The document discusses the difference between marketing gimmicks and strategies. Gimmicks are novel tactics designed to attract attention in the short term but lose their effectiveness over time. A strategy is a systematic plan involving multiple coordinated tactics to achieve long-term objectives. The document provides an example of a marketing agency that used a strategic multi-step email campaign, involving personalization, timing optimization and other tactics, to achieve a 15% response rate on a cold list.
12. Strategy: a system of tactics
Tactic Objective
Design campaign for short term objective Optimize for fundraising
Email frequently (endlessly) Maintain awareness
Test 18 variations of each email Find the most efficient version
Send winning email version to entire list Maximize results
Segment content for mobile devices Improve responses
Adopt familiar tone in emails Look like Obama’s actually writing
Write gimmicky subject lines Utilize the novelty effect
Obama’s campaign strategy was a combination of
all these tactics:
13. Simple version:
Two tactics + synergistic manner = Strategy update
Examples:
A strategy need not be complex
Tactic Strategy Update
Send a regular newsletter email to
database
Send a newsletter email to database
every full moon to build expectation
and habit
Send a webinar offer email to all new
prospects
Designing a four-step drip email
program to educate prospects based
on their needs
15. Our strategy
1. Analyze competitors’
emails
2. Profile accounts for deep
personalization
3. Subject line nearly
requiring an open
16. 4. “From” line indicating a
peer level relationship
5. Short, text-only email
6. Copy borrowed from
prospect’s words
Our strategy
17. 8. One specific request in
email requiring a reply
9. Email opens tracked using
Yesware
Our strategy
7. Dynamic content in subject
line and email copy
18. 10. Emails sent one at a time
11. Emails sent at an
optimized time
12. Follow up bounces with
emails to other accounts
Our strategy