Leveraging social media involves three main steps: 1) Connecting with customers through email marketing to build relationships. 2) Informing people through valuable email content so they will share your message. 3) Growing your business through engagement marketing using email and social media together. The presentation discusses best practices for each step such as permission-based list building, creating concise and branded email content, and leveraging social networks.

1. Leveraging Social Media
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

2. Contact Information
April Heavens-Woodcock
Managing Partner of Touching Clients & Authorized
Local Expert of Constant Contact
awoodcock@touchingclients.com
facebook.com/touchingclients
@touchingclients
http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilwoodcock
Insight Provided by KnowHow
Visit: www.constantcontact.com/learning-center
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 2

3. Introduction
This presentation has three parts…
1 Connecting to build
customer relationships
2 Informing people who
will buy in to your
message
and share it with others
3 Growing your business
with engagement
marketing
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 3

4. Section
1 CONNECT
Email Marketing Basics
 Connecting with your customers
 Engaging in profitable
customer communications
 Using email and social media as
components of an engagement
marketing strategy
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 4

5. Why Engage?
Q. Where will the majority of next
month’s business come from?
A. Existing customers
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 5

6. Why Engage?
Q. What is your best source for
new business?
A. Existing customers
Engagement Marketing is using
technology to make “it” happen
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 6

7. 3 Steps to Building Relationships
 Email marketing
 Trusting relationships
 Early relationships
 Encourage broader relationships
through SMM Friends
Customers
 Social media marketing
 New relationships
 New prospects Followers
 Encourage deeper relationships
through EM
Friends
You
Prospects
Followers
Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:
Great customer Connections that enable Content that engages
experience ongoing dialog and spreads
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 7

8. Marketing Today = Building
Relationships

9. Five Types of People
Raving Fans Customers Prospects Suspects Disinterested
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 9

10. Acquiring Customers
 Time… Money… Energy… Effort
 Takes 7 touches, on average, for a sale to occur
 Some buy right away
 Others research and try
 Some show interest but don’t trust you
$
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 10

11. Keep Customers Coming Back
 The value of a customer
 You’ve already paid for them
 It’s 6-7 times more expensive to gain
a customer than to retain a customer 1
 They spend more
 Repeat customers spend 67 percent more 2
 They are your referral engine
 After 10 purchases, a customer has
already referred up to 7 people 2
Sources:
1. Flowtown, 2010
2. Bain and Company
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 11

12. Why Email?
 Because almost everyone your business
needs to reach reads it:
 94% of Internet users between the ages of 18 and
64 send or read email
 An even higher number of users ages 65 or older do the same
 61% Use a social networking site
 147 million people across the country use email,
most use it every day
Sources: Pew Internet and
American Life Project 2010
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 12

13. Why Email?
 It’s cost-effective: Direct mail vs. email
 For the same response, direct mail costs 20 TIMES
as much as email 1
 Email ROI is the highest when compared
to other internet marketing mediums 2
1 Forrester Research, Inc.
2 Direct Marketing Association
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 13

14. Email Marketing Is Not…
Junk email
Unsolicited and unwanted email
SPAM
Email from an unknown sender
Dubious opt-out (if any)
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 14

15. Email Marketing Is…
 Delivering professional
email communications
 To an interested
audience
 Containing information
they find valuable
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 15

16. Basics of Email Marketing
 Setting expectations
 How many emails sent
 When are emails sent
 What type of information
 Delivering on promises
 Matching expectations
 Providing relevant content
 Abiding by CAN SPAM Act
 Gaining permission
 Do they know me?
 Do they care?
 Utilizing professional services
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 16

17. Regular Email vs. Email Service
Provider
 Standard email programs
(e.g. Outlook, Hotmail)
 Limited # of emails sent at
one time
 No formatting control
 List break up more
susceptible to filters
 No cohesive branding
 No tracking and reporting of
email results
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 17

18. Regular Email vs. Email Service
Provider
 Email marketing services
automate best practices
 Provide easy-to-use templates
 Reinforce brand identity
 Email addressed to recipient
only
 Manage lists – adding new
subscribers, handling bounce-
backs, removing unsubscribers
 Improve email delivery, track
results and obey the law
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 18

