That's why AWeber lets people customize settings for each of their subscriber lists. One of those settings is the company logo they want displayed in their campaign.
In the past, they've had to upload their logo elsewhere and provide the URL in their list settings for their logo to appear.
Well, we've got a little surprise for our customers. Things are about to get easier around here.
Well, they're not doing much. Most of their messages are infrequent and uninspired. Worse, many bands haven't sent anything at all.
Why is this? I've got some theories of my own. And then I want to hear what you have to say.
We'd be excited, too! Unfortunately, they're pretty busy people, and some of them are no longer with us. And it's hard to get a medium on such short notice.
So we're here to offer the next best thing: their words of wisdom, explained in terms of your email marketing.
These men are the towering giants of the marketing field, but giants don't have frighten us. Instead, they can be something to look up to.
And sometimes, they can reach down with their advice and lend us a hand so we're just a little closer to the top.
Eugene Schwartz, legendary for selling over $1 billion with his writing
Writing marketing messages gets easier the better you know your product. Whether you're selling a book or protein powder, "hold the product until it surrenders its strength to you," says Schwartz.
Then every time you feature it in an email, you'll have something new to rave about. Some people may not "click" with a product at first, but pitch it from a new angle, and they'll have to have it.
Claude Hopkins, "the granddaddy of hard sell copywriting"
If your product is good, it will sell itself better than any ad you could write. You just have to get samples out there.
But samples cost money, so Hopkins advised giving them only to people who take effort to demonstrate interest. And that's what people do when they sign up for your email marketing.
So if you're selling something you can break into samples, offer them to your list. Link to a page where they can fill out their mailing info. And make sure to ask for feedback!
(List too big? Send the offer only to your most loyal readers - segment by date added to target those who've been around the longest.)
Gary Halbert, no-holds-barred cult marketing expert
Your newsletter isn't enough. You need to send yourself. You need to show up as vividly as a salesperson standing on the doorstep.
And when you get there, make your point. Your greeting, your "voice," the things you do to be polite and friendly are all important. But don't forget why you dropped by.
Whether you use a riveting picture or a strong call to action, make your point clearly and firmly.
John Caples, the godfather of the advertising world
We fret over copy, we pull our hair out over design. But the huge conversions happen when you get to the heart of the matter: the appeal.
The appeal is the reason people purchase. It's the idea they're seeking. It's the words they wrap that idea in.
Caples gave the example of life insurance. It can mean peace of mind, prestigious schools for the children, estate planning, retirement savings, or the breadwinner casting a safety net. The question is, which one resonates with your audience?
"And it's not something you can guess at, or infer from your own prejudices," Caples said. To find it? "You've got to test."
Joe Vitale, marketing's "Mr. Fire"
It's easy to get attention. Just give people something for free - a gift, a discount, whatever you'd like to offer as an incentive to subscribe.
But it's far more important that the emails that follow (and the products you're selling) are just as gripping.
We'll never tell you to skimp on your marketing your newsletter. But we do recommend spending time developing that newsletter until it's worth the attention. Then, get creative trying to attract that attention.
Gary Bencivenga, "magic bullet"-style sales coach
You can't sell to someone without knowing who that someone is. So you'll need to spend some time analyzing your customers. In practical steps, you can discover your "who" on three levels:
This may sound like a hassle, until you realize you're hearing the beat of popular culture, able to target your messages with laser precision.
These lessons demand hard work. The forming of new habits. The changing of a mindset. In return, they'll change the way you market and the way your market responds.
What do you say? Are you up for the challenge?
Original: Inbox Ideas
There will always be an overwhelming amount of information swirling around the email marketing universe. New tactics, practices and services will constantly vie for your attention, even when your newsletter content was due to go out yesterday and your sign up form could desperately use a redesign.
From time to time, you probably wonder, "How can I possibly be responsible for deploying an email campaign when I can barely keep up with the constant chatter about what's new and fresh?"
