eShoutz have noticed that there has been a subtle growth in the use of animated GIFs in email marketing during 2008. This has been especially true in this month, where subscribers are bombarded with numerous email campaigns and so companies are using animated GIFs in order to stand out from the crowd.
This subtle growth in the use of animated GIFS could be because, despite popular belief, they are supported by all of the major email clients and also because they do still hold a novel quality when used in email.
So what are the benefits from using animated GIFs in your email marketing?
- They can grab your reader's attention - Since animated GIFs are not greatly used in email marketing there is still quite a lot of novelty surrounding them and this is great attribute for grabbing your reader's attention.
- They can allow for a more creative message - Animated GIFs are great for drawing attention to particular elements of your email marketing message and for encouraging your reader to complete a certain action. The eShoutz team have seen in previous emails that animated GIFs have been used to encourage the reader to scroll down the email and also to highlight the call-to-action.
Here are a few points to bear in mind when using animated GIFs in your email marketing:
1. consider the file weight - animated GIFs can be considerably larger files than static images, especially since they use more and more colour.
2. consider how file compression affects your email design - Your email marketing message may lose its effectiveness if the design doesn't look good. Therefore, keep an eye on how the file compression affects the design, if it looks pixelated and garish, then may be animation isn't the right method for you.
3. keep it simple - You should assume that you only have your readers' attention for 10 seconds and so you should keep the copy to a minimum and make sure that your message is clarly defined.
4. consider compatibility issues - the major compatibility issue is that Outlook 2007 uses Word to render HTML emails and so animated GIFs do not display correctly. Instead, in Outlook only the first frame is displayed and so, for that reason, you may want to design your animated GIF so that the first frame contains all the information.
For more tips and advice on email marketing visit eShoutz.com.
Wednesday 31 December 2008
Wednesday 24 December 2008
Feeling the strain of the credit crunch? Don't panic!
With many high street retailers disappearing before our eyes, it is little surprise that retailers both online and offline are doing their best to increase their post-Christmas sales after a disappointing run up to the festive season.
You will have seen early sales and promotions on the high street, and email marketing has also been used to increase awareness of these sales. However, it appears that retailers are bombarding customers with poorly targeted offers, in the hope that they will generate those much needed sales.
Instead of taking a shot-gun approach, eShoutz recommends that you stick to carefully planned email marketing to inform people of your deals and promotions. Resist the urge to mass mail, and use targeted emails to stand out from all other messages about New Year sales in the inbox. Also, ensure that your landing pages are still relevant to the email campaign, highlighting the important information.
So our advice to you is...the credit crunch scary, but stick to your email marketing best practices and maintain your brand, image and trust.
You will have seen early sales and promotions on the high street, and email marketing has also been used to increase awareness of these sales. However, it appears that retailers are bombarding customers with poorly targeted offers, in the hope that they will generate those much needed sales.
Instead of taking a shot-gun approach, eShoutz recommends that you stick to carefully planned email marketing to inform people of your deals and promotions. Resist the urge to mass mail, and use targeted emails to stand out from all other messages about New Year sales in the inbox. Also, ensure that your landing pages are still relevant to the email campaign, highlighting the important information.
So our advice to you is...the credit crunch scary, but stick to your email marketing best practices and maintain your brand, image and trust.
Thursday 18 December 2008
New version of eShoutz coming soon!
We are pleased to announce that a new version of eShoutz is on its way! eShoutz will shortly have a whole host of new features to make your email marketing even more effective. With advanced reporting tools, free survey creators and microsite builders, you can now get even more from email marketing.
Some of the new features include:
Triggered email campaigns
Set up triggered email campaigns to help generate leads and conversions automatically. You will be able to create unlimited triggered emails based on any variables you choose from your address books.
Subject split testing
Simultaneously test subject lines for individual campaigns. eShoutz will test which subject line is performing the best on a percentage of your send, and switch the rest of your email sends to the more effective subject line.
Unlimited custom data fields
Store as many data fields within your address books as you like. This means that you can store lots of information about your recipients and tailor your email campaigns according to the information that you have. Send dynamic content emails reflecting the stored data.
Segmentation tools
Query and segment your address books using key demographic variables. Queries will also update themselves in real-time so you will never need to re-run the queries as more recipients are added to your address books.
Advanced reporting
The new version of eShoutz will have even more advanced reporting tools, including reporting on top domains, geomaps of results and the ability to create address books from your reports.
Survey builder
There will be an easy to use online survey builder available on the new eShoutz. Learn more about your recipients by sending surveys to your address books and gather more information about their preferences. Include the survey in an email or on your website.
Micro-site builder
The new eShoutz allows you to create dedicated landing pages for use with your email campaigns. It is simple to design and build micro-sites that reflect your own website and email campaign branding.
For more information visit the eShoutz website at www.eshoutz.com
Some of the new features include:
Triggered email campaigns
Set up triggered email campaigns to help generate leads and conversions automatically. You will be able to create unlimited triggered emails based on any variables you choose from your address books.
Subject split testing
Simultaneously test subject lines for individual campaigns. eShoutz will test which subject line is performing the best on a percentage of your send, and switch the rest of your email sends to the more effective subject line.
Unlimited custom data fields
Store as many data fields within your address books as you like. This means that you can store lots of information about your recipients and tailor your email campaigns according to the information that you have. Send dynamic content emails reflecting the stored data.
Segmentation tools
Query and segment your address books using key demographic variables. Queries will also update themselves in real-time so you will never need to re-run the queries as more recipients are added to your address books.
Advanced reporting
The new version of eShoutz will have even more advanced reporting tools, including reporting on top domains, geomaps of results and the ability to create address books from your reports.
Survey builder
There will be an easy to use online survey builder available on the new eShoutz. Learn more about your recipients by sending surveys to your address books and gather more information about their preferences. Include the survey in an email or on your website.
Micro-site builder
The new eShoutz allows you to create dedicated landing pages for use with your email campaigns. It is simple to design and build micro-sites that reflect your own website and email campaign branding.
For more information visit the eShoutz website at www.eshoutz.com
Thursday 13 November 2008
Want to lower your unsubscribe rate?
Does it seem like you unsubscribe rate is increasing? Do you want to lower your unsubscribe rate?
Here are some typical reasons for unsubscribing and how you respond to them.
1. You are sending too many emails
Problem - You may overwhelm your subscriber is you send out emails too often and this may prompt them to use the unsubscribe link like a stop button.
Solution - Try using a preference page during your sign-up process as this would give your subscriber the option to select the topics/services/products that interest them the most and you could use this information to send emails that reflect your subscribers interests.
You could also offer the option for subscribers to select how often they wish to receive your email, i.e. weekly, monthly etc
You could also try testing different mailing frequencies to see how your unsusbscribe rate is affected.
2. Your subscriber has a new email address
Problem - Subscribers may not want to leave your list but just want to change the address that the email is sent to. If there is no easy way to do this, then they may just unsubscribe. If you're lucky this act is followed up by a new sign-up.
Solution - You could include details in the footer of your email about how your subscriber can update their details/change their email address. If your website doesn't have the functionality for this, then give them alternative instructions such as sending you an email.
3. Your subscriber isn't receiving what they expected
Problem - The subscriber will have opted-in to your email marketing with certain expectations. If these expectations aren't met, then they have no incentive to stay.
Solution - Ensure that the expectations you set at the sign-up stage match exactly what you send.
You could also allow your subscribers to select the type of content/topics they wish to receive by use of a preference page during the sign-up process.
4. Your subsciber is receiving too many emails
Problem - Unfortunately, people get a lot of emails and it is possible that your subscriber is overwhelmed by the amount of emails they are receiving in their inbox.
