While improving your email subject lines, pre-headers, copy, mobile design and calls-to-action may seem like an endless set of possibilities, there is a patented strategic formula you can use to add method to the madness and better control and analyze outcomes. This session will teach you a strategic formula for optimizing promotions and newsletters via email and provide case studies and stories of companies that have done so themselves.

1. The Strategic Formula for Email
Conversion Success
Jon Powell
Sr. Manager, Executive Research & Development
@jonpowell31

2. h"p://www.emarketer.com/Ar1cle/Email-­‐CTRs-­‐Nothing-­‐New-­‐S1ll-­‐Problem/1012490/9

3. Marke&ngSherpa
conducted
a
na&onal
survey
among
2,057
adults
(aged
18
and
over)
on
a@tudes
towards
Email
Marke&ng.

4. 4
91%
of
adults
polled
like
receiving
promo.onal
emails.
72%
of
adults
polled
prefer
for
companies
to
communicate
with
them
via
email
over postal mail,
television ads, print media, text messages, social media, in-­‐
person, phone call, online ads/videos or mobile apps.
Marke&ngSherpa
conducted
a
na&onal
survey
between
Jan
21st
and
23rd,
2015
among
2,057
adults
(aged
18
and
over)
on
a@tudes
towards
Email
Marke&ng.

6. From
This
To
This

7. Designing for Mobile
InteresMng Experiments

8. Version A
Vs.
Version B
54%
In
Clicks

9. Version A Version B
Vs.
13%
In
Clicks

10. Using InteresMng Imagery
InteresMng Experiments

11. Version A
Vs.
Version B
30%
In
Clicks

12. Version A
Vs.
Version B
52.5%
In
Clicks

13. Using Preheaders
InteresMng Experiments

14. Version A Version B
Without
preheaders
With
preheaders
Vs.
104%
In
Clicks
12%
In
Clicks

15. Why is it that these emerging
strategies are working in some
cases but not in others?

16. What really separates the strategies that
work from those that don’t?
How can I know if what I’m trying in email
will help me get more clicks and not less?

17. Science-­‐based
Op2miza2on Ins2tute
Conducts both primary and secondary
media and messaging research and
strategy from actual behavioral tests with
real customer data.
20 years of ac2ve research, including
over:
• 20,000 sale path experiments
• 1 billion tested emails
• 500,000 execu2ve interviews
• 2,200 brand-­‐side case studies

18. Science-­‐based
Op2miza2on Ins2tute
Conducts both primary and secondary
media and messaging research and
strategy from actual behavioral tests with
real customer data.
20 years of ac2ve research, including
over:
• 20,000 sale path experiments
• 1 billion tested emails
• 500,000 execu2ve interviews
• 2,200 brand-­‐side case studies
People make the same type of
judgments in the digital
experience as they do in the
physical experience.

19. Science-­‐based
Op2miza2on Ins2tute
Conducts both primary and secondary
media and messaging research and
strategy from actual behavioral tests with
real customer data.
20 years of ac2ve research, including
over:
• 20,000 sale path experiments
• 1 billion tested emails
• 500,000 execu2ve interviews
• 2,200 brand-­‐side case studies
It’s not about the change in the
email; it’s about the change in
the mind.

20. So what can we target in the mind
of the customer to trigger a
change of behavior (i.e an
increase in clicks)?

21. The Strategic Formula for Email Success
eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
eme
=
email
messaging
effec8veness
index
rv
=
Relevance
to
the
consumer
of
=
Immediate
offer
force
i
=
Incen1ve
to
take
ac1on
f
=
Fric1on
elements
in
the
email
a
=
Anxiety
elements
in
the
email

22. The Strategic Formula for Email Success

23. eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
Today’s Focus
Today we are going to focus on the 4 elements
that don’t cost you anything to adjust.

24. Relevance
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

25. eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
Relevance
Defini2on –
The immediate compa2bility of the email message to
the recipient’s mo2va2ons.

26. Relevance
From This To This

27. Relevance
• Customers aren’t trying to open and click your emails, they are trying to eliminate
them.
• To prevent elimina2on, the most effec2ve strategy a marketer can take is to ensure
an immediate personal connec2on with the customer.
• This personal connec2on can be established by referencing one of these two levels:
– A customer’s internal biases
– A customer’s external events
Key
Observa8ons
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

28. 9%
In
Open-­‐Rate
26%
In
Click
Rate
Reference
an
upcoming
holiday…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Original
Subject
Line:
Book
now
to
save
up
to
30%
on
hotel
stays
this
December
in
NOLA
Treatment
Subject
Line:
Holiday
Shopping,
Reveillon
Dinners,
Cathedral
Concerts
and
More
NOLA
Tradi1ons

