your site? Develop new prospects? Some other objectives include:

   • Keep analysts up to date on recent news
   • Book sales meetings
   • Re-engage with a prospect who’s gone dark

   Setting a clear goal can help you better determine who should get which piece of content and when, as opposed to sending out a generic email to your entire database.

4. Set the tone.

   If you want your email to result in clicks, don’t even think about using any marketing jargon – especially the kind of buzzwords you’d use in a sales pitch, like “cutting-edge” and “revolutionary.” The email should come directly from an email account associated with a recognizable human and sound like it, too. Whether it’s a CEO or your sales rep, be sure the text doesn’t sound too corporate or robotic. Keep it short, simple and sincere.

5. KISS spam mail goodbye.

   When I was in college, one of my professors at Boston University lived by the acronym, “KISS” or, “Keep it simple, stupid.” I know. It isn’t revolutionary, but it was probably one of the most important lessons I learned as a writer…. and now as a marketer, too.

   Subjects lines should be no more than 65 characters to avoid getting cut off in the inbox. Be sure those 65 characters are thought-provoking. Ask yourself, “would I open this email?” If the answer is no, keep going back to the drawing board until you say yes.

   In total, the email itself should also be less than 200 words, with one clear call to action (CTA) – not two, or three, or four. Trust me when I tell you no one is going to read a short story about why they should check out your white paper, register for your newsletter or view your webinar. No one. But if you can get your message across in a couple of sentences, there’s a good chance you’ll see click rates rise.

   Speaking of CTAs, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest marketing news and tips.

   Author : Olivia Savage

   This article originally appeared on Metis Blog

When it comes to promotional emails, you don’t just want to be – you know – that guy.

We all know this guy from somewhere. He’s the loudmouth who won’t stop talking. It’s not as though he’s chattering away about interesting topics (that would be awesome), but instead uses two thumbs to point at himself continuously saying, “Who’s got something important to say?!”

“This guy!” he responds, to his own question. If he’s not self-promoting his latest vacation, it’s some questionably hilarious experience at the Starbucks around the corner. Talk about tiresome and boring.

Yes, you want to avoid embodying this obnoxious email personality. Conversations, like brand relationships, will tolerate some promotion, but they should be rooted in meaningful exchanges between both parties. Simply, customers won’t hang around if they’re being sold all the time.

The best promotional emails are targeted calls-to-action that are effective at driving revenues and engagement with your brand. Your job as a marketer is to regulate the frequency, creativity, and impact of your messages relative to your marketing messages.

So let’s discuss how to succeed with promotional email marketing. Read on to see promotional email samples and winning campaign case studies from leading consumer brands.

What is Promotional Email Marketing?

Promotional email marketing is sending a message that’s focused on driving a purchase or conversion. These emails are either triggered or sent manually, but the hallmark is a clear call-to-action in order to convince viewers to take the desired action. These messages are part of a campaign aimed at generating revenue and helping customers move forward with your brand.

The best promotional emails drive the recipient to take immediate action. All things considered, the copy and design of promotional emails move the reader quickly through a persuasive process towards the end, whether that’s a sale, a download, registration, or sign-up. Most often, these are presented within a specific timeframe.

If you’re hooking the reader with an appealing, valuable idea that speaks genuinely about your brand, you’re on the right path. For example, limited-time-only events. But be cautious about the frequency of your promotional messages. Sending too many can erode consumer engagement and retention, as overwhelming an inbox is simply annoying.

Once a week, or even twice a month, is a better rate of delivery. This way you avoid spamming and harassing people’s inboxes. Setting a reasonable delivery schedule keeps your brand in mind, yet doesn’t consistently undercut the value of your product or service. These sparse emails are a treat by comparison, part of a rewarding brand experience. Less is more with promotional email.

Promotional emails are effective because:

• They’re affordable. Emails are cheap and only become cheaper the more you send. According to DMA, email marketing has an ROI of 3800%

• They’re targeted. Emails let you address customers by name, design messaging to meet their needs, and deliver whatever type of promotion suits you. Segmented and targeted emails generate 58% of all revenue, says the DMA report.

• They’re engaging. Emails allow you to engage and develop a 1:1 relationship with customers. According to eConsultancy, 74% of marketers say that targeted personalization increases customer engagement.