Solution - Although you may have lost them as an email subscriber it doesn't mean that they do not want to stop all communication with you altogether, so you could show them the other ways they can stay in contact by using links to your blog etc on the unsubscribe page.
Finally, the best way to find out why people are unsubscribing from your email list, is to ask them. You could add an optional feedback form on the page users reach when they press the unsubscribe link.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com
Here are some typical reasons for unsubscribing and how you respond to them.
1. You are sending too many emails
Problem - You may overwhelm your subscriber is you send out emails too often and this may prompt them to use the unsubscribe link like a stop button.
Solution - Try using a preference page during your sign-up process as this would give your subscriber the option to select the topics/services/products that interest them the most and you could use this information to send emails that reflect your subscribers interests.
You could also offer the option for subscribers to select how often they wish to receive your email, i.e. weekly, monthly etc
You could also try testing different mailing frequencies to see how your unsusbscribe rate is affected.
2. Your subscriber has a new email address
Problem - Subscribers may not want to leave your list but just want to change the address that the email is sent to. If there is no easy way to do this, then they may just unsubscribe. If you're lucky this act is followed up by a new sign-up.
Solution - You could include details in the footer of your email about how your subscriber can update their details/change their email address. If your website doesn't have the functionality for this, then give them alternative instructions such as sending you an email.
3. Your subscriber isn't receiving what they expected
Problem - The subscriber will have opted-in to your email marketing with certain expectations. If these expectations aren't met, then they have no incentive to stay.
Solution - Ensure that the expectations you set at the sign-up stage match exactly what you send.
You could also allow your subscribers to select the type of content/topics they wish to receive by use of a preference page during the sign-up process.
4. Your subsciber is receiving too many emails
Problem - Unfortunately, people get a lot of emails and it is possible that your subscriber is overwhelmed by the amount of emails they are receiving in their inbox.
Solution - Although you may have lost them as an email subscriber it doesn't mean that they do not want to stop all communication with you altogether, so you could show them the other ways they can stay in contact by using links to your blog etc on the unsubscribe page.
Finally, the best way to find out why people are unsubscribing from your email list, is to ask them. You could add an optional feedback form on the page users reach when they press the unsubscribe link.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com
Wednesday 12 November 2008
Tips for growing your email list
Looking to grow your email list? Then take a look at the eShoutz tips below.
1. Make your sign-up easy to find - Put your sign-up form/button in a hard-to-miss location on your homepage and also put on as many pages of your website as possible because not all users will enter your website on the homepage, for example, Pay-per-click marketing normally directs clients to specific landing pages.
2. Provide a convincing incentive for users to sign-up - This is normally as simple as 'Sign up to receive our newsletter', as this tells them what they are entering their details for.
3. Reassure the user - Some users may be concerned about what will happen to the information they have provided, so it may help to include information about provacy assurance.
4. Don't ask for too much information - The more information you ask for, the more hesitant or fed-up the subscriber may become. Keep it simple, only ask for the information you need in order to reach your personalisation goals.
5. Do your best to keep the subscribers you already have - Keep your current subscribers, provide good products/services and great customer service. Happy subscribers might even mention your website/company to friends.
6. Use a thank-you page - Once you have gained a subscriber you want to do your best to turn them into an active reader, someone that enquire/buy your products/services. The thank-you page is the first opportunity for you to do this so you should set the expectations about what they should expect to receive.
7. Understand why subscribers are leaving - If you are noticing increased number of subscribers, try to find out why this is. One way of doing this is to give subscribers the option to leave feedback when they unsubscribe. This may point out any glaring issues.
Visit eShoutz.com for more useful email marketing tips.
1. Make your sign-up easy to find - Put your sign-up form/button in a hard-to-miss location on your homepage and also put on as many pages of your website as possible because not all users will enter your website on the homepage, for example, Pay-per-click marketing normally directs clients to specific landing pages.
2. Provide a convincing incentive for users to sign-up - This is normally as simple as 'Sign up to receive our newsletter', as this tells them what they are entering their details for.
3. Reassure the user - Some users may be concerned about what will happen to the information they have provided, so it may help to include information about provacy assurance.
4. Don't ask for too much information - The more information you ask for, the more hesitant or fed-up the subscriber may become. Keep it simple, only ask for the information you need in order to reach your personalisation goals.
5. Do your best to keep the subscribers you already have - Keep your current subscribers, provide good products/services and great customer service. Happy subscribers might even mention your website/company to friends.
6. Use a thank-you page - Once you have gained a subscriber you want to do your best to turn them into an active reader, someone that enquire/buy your products/services. The thank-you page is the first opportunity for you to do this so you should set the expectations about what they should expect to receive.
7. Understand why subscribers are leaving - If you are noticing increased number of subscribers, try to find out why this is. One way of doing this is to give subscribers the option to leave feedback when they unsubscribe. This may point out any glaring issues.
Visit eShoutz.com for more useful email marketing tips.
Tuesday 11 November 2008
Top tips for creating successful landing pages
If you are sending email marketing campaigns, it is always advised that you develop an effective, dedicated landing page for each campaign you send out. If your recipients click through to your website, the landing page can determine whether or not you make a sale.
Here are some eShoutz tips on how to create successful landing pages:
1 - Make your landing pages look good
You can grab the attention of your readers with an impactful design, and reinforce your message with large, colourful font or images.
2 - Create a seamless experience
Your landing page should reflect the email campaign, and be the design should be consistent with the email. Try using the same images on landing pages as in the email, and include similar headlines on both the page and email newsletter.
3 - Make your landing pages relevant
Don't repeat the information in your email on the landing page, but make sure that the content compliments your newsletter sales message.
4 - Reduce any distractions from your key message
Don't lose customers who have clicked through to a landing page from your email by offering them too many options once they get there. Avoid links to too many other pages on your website that may prevent a recipient from making a purchase.
5 - Use your landing page to build trust
To build trust and brand awareness, include testimonials of happy customers and company information on your landing page.
6 - Have a clear call to action
Tell customers what you want them to do next with clear buttons or telephone numbers.
7 - Use page tracking with your email campaigns
If you integrate advanced ROI tracking into your website, you will be able to see where your email recipients click through and also track their activity throughout your website. You can then analyse the activity to determine whether your landing pages are working or not.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com
Here are some eShoutz tips on how to create successful landing pages:
1 - Make your landing pages look good
You can grab the attention of your readers with an impactful design, and reinforce your message with large, colourful font or images.
2 - Create a seamless experience
Your landing page should reflect the email campaign, and be the design should be consistent with the email. Try using the same images on landing pages as in the email, and include similar headlines on both the page and email newsletter.
3 - Make your landing pages relevant
Don't repeat the information in your email on the landing page, but make sure that the content compliments your newsletter sales message.
4 - Reduce any distractions from your key message
Don't lose customers who have clicked through to a landing page from your email by offering them too many options once they get there. Avoid links to too many other pages on your website that may prevent a recipient from making a purchase.
5 - Use your landing page to build trust
To build trust and brand awareness, include testimonials of happy customers and company information on your landing page.
6 - Have a clear call to action
Tell customers what you want them to do next with clear buttons or telephone numbers.
7 - Use page tracking with your email campaigns
If you integrate advanced ROI tracking into your website, you will be able to see where your email recipients click through and also track their activity throughout your website. You can then analyse the activity to determine whether your landing pages are working or not.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com
Monday 10 November 2008
Email Newsletter Templates
Thinking about using a template for your email newsletter?
