Posts Tagged ‘email segmentation’
Posted by Drew Miller on October 8th, 2009
Nobody can argue the value of segmentation in email marketing campaigns. For those marketers that are blessed with rich customer data and the wealth of segmentation opportunities it provides, the real issue is choosing what to segment (lucky them). But for those whose data is thinner than a deli slice of black forest ham, the goal is to fatten up just so the opportunity to segment can even exist. If you happen to fall in the latter group, you need not to worry. Here are 4 steps that can help fill out those loose pants (your customer database):
1. Make Time
Segmentation sounds easy enough in theory, but building a more robust database doesn’t happen overnight or by simply snapping your fingers, it takes time. Make a schedule and stick to it. Need some motivation? Learn reasons why you should find the time for email marketing segmentation.
2. Determine What Data to Use
This may be pretty cut and dry for some, and a challenge for others. You need to have a firm grasp on who your target audience is and the capabilities/resources you have to market to them. Check out 5 ways to discover key data fields for segmenting your email marketing campaigns.
3. Capture Your Data
There are several ways to go about acquiring more data on your customers, and it’s important to take the right approach that doesn’t lead to remorse or abandonment. Learn 3 simple ways to capture data for email marketing segmentation.
4. Test Your Data
Testing is an important component of all successful email marketing campaigns. For instance, if you are a lawn equipment company, you might try geographic segmentation using zip code to vary your message depending on where someone lives. If you are a shoe retailer, gender might be a good segmentation tactic to use. Learn more about the benefits of testing in this quick video.
Building a more well rounded database is no simple task. The real key is taking a baby step approach and exercising patience. By planting the right type of seed under the right conditions, you could be well on your way to “fatter” customer data.
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Posted by Mike Ferguson on June 25th, 2009
Ok, I had to keep the word relevance out of the title of this post, as I didn’t want to stereotype myself and be YAEMOAS (yet another email marketer on a soapbox). However, after having recently returned from Boston and spending a few days 100% immersed in the world of retailers at the Internet Retailer Conference, I must say it reinforces a few things.
No arguing, times are tough for retailers — just ask Eddie Bauer. I heard a quote floating around last week that “even is the new growth.” While you may or may not agree with that, and that would most likely depend on your business model and industry, we can all agree times have been easier. But as with any change, there is opportunity hidden in the shifting landscape. The silver-lining theme of this year’s conference was “Rising Above — Not Just Surviving the Economic Storm.”
Prior to my presentation at the workshops, I had the opportunity to talk to a lot of different attendees, exhibitors, and sit in on some other presentations. There was an obvious focus on relevance with people exploring and asking about how to improve results and get much needed lifts in email metrics that would directly correlate to dollars. I can’t say I’ve been to a conference in a long time where all of the attendees seemed as legitimately interested in the show’s content as they were in getting out of the office for a few days.
In his presentation, Jack Love of Internet Retailer, shared some revealing metrics regarding the growth of e-retail channels over the past two years. And while the rate of growth has declined, overall, there is still growth in the e-retail channel. However, most of the growth came from the top 50 companies. And within the top 5 e-retail growth were two very familiar names: Amazon and Apple.
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Posted by George Palatine on May 5th, 2009
With spring in the air now, many people will begin their yearly routine of yard work and gardening. Just as it takes a proper (and variable) combination of elements to germinate a seed, your email marketing also requires the right mixture for success. I am referring to a strategy known as a drip campaign.
The theory of using a drip campaign in your email marketing efforts is not new. What is a developing trend, however, is the level of complexity that sophisticated email marketers are using in these type of programs today.
A drip campaign describes an email program that automatically delivers emails to customers or prospects on a predetermined and scheduled basis, basically a steady “drip”. In the past, these email events would continue though their pre-programmed linear series of deployments until reaching the end of the cycle. Perhaps this process of treating your prospects like lemmings (all behaving the same way) worked before but it does not with today’s sophisticated consumers; a more advanced drip campaign is required.
Today’s successful drip campaigns are neither linear nor simple. In fact, some of the most successful programs I have seen when all laid out look like a wiring diagram for the space shuttle. These programs are a massive system of triggered events that send pre-constructed messages based on a series of observed customer behaviors. The program will continue to change and deploy varying messages based on the last consumer action.