Never fear! Email marketing doesn't have to be as overwhelming as it might sometimes seem. If you take a Zen approach - one that focuses on making the process simple - you'll find that you actually look forward to working on your campaign, if only for a few moments of peace!
Are you dipping a toe in the email marketing waters simply because everyone else is? Because your boss heard from a friend that it can do great things for your business? In other marketing mediums that would not be an acceptable reason for participation.
You wouldn't spend millions on a Super Bowl commercial because someone told you to. You shouldn't invest time and money into email if you're not sure why you're using it in the first place, either, even if it is the most cost-effective marketing method out there.
Decide why you're emailing and set a goal for realistic goal for your campaign. Maybe you want to inspire brand recognition or build your prospect list. Perhaps you're looking to increase profit, or give away a free report to website visitors. Whatever it is, establish your purpose and stick to it.
There's no time like the present to make your campaign shine. Forget about making your newsletter look like the one Target sent last week. You're only one person, and you only have a limited amount of time to make your message happen.
The quest for "perfection" often debilitates individual emailers. If you're easily discouraged because your message isn't highly styled or doesn't include lots of pictures, don't beat yourself up. It's ok!
Do what you can with the time that you have. Only have twenty minutes? Focus on the meat of your message: the points that you have to make and the offers you must to extend to your readers no matter what.
Take a good look at how new subscribers are added to your list. Start by going to your website and walking through the sign up process as though you've never seen the page before in your life, or by watching a friend search around for your form.
Is it hard to find, or hidden by lots of text and links? Do you inadvertently drive visitors from signing up to receive your newsletter because it's simply too difficult to do?
Never let that happen again! Remove any and all obstacles from sign up. De-clutter your website. It's one of the easiest ways to ensure that new visitors will see your form and sign up to receive your information.
As with anything important in life, email marketing requires a certain stick-to-itiveness. You can't expect it to do great things for your business if you aren't willing to give it proper attention.
Sending a message here and there is really not an indication of a serious campaign. If you want your company to be seen as an authority in your field, you need to put in the effort to create a timely, relative newsletter.
Make a plan. Create a newsletter schedule and stick to it. If you inform subscribers of your message frequency when they subscribe, consider it a contract. You have to honor the commitment so that you aren't coming up short of their expectations.
While it's always important to grow your list and increase your business' following, at the end of the day, always remember to be grateful for the things you already have.
Think about the subscribers who are already on your list, the clicks you've already tracked and the content plans you're making for your next newsletter.
Take a look at what other email marketers are thankful for - they've kindly shared their blessings with us!
With all of the hustle and bustle of running an email campaign, we know how tiring it can be to keep producing high quality work.
Remember to keep these principles in mind the next time you're feeling stressed - they should soothe your marketing nerves!
Original: Inbox Ideas
Many marketers have discovered that their brand is stronger if they market through both channels. They've developed networks of social followers at the same time they've grown their subscriber list
s.And a few marketers have taken the next step, merging their email and social campaigns for the best results of all.
Here's how they're doing it.
Have a lot of email subscribers? Summon them to your Twitter feed. Big audience on Facebook? Request the pleasure of their company on your blog.
Each person probably has one platform they're most comfortable with. But they may initially encounter you on other channels. Give them the option to follow you where they prefer, or they may drop you altogether.
Include a small summons within each message or, like Tiffany's, send a separate email to give the decision more significant weight.
Hold a contest related to your brand. For example, Boondock Saints director Troy Duffy launched a mobile game tournament for fans.
You can do something as simple as asking for new product suggestions. Have your readers submit their answers either through email or social, wherever your audience is largest.
Tell them you'll announce the winners on the channel you're trying to grown. Link to a place where they can sign up to meet you there!
You may already have a large, active audience on Facebook or Twitter and be looking to grow your email subscriber list (or vise versa).
Collect comments and requests from them on one medium and address them on the other. People who see your responses may click over to see what all the chatter is about.
Are you active on social networks as well as email marketing?
Do you find that each place has a different purpose? How do you try to get your audience into the channel where they're most likely to "stick"?
