This document provides guidance on effective email marketing for small businesses. It discusses why email marketing is an effective channel, how to plan email marketing campaigns, grow and maintain email lists, analyze reporting and test campaigns, and ensure deliverability and compliance to avoid spam issues. Key recommendations include carefully planning content for each campaign, designing emails to match your brand, testing emails, analyzing click-through and open rates from reports, growing lists through opt-in and pruning invalid addresses, and following CAN-SPAM regulations to avoid being flagged as spam. The overall message is that email marketing requires strategy and compliance to build trust and drive results for small businesses.
1. COMPELLING BRAND IDENTITIES IN PRINT & WEB
I DE N TI TY
PRINT
Effective Email Marketing
PU B LI SH I N G For Small Businesses
WEB
Maine Center for Entrepreneurial Development
Visible Logic, Inc.
142 High Street
Suite 615
Portland, ME 04101
207.761.4230
visiblelogic.com
2. Headline Emily Brackett
Visible Logic, Inc. Mail On The Mark
www.visiblelogic.com www.mailonthemark.com
www.visiblelogic.com/blog www.mailonthemark.com/blog
twitter: @VisibleLogic twitter: @mailonthemark
facebook: Visible Logic
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
3. Headline
Why Email?
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
4. The Best Return
Return $40.56
Investment: $1
$22.24
$19.72
$10.51
$7.30
Catalogs Mobile Display Ads Search Email
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
5. Integrates With Other Channels
Social Media Direct Marketing
Web Site
Blog
SEO
Sales
Networking
White Papers
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
6. Reporting and Data
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
7. Target, Segment, Refine
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
8. Builds Your Brand
Builds trust
Builds relationships
Increases brand awareness
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
9. Keeps Your Brand “Top of Mind”
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons from ☺ Lee J Haywood
10. Drives Sales
“I send out the e-newsletter...
and the phone starts ringing!”
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Why Email? www.mailonthemark.com
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons from Karolina Kabat
11. Headline
Plan Your
Campaigns
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
12. Transaction Email Bulk Email
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
13. Email Service Providers (ESP)
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
14. Really, plan.
Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
15. Really, plan.
Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
16. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Plan
Content
1
blogs
News
Events
✔Tips
Reviews Q&A
Articles
“Quotations and
Testimonials”
$AVE
Coupons Photographs
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
http://www.visualpharm.com
17. 50 Content ideas
1. Promote your blog posts 11. Photos of happy customers 25. Links to articles you’ve written 38. Insider information
2. Send people to other blogs or 12. Photos of products in action 26. Downloadable white papers 39. Recent work
articles you like
13. Employee biographies 27. Personal stories 40. Recent contracts
3. Write product reviews
14. Videos 28. Case studies 41. Thank you’s
4. Write reviews of unexpected
15. Jokes 29. Portfolio examples 42. Account information
things (food, movies, books,
bicycles, etc.) 16. Cartoons 30. Welcome to new clients 43. Deadlines
5. Client testimonials 17. Charts 31. Welcome to new readers 44. Inspiration quotations
6. Answer a client email as an 18. Statistics 32. Number of products sold 45. Birthday wishes
article
19. Industry events 33. External reviews 46. Photos of recent events
7. Tips
20. Technical information defined 34. Behind the scenes at your 47. Photos of completed projects
8. Beginnings of articles, find the company
21. Links to Facebook 48. Giveaways
rest on your web site
35. Non-profit partnerships
22. Contests 49. Surveys
9. Coupons
36. Business partnership
23. Links to Twitter 50. Membership and renewal
10. Exclusive offers
37. Frequently Asked Questions notices
24. Links to LinkedIn
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
18. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Plan
Content Who is going to write it?
1 Who is going to collect it?
Who will prepare the mailing?
Do landing pages or new content need to be created first?
How will it integrate with other channels?
How will you build your list?
Who will update the mailing list(s)?
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
http://www.visualpharm.com
19. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
Match it to your brand identity
Make the layout work with your content
2 Test it across platforms
Make sure it follows all the anti-spam rules
Get feedback
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
20. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
21. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
22. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
23. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
24. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
25. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
26. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Design
2
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
27. Really, plan.
Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
28. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Create
Content Schedule all of the steps.
3
pos t
t
Wr ite blo g p o s
from cl ie n t
Ask fo r ph o to s
blo g pos t
Wr ite in t ro t o C o lle c t e ve n t li
s t ing s
rrec t ph o to s
Rev ie w, crop, co
proo fread te st em ai ls
nten t
St art pu tt ing co e
in to em ai l te m pl at
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
29. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Review,
Proofread,
Test
4
1. Proofread
2. Check links / landing pages
3. Send Tests
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
30. Before you get going Every time you send out a campaign
Plan Design Create Review, Schedule Send
Content Content Proofread,
Test
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Schedule
When is the best time
to send your email?
5
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
Clock: Flickr Creative Commons from ☺ Lee J Haywood
31. Send
6
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Plan Your Campaigns www.mailonthemark.com
32. Headline
Grow (and Maintain)
Your List
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
33. Give and You Will Receive
Discounts, coupons
Exclusive offers
Email Address
Valuable information
Support & stay up-to-date
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Grow (and Maintain) Your List www.mailonthemark.com
34. Opt-in is powerful
They’ve given their trust.