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Posted by Bill Leming on March 11th, 2009
As times become more difficult for many businesses, we see more and more pressure on Marketing to maximize both revenues and efficiency. The days of Senior Management adhering to a “belief” that a particular marketing tactic was efficiently generating sales without “proof of life” are long gone. And while Email Marketing typically falls into the high efficiency/high revenue producing 2 x 2 quadrant, the fact that it has largely been relatively inexpensive has in part led to email marketing inertia and away from those segmentation, message optimization, file maintenance/hygiene and tactical best-practices we all know about but which few practice on a consistent basis day in, day out.
Compared to direct mail and telemarketing initiatives, email is so much less expensive that there is a tendency not to conserve but rather to “blast,” not to segment but rather to “spray and pray”, not to groom the list but rather to grow it at almost any cost. At least that’s my theory and I’m sticking to it despite at least one obvious flaw. If it’s so relatively inexpensive and so immediately quantifiable, why do so few of us utilize email re-touches as a means of driving revenue cost effectively with minimal downside risk?
More emarketers are realizing email render, click through and conversion rates for their retouches that are 50% of the initial communication and more often than not, 75% to 100% of the original email’s performance. The 50% re-mail response rate typically seen in direct mail 30 days after the initial mailing is consistently being outperformed by email re-touches. This may be the result of a far shorter response window inherent in the digital space versus the direct mail space.
But regardless of the reason, going back to the most-responsive segment or segments of the file after the initial deployment using the same, identical message with a revised and relevant subject line is easily testable, immediate and quantifiable. It will enable you to look at not only comparative response rates but also make sure you’re not creating a new problem (like increased unsubscribe rates, spam complaints, etc.)
Obviously you’ll want to limit the re-touch efforts to those within your most responsive and larger sub segments who have neither opened nor clicked on the initial message. Doing so will minimize risks of over mailing and help hedge the performance bet. As an additional precaution, testing this approach as well as several different subject lines with a smaller representative sample is strongly advised and should not be overlooked.
Next time you’re celebrating a great email success, consider how to immediately leverage that success and the knowledge you’ve just gained into even greater revenues at a projected yet reliable efficiency rate. Being perceived as an efficient profit center is always a good thing especially during tough times.
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Posted by Drew Miller on February 24th, 2009
In past blog posts I have addressed the need to make time for segmentation and how to identify key data fields that should be targeted for email marketing campaigns. The next logical step in this process is to actually capture the data you want to use. This is probably the most challenging effort for Marketers as it requires a delicate balance of customer time considerations, required effort and ensuring trust. With that in mind, here are just a few ways to capture data to enhance your segmentation efforts:
1. Email Capture Form: This is the most obvious place to gather rich data on your customers, but be cognizant of asking for too much information up front. Instead, consider a two part sign-up process where only the email address is collected on the actual form, and additional data is captured on the redirect page. Explain the benefits of providing additional information and consider “why are we asking for this?” statements to explain your purpose for collecting specific information.
2. Email Profile/Preference Centers: Most Email Marketers provide a link to a Profile/Preference Center so their customers can easily update information about themselves. Unfortunately, this link is probably buried in the footer with all the other typical CAN-SPAM compliance verbiage. A more ambitious approach would be to use a bold CTA that appears in the preview pane viewing area. Here is a great example from Gap found on The Retail Email Blog:
3. Dedicated Email Campaign: Using a dedicated message to encourage customers to update their information is a powerful way to capture more data. By focusing your message solely on preferences, you can zero in on one specific objective. It is important to clearly explain the benefits of updating preferences, and keeping the design elements simplistic and easy to read. I like this example from Sam’s Club also found on The Retail Email Blog:
Another consideration is to incentivize your offer. Customers are much more likely to click on your link and update preferences if there is something in it for them. Sweepstakes, giveaways and coupons are great ways to entice your customers to take action.
By using a strategic approach to collect more data on your customers, you are setting the table for a more relevant conversation with them.
Learn more about Email Segmentation:
Finding the Time for Email Marketing Segmentation
5 Ways to Uncover Key Data Fields for Email Marketing Segmentation
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