By: Inbox Ideas
Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest places. On my way to work today, Lada Gaga radio on Pandora was straight killing it. As I seat-danced my way into the office, I started thinking about what an awesome businesswoman Gaga is.
In the interesting way that my brain sometimes works early in the morning, I exclaimed at a red light, "Lady Gaga is the perfect email marketing advisor!" to no one in particular.
I know what you're thinking. She's totally brilliant, but what could Lady Gaga possibly have to do with email marketing? Stick with me for a few, I promise the similarities are there.
Sure, she's a world famous pop star and all, but Lady Gaga's work ethic and business techniques apply to so many industries besides music. Quirky and one of a kind, the girl can do no wrong. Follow this advice and you can have a #1 hit too: your email campaign!
Early in her career, Gaga (known then as Stefani) was just your average brunette. There was nothing earth-shatteringly eccentric about the New York City native. She wore clothes from Abercrombie and generally fit in with the crowd until realizing that being average wasn't enough to get noticed.
Just because you've had the same web form on your sign up page for 2 years and your plain text email has a consistent open rate doesn't mean that you should always stick to what you know.
What if changing to HTML causes a significant boost in loyal readers? What if asking for less information on your web form causes more people to sign up to your newsletter? Give it a try - switch things up! Then split test and find out what truly works for you. Don't know what to test? Here are a few split test ideas to get you started.
In a musical sense, Lady Gaga set herself apart from the crowd from the get-go. Amidst a sea of cookie cutter pop princesses, Gaga made a name for herself by being daring, unique and multi-talented. Did you know that she writes all of her own music and is a classically trained pianist?
In order to make an impact with email marketing, you have to be different. If you set out to be like everyone else in your industry that sends email, you won't have the greatest results.
What are your talents? What is it that your business is especially good at that other companies cannot come close to? Focus on your strengths - they are the core of a successful campaign, and they're different for everyone.
Lady Gaga is quite humble when it comes to the influence her fans have on her success. She credits them, her self-dubbed "little monsters," with much of her mainstream popularity. She even went so far as to tattoo "Little Monsters" on her arm!
While you don't have to be as zealous as Gaga (explaining a tattoo of your list name to your grandkids could prove to be a tad difficult), remember that your list would be nowhere if it weren't for your subscribers.
If you've been sending email for a while, or even if you're just starting out, you have a group of people rooting for you - your very own "little email monsters!" Show them your appreciation for your by offering a giveaway or hosting a contest only open to people on your email list.
Like many creative performers, Lady Gaga turns to the bands she has always loved when she's looking for inspiration. (Powerhouse artists like David Bowie, Queen, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Elton John are her biggest influences.) Looking to the past and observing what other heavy-hitters are up to is a good idea no matter what industry you're in.
In order to easily monitor what other email marketers are sending and how often they're sending it, create a free email account with a service like Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail. Sign up for newsletters from similar companies and brands that you admire, then make note of the things that you're particularly impressed with. Next time you're sending an email, you can include them too!
Is your relationship with your email campaign more a Love Game or a Bad Romance? (Couldn't help it...just had to make the reference eventually!)
Let us know how you shake things up and set yourself apart from the crowd in the spirit of all things Gaga. We'd love to hear from you!
Via: Inbox Ideas
Maybe you resolved to get on the ball and send more often. Or maybe you suspect you've been overwhelming your readers, so you plan to send less.
Either way, you've got some decisions to make. Do you tell your readers to expect the change in frequency? If you do, where, when and how do you tell them?
Let's take a look at how Threadless handled a recent frequency change. Would you do things the same way?
It all started on a whim, really. Our web designer Bob had a hankering for a burrito and his partner-in-crime Eric suggested California Tortilla. Soon enough, developers and CS members caught on and began to tag along
.One day, as sometimes happens when you work for an email marketing company, the lunchtime conversation turned to the topic of email. "Dude, California Tortilla sends me awesome emails," Eric stated mid-bite.
