The Works of Marketing with Ray INDEX
August 6, 2002• Volume 2 Issue 9
E-mail Marketing & Creative ... 7 Ideas
The "process" of writing E-mail marketing messages is being learned very rapidly.
One reason is it is so quick. It is easy to learn what works ... and what does not. By simply trying something - almost any marketing idea. You'll know in hours (sometimes minutes) if it is a good thing, or not. It could be the best thing about E-mail marketing is it is fast.
Yet, getting ready still takes time. As much time as you spend writing a full page print ad, a direct mail package, a corporate sales brochure. Well, something equal to that must happen for you to have a successful E-mail marketing result. Here are a few creative and marketing tips;
#1). You have 3-4-5-6-7 or maybe 8 seconds
This is not news to anyone in advertising, marketing, sales promotion, direct marketing. With the scores to hundreds - and "yes" - even thousands of impressions offered every day, you have only a few seconds to grab full attention.
A prime reason I'm not and won't be on the now readily available "do not call lists", is I can get rid of a telemarketer I do not want to talk to in less than a dozen seconds. The reason I've stopped taking myself off spam lists (see article of July 23) is because the "delete" key works like magic. And besides, sometimes I learn something.
If I can do it - so can your prospects. Know you have only a few seconds to be very, very good.
#2). Your Subject Line is your teaser copy ... and more
The place to begin being very, very good is with your Subject Line. What that says is critical to even your best customers opening your E-marketing message.
When practical, personalize. People still buy from people - not companies. When you talk 1:1 with your audience you are much more likely to be received. Names are a marvelous creation - use 'em when you can.
Subject Lines - generally - work best when they are short. Opposite direct mail, where long is just fine. So, try different approaches to find what works best for you. There is no right way, or wrong way. There is only the way that works best for you. And you do not care what it is. You do care that you know what it is!
#3). Content has been, is, & will remain "King"
"Yes", story telling is in. After you have your prospects attention!
It's probably because the screen is not 3-D, and because most audiences receive more E-mail than direct mail every day ... people are in a hurry. Meaning your offer must be up front. Remember the 3-8 seconds mentioned in #1.
Once you've grabbed eye-balls, you can go into as much depth as you wish. With stories and testimonials and case histories. Whatever it takes. Offer links to related topics and your web site, side-bars within the article - many options are available. Use them.
Again - generally - messages that are overall shorter than direct mail seem to work best. Yet, not always.
BONUS: When your message is long I've seen a "collection approach" ... a series of messages within the main ... work well. Each with a Bold Headline and several paragraphs of descriptive copy. And then on to the next point. Almost a bang-bang-bang blitz. This allows, in fact almost encourages, skim reading - and yet, still keeps your prospect with you. Try it.
#4). Copy first ... then Design, Layout, Format
Without copy, text, content, you have nothing.
Still, know that today the world is color and graphics. Movies have moved from acting to a vast mass of set design, costumes and special affects ... and very little decent dialogue. Thus, I'm not a movie goer ... I like real stories that have real acting.
Yet, what I like doesn't matter. What does matter is your graphics support your copy. "Dah" you say - isn't that the same line you've tossed our way about direct mail? And every DM medium? "Yes" it is. As it applies to E-mail marketing, too. Did you think it didn't? I hope not!
Color, typeface and its' size, your overall "look" can bring your reader in ... or turn them away. So, work your best copy - and then present it in the best looking way for your product, your service, your company ... and most importantly, your marketplace.
#5). Short or Long ... whatever works
Some call me the Lone Ranger here ... they talk only short.
Wrong!
No marketing message is ever short. Ever! Or long. It is only interesting. Or uninteresting. Period. PERIOD!
Gets down to audience ... whatever you send, send it to the right person. Send me something about gardening and I'm gone in less than 3 seconds. I yard work as a kid - and I'm just not going to do it any more. Yet, send me something about Harley-Davidson and you've got me for as long as you wish. As I truly love to ride. And ride. And ride.