• They’re trackable. Emails can be connected to analytics, which shows the number of opens, clicks, and other engagement stats. This way you know what’s performing or needs further optimization. Email subscribers are 3x more likely to share your content via social media than visitors from other sources, according to QuickSprout.

• They’re far-reaching. Email is entirely digital and everyone has one, if not multiple, email accounts where you can reach them – even on mobile devices. About 53% of emails are opened on mobile devices, says Campaign Monitor.

• They’re flexible. Email allows you to send text, links, pictures, and video unlike any other. If you’re creative, emails can become a unique aspect of your brand experience that consumers look forward to instead of avoiding or deleting. Email marketing drives more conversions than any other marketing channel, including search and social, according to Monetate.

Promotional Email Case Study – Zachys

(Source)

Zachys is a New York wine merchant that wanted to bring wine time online with a promotional email campaign. Aside from the “live sales” auctions, of which the merchant runs a handful throughout the year, the online retail website is their only sales channel beside the one brick and mortar. Incoming e-commerce director, Victor Castro, couldn’t palate how the online presence was just an afterthought to in-store sales.

The challenge was managing and marketing the content on the website and driving sales across the web store. There was huge potential, he said, with “a very robust set of low-hanging fruit across all different channels — with probably email being one of the most important ones, in terms of our site and an ability to execute quickly.”

The campaign at hand was to overhaul the email program, then use email to improve retention and sales. Castro saw that trigger programs based on customer behavior “would be the next big thing that we could do to optimize that communication channel and increase our brand recognition … to be top of mind for customers looking to purchase wine.” However, the initial conversion rates on promotional emails fell flat, considering a customer lifecycle from web awareness to purchase being around 90 days.

This was because their triggers were lacking relevant customer data. But after some time collecting customer behavior onsite, Zachys was able to get a full view of customer behavior around wine. This meant developing beyond just what type of, say Malbecs, a customer was looking for – but also segmented by region, critic score, and price point.

The objective was to reach customers with triggered promotional emails while Zachys was still on their mind. The first email went out within an hour of the website action. The next behavioral promotional email went out 23 hours after the action. The thought here was if “they have time to shop at this specific day part today, they will have probably the same time to shop the next day,” said Castro.

A cart abandonment campaign of two emails was also added, the first more generic and the next being personalized to address specific items in-cart. “We have great performance on that program. I want to say it’s about a 30% conversion on it between the two emails. And we think that with a third email we can probably capture another 10% or so if we execute it properly,” he said. In the end, Zachys came to understand that promotional emails across the shopping experience were an effective way to drive sales.

“One of our main takeaways was the recognition that timing and messaging matter as much as product and relevancy in our industry as it pertains to email,” said Castro.

Results:

• Since Castro came on in 2013, e-commerce has grown 53% and now represents a 23% share of Zachys revenue
• Cart abandon emails saw a 65% open rate, 14% click-through rate, and $16 revenue per email
• Browse abandonment emails saw a 64% open rate, 10% CTR, and a $6 RPE
• Search abandonment emails saw a 57% open rate, 10% CTR and a $5 RPE

Promotional Email Case Study – Dannon

(Source)

Dannon sought to acquire new customers while re-engaging inactive email subscribers with their promotional email campaign. Using the Activia email club database, the campaign would drive awareness and traffic with a combination of email and social sharing.

The challenge was to reach beyond their list and drive awareness with new consumers for in-store purchases.Customer acquisition was the key goal through campaign social sharing so they could grow their CRM database. The last essential piece was re-engaging inactive users in the database.

Thix promotional email example would be delivered throughout a one-month period and utilize rewards-sharing software to facilitate engagement. The goal was to provide inactive database users with a $1.00 discount coupon for a 4-pack of Activia yogurt. To boost the appeal of the offer, these users were incentivized to share across social channels to receive another promotional offer, $1.50 off the same product. Both sharing behavior and customer loyalty were the key metrics to watch.

At the end of the month-long promotion, data showed top-performing retail locations and redemption rates. This was superb, as it allowed marketers to segment the database and assisted with future targeted promotional email campaigns. Dannon’s coupon-sharing promotion was an effective cross-channel program for driving sales and awareness while developing a deeper understanding of customer behavior.