There are some good reasons to use a template for your email newsletter, such as;
1. recipients know what to expect
2. recipients recognise your newsletter therefore recognising your brand and company
3. it is cost effective - you should only need your template to be designed once (you'll probably need a little help from the designers occassionally) and so it is a long-term investment because it is reuseable
4. it is time effective - the sections are pre-defined for your content so you should be able to edit your template in-house
5. mistakes are minimal - since the template is reused errors are highlighted and corrected
With eShoutz you don't need a large budget to create a bespoke template for your email newsletter. The eShoutz design team can create a tailor-made template for you from as little as £45 per hour.
Call the eShoutz team on 0870 161 1226 for a personalised design quote.
There are some good reasons to use a template for your email newsletter, such as;
1. recipients know what to expect
2. recipients recognise your newsletter therefore recognising your brand and company
3. it is cost effective - you should only need your template to be designed once (you'll probably need a little help from the designers occassionally) and so it is a long-term investment because it is reuseable
4. it is time effective - the sections are pre-defined for your content so you should be able to edit your template in-house
5. mistakes are minimal - since the template is reused errors are highlighted and corrected
With eShoutz you don't need a large budget to create a bespoke template for your email newsletter. The eShoutz design team can create a tailor-made template for you from as little as £45 per hour.
Call the eShoutz team on 0870 161 1226 for a personalised design quote.
Should I include a permission reminder on email newsletters?
A permission reminder is a sentence or two explaining to the subscriber where you had their email address from. It is usually found in the footer and can often help prevent you from being blacklisted or reported as a spammer.
It is a good idea to integrate your permission reminder with your unsubscribe link. This means that if a recipient believes that the email is spam and goes to click the unsubscribe, they may be reminded that they actually signed up to receive your email marketing campaigns and add you to their safe senders list instead.
Realistically, if you are sending to quality address books you will not need to remind subscribers where you had their email addresses from as they will have signed up for your newsletters on your website. However, permission reminders are not just for your subscriber's sake. If you do ever become blacklisted and classed as a spammer, your permission reminder can help determine that you are a 'good guy' when it comes to email marketing and help to get you off any blacklists.
When writing a permission reminder, explain thoroughly how your recipient's email address was added to your address book. Don't try listing all of the options, but cover as many as you can in one small explanation. For example 'You're receiving this email because you opted in for email newsletters whilst on our website'.
Always be polite in your permission reminder. Show that you genuinely care about your recipient's privacy, and include actual proof that a recipient gave you permission to email them.
Remember, if you find it difficult to write a good permission reminder, it may be a sign that you don't actually have permission to use all of the emails within your address books.
Finally, here's an example of a good permission reminder:
'In the past you provided 'Company name' with your email address xxx@yahoo.co.uk whilst purchasing from their website. Occassionally you will receive special offer newsletters and promotional emails. If you no longer wish to receive these please click unsubscribe.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com.
It is a good idea to integrate your permission reminder with your unsubscribe link. This means that if a recipient believes that the email is spam and goes to click the unsubscribe, they may be reminded that they actually signed up to receive your email marketing campaigns and add you to their safe senders list instead.
Realistically, if you are sending to quality address books you will not need to remind subscribers where you had their email addresses from as they will have signed up for your newsletters on your website. However, permission reminders are not just for your subscriber's sake. If you do ever become blacklisted and classed as a spammer, your permission reminder can help determine that you are a 'good guy' when it comes to email marketing and help to get you off any blacklists.
When writing a permission reminder, explain thoroughly how your recipient's email address was added to your address book. Don't try listing all of the options, but cover as many as you can in one small explanation. For example 'You're receiving this email because you opted in for email newsletters whilst on our website'.
Always be polite in your permission reminder. Show that you genuinely care about your recipient's privacy, and include actual proof that a recipient gave you permission to email them.
Remember, if you find it difficult to write a good permission reminder, it may be a sign that you don't actually have permission to use all of the emails within your address books.
Finally, here's an example of a good permission reminder:
'In the past you provided 'Company name' with your email address xxx@yahoo.co.uk whilst purchasing from their website. Occassionally you will receive special offer newsletters and promotional emails. If you no longer wish to receive these please click unsubscribe.
For more email marketing tips visit eShoutz.com.
Thursday 6 November 2008
Checklist for your email campaigns
Having an effective checklist for the quality control of your email campaigns can help you to spot and correct mistakes before you send to your email address books.
Most common blunders on email marketing include:
1. misspelt subject line
2. missing images
3. wrong links used or links not working
4. spelling and grammar mistakes
5. sending to the wrong list
Running through a checklist will help you to limit these types of mistakes from your email campaigns so that you can send them in confidence. See the eShoutz suggested points for your checklist:
1. Have I proof-read all the copy? Try reading in Microsoft Word, using the spellchecker to highlight glaring spelling mistakes. You should also read in Notepad, Word won't always catch grammatical mistakes (e.g. to/too/two) so putting your email copy into another environment will help you to see any mistakes that may have been missed previously.
2. Are all links correct and working? Check that each of your links are working and they are each going to the right page/offer.
3. Does each image have an ALT tag? Make sure that each image has an ALT tag decribing the content, this is important because it gives you another way to deliver you information to readers who have disabled images.
4. Have I proof-read all the copy in the text version? Repeat step 1 on your text version. Usually not as much attention is paid to the text version in comparision to the HTML version but this is just as important for your subscribers who do not receive HTML emails.
5. Have I included all of my company information? You should include your company name, street address, telephone number, website address and email address. Having different ways to be contacted encourages your subscribers to interact with you, which in turn makes them feel more confident in your company.
6. Have I previewed the email? Complete a test send so that you can view your email campaign in the preview pane, with images disabled and with different email providers (Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail etc). This enables you to see the email as most of your subscribers will view it. If it doesn't look pretty then go back to your design and make the necessary amendments.
7. Has another person checked over the email? Before you press send, get someone who has not been involved in the creation of your email campaign to check over it. A fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes that you may have overlooked.
8. Am I sending to the correct address books? This final check helps to ensure that your email campaign is being sent to the intended address books.
For more email marketing advice visit eShoutz.com.
Most common blunders on email marketing include:
1. misspelt subject line
2. missing images
3. wrong links used or links not working
4. spelling and grammar mistakes
5. sending to the wrong list
Running through a checklist will help you to limit these types of mistakes from your email campaigns so that you can send them in confidence. See the eShoutz suggested points for your checklist:
1. Have I proof-read all the copy? Try reading in Microsoft Word, using the spellchecker to highlight glaring spelling mistakes. You should also read in Notepad, Word won't always catch grammatical mistakes (e.g. to/too/two) so putting your email copy into another environment will help you to see any mistakes that may have been missed previously.
2. Are all links correct and working? Check that each of your links are working and they are each going to the right page/offer.
3. Does each image have an ALT tag? Make sure that each image has an ALT tag decribing the content, this is important because it gives you another way to deliver you information to readers who have disabled images.
4. Have I proof-read all the copy in the text version? Repeat step 1 on your text version. Usually not as much attention is paid to the text version in comparision to the HTML version but this is just as important for your subscribers who do not receive HTML emails.
5. Have I included all of my company information? You should include your company name, street address, telephone number, website address and email address. Having different ways to be contacted encourages your subscribers to interact with you, which in turn makes them feel more confident in your company.
6. Have I previewed the email? Complete a test send so that you can view your email campaign in the preview pane, with images disabled and with different email providers (Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail etc). This enables you to see the email as most of your subscribers will view it. If it doesn't look pretty then go back to your design and make the necessary amendments.
7. Has another person checked over the email? Before you press send, get someone who has not been involved in the creation of your email campaign to check over it. A fresh pair of eyes can spot mistakes that you may have overlooked.
8. Am I sending to the correct address books? This final check helps to ensure that your email campaign is being sent to the intended address books.
For more email marketing advice visit eShoutz.com.
Friday 31 October 2008
Are your email newsletters suffering from poor performance?