Now, "how" you send it - "yes", that matters, too. You need to be quick about it. Begin faaast. See #3 above. Yet quick and fast is neither short nor long. They are different. First, pick the right audience and then be interesting.
#6). Test!
E-mail marketing is the best tool ever invented to test one idea vs. another.
Another DM point you've heard me preach is "test - test - test". Many say they don't have time. Or money. Neither answer is true with E-mail. As the medium is so quick and so inexpensive it is folly not to test every time you mail.
If nothing else, try a new subject line. You can always "tweak" your offer ... maybe a bonus one time and a small take-a-way the next time. Price is a sure fire test topic. You can test age-groups against each other, men vs. women, education and income levels, geography - almost any demographic and psychographic characteristic.
You already know the sales points that move the most prospects to become your customers. And to move others "up" to the next level. So, test them up and down - try variations. And try everything on any new marketplace you enter.
"Yes", test - test - test!
#7). Give your readers what they ask for
It's simple; if they prefer your E-marketing message in HTML - give it to them that way. If they want text - give it to them that way. If a good size group of your marketplace is an AOL customer - give it to them that way.
There was a time, and it wasn't long ago, when I would not have said this. It was text, or nothing. Well, upgrade packages, cable, broadband and other technology have changed. Meaning, you need to invest a tad more time and money and offer your customers customer service. Including your E-marketing sent the way they want it.
As you can guess - it would be easy to double this list. Yet, enough is enough. At least for today. So, that's it. "See" you next week.
Anonymous
In this fast paced world (this E-zine is an example of speed, impatience, being in a hurry ... that's what E-mail marketing is all about!) sometimes it's tough to see a reason to slow down.
Anonymous has an interesting thought on this topic;
"Never become irritable waiting for things to get better.
If you'll be patient you'll find you can wait much faster."
"Quotes with Direction" has been a part of my web site collection from day one. If you like quotes visit the archives ... www.rayjutkins.com/quotes/. There's a new batch up every 4 weeks.
What's Next?
... from Monday, December 17, 2001 B.C.
I'm ready to share this "new" concept with you.
And I'm ready to do it today. To book an hour or two or three to give you this different, interesting, meaningful, warm and true action presentation. To your club. Your company. Your organization. Your association. Any group you have.
A true and "live" message. It shares putting things in perspective. i.e., first things first. You know, like many of us (including me!) don't do. At home or the office.
This presentation is about how each of us, in our business lives and personal lives, will get more out of life when we re-arrange our thinking. When our actions mirror what we know we should do. Many think one way - act another. This set is about how to do what we know we should - and do it every time.
Interested? E-mail me ... Ray@RayJutkins.com and let's make it happen. Look forward to hearing from you. Soon.
Baker's Dozen
13 Platinum "To Do's" To Get More Response
This is a statement I can agree with;
"Each and every element in a direct mail package,
space ad, on your WWW site - anywhere - is equally important."
Yet, often the response device of a direct marketing campaign appears to have resulted from left over thinking.
Since the bottom line is response - here are 13 Platinum "To Do's" To Get More Response from your next DM effort. From your direct mail BRCard, application form, faxback sheet, coupon in mail or a newspaper or magazine, off your web site. No matter the media, no matter the device - 13 things "to do".
For the complete list of 13 "click" here.
Magic Marketing Minutes
Each week I'll share with you a different direct mail marketing tip.
If you're not using direct mail, maybe you should!
No matter, many of these ideas work for other media, too. Read, and give 'em a try. If you are making direct mail a part of your marketing - EnJoy!
When is Admail Best?
Jim Knobs introduced this idea to me. There are at least 8 situations when Admail is most likely to work.
- When you can clearly identify your target audience. If you can't clearly identify your audience, Admail is not for you.
- Now that you've clearly identified the audience, where can you reach them? Identifying them on paper is one thing. Reaching them with your message is an entirely different and separate effort. You must be able to do both if your Admail is to be successful.
