I hope you enjoy this month's topic. This is your newsletter, so if you like or don't like something about it, please email us at newsletter@bullmoosemarketing.com and we will adapt. Like everything in politics and everything on the Web, we too at Bull Moose Marketing need to be flexible...

Thanks for reading,
Nick Ellinger
CEO, Bull Moose Marketing, LLC.


How to Create Successful Email Campaigns

Last month, Penn Public Affairs released a study of political preference data. They looked at over 88,000 Americans and, from that data, extrapolated that there are about five million Americans who want to be contacted by email by political groups that share their ideologies. As we have said in previous emails, email is a critical part of fundraising, volunteering, and GOTV (get out the vote) efforts in a modern campaign. You've asked for, and we've provided, a list of tips for designing your email campaign. If you would like additional help, go to our free consulting report page and we can help you design your campaign.

Campaign Planning
  • Define your goals and success criteria up front (e.g. drive site visitors, drive registrants, encourage contacting a sales representative, request for more information, elicit immediate sale of product, etc.) This is important because it will greatly affect how your campaign is designed.
  • Test. Especially if you are going to buy an external list, test at least three different versions of your campaign on an internal list first or purchase the smallest sample allowable by the third-party vendor so you can send the message with the best response rate to the larger list. Further, test your message with different email clients such as AOL, Outlook, and Hotmail to make sure your message displays correctly. Test different subject lines (offering statement), copy, price, colors, layout, and especially images. It is important that your message is not only conveyed through text, but also through effective imagery.
  • Plan for at least three drops. Anything less will fail to capture your users. Over the course of a year you will need to get your offer in front of the customer at least nine times.
Timing
  • Position your drops at least one week but less than one month apart. We have found three weeks to be ideal for some campaigns, one for others.
  • Do your drops in the middle of the week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are ideal.
  • Make your website administrators and customer care departments aware of the drop to make sure they are prepared for any spike in site traffic and/or call volume.
List
  • If you are using an external list, check its credibility by registering with the site. Make sure the statement is clear about what types of emails the user will receive and that the box is opt-in (you have to check in) instead of opt-out (you have to uncheck the box in order not to receive messages).
  • If you are using an internal list, make sure you are not cross-contaminating--that is, make sure your donors aren't hit with a fundraising email Tuesday, a volunteer email Wednesday, and a email for undecided voters Thursday.
  • If you wish to send HTML email, make sure your list is strictly for HTML users or be prepared to offer a text version of the message.)
  • The average price for targeted opt-in lists is $.20 per name but is more for extremely targeted lists. Negotiate price with your ROI expectations clearly in mind.
  • Make sure you are not paying for undeliverable messages, but instead only those that are confirmed delivered.
HTML vs. Text
  • As of late 2001, about 70% of users can accept HTML email. Because HTML delivers greater response rates, we have chosen this method of delivery over text.
  • Use a script or program that can differentiate between HTML and text email (a sniffer) and prepare a text version of your message as well.
  • Put a copy of your HTML newsletter on the Web and start your code with the text statement "If you have trouble reading this, go to www.yoursite.com/newsletters/010102.asp" (this will also serve as an archive subscribers can access and as pertinent search results within the search engines)
To, From, and Subject Line
  • The To line should be the recipients first and last name when possible.
  • The From line should be instantly recognizable as the name of your organization.
  • Use the subject line as a hook-free or "limited time" offers are always good. Personalize with the person's first name when possible.
  • Don't use what a spammer would use -- e.g., FREE or "ACT NOW!!!" should never be in all caps. Remember, you are building a relationship, not selling the "best set of steak knives ever!!!"
  • Use different subject lines for each message in your campaign and keep them to four to six words. Test these for open rate effectiveness through a unique image (see content).
Content
  • Always include an easy way to forward the email to a friend.
  • Run the campaign like you would any other campaign -- your first email should introduce the product, your final email should indicate something to the effect of "Last Chance" in order to encourage action by the recipient.
  • Make sure you have an offer. Further, it should be clear as to exactly what you want the consumer to do upon receiving your email and ask for the sale.
  • Feature your offer early, details late, then close with the offer again.
  • Text should be two to three paragraphs long or about 250 words.
  • Hyperlink early and often (text and images) -- at least five is a good rule of thumb.
  • URLs used in the messages should be trackable (if you are using an outside vendor, they will usually do this for you, but be sure to check).
  • Make it extremely easy to subscribe, unsubscribe, and access your privacy policy.
  • Include a graphic that is unique to that email campaign (or an invisible 1 pixel gif) that allows you to track open rates.
Design
  • Width of the message should be no more than 600 pixels.
  • Your important information should be displayed in the top 600 pixels; scrolling should be avoided when possible.
  • HTML file size should be below 4K.
  • Total size of all images should be below 50K -- even lower is better.
  • Give your image links within the message full paths to the server where they are stored instead of including the image with the message.
  • Don't use JavaScript or Java. Many email clients view these as threats and may automatically delete your message.
Fonts
  • Make sure the font is either Arial or Times New Roman and in at least a 12-point font size for easy reading.
  • Try to match font size, style and color to the landing page.
  • Use color in fonts like spices in food -- sparingly and only to accent.
  • Have a strong contrast between your background and text so it can easily be read.
Landing Page
  • A landing page that corresponds to your email offer should be prepared and should match the email in font, colors, style, and offer.
  • Make sure the landing page is simple and provides a clear path of action for the recipient.
Results
  • Expect to get 90% of your results in the first 48 hours.
  • If your campaign does not perform as expected, consider changing your product mix, offering statement, and/or price. Further, verify that your product matches the audience you are attempting to reach.
Do you have any hints for our readers? Any questions, comments, or death threats? Please send them to newsletter@bullmoosemarketing.com.

While Bull Moose Marketing and its agents used their best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein, Bull Moose Marketing does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident or other causes.

© 2002 Bull Moose Marketing, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Source: 2002 Bull Moose Marketing; www.bullmoosemarketing.com/politics