The Results:

• 30,000 additional customers in the database
• 70%+ promotional traffic from new customers
• 250% increase in traffic to promotion
• 61% redemptorist for higher-value offer
• 40,000 shares on social media
• 22,000 redemptions
• 90% of new customers are Dannon email club subscribers
• 5% of current inactive database re-engaged

Promotional Email Case Study – Doggyloot

(Source)

A flash sale site for canine lovers, Doggyloot leverages shopper’s pets to fill out their customer profile. Instead of focusing on shopper data, the marketing team at Doggyloot segments and personalizes promotional email based upon “doggy data.” Namely, the size of the dog. For example, the owner of a Chihuahua receives different product promotions than the Greyhound owner.

“We can send a customized email for large dogs to a customer, which should have a better conversion rate because it’s more relevant.”

— Jeff Eckerling, CEO, Doggyloot

The marketing starts by collecting “doggy data” on the website. Visitors are prompted to answer “How big are your dogs?” when they land. The next step: an email address. Visitors are barred from seeing the flash sales until they register this information. Not your average, but effective nonetheless, as users who responded to surveys didn’t seem to mind the offer-gating in order to access discounted prices.

The challenge with segmenting came from getting users to provide more in-depth doggy data. “We knew if customers gave us more relevant information, we could deliver better products to them at the right time,” said Eckerling. The team added a “My Dogs” page to the user profile, complete with pet birthday, gender, size, breed, and name.

The email campaign started by offering the subscriber a $5 credit to share a dog birthday. The CTAs brought subscribers to the My Dogs page. Learning more about customers would enable Doggyloot to provide better sales, yes, but also offer more targeted promotions. The marketing team segmented the email list by size, as in small dogs, medium, and large. After all, a terrier and a rottweiler want for a bone of a different size.

Next came the automated email for dog birthdays (dog birthday cake anyone?). Owners were eager to spoil their pets at this relevant touch point. Cart abandon promotional emails were key as well, especially incentivized and time-sensitive for the flash site. An hour after leaving the site, the triggered email would arrive, declaring their product “almost sold out.” To make the cart conversion, each email was fitted with the product image and a clear, action-oriented CTA.

The Results:

• A 28% open rate for happy birthday emails
• A 750% increase in clickthrough rate on triggered happy birthday emails
• A 16% contribution to daily total revenue
• A 10% open rate for emails targeting large dog owners
• A 410% higher than average click through rate for promotional email sent to large dog owners
• A 13% contribution to daily total revenue

The Last Word

Email promotions reach subscribers in a targeted way in a personal space. This means that a data-driven promotional email campaign is effective if crafted with persuasive copy and linear calls-to-action. As we’ve seen through these promotional email examples, the best promotional emails are always relevant to the customer segment.

Brands can use triggered messaging to drive engagement, product sales and activate inactive customers. The first step is developing a clear view of the customer, using the existing customer database and their profile details (purchase, website, and email activity)

Next, design a visually appealing email with concise copy that drives action. Lastly, segment your email messages with personalized attributes so your messaging is relevant to your customer and fits the context of their shopping experience.

Author : Brandon Gains

This article originally appeared on Referral SaaSquatch

Email open rates are vital to the success of your email marketing campaigns. Up until now, there really hasn’t been one silver bullet that will ensure an increase in email open rates. However, emojis can be that sure thing if they are done right. There are a few things to consider before spraying your subject lines with emojis because they have to be done with finesse. Know your audience and the demographics to ensure that your audience “gets” the emoji meanings. You also have to have the right tone with your emojis and make sure that your audience understands your tone and meaning and it doesn’t come across as unprofessional. Lastly, you should test your subject lines on all platforms to make sure that your emojis will render properly. Once you have those concerns under control, here are four benefits for using emojis.

1. Increased open rates: The most important reason for using emojis in your email subject lines is the increase in open rates that have been reported. According to Experian, 56% of brands that used emojis in their emails subject lines saw a higher open rate.
2. Save space: The old saying of “a picture is worth a thousand words” applies, in short order, to emojis. You can save space with an emoji and shorter subject lines are usually more effective. Especially when it comes to mobile, saving space is a priority.
3. Convey emotion and personality: Emojis can convey emotion. So, in addition to saving space, they can also quickly convey an emotion to your email recipients. It is sometimes hard for companies to convey emotion or find that emotional connection with customers, emojis can show the lighter side. Emojis can make your company appear more personable.
4. Stand out in the crowd: Emojis can help your email stand out in the inbox. One of the reasons for the higher open rate can be how much those emojis stand out against all the text that usually fills the inbox.