Struggling to get great results from your email marketing? Here are a few reasons why your email marketing campaigns may not be performing as well as you would like:
Frequency - Are you sending your email marketing campaigns too frequently or not often enough? You don't want to bombard your recipients with newsletters, but you also don't want them to forget who you are. The eShoutz team thinks that you should send email campaigns to the same lists at least once a month but no more than once a week. Email creative - What does your email newsletter look like? Is it attractive? Are the calls to action clear? Does your email campaign work even when the images are disabled? Content - Is the content relevant? Are you promotion products or services that you recipients want information about? Also, are your offers competitive enough to appeal? Deliverability - Are your email campaigns making it into your recipients' inboxes or going into their junk folder? Ensure that you always spam check your emails before sending them. If they are going into the junk / spam folder they are not going to receive many clicks.
- Data Collection - Are the email addresses within your address books opted-in? If you are buying or renting lists, ensure that the emails are all genuine and have opted into receiving promotional email newsletters.
Taking all of the above into consideration and making a few simple changes will improve your email marketing results and return on investment.
For more information on how to improve your email marketing activity visit eShoutz.com.
Thursday 30 October 2008
Christmas e-card Design Service
Did you know that eShoutz offers a Christmas e-card design service? Christmas is a great excuse for contacting your potential and current customers wishing them a Happy Christmas whilst reminding them of your existance. With a little help from the eShoutz design team, you can send affordable, eye-catching festive greetings to your customers and colleagues.
With eShoutz you don't need a large budget to create bespoke Christmas e-cards, and all emails can be tailor made to suit your message and branding. Whether you want to send an e-card that's traditional, luxurious or humorous, the choice is yours with eShoutz.
The eShoutz design team can create branded, personalised e-cards from as little as £45 per hour.
Call the eShoutz team on 0870 161 1226 for a personalised design quote.
With eShoutz you don't need a large budget to create bespoke Christmas e-cards, and all emails can be tailor made to suit your message and branding. Whether you want to send an e-card that's traditional, luxurious or humorous, the choice is yours with eShoutz.
The eShoutz design team can create branded, personalised e-cards from as little as £45 per hour.
Call the eShoutz team on 0870 161 1226 for a personalised design quote.
Wednesday 22 October 2008
Improve your email marketing reputation
You may not be aware of it, but ISPs are constantly checking your reputation as a commercial email sender, and will filter or block your newsletters accordingly. Sender reputation therefore plays an important part in getting your emails delivered. Here are some tips from eShoutz on how to improve your reputation:
1. Maintain quality address books.
It is important for both your reputation and results that you are sending email marketing campaigns to valid email addresses of recipients who are interested in receiving your newsletters.
2. Adopt email authentication.
If an ISP authenticates your email, it can enable receiving domains and reputation service providers to establish your identity and to associate a reputation with it. This prevents your email from being sent to the junk box.
3. Reduce your complaint rates.
Prevent recipients from hitting the 'this is spam' button by sending them emails with relevant content. Also, manage how frequently you send email marketing campaigns.
4. Monitor your sender reputation.
Check on a regular basis that your send address is not on any blacklists. Also, keep an eye on your key performance indicators. These include complains, unsubscribes and delivery rates.
5. It is advised to purchase a unique sending domain. Buy one that has been set up correctly to ensure that it is recognised by receiving domains.
For more email marketing advice and tips visit eShoutz.com
1. Maintain quality address books.
It is important for both your reputation and results that you are sending email marketing campaigns to valid email addresses of recipients who are interested in receiving your newsletters.
2. Adopt email authentication.
If an ISP authenticates your email, it can enable receiving domains and reputation service providers to establish your identity and to associate a reputation with it. This prevents your email from being sent to the junk box.
3. Reduce your complaint rates.
Prevent recipients from hitting the 'this is spam' button by sending them emails with relevant content. Also, manage how frequently you send email marketing campaigns.
4. Monitor your sender reputation.
Check on a regular basis that your send address is not on any blacklists. Also, keep an eye on your key performance indicators. These include complains, unsubscribes and delivery rates.
5. It is advised to purchase a unique sending domain. Buy one that has been set up correctly to ensure that it is recognised by receiving domains.
For more email marketing advice and tips visit eShoutz.com
Do you really need a text version?
Do you need to create a text version alongside your HTML email campaign?
The answer in short is yes and there are 2 main reasons why you should include a text version.
1. Text versions can help to reduce spam scores
Because of the abundance of HTML emails sent out, some spam filters penalize for sending HTML emails without an accompanying text version. They also penalize for sending a text version that differs from the text used within the HTML version.
2. Not all recipients will receive your HTML version
Some recipients, such as Blackberry users, are unable to view HTML emails and other recipients have chose not to receive HTML emails. Therefore, if no text version is received, they may be more likely to mark your email as spam.
Remember that text version of you email is the preferred format for around 5% of your subscribers so try to keep the text email looking attractive by avoiding long paragraphs and blocks of copy.
For more email marketing advice and tips visit eShoutz.com
The answer in short is yes and there are 2 main reasons why you should include a text version.
1. Text versions can help to reduce spam scores
Because of the abundance of HTML emails sent out, some spam filters penalize for sending HTML emails without an accompanying text version. They also penalize for sending a text version that differs from the text used within the HTML version.
2. Not all recipients will receive your HTML version
Some recipients, such as Blackberry users, are unable to view HTML emails and other recipients have chose not to receive HTML emails. Therefore, if no text version is received, they may be more likely to mark your email as spam.
Remember that text version of you email is the preferred format for around 5% of your subscribers so try to keep the text email looking attractive by avoiding long paragraphs and blocks of copy.
For more email marketing advice and tips visit eShoutz.com
Friday 10 October 2008
Building trust through your email campaigns
We all need recipients to trust our company and our email messages but factors such as spam have taught people to be wary about commercial messages received by email. So how can you build trust through your email marketing?
eShoutz provide some tips below:
1. Ensure a recognisable sender appears in the from address and/or subject line
2. Brand the preview pane - The first encounter of your email is normally through the preview pane so this area needs to support your brand identity - through use of your logo etc
3. Put full contact details in the footer - Providing your company's name, postal address and contact email address shows that you are being upfront with the recipient
4. Ensure the reply-to address is working - This should be monitored regularly and you should try to respond quickly as human interaction breeds trust
5. Match the design to brand expectations - People trust what they know so your email design should try to reflect your website. These don't need to be identical but should share common elements such as logos, colours etc
6. Encourage recipients to share your email - The easier it is for recipients to share your email to others, the more likely they are to do it
7. Be open about privacy policies - make it easy for recipients to find out how you intend to use their data
8. Give the subscriber some control - If you have the functionality, you should allow the subscriber to manage their personal details and preferences. This will also allow you to create and send more personalised and relevant emails to your email lists, this in turn should increase response rates
9. Avoid spelling and grammar errors
10. Check the email functionality - Are all the email links working and going to the correct place etc
For more advice and tips on email marketing visit the eShoutz website.
eShoutz provide some tips below:
1. Ensure a recognisable sender appears in the from address and/or subject line
2. Brand the preview pane - The first encounter of your email is normally through the preview pane so this area needs to support your brand identity - through use of your logo etc
3. Put full contact details in the footer - Providing your company's name, postal address and contact email address shows that you are being upfront with the recipient
4. Ensure the reply-to address is working - This should be monitored regularly and you should try to respond quickly as human interaction breeds trust
5. Match the design to brand expectations - People trust what they know so your email design should try to reflect your website. These don't need to be identical but should share common elements such as logos, colours etc
6. Encourage recipients to share your email - The easier it is for recipients to share your email to others, the more likely they are to do it
7. Be open about privacy policies - make it easy for recipients to find out how you intend to use their data
8. Give the subscriber some control - If you have the functionality, you should allow the subscriber to manage their personal details and preferences. This will also allow you to create and send more personalised and relevant emails to your email lists, this in turn should increase response rates
9. Avoid spelling and grammar errors
10. Check the email functionality - Are all the email links working and going to the correct place etc
For more advice and tips on email marketing visit the eShoutz website.