19. Email Basics Checklist
Ask yourself before you begin email marketing…
Do repeat and referral customers help your business?
Do you have a plan for delivering multiple communications?
Is your audience interested in your message?
Is it valuable to them?
Can you make your emails look professional and reflect
your brand?
Do you have an Email Service Provider to help manage
your strategy?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 19

20. Section
1 CONNECT
Building a Quality Email List
 The benefits of permission-
based marketing
 Building a valuable contact list
 Keeping your list current
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

21. Consumers Define Spam
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 21

22. Build Your List Where You
Connect
Incoming or Events Email Place of Business Online
Outgoing Calls and Meetings Signature Guest Book Presence
K Smitheen
4
2 3 5
1
57% of consumers will fill out
a card to receive email alerts
when asked to by a clerk at a
local small business.
Customer & Prospect Database
Source: Transact Media Group
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 22

23. Integrate Email Marketing and
Social Media Marketing
Make social media
Make a Join My Mailing buttons a consistent
List available on all part of all emails.
social media platforms.
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 23

24. Collecting Information and
Permission
 Include your logo
and brand identity
 Describe your email
content and how
often you’ll be
sending
 Ask about your
customers’ interests C o n s i d e r
a s k i n g f o r
to stay relevant y o
a u
u
d
r
i e n c e ’ s
p r e f e r r e d
 Ask for additional
s o c i a l
n e t w o r k .
contact information
when necessary
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 24

25. Sending a Welcome Email
 Include your logo
and brand identity
 Personalize your
message
 Reinforce permission
and ability to change
preferences
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 25

26. Using a Permission Reminder
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 26

27. Keeping Your List Current
 Include your
logo and brand
identity
 Provide a link so
subscribers can
update contact info
 Ask for feedback
 Include links to your
social sites
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 27

28. List Building and Permission
Checklist
Ask yourself as you build your list…
Are you collecting contact information at every customer
touch point, including social media?
Are you asking for permission as well as contact information?
Are you clearly describing your email frequency and content?
Are you sending a welcome email or a confirmation email,
especially to those who have joined your list via social media?
Are you using permission and subscription reminders to
stay current?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 28

29. Section
2 INFORM
Creating Valuable Email Content
 Determining what is valuable
to your audience
 Choosing an effective
email format
 Deciding what day and
time to send
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

30. Content Has to Meet Your
Objectives
 “I want to…”
 Promote
 Motivate purchases
 Increase event attendance
 Inform
 Inform potential customers
 Differentiate my business
 Relate
 Increase loyalty
 Encourage more referrals
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 30

31. Content Has to Have Value
to Your Audience
Promotional Email
Discounts, coupons,
offers, incentives.
Relational Email
Savings Special privileges,
acknowledgement
Knowledge Quality
Informative Email
Advice, research,
facts, opinions, tips
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 31

32. Coming Up With Valuable
Email and Social Content
 Share your expertise
 Use facts & testimonials
 Give guidance & directions
 Offer discounts & coupons
 Exclusivity & VIP status
 Hold contests & giveaways*
 Acknowledge your audience
* Check applicable regulations
before deciding to hold a
contest or giveaway
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 32

33. Keeping Email Content Concise
 Host large bodies of content… Come with Parker Travel Adventure
 On your website Group and meet fellow travel
enthusiasts near you. Join us for our
annual rafting trip August 23 _ 26,
 In a PDF document starting at the base of Glen Canyon.
There are still six spaces available for
anyone interested in joining the group.
 In a longer archived version Complete package start $399 with flights from New
York and Boston.
 Email only essential information
 Use bullets or summaries
 Link directly to the information
 Give instructions if necessary
 Repurpose content sound bytes
for Social Media
 Drive social content back to
Email Archive or Website
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 33

34. Determine Appropriate Format
 Newsletters
 Frequency: Regular i.e. monthly / weekly
 Lots of educational content (typically non-promotional)
 Use bullets, summarize information, be concise
 Promotions / Invitations / Surveys
 Frequency: Depends on your business and sales cycle
 Focus on promotion / limited content
 Use content to invite click-through or other action
 Announcements
 Frequency: Event-driven
 Press releases, holiday greetings, thank you cards…
 Use content to build deeper relationships
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 34