29. From This
A
specific
need…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

30. To This
A
specific
need…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
150%
In
Click-­‐rate

31. From This
Or
even
the
size
of
their
dog…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

32. To This
410%
In
Click-­‐rate
13%
In
Daily
Total
Rev.
Or
even
the
size
of
their
dog…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

33. Offer
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

34. eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
Offer
Defini2on – The value you promise in exchange for an ac2on (i.e. a click)

35. Offer
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

36. Offer
• You may think that the offer is the product that you want to sell.
• In reality, however, the offer is the addi2onal informa2on a customer receives in
exchange for a “click.”
• What is the most effec2ve way to get a click?
– Is it to give them an en2re product pitch? Or just part?
– Is it to by telling them more than enough? Or just enough?
Key
Observa8ons
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

37. Version A Version B
Without
preheaders
With
preheaders
Vs.
So why did having a pre-­‐header
work in one instance but NOT
work in another instance?

38. Learn how a farm justifies premium…
Version A Version B
Without
preheaders
With
preheaders
Vs.
! Significant drop in offer force
How
appealing
is
learning
about
a
farm,
anyway?

39. Case Studies
Barack Obama
Stand with me today
The New York Times
Get Unlimited Access to NewYorkTimes.com with Home Delivery
[B2B Software Company]
The CFO’s Guide to Assessing Financial Viability
Subject Lines
From This
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

40. The CFO’s Guide to
Case Studies
Barack Obama
Stand with me today
The New York Times
[B2B Software Company]
Subject Lines
To This
Get Unlimited Access to NewYorkTimes with Home Delivery.comFree the Online
Hey
13%
In
Opens
10%
In
Opens
34%
In
clicks
16%
In
Dona8on
Revenue
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Assessing Financial ViabilityAvoiding the 7 Deadly Stiflers

41. eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Case Studies
Body Copy
From This

42. eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Case Studies
Body Copy
To This
51%
In
Clicks

43. Case Studies
Calls-­‐to-­‐ac2on
From This
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
SHOP
NOW
To This
VIEW
DETAILS
13%
In
Click-­‐rate
SHOP
NOW
LEARN
MORE
37%
In
Click-­‐rate
*Bu"on
color
and
style
anonymized
(neither
was
changed
in
the
test,
just
text)

44. FricMon
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

45. eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
Fric2on
Defini2on –
Psychological resistance to a given element anywhere in the
email process.

46. Fric2on
• We oaen generate unnecessary problems in our emails by the amount of
content we have and/or the way we display it. To the customer, this is perceived
as:
– Unnecessary Difficulty
– Unnecessary Length
• In most cases, the objec2ve is to minimize, not eliminate fric2on. If you
eliminate all fric2on, you eliminate “the click.”
Key
Observa8ons
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

47. Case Studies
From This

48. eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Case Studies
To This
7.5%
In
Click-­‐rate
10.4%
In
Click-­‐rate
3.6%
In
Click-­‐rate
8.8%
In
Click-­‐rate
33.7%
Cumula2ve Increase
in Click-­‐rate

49. PRODUCT
[PRODUCT B NAME]
[Product Category Referenced Above]
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Three word headline.
We’re the 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers’
Choice for [Specific Product Category]
PRODUCT
A
IMAGE
[PRODUCT A NAME]
[Product Category Referenced Above]
Our [PRODUCT A NAME] is reengineered for life on the go. We improved the [travel feature], and
then added beher [feature], another [feature] plus a [final feature].
• [Use feature A for] the road, rail, air and engine noise to add some peace to your journey
• [Use feature B] for the [ac2vity] you love
• [Use feature C] to achieve [specific ac2vity]
• [Use feature D] to achieve [another ac2vity] you love
VIEW
DETAILS
• [Use feature A for] the road, rail, air and
engine noise to add some peace to your
journey
• [Use feature B] for the [ac2vity] you love
From This
Case Studies

50. PRODUCT
[PRODUCT B NAME]
[Product Category Referenced Above]
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
12%
In
Click-­‐rate
Three word headline.
We’re the 2015 TripAdvisor Travelers’
Choice for [Specific Product Category]
PRODUCT
A
IMAGE
[PRODUCT A NAME]
[Product Category Referenced Above]
Our [PRODUCT A NAME] is reengineered for life on the go. We improved the [travel feature], and
then added beher [feature], another [feature] plus a [final feature].
• [Use feature A for] the road, rail, air and engine noise to add some peace to your journey
• [Use feature B] for the [ac2vity] you love
• [Use feature C] to achieve [specific ac2vity]
• [Use feature D] to achieve [another ac2vity] you love
VIEW
DETAILS
• [Use feature A for] the road, rail, air and
engine noise to add some peace to your
journey
• [Use feature B] for the [ac2vity] you love
To This
Case Studies

51. Vs.
Non-Mobile Mobile
For the non-­‐mobile version, the difficulty experienced
by the customer (pinch-­‐to-­‐zoom + scroll) is
unnecessary.