A guide to planning a Christmas email marketing campaign
The 10 weeks before Christmas are usually the busiest selling period for online retailers. It is also the time of year that retailers should stand out from other online stores to make the most of the shopping season. Take a look at this guide to planning your Christmas email marketing campaigns and maximise your selling potential.
- Send email campaigns early
Customers will be thinking about Christmas well before your busiest selling period of November - December. By emailing them early you can get them thinking about your products and services whilst they are thinking about what to get family and friends as presents.
- Send campaigns right up until Christmas
Customers will buy online every day of the year, including Christmas Day! Therefore, there's no need to stop sending email campaigns actually over the Christmas period.
- Alter your sales message
Your customers may usually buy your products and services for themselves, until Christmas when they will be buying them as gifts for others. You need to change your newsletters to reflect this. Perhaps feature gift recommendations for family members.
- Check what people bought from you the same time last year
You may want to try including similar products, upgrades, accessories or new additions to the range of products which sold well last Christmas.
- Implement a testing plan
Before your Christmas email campaigns are sent out, make sure that you have tested differentt subject lines, calls to action and product or service ranges to see which ordinarily give you good results. These should then work even better in the run up to Christmas.
- The subject line is crucial in Christmas email campaigns
Your recipients are likely to be inundated with promotions in the few weeks before Christmas. You therefore need to make your email stand out within their inbox so that it doesn't get lost amongst all of the others. By doing this you need to use a subject line that will make your recipient open the email. Try the following in your subject lines:
- Inserting relevant product names that may be of interest to your recipients.
- Creating a sense of urgency. Make your recipients feel that they must buy now before stock runs out or to make sure they receive their goods before Christmas.
- Including a unique selling point. Can you offer free delivery? Guaranteed stock?
- Drive further sales
Don't just stop emailing recipients when they have bought from your website. Keep sending them relevant newsletters to try and encourage further sales.
- Retain new customers
You may create a number of new customers over the Christmas period. Make sure you don't lose these...try offering them incentives to buy from you in the future. Perhaps offer a voucher for use in the new year to encourage them to buy from you again.
For more tips on email marketing visit the eShoutz website.
Friday 3 October 2008
Hints & tips when renting/buying emails addresses
It's not always easy to grow your email list naturally and so, at some point, you may look to purchase some email addresses. However, there are some companies that provide non-legit email addresses that could deem you as a potential spammer and cause harmful damage to your brand. A few checks and questions to the supplier of the email addresses can help you to select a quality email list and protect your brand, therefore, eShoutz have provided a few hints & tips to help you.
1. Ask for references from the supplier's existing clients and check the supplier's website for client testimonials
2. Ask for a sample of the data you are going buy and check for generic email addresses, such as info@, sales@. Good quality lists will include few generic email addresses
3. Consider the age of the list; the older the list the less likely that the contacts will respond positively to your marketing messages but also if this list is too young this may point to a non-legit company as their websites only tend to operate for a short period
4. Check that the contacts have opted-in to receive third party email marketing
5. Check the list provider's company name online for complaints; this is likely to highlight non-legit companies and the names they have operated under
6. Ask the seller who will undertake the delivery of your email campaign; most reputable companies prefer to do this themselves in order to protect their list
7. Ask what other information was collected alongside the email addresses; this may help you to target your email campaign so that you can receive a better response from the list
8. If the price seems to good to be true then it probably is; this is one area where it is worth spending a little bit more to get good quality email addresses
For more tips on email marketing visit the eShoutz website.
1. Ask for references from the supplier's existing clients and check the supplier's website for client testimonials
2. Ask for a sample of the data you are going buy and check for generic email addresses, such as info@, sales@. Good quality lists will include few generic email addresses
3. Consider the age of the list; the older the list the less likely that the contacts will respond positively to your marketing messages but also if this list is too young this may point to a non-legit company as their websites only tend to operate for a short period
4. Check that the contacts have opted-in to receive third party email marketing
5. Check the list provider's company name online for complaints; this is likely to highlight non-legit companies and the names they have operated under
6. Ask the seller who will undertake the delivery of your email campaign; most reputable companies prefer to do this themselves in order to protect their list
7. Ask what other information was collected alongside the email addresses; this may help you to target your email campaign so that you can receive a better response from the list
8. If the price seems to good to be true then it probably is; this is one area where it is worth spending a little bit more to get good quality email addresses
For more tips on email marketing visit the eShoutz website.
Thursday 2 October 2008
10 ways to improve your sign-up process
An important part of email marketing is building quality address books. To do this, you must create a data capture form which entices people to sign up to your newsletters who are likely to open and read your email campaigns. Here are 10 ways which eShoutz believe will improve your sign-up process and ultimately build quality address books for your email marketing campaigns.
1. Ensure that the sign-up / data capture form is all over your website. You must give all visitors the opportunity to sign-up to your email newsletters. Remember that not all visitors to your website will visit the homepage, and therefore newsletter sign-ups should feature within the side navigation or footer of every page of your website.
2. Ensure that the newsletter sign-up form is easy to complete. A complicated form to fill in will put people off signing up. Explain any fields that you think people may not understand.
3. Use simple language on the sign-up form.
4. Gather as much information about the subscriber as possible, without making the sign-up form too long and messy. Think about what information will prove valuable to your email marketing. For example, if you are a travel company and want to send cruise offers to those who have an interest in cruising and ski deals to those who enjoy snow holidays, make sure you ask on the sign-up form the type of holidays people prefer. You can then use the dynamic content tool in eShoutz to tailor your email newsletters to subscribers' tastes.
5. Make all of the fields on the sign-up form mandatory. Don't give people the option to omit information.
6. Be honest about how you will use the information you are collecting. Inform the subscriber that they will receive regular newsletters if this is the case.
7. Make the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter clear. Include information on your website stating that subscribers will receive the best offers first, or offers that are tailored to their needs.
8. Promotions are an effective way of encouraging people to sign-up to your email newsletters. Prize draws for new subscribers are great for building up your address books.
9. Make any third party opt in or opt out boxes clear. This can instill confidence in subscribers.
10. If you send a confirmation page to subscribers, use it as a selling opportunity. Include offers on the page that they have just expressed an interest in on the data capture form.
For more information on building quality address books, visit http://www.eshoutz.com/building-quality-address-books.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing visit the eShoutz.com website.
1. Ensure that the sign-up / data capture form is all over your website. You must give all visitors the opportunity to sign-up to your email newsletters. Remember that not all visitors to your website will visit the homepage, and therefore newsletter sign-ups should feature within the side navigation or footer of every page of your website.
2. Ensure that the newsletter sign-up form is easy to complete. A complicated form to fill in will put people off signing up. Explain any fields that you think people may not understand.
3. Use simple language on the sign-up form.
4. Gather as much information about the subscriber as possible, without making the sign-up form too long and messy. Think about what information will prove valuable to your email marketing. For example, if you are a travel company and want to send cruise offers to those who have an interest in cruising and ski deals to those who enjoy snow holidays, make sure you ask on the sign-up form the type of holidays people prefer. You can then use the dynamic content tool in eShoutz to tailor your email newsletters to subscribers' tastes.
5. Make all of the fields on the sign-up form mandatory. Don't give people the option to omit information.
6. Be honest about how you will use the information you are collecting. Inform the subscriber that they will receive regular newsletters if this is the case.