- When you have a lot to say. When your service requires a long explanation. Or it's difficult. Or unique. Or different. Or something is special about it. And you need time and space to say it.
- When your product has continuity, repeat sales, follow-on sales. When you have the kind of product which can be easily ordered and re-ordered time and time again. Then Admail is for you.
- When you need to control the entire selling message or process. When you don't want your independent sales reps doing the job fair...or you at least want to control the message. So, you use Admail to get the leads, to qualify the leads and then let the sales force do their part.
- When you want to build a model that can be repeated. In this instance you want to set the standards, and then let your sales reps do the work. So use Admail to shake out the marketplace, to set the sdtandarse and then make it available to your entire sales operation.
- When your product or service doesn't really fit other distribution channels, so you sell direct. Which is what the mail-order business is all about. Many items are being sold by mail-order because it's the only economical way to distribute the product.
- When you want less visibility in the marketplace. When you don't want the whole world to know what you're doing, Admail is perfect for segmenting your market, and testing.
8 things to know when you think about developing an Admail campaign.
For more marketing tips, visit http://www.rayjutkins.com/mmm/.
Ray on the Road
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Ray & his friend "Harley-Davidson" are touring the USA during August. He's running up the West coast -- across the top, down the East, and back.Why? Well, it's easy. He's out to "see America." And to visit with family & friends - no matter where they are. Maybe he'll see you! |
Shared Vision - worth looking at!
Recently I've been introduced to Shared Vision. This is one of the special events they support. If you're about, you may wish to support it, too.
Top National Speakers Come to Phoenix
for Boys And Girls Club of East Valley Fundraiser
Members of the Arizona Enlightened Millionaire Program are hosting a fundraiser entitled, "Bridge to New Possibilities - A Children's Legacy Fundraiser," to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley's Guardian for Kids program. The event is a daylong seminar featuring 6 best-selling authors and speakers on Monday, August 12 from 9am-5pm at the Marriott Airport, 1101 N. 44th St. Registration begins at 8am, the fee is $50.00 (tax deductible donation) and lunch is provided. To register go to www.sharedvisionnetwork.com or call Shared Vision at 480-634-4020.
Presenters from the Boys and Girls Club will be on hand as well to share how this money will be utilized in their Guardian for Kids Program.
Speakers for the day and their topics include:
Robert Allen - Robert Allen is the author of two of the largest selling financial books in history; both #1 New York Times best sellers -- read by millions of people in the past 20 years. Robert will discuss: Multiple Streams of Income: How to Generate a Lifetime of Unlimited Wealth.
Bob Proctor - A teacher of prosperity for 40 years, Bob teaches getting rich is the result of doing things in a "Certain Way." If you could create income at will, how much would you create? When would you start? Learn practical tips that teach you how to begin practicing the "Certain Way" in your life.
James Piccolo - Local Valley President and C.E.O. of iWizard Holding Inc. iWizard is being touted as the future of communication, with cutting edge internet marketing. He will demonstrate this and also address why and how he and his company has committed to giving back to children and the importance it has for all of us to be role models and teachers of our future.
Steven Bhaerman - Author, humorist, educator and full-time comedian "Swami Beyondananda" focuses his teachings on "Comedy As a Healing Art." A laugh-filled, insightful talk on the healing powers of humor, and how to bring more of it into your life. Learn to turn tension into release, pain into insight, rigidity into flexibility and separation into connectedness. You'll laugh while you learn, and learn while you laugh!
Austin Vickers - Austin Vickers, author of the new book, Soul Matters, applies skills of questioning he learned as a trial lawyer, to uncover truths about the soul and how it operates behind the scenes in all areas of our life - including work and our relationships. His process will transform your life.
The Enlightened Millionaire program was started by Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the best-selling "Chicken Soup for the Soul," series and best-selling author Robert Allen. They have just published the book "The One Minute Millionaire." The program is a 12-month training to become an enlightened millionaire--a millionaire whose abundance supports both their personal goals, their community and the world. For more information visit the website www.milleagles.com.