35. Branding Emails Consistently
 Use different formats and
similar designs…
 Include your logo
 Use consistent colors
 Use meaningful
graphics
 Avoid drastic changes
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 35

36. Calling Your Audience to Action
 Calls to Action include…
 Links to click on
 Information to print out
 Phone numbers to call
 Instructions for reading the email
 Instructions for saving the email
 Describe the immediate
benefits…
 What’s in it for your audience?
 Why should they do it now?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 36

37. Frequency & Delivery Time
 How often to send
 Create a master schedule – be consistent!
 Include frequency in online sign-up “Monthly Newsletter”
 Keep content concise and relevant to planned frequency
 Invest time to repurpose content on social channels
 When to send
 When is your audience most likely to read it?
 Day of week (Tuesday & Wednesday)
Get the maximum
 Time of day (10am to 3pm)
Impact with
 Test for timing Minimum intrusion.
 Divide your list into equal parts
 Send at different times and compare results
 Re-stimulate social conversations: repost, retweet
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 37

38. Use NutshellMail to Engage,
on Your Time
Track your Page Insights
Sign up for a Free
NutshellMail Account.
www.nutshellmail.com
Read Fan comments
Reply from your Inbox
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 38

39. Email Content Checklist
Ask yourself as you create content…
Are you trying to promote, inform, or relate?
What is your audience interested in?
Is your email format branded and supportive of your message?
Is your email concise and does it include a strong call to action?
Does your content match your frequency and timing?
Are you consistently repurposing valuable content on social
channels and investing time to engage and respond?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 39

40. Section
2 INFORM
Getting Email Delivered and Read
 Email filters and other
delivery challenges
 Creating email from and
subject lines
 Using technology to deliver
your email
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

41. Is Your Email Fabulous or Filtered?
ESP
Email Authenticated
AOL MSN Yahoo other ISPs
Deliverability issues:
Image blocking Block-listing Filtering & Blocking (Avg 81% delivered –
Individual filters Friends-listing CTCT 97%**)
Bouncing Reputation
Challenge responses Sender authentication Email
Blocking Spam
**Return Path verified
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 41

42. Getting Email Opened
 The “From” line – Do I know you?
 Use a name your audience
recognizes
 Include your organization Matt Long
Lynn.Mann@AOL.com
name or brand
Joe Hahn
Nancy Feldman
 Refer to your business in the
same way your audience does
 Be consistent
60% of consumers say
the "from" line most often
determines whether they
open an email or delete it.
Source: DoubleClick
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 42

43. Match “From” Line and
“From” Email Address
 The “From” line – use a familiar email address
Some email programs display From name + email
Some email programs display only From email
Jeffsmall@aol.com
Katejohnsonl@verizon,net
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 43

44. Create a Great Subject Line
 The “Subject” line – do I care?
 Keep it short and simple
 30-40 characters including
spaces (5-8 words)
 Incorporate the immediate benefit Matt Long
of opening the email Lynn.Mann@AOL.com
Joe Hahn
 Capitalize and punctuate carefully Nancy Feldman
 Avoid copying the techniques
inherent in spam emails
Email messages that mention 30% of consumers say the Emails with shorter
Facebook in the Subject Line “subject" line most often subject lines significantly
will have a 32% higher open determines whether they outperformed emails with
rate than those that don’t. open an email or delete it. longer subject lines.
-Worldata, 2011 Source: DoubleClick - MailerMailer
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 44

45. Avoiding “Spam-speak”
The words: free, guarantee, spam, credit card etc.
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
Excessive punctuation !!!, ???
Excessive use of “click here”
$$, and other symbols
No “From:” address
SPAM
Misleading subject lines
Example: Typical spam “From” and “Subject” lines
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 45

46. Extend the Reach of Your Email
 Make your content
shareable
 Encourage readers to Like
and Share your Email
across their social networks
 Use a sharebar to gain
insights into your contacts’
preferred channels in order
to repurpose and broadcast
your content
 Use a sharebar to collect
contacts wherever your
email is shared
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 46