7. Make the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter clear. Include information on your website stating that subscribers will receive the best offers first, or offers that are tailored to their needs.
8. Promotions are an effective way of encouraging people to sign-up to your email newsletters. Prize draws for new subscribers are great for building up your address books.
9. Make any third party opt in or opt out boxes clear. This can instill confidence in subscribers.
10. If you send a confirmation page to subscribers, use it as a selling opportunity. Include offers on the page that they have just expressed an interest in on the data capture form.
For more information on building quality address books, visit http://www.eshoutz.com/building-quality-address-books.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing visit the eShoutz.com website.
Friday 26 September 2008
Help with Image Blocking
Many email campaigns begin with a large image, designed to engage and entice the reader with the preview pane of their email inbox. However, many email providers, such as Hotmail, now have image blockers, which obviously reduce the effect of your marketing message. So how do you tackle this issue? You could try:
Using Alt Text - there will be plenty of space so you can be quite creative in writing something that encourages your readers to activate their images, click, scroll down etc.
Use a Preheader - This will allow readers who don't see the image to see something in their preview pane, whilst the impact of the large image will not be effected by a preheader for those that can see the image. You should try to be inventive with this text so that it encourages your readers.
Visit eShoutz.com for all your email marketing needs.
Using Alt Text - there will be plenty of space so you can be quite creative in writing something that encourages your readers to activate their images, click, scroll down etc.
Use a Preheader - This will allow readers who don't see the image to see something in their preview pane, whilst the impact of the large image will not be effected by a preheader for those that can see the image. You should try to be inventive with this text so that it encourages your readers.
Visit eShoutz.com for all your email marketing needs.
10 must have features for email marketing
At eShoutz we feel that there are 10 features every email marketer requires from their email marketing provider.
1. Automated bounce and unsubscribe management
If your email campaigns are not delivered because they are being sent to an invalid email address, the address is removed automatically from your address books by eShoutz. This will prevent you from sending to the address again.
2. Open and click-through tracking
eShoutz provides open and click-through information about all of your sent email campaigns, and you can even print off boardroom-ready reports on the success of your campaign.
3. Spam checker
You need to able to check that your email campaign is likely to get past spam filters. The eShoutz spam checker points out any aspects of your html and text emails which may be classed as spam before you attempt to send the email newsletter.
4. Inbox preview
You should be able to check what your email campaign will look like in different inboxes. Check the layout in Yahoo, Gmail etc.
5. Email address de-duplication
You don't want to annoy recipients by sending them an email campaign more than once because their address is duplicated within an address book. eShoutz takes out any duplicates on your behalf.
6. Template library
You should be able to store all email campaigns within a library so that you can use them as editable templates again and again. eShoutz has an extensive range of editable templates in the library free for you to use, or alternatively you can add your own designs.
7. Unique domain option
Using a unique domain and URL reduces your chance of becoming blacklisted by an email provider's other clients. You should buy a unique domain if your provider gives you the option.
8. Testing facility
It is important that all email marketing campaigns are tested before they are sent to full address books. eShoutz allows you to send as many tests of your html and text email campaigns as you wish.
9. Dynamic content and personalisation options
Sending email campaigns that are tailored to your recipients' tastes results in better click-through rates. As does personalising your email campaigns. eShoutz allows you to dynamically create your email campaigns so that recipients receive offers and news which they have expressed an interest in or have asked for.
10. ROI and conversion tracking
All email marketers will want to measure the success of email campaigns, and by tracking direct conversions from a campaign allows them to calculate the return on investment. eShoutz offers extensive ROI tracking and provides a breakdown of orders, bookings or enquiries, the value of those leads and also the products that have been purchased or enquiried about on your website.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing and its range of features visit eShoutz.com.
1. Automated bounce and unsubscribe management
If your email campaigns are not delivered because they are being sent to an invalid email address, the address is removed automatically from your address books by eShoutz. This will prevent you from sending to the address again.
2. Open and click-through tracking
eShoutz provides open and click-through information about all of your sent email campaigns, and you can even print off boardroom-ready reports on the success of your campaign.
3. Spam checker
You need to able to check that your email campaign is likely to get past spam filters. The eShoutz spam checker points out any aspects of your html and text emails which may be classed as spam before you attempt to send the email newsletter.
4. Inbox preview
You should be able to check what your email campaign will look like in different inboxes. Check the layout in Yahoo, Gmail etc.
5. Email address de-duplication
You don't want to annoy recipients by sending them an email campaign more than once because their address is duplicated within an address book. eShoutz takes out any duplicates on your behalf.
6. Template library
You should be able to store all email campaigns within a library so that you can use them as editable templates again and again. eShoutz has an extensive range of editable templates in the library free for you to use, or alternatively you can add your own designs.
7. Unique domain option
Using a unique domain and URL reduces your chance of becoming blacklisted by an email provider's other clients. You should buy a unique domain if your provider gives you the option.
8. Testing facility
It is important that all email marketing campaigns are tested before they are sent to full address books. eShoutz allows you to send as many tests of your html and text email campaigns as you wish.
9. Dynamic content and personalisation options
Sending email campaigns that are tailored to your recipients' tastes results in better click-through rates. As does personalising your email campaigns. eShoutz allows you to dynamically create your email campaigns so that recipients receive offers and news which they have expressed an interest in or have asked for.
10. ROI and conversion tracking
All email marketers will want to measure the success of email campaigns, and by tracking direct conversions from a campaign allows them to calculate the return on investment. eShoutz offers extensive ROI tracking and provides a breakdown of orders, bookings or enquiries, the value of those leads and also the products that have been purchased or enquiried about on your website.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing and its range of features visit eShoutz.com.
Wednesday 24 September 2008
Email Bounce Backs
Having trouble with email bounce backs? Not sure what the difference is between a soft bounce back and a hard bounce back? Don't worry eShoutz can help you to understand bounce backs and give you tips on how to manage and reduce them.
Soft Bounce Back
An email is classed as a soft bounce back when it reaches the subscriber's mail server and the email adress is recognised but the email is bounced back undelivered before it reaches the intended subscriber. A soft bounce back usually occurs when:
1. the subscriber's mailbox is full,
2. the server is down or downloading lots of emails,
3. the email is too large, or
4. the subscriber has abandoned their mailbox.
If your email is a soft bounce, most email providers will attempt to redeliver the email over the next few days.
Hard Bounce Back
An email is defined as a hard bounce back when it is returned to its sender and cannot be redelivered. Common causes for a hard bounce back include:
1. invalid email addresses i.e. the domain name doesn't exist, typing errors etc
2. the subscriber's mail server has blocked your server
Quick Tips
Actively managing your bounce backs can help to reduce your email delivery costs and help to increase conversions. Here are some quick tips on how to manage & reduce your bounce backs:
1. Clean your Lists - check for incorrect email addresses, invalid domain names and typing errors
2. Confirm email addresses - You could try an auto-reply confirmation so when an email address is captured if the auto-reply bounces you can attempt to correct it at the start, which will be less cost to yourself. Alternatively, you could use a second email address line in your online forms etc, this will help to prevent typos.
3. Include subscription links in your email - By including a link for subscribers within your email it will make it easier for subscribers to update their details.
4. Use an unique URL and 'From' address - This means that if any other email marketers using the same software as you get blacklisted they will not have any affect on your campaigns.
5. Test your email campaign - Prior to sending your email campaign send a test to yourself and others. Be sure to include Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.
6. Suppress or delete recurring bounce backs - If all else fails you should remove the subscriber from your address book.
Visit eShoutz.com for further email marketing tips and advice.