Summary and takeaways for your company

This doesn’t mean to flood your email subject lines with emojis. Instead, heed the warning signs and considerations, and then begin to use emojis. Then you can reap the benefits from using emojis in your email subject lines including increased open rates, save space, convey emotion, and your emails will stand out in the crowded inbox.

Author : Richard Larson

This article originally appeared on Biznology

Smart marketers know the awesome power of email for driving engagement and creating loyal, long-term customers.

But traditional email marketing – with content that adapts to each of your customers’ individual needs – just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Over the past five years, two of the biggest shifts in email have been the rise of personalized, story-based marketing and the fruition of billions of dollars invested in dynamic pricing for online travel agency infrastructure in key verticals like travel and hospitality.

But marketers face a mighty challenge: you have to build credibility, create personalized marketing at scale and accurately deliver the ever-changing pricing and inventory that comes along with many industries … or risk losing customers to your competitors who can.

The Movable Ink Real-Time Pricing Solution helps marketers boost engagement with real-time pricing and inventory. Check it out!
Creating personalized, real-time email campaigns is a challenge

One thing’s for sure: ESPs aren’t equipped to help marketers compete on real-time pricing and availability. Why? Integrating your product catalog with an ESP is a massive undertaking, requiring excessive time and organizational alignment to get the job done.

And if your team doesn’t have a solid understanding of proprietary protocols and scripting languages, good luck using that data once the integration is complete.

Most product catalogs can’t track trends on product views, searches and sales – and even if yours does, that data may not be sent to your ESP for 24 hours, leaving you with stale promotions and unhappy customers.

ESPs are great at sending millions of messages at once, but they can’t drive engagement with dynamic content generation like data visualization, social proof or automatically updating email content on the fly.

And speaking of automation, productivity is challenging when you have to hand-code, design and assemble every single email you send. Trying to manage the production process while pricing is constantly changing is a major headache.

Finally, managing separate programs for each of your campaigns – as opposed to using the same intelligent app to power, say, your cart abandonment emails and your weekly newsletter – is another productivity killer.

The bottom line? Without a solution that lets you deliver accurate, real-time pricing and inventory that drives engagement and improves productivity, you’re making it too easy for your competitors to win.

3 ways to win with real-time pricing and inventory

Real-time email content that answers your customers’ biggest needs at the moment of open is a must-have. It builds trust with your customers because they know you can rely on your brand for accurate, up-to-the-second information. Here are just a few ways that brands in the travel and hospitality industry are using real-time, personalized email content.

Boost conversions with real-time pricing

Picture this: You receive an email promoting a super affordable cruise. It just so happens that you could really use a vacation, so you click on the offer. But, wait! The offer on the website is more expensive than the one promoted in the email. You feel misled and unsubscribe from that brand’s emails.

This scenario is far too common in the travel and hospitality industry, where prices and inventory are constantly changing. If your email content doesn’t match your website content and doesn’t update in real-time, your customers could lose trust in your brand altogether.

But with real-time pricing, you make it easy for your customers to complete a purchase because all of the information in your email is accurate and up-to-date.

Re-engage customers with irresistible deals

According to CPC Strategy, 68% of online shoppers abandon their cart. That’s why an appropriately-timed abandoned cart email is a must-have for every marketer.

A good abandoned cart email will automatically display an item or items that your customer recently added to their cart. A great abandoned cart email will include live pricing and inventory to let them know that they have limited time to act. It’s the perfect way to drive additional urgency and engagement in your campaigns.

Help customers score the best airline seats

If you’re a busy traveler, the last thing you want to worry about is choosing the right airline seat. Imagine being able to see a live map of all the available seats on your flight, including prices and upgrades.

That’s one way airlines are using real-time pricing and inventory to drive incremental add-ons in their emails. Upgrades are a huge source of revenue across industries, and providing accurate, real-time upgrade information right in your emails makes it easy for customers to purchase add-ons quickly and easily.

And while you’re at it, why not a real-time flight status to your email? Your customers will love the convenience, and it’s a great way to build trust.

Create better experiences with real-time pricing and inventory

Delivering emails that contain real-time pricing and inventory is one of the best ways to build trust with your customers. Want to learn about even more ways that innovative brands are using real-time content? Check out our eBook, the Movable Ink Real-Time Pricing Solution.

Author : Kristen Dunleavy

This article originally appeared on Movable Ink Blog