47. Tweet and Share your Email
 Tweet a link to
your email
automatically
47

48. Email Delivery Checklist
Ask yourself before you send your message…
Are your images working together with text to identify
your email?
Are you avoiding spam-like content in your emails?
Is your Email Service Provider authenticating your email?
Is your From line familiar and are you using a familiar
email address?
Does your Subject line include the immediate benefits of
your email?
Have you extended the reach of your email by making
it sharable?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 48

49. Section
3 GROW
Increasing Email Click-Through
and Response Rates
 Tracking and improving
email delivery
 Increasing opens, clicks,
and forwards
 Reducing unsubscribe requests
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

50. Tracking and Reporting
Email Client
Constant Contact Reporting Page
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 50

51. Measure Increases in Overall
Reach
Social Stats shows “Shares” and “Likes” for Shared Email Campaigns
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 51

52. Deal with Bounced &
Blocked Email
 Non-existent address
 Check for obvious misspellings
Bounce Management
 Try to obtain a new address
 Undeliverable/mailbox full/
email blocked
 Try re-sending later
 Correct temporary issues
 Obtain a new address if a
recurring issue is present
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 52

53. Analyze “Open” Rates
Use open tracking to spot trends
 Open rates trending down
 Fewer subscribers are enabling images
 Fewer subscribers are clicking links
 Steady open rates
 Assume email is being received
 Check your ESP’s average delivery rate
Reporting Page
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 53

54. Capitalize on Click-Throughs
Use click tracking to determine:
 Audience interests
 Clicks tell you what topics were interesting
 Save clickers in an interest list for targeted follow up
 Goal achievement
 Use links to drive traffic toward conversion
 Compare clicks to conversions and improve
Reporting Page
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 54

55. Encourage and Reward Email
Forwards and Online Reviews
 Use your forward report to: Forwards
 Thank people who forward
your emails
 Learn about the value of
your email content
 Encourage online reviews
by those who forward your
emails
 Help your most passionate
customers spread the word
 Ask them to forward your
email and write online
reviews
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 55

56. Understand Unsubscribe Requests
 An unsubscribe request
happens when your
subscriber no longer
wants to receive your
emails
 Offer your subscribers
permanent list removal
 Best practice is automatic
removal with an
unsubscribe link
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 56

57. Reduce Unsubscribe Requests
 Why do people unsubscribe?
 Over-communication
 Irrelevant content
 Poor targeting
 Enable your audience
to leave comments
when unsubscribing
from your list
 Take action on feedback
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 57

58. Email Tracking and Response
Checklist
Ask yourself after you send…
Are there any bounced or blocked emails that require attention?
Is your open rate trending upward or downward?
Are you measuring your increase in overall reach, including social networks?
Did your audience take action on your email by clicking through or forwarding
your email? What were they interested in? Are you encouraging online
reviews by these customers?
Did anyone unsubscribe from your list? Did they give you actionable
feedback?
Did you identify any areas for improvement so your next email is more
targeted and more effective?
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 58

59. Take the Next Step
Email + Social =
Success, Guaranteed.
Sign up for a free Email Marketing trial.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
Arm yourself with the tools, playbook, and coaching to get your first campaign in
front of your email subscribers and social networks. Watch your business grow!
Sign up today! Provide your card and we’ll follow up.
or
Call toll-free: 866-876-8464
Attend a Free Webinar Get a Social Media Quickstart!
Learn more about how social media Get started building connections
marketing can help small business and through social media marketing,
nonprofits optimize marketing efforts. today!
constantcontact.com/learning-center socialquickstarter.com
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc.

60. Thank You & Questions
April Heavens-Woodcock
Managing Partner Touching Clients & Authorized Local
Expert with Constant Contact
awoodcock@touchingclients.com
facebook.com/kellyflint.constantcontact
@touchingclients
http://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilwoodcock
Insight Provided by KnowHow
Visit: www.constantcontact.com/learning-center
Copyright © 2011 Constant Contact, Inc. 60