52. Non-mobile
Vs.
Mobile
54%
In
Clicks
So why did having a mobile
design work in one instance but
NOT in another?

53. Non-mobile
Vs.
Mobile
54%
In
Clicks
! Mobile design increases importance of content
The
mobile
design
increased
read
rate,
thus
pu@ng
more
weight
on
content
(for
worse
in
this
case)

54. Anxiety
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

55. eme
=
rv(of
+
i)
–
(f
+
a)
©
Anxiety
Defini2on –
Psychological concern s2mulated by a given (or unaddressed)
element in the email process.

56. Anxiety
They’re just hard water stains…
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

57. Anxiety
• Anxiety is just as lethal to conversion as fric2on.
• Try and mi2gate anxiety ra2onally and you are likely to fail…
– Though created from legi2mate concern, its impact in the mind is oaen
dispropor2onate to the reality of risk.
• In email, anxiety is most oaen experienced as a form of intense “knee-­‐jerk”
skep2cism and cau2on.
Key
Observa8ons
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

58. Text-heavy Image-heavyVs.
When compared to the text-­‐heavy email, the image-­‐
heavy email feels like an irrelevant ad.

59. Case Studies
To This
60%
In
Click-­‐Rate
159%
In
Comple8on
Rate
From This
Anxiety
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

60. Balanced
imagery Vs.
Heavy
imagery
So why did heavier, ad-­‐like
imagery work in this case?

61. Vs.
! Increase in relevance for exis2ng customers
This
email
was
sent
at
the
beginning
of
fall
to
a
list
of
customers
with
an
established
rela&onship.

62. Case Studies
252%
In
Conversion
152%
In
Revenue/Visitor
Anxiety
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
Approach A Approach B

63. Case Studies
From This
Anxiety
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

64. Case Studies
To This
151%
In
Click-­‐Rate
Anxiety
eme
=
rv(of+i)
–
(f+a)

65. Final Case Study
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

66. Final Case Study
Background: A web tool that lets you quickly create and customize Bible studies.
Goal: To increase click-­‐through rate
Research Ques2on: Which email will produce the highest click-­‐through rate?
Approach: A/B split test
!
Brand: SmallGroup.com
Loca2on: Marke2ngExperiments Research Library
Protocol ID: Pending

67. But here’s the problem: In the busy day-to-day of church life,
the
time you have to work on Bible studies is often stretched thin
by
other ministry needs. That’s why our team created
smallgroup.com: a convenient web tool that lets you quickly
create and customize Bible studies.
We would love for you to try smallgroup.com free for two
weeks.
During your preview, you can build up to eight customized
studies
to try out in your groups.
Try it free for two weeks!
You’re serious about discipleship.
That makes two of us.
Start My Free Preview

68. But here’s the problem: In the busy day-to-day of church life,
the
time you have to work on Bible studies is often stretched thin
by
other ministry needs. That’s why our team created
smallgroup.com: a convenient web tool that lets you quickly
create and customize Bible studies.
We would love for you to try smallgroup.com free for two
weeks.
During your preview, you can build up to eight customized
studies
to try out in your groups.
Try it free for two weeks!
You’re serious about discipleship.
That makes two of us.
Start My Free Preview

69. We would love for you to try smallgroup.com free for two
weeks.
During your preview, you can build up to eight customized
studies
to try out in your groups.
Try it free for two weeks!
Start My Free Preview
Add your logo/colors and share instantaneously.
You’re serious about discipleship.
That makes two of us.
But here’s the problem: In the busy day-to-day of church life,
the
time you have to work on Bible studies is often stretched thin
by
other ministry needs. That’s why our team created
smallgroup.com: a convenient web tool that lets you quickly
create and customize Bible studies.

70. In the busy day-to-day of church and small
group life, the time you have to work on Bible
studies is often stretched thin.
That’s why our team created
smallgroup.com: a web tool that lets you
quickly create and customize Bible studies
that fit your style and approach.
See how it works

71. From This To This

72. Final Case Study
Email
Design
Total
Click
Rate
Bu"on
Click
Rate
Original
0.8%
0.2%
Treatment
1.1%
1.0%
%
Rela1ve
Change:
42%
358%
Increase in Buhon Clicks
358%
The email design improved using elements of the strategic formula produced a
staMsMcally significant increase in bucon clicks and total clicks.

73. Key Takeaways
The Strategic Formula for Email Conversion Success

74. Summary
• Customers aren’t trying to open and click your emails, they are trying to
eliminate them.
• To prevent your emails from being prematurely dismissed by customers, you
must significantly increase perceived value and significantly decrease perceived
cost.
• You can achieve this when you use the email effec2veness index as a strategic
guide to op2mizing and crea2ng your email campaigns.
Key
Observa8ons

75. MECLABS.com/CNX15
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76. Join Us For Dreamforce 2015
September 15-18, 2015 | San Francisco, CA