Soft Bounce Back
An email is classed as a soft bounce back when it reaches the subscriber's mail server and the email adress is recognised but the email is bounced back undelivered before it reaches the intended subscriber. A soft bounce back usually occurs when:
1. the subscriber's mailbox is full,
2. the server is down or downloading lots of emails,
3. the email is too large, or
4. the subscriber has abandoned their mailbox.
If your email is a soft bounce, most email providers will attempt to redeliver the email over the next few days.
Hard Bounce Back
An email is defined as a hard bounce back when it is returned to its sender and cannot be redelivered. Common causes for a hard bounce back include:
1. invalid email addresses i.e. the domain name doesn't exist, typing errors etc
2. the subscriber's mail server has blocked your server
Quick Tips
Actively managing your bounce backs can help to reduce your email delivery costs and help to increase conversions. Here are some quick tips on how to manage & reduce your bounce backs:
1. Clean your Lists - check for incorrect email addresses, invalid domain names and typing errors
2. Confirm email addresses - You could try an auto-reply confirmation so when an email address is captured if the auto-reply bounces you can attempt to correct it at the start, which will be less cost to yourself. Alternatively, you could use a second email address line in your online forms etc, this will help to prevent typos.
3. Include subscription links in your email - By including a link for subscribers within your email it will make it easier for subscribers to update their details.
4. Use an unique URL and 'From' address - This means that if any other email marketers using the same software as you get blacklisted they will not have any affect on your campaigns.
5. Test your email campaign - Prior to sending your email campaign send a test to yourself and others. Be sure to include Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail and Outlook.
6. Suppress or delete recurring bounce backs - If all else fails you should remove the subscriber from your address book.
Visit eShoutz.com for further email marketing tips and advice.
Tuesday 23 September 2008
Commonly Asked Email Marketing Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions answered by eShoutz.com.
1. What is a good open or click-through rate?
Open and click-through rates vary for all email marketers, and results depend on the subject line, the relevancy of the content and the offers included in the newsletter. Industry average for open rates is between 15% and 20%.
2. How do I get my email newsletter past spam filters?
Avoid using lots of exclamation marks in both the subject line and within the content of your email. Also, avoid spam words such as 'free!', 'click here', 'discount' and 'satisfaction guaranteed'.
Also, check your email campaign with the eShoutz spam checker tool. The spam checker will highlight any issues you have with your newsletter so that you can correct them before sending to your address books.
3. Do I really need to send a text version of my email campaign?
Including a text version when sending your email campaigns can help reduce spam scores. There may also be recipients within your address books that cannot open html emails. It does not usually take long to create a text version of your email so it is advised that you do it each time you create your html version.
4. Why do I need a web-based version of the html email?
Including a link in your html email to a web-based version means that if recipients cannot view the newsletter correctly they can simply click on the link and see the content in full. Some recipients may have the images disabled and not actually know how to switch them back on again. A link makes it easy for them to view the html.
When you create a html email campaign in eShoutz, a copy is automatically stored as a web-based version. One click of a button enters a 'view html' link into your email so there's no need for uploading your newsletter onto servers, all the hard work is done for you!
5. What day of the week is best to send email marketing campaigns, and at what time?
This depends on the types of recipients you are sending to. If you are sending to business email addresses of people who work in offices, you are not likely to get a good open rate if you send on a Friday evening or weekend. Office staff clear out their inboxes on a monday morning when they have accumulated a number of emails. This may include yours.
Try sending campaigns on different days and at different times of the day. You may see consistent results, you may also find that it doesn't actually matter when you send your email newsletters.
6. How do I make sure that I don't get blacklisted?
Don't send email campaigns which may be mistaken as spam. It is also advisable to have a unique URL and 'from address'. This means that if any other email marketers using the same software as you get blacklisted they will not have any affect on your campaigns.
eShoutz provides a unique URL and 'from address' service which means that you can reduce the risk of being blacklisted by any other users of eShoutz. You can also build brand awareness by having a branded 'from address'.
Another way of preventing being blacklisted is ensuring that all of your email addresses within your address books are opted in. Only use email addresses of people who have expressed that they wish to receive email newsletter from you.
7. Most importantly, what is the most important thing for me to remember to achieve a successful email marketing campaign?
We suggest that you make your email newsletters relevant to your recipients. Just because email marketing is a cheap way of communicating with potential and existing customers, it doesn't mean that you should bombard them with emails that they wouldn't want to recieve. Tailor your emails to what they want using the eShoutz dynamic content tool and ensure that the offers you are sending are competitive or appealing.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing, visit the website at eShoutz.com.
1. What is a good open or click-through rate?
Open and click-through rates vary for all email marketers, and results depend on the subject line, the relevancy of the content and the offers included in the newsletter. Industry average for open rates is between 15% and 20%.
2. How do I get my email newsletter past spam filters?
Avoid using lots of exclamation marks in both the subject line and within the content of your email. Also, avoid spam words such as 'free!', 'click here', 'discount' and 'satisfaction guaranteed'.
Also, check your email campaign with the eShoutz spam checker tool. The spam checker will highlight any issues you have with your newsletter so that you can correct them before sending to your address books.
3. Do I really need to send a text version of my email campaign?
Including a text version when sending your email campaigns can help reduce spam scores. There may also be recipients within your address books that cannot open html emails. It does not usually take long to create a text version of your email so it is advised that you do it each time you create your html version.
4. Why do I need a web-based version of the html email?
Including a link in your html email to a web-based version means that if recipients cannot view the newsletter correctly they can simply click on the link and see the content in full. Some recipients may have the images disabled and not actually know how to switch them back on again. A link makes it easy for them to view the html.
When you create a html email campaign in eShoutz, a copy is automatically stored as a web-based version. One click of a button enters a 'view html' link into your email so there's no need for uploading your newsletter onto servers, all the hard work is done for you!
5. What day of the week is best to send email marketing campaigns, and at what time?
This depends on the types of recipients you are sending to. If you are sending to business email addresses of people who work in offices, you are not likely to get a good open rate if you send on a Friday evening or weekend. Office staff clear out their inboxes on a monday morning when they have accumulated a number of emails. This may include yours.
Try sending campaigns on different days and at different times of the day. You may see consistent results, you may also find that it doesn't actually matter when you send your email newsletters.
6. How do I make sure that I don't get blacklisted?
Don't send email campaigns which may be mistaken as spam. It is also advisable to have a unique URL and 'from address'. This means that if any other email marketers using the same software as you get blacklisted they will not have any affect on your campaigns.
eShoutz provides a unique URL and 'from address' service which means that you can reduce the risk of being blacklisted by any other users of eShoutz. You can also build brand awareness by having a branded 'from address'.
Another way of preventing being blacklisted is ensuring that all of your email addresses within your address books are opted in. Only use email addresses of people who have expressed that they wish to receive email newsletter from you.
7. Most importantly, what is the most important thing for me to remember to achieve a successful email marketing campaign?
We suggest that you make your email newsletters relevant to your recipients. Just because email marketing is a cheap way of communicating with potential and existing customers, it doesn't mean that you should bombard them with emails that they wouldn't want to recieve. Tailor your emails to what they want using the eShoutz dynamic content tool and ensure that the offers you are sending are competitive or appealing.
For more information about eShoutz email marketing, visit the website at eShoutz.com.
Monday 15 September 2008
Top tips for creating an effective html email campaign
Take a look at the eShoutz top tips for creating effective email newsletters and improve your email marketing return on investment.
1. Place your most competitive offers in the top part of the email so that they are viewable in a preview pane of a recipient's inbox. If a recipient sees an enticing offer straight away they are likely to open the email fully to see what more you have to offer in the newsletter.
2. Have your call to action both at the top and at the bottom of the email so that a recipient can always see a telephone number or web address. Recipients will only contact you if they are reminded how to do so.