Don’t abuse it.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Grow (and Maintain) Your List www.mailonthemark.com
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons from ironypoisoning
35. Pruning and cleaning house
Opt-in is not forever
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Grow (and Maintain) Your List www.mailonthemark.com
Photo: Flickr Creative Commons from Ewan Traveler
36. Segmenting
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Grow (and Maintain) Your List www.mailonthemark.com
37. Headline
Reports, Data
and Testing
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
38. What data to look at?
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Reports, Data and Testing www.mailonthemark.com
39. Basic reporting
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Reports, Data and Testing www.mailonthemark.com
40. Clicks
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Reports, Data and Testing www.mailonthemark.com
41. Tracking beyond your ESP
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Reports, Data and Testing www.mailonthemark.com
42. Bounces
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Reports, Data and Testing www.mailonthemark.com
43. Headline
Deliverability
and Spam
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
44. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
45. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
46. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an ad.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
47. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an ad.
4. Your message must include your valid physical postal address.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
48. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an ad.
4. Your message must include your valid physical postal address.
5. Tell recipients how to opt out.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
49. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an ad.
4. Your message must include your valid physical postal address.
5. Tell recipients how to opt out.
6. Honor opt-out requests promptly.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
50. CAN SPAM Act regulations
1. Your “From,” “To,” “Reply-To,” and routing information must be accurate.
2. Don’t use deceptive subject lines.
3. Identify the message as an ad.
4. Your message must include your valid physical postal address.
5. Tell recipients how to opt out.
6. Honor opt-out requests promptly.
7. You can’t contract away your legal responsibility to comply with the law.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
51. Recipients don’t care about anti-spam laws.
Spam is email that the
recipient finds irrelevant.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
52. There is no
single definition of spam
BEST PRACTICES SPAM
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
53. Don’t underestimate how much
people dislike businesses
that send them unwanted or
unsolicited emails.
54. Why Isn’t My Email Delivered?
COMPANY
IP ADDRESS DOMAIN INDIVIDUAL
O ISP SPAM
OR
BLOCK BLOCK SPAM RULES
FILTER
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Deliverability and Spam www.mailonthemark.com
56. Headline
Improving Your
Email Marketing
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com
57. About 90 trillion emails are sent per year. There are an estimated 294 billion emails sent per day. 2.8 million emails
are sent every second. The typical corporate user sends and receives about 110 messages daily. The average
number of corporate emails received is 75 per day. The average number of legitimate corporate emails received
daily is 62. The average number of corporate spam emails is 13 per day. 62% of people check work email on the
weekends. 59% check email from the bathroom. 55% of mobile email users upgraded to a new phone just to
get email. 66.7% of emails delivered during the first quarter of 2011 were categorized as marketing messages,
down from 74.4% the previous quarter. Email is the preferred method of commercial communication by 74% of all
online adults. 26% of users check their personal email account 4 or more times per day, 30% check it 2-3 times
per day. 60% of work email accounts get checked 1 or more times a day. 87% of personal email accounts get
checked 1 or more times per day. 63% of mobile email users check their account a minimum of once per day. 57%
of internet users worldwide said they are more apt to buy a product in a store after getting a marketing email.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
58. About 90 trillion emails are sent per year. There are an estimated 294 billion emails sent per day. 2.8 million emails
are sent every second. The typical corporate user sends and receives about 110 messages daily. The average
number of corporate emails received is 75 per day. The average number of legitimate corporate emails received
daily is 62. The average number of corporate spam emails is 13 per day. 62% of people check work email on the
weekends. 59% check email from the bathroom. 55% of mobile email users upgraded to a new phone just to
How do you stand out?
get email. 66.7% of emails delivered during the first quarter of 2011 were categorized as marketing messages,
down from 74.4% the previous quarter. Email is the preferred method of commercial communication by 74% of all
online adults. 26% of users check their personal email account 4 or more times per day, 30% check it 2-3 times
per day. 60% of work email accounts get checked 1 or more times a day. 87% of personal email accounts get
checked 1 or more times per day. 63% of mobile email users check their account a minimum of once per day. 57%
of internet users worldwide said they are more apt to buy a product in a store after getting a marketing email.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
59. 1. Make the content great.
2. Use design that enhances your brand.
3. Get the frequency right.
4. Test.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
60. More than 90% of consumers unsubscribe
[to] brands because of too frequent, irrelevant
or boring communications. —ExactTarget
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
61. Why the “from”
can be more important than
the subject line.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
62. Not too few. Not too many.
Just right.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
63. Do recipients feel a little
happier or just more annoyed after seeing
your email appear in their inbox?
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
64. Always be working on content
Create
Content
pose
Prom
ur
ep
ot
R e
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
65. Always improve your tactics
reate/Send
C
Strategy
Test /
djust
Re
A
po
rt
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
66. So many people are getting it
wrong. If you get it right, you can
stand out.
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business | Improving Your Email Marketing www.mailonthemark.com
67. Headline
Emily Brackett
Visible Logic, Inc.
www.visiblelogic.com
Mail On The Mark
www.mailonthemark.com
twitter: @VisibleLogic
Facebook: Emily K Brackett
Facebook Company: Visible Logic
LinkedIn
Effective Email Marketing for Small Business www.mailonthemark.com