Dude, awesome? After such a bold claim, I had to see these "awesome" emails. Skeptical, I asked Eric to forward them to me when we got back to the office so that I could see for myself. He was right! Their emails are pretty awesome and they include easy things that you can do so that your email marketing campaigns are awesome, too.
When you dine at California Tortilla as much as we do, it's beneficial to become what they call a Burrito Elito, or a card carrying member of their loyalty reward program. From the moment you sign up, they shake up your inbox with fun and informative emails about your account.
Their welcome message is particularly engaging, because it does a few important things that every email campaign should do. It clearly explains:
Part of the reason that we go back to California Tortilla every Tuesday is their rewards program. After a few trips, each of us earns enough points to enjoy a lunch for free.
When we're close to receiving a free burrito, Cali Tort sends us a reminder via email to let us know that we have free goodies coming our way. Giving freebies via email is a great way to build a loyal subscriber base. If it's something you're interested in doing, you should always:
While lots of businesses send birthday emails, California Tortilla's message is extra sweet. On your birthday, you get a free burrito! In our office, this is a big deal and grants the birthday girl or boy bragging rights for the day.
Sending a special message to your subscribers at the beginning of their birthday month, you can really catch them by surprise with a personal touch by:
As you can see, their emails aren't intricately designed. In fact, each one contains only an image or two and some text. Their content is what makes their series a success - they infuse personality into each message.
California Tortilla has fun with their subscribers and the playful atmosphere of their restaurants carries over to their emails. After all, subscribers don't want to read emails that sound too corporate or too impersonal. They want to know that companies are human, too.
Do your emails set the tone? Are they playful and welcoming? We'd love to know! Tell us more in the comments below.
Origin: Inbox Ideas
Generic discount alerts and %-off offers won't cut it. Everyone sends those. Dull and disconnected from any audience, they might as well be churned out of an ad factory.
Instead, focus on connecting with your readers. Show that the solution you're offering is right for their needs, because you understand those needs - you're right there with them, experiencing the struggles and joys of these times.
And how do you do that?
Whether it's the long-awaited rescue of the Chilean miners or the finale of Dancing With the Stars, your subscribers are always talking about something. Talk about it with them, and suddenly you're their buddy at the water cooler and they're all ears.
Not quite sure how to pull this off? Well, we recently stumbled upon a few emails that did this well. And if you promise not to copy them exactly, we'll share them so you can get your own ideas flowing...
Goodness knows there were plenty of ways to get creative with Christmas emails, but even with the holidays past, there's plenty nto talk about. If they hear it from you first, they'll be impressed. Plus, they'll appreciate the fact that they're now in the know.
Here, Mike's Cigars frames their wares in terms of the new NASA project. Readers get two perks: a discount and a topic for lunchtime conversation. Next time Mike's emails, they'll be twice as likely to open for more.
If your readers are observing Election Day - well, so are you! They won't be able to help but notice when your message reflects what's already on their minds.
Gourmet gift store Harry and David wanted to showcase all the available varieties of their trademark snack mix. So they presented each as a contender in their own electoral race.
While the voting took place on Facebook, the main body led back to an order page - always a good place for readers to go.
Cocktail parties, the office water cooler, your email campaign...no matter where you are, the weather is always a relevant topic.
Barnes & Noble knows this. During a recent snowstorm in the Northeast United States, they sent subscribers in that region a very appropriate offer.
First of all, B & N knew we were snowed in - impressive from the start. Secondly, they provided something for us to do (other than e-shop). And finally, in case non-Nook-owning subscribers felt left out (which I did), they offered other ways to read the e-books. Who could resist?
What's going on in the next month? Check a calendar. Check the news.
Does anything you see tie in naturally with your business? Is anything especially fitting for a celebration with your subscribers? Or is an upcoming event the perfect launch for that new product? Stay on the lookout!
And if current event emails just don't work for your brand, here are six other techniques you can try.
How do you make your emails more relevant? Tell us below - we want to hear your stories!
Hat Tip To: Inbox Ideas