3. Always include an unsubscribe link. Remember that placing the unsubscribe link at the bottom of an email may encourage recipients to click the ‘junk’ button rather than scrolling down and clicking ‘unsubscribe’, which can result in your domain being registered as spam.
4. Always test your email campaigns in a number of inboxes, including Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo mail and Outlook. Your email template may look completely different in a number of inboxes depending on how it has been created. eShoutz has an 'inbox preview tool' which allows you to check your campaign quickly and easily before sending to your entire address book(s).
5. Always add a ‘forward to a friend’ link so that if a recipient wishes to share the offers with someone the email that they receive is in the correct format. By adding the link you can also increase your brand awareness if your recipients send the campaign to their friends.
6. Include ALT tags for all images, as many recipients will have images disabled in their email account settings. If they can read the Alt tags and understand what the email is about they are more likely to enable the images to view the html fully.
7. Make all images clickable. Many recipients will automatically assume that the images are links that will take them through to your website.
8. Remember that it is a legal requirement to include your business name, registered address and company on all email marketing campaigns that you send.
For more email marketing tips visit http://www.eshoutz.com/email-marketing-tips
For more information about eShoutz, visit eShoutz.com
Tuesday 9 September 2008
Choosing an email marketing provider
If you're trying to choose an email marketing provider, there's a few things you should consider. Take a look at these top tips on what you should look when when choosing an email marketing provider:
1. Ensure that the system is easy to use. Have a demonstration so that you know exactly how the system works. The team at eShoutz are more than happy to give you a full demo of the system; how to create, send and report on email marketing campaigns.
2. You should choose a system that does not require you to send high volumes of emails. Ensure that you are not committed to sending thousands of emails on a regular basis.
3. Check that the software is provided by a UK company. Using a provider overseas often limits the support available due to time differences. If you use a UK provider you can often receive face-to-face training and office hour support.
4. Use an email marketing provider that has its own design service. That way you can be sure that the design is not only attractive but also works with the software. eShoutz has its very own design team who can design and create email newsletters to reflect your needs and branding.
5. It is always useful to sign up to a provider’s trial account. Therefore once you have had a demonstration of the system you can create a demo account and get colleagues to log in and give you their opinions on the system. You can also see how easy or difficult it really is to use the system on your own.
You can sign up to a free eShoutz trial and test the system for yourself at http://www.eshoutz.com/freetrial.
For more email marketing top tips visit http://www.eshoutz.com/email-marketing-tips
Thursday 4 September 2008
Looking for bulk email marketing?
eShoutz.com is a bulk email marketing company allowing businesses of all sizes to send mass email marketing campaigns. The low cost bulk email marketing service is designed to suit all budgets and expertise, and is ideal for marketers wishing to send to large databases of email addresses.
As well as bulk email marketing, eShoutz provides a complete email marketing service. eShoutz can design, send and manage all of your email marketing activities, or alternatively everything can be completed in-house.
So if you're looking for a professional email marketing service from a bulk email provider, look no further than eShoutz.com.
Visit http://www.eshoutz.com/bulk-email-marketing for more information on bulk email marketing.
As well as bulk email marketing, eShoutz provides a complete email marketing service. eShoutz can design, send and manage all of your email marketing activities, or alternatively everything can be completed in-house.
So if you're looking for a professional email marketing service from a bulk email provider, look no further than eShoutz.com.
Visit http://www.eshoutz.com/bulk-email-marketing for more information on bulk email marketing.
Tuesday 2 September 2008
Why email marketing?
Email marketing is one of the most powerful online marketing tools, used by businesses of all sizes. Email marketing usually requires only a small amount of time and often a very small budget to achieve results.
There are very few production costs involved with email marketing, and unlike direct mail there are no material costs. Many email marketing providers such as eShoutz also offer a self-service solution which eliminates management fees and allows you to complete all operations cheaply in-house. Email marketing also allows you to proactively contact prospective and existing customers, without waiting for them to visit your website to view your services and product offers.
Email marketing is an instant marketing solution which can also provide results straight away. Once an email marketer clicks to send an email campaign, it can be instantly distributed to the entire database of recipients a business has. This means that any urgent communications or offers which are due to be outdated within a short period of time can be sent out on an email very quickly before the offer ends.
Not only is the sending of email campaigns instant, but the response can be too. If you create a clear 'call to action' you may see an increase in visitors to your website or an influx in telephone calls almost instantly and usually within 48 hours of dispatching your email newsletter.
It is easy to track the success of your email marketing campaigns. eShoutz has an excellent reporting tool which shows you both numerically and graphically how your email marketing campaign has performed. You can see how many emails were delivered, how many were opened and who has clicked through to your website. You can also see how many enquiries or bookings were ultimately made as a result of your newsletter and the value of those leads.
Above all, eShoutz is simple to use. Creating and sending email marketing campaigns is quick and easy with eShoutz, as is using all of its additional features such as sending dynamic content newsletters and personalising your emails.
For more information on simple email marketing visit eShoutz.com
Wednesday 27 August 2008
Top tips for creating an effective subject line
One of the first things that a recipient sees when they receive your email campaign is the subject line that you have given it. This therefore has a direct impact on your open rates. If the recipient is not inspired by the subject line to open the email, they are likely to simply delete it without ever seeing the content of your newsletter.
To increase open rates, you must create a subject line for your email marketing campaign that will encourage your recipients to open the newsletter.
Here's our top tips on creating an effective subject line:
1. Ensure that it is short in length, up to 70 characters. If it is too long it may not display properly in the inbox.
2. If you have basic information for your recipients, personalise the subject line. It may intrigue them enough to open the email. For example 'Hi John - here's your August eShoutz newsletter'.
3. Don’t use CAPS, spam words or lots of exclamation marks. The subject line can determine whether or not the email makes it into the junk box or not, as it scanned for spam in the same way as the content of the email is.
4. Test different subject lines over time to evaluate the best approach for your business. Test questions, offers and headlines to see which receive the best open rates.
5. It should grab attention and entice people to open it. Offers and promotions help open rates.
For more email marketing top tips visit the eShoutz.com website.
Monday 18 August 2008
Personalise emails to improve conversions
If you collect general information about your recipients at the data capture point, you can use it to personalise your email marketing campaigns. By requesting information such as first name and surname on your newsletter sign-up, you are likely to improve your return on investment from your email campaigns.
Personalising a subject line with a recipient's name can often intrigue them enough to open your email campaign. Also, addressing the recipient in the content such as 'Dear John' can increase click through rates as the recipient often feels that you are taking a personal approach and that the email is specifically for them.
It is also advisable to gather preference information about your recipients. For example, as part of your newsletter sign-up you should include a small survey so that you can find out why someone is signing up for your newsletter and what products or deals they are particularly interested in. For example, if you have a travel website, find out what travel products they prefer - sun holidays, city breaks, cruises, ski deals? You can then use this information to tailor your email campaigns to their preferences.
For more information on personalising email campaigns, visit eShoutz.com.
Personalising a subject line with a recipient's name can often intrigue them enough to open your email campaign. Also, addressing the recipient in the content such as 'Dear John' can increase click through rates as the recipient often feels that you are taking a personal approach and that the email is specifically for them.
It is also advisable to gather preference information about your recipients. For example, as part of your newsletter sign-up you should include a small survey so that you can find out why someone is signing up for your newsletter and what products or deals they are particularly interested in. For example, if you have a travel website, find out what travel products they prefer - sun holidays, city breaks, cruises, ski deals? You can then use this information to tailor your email campaigns to their preferences.
For more information on personalising email campaigns, visit eShoutz.com.
When to send email campaigns
To get the most out of your email campaign you need to know when the best time is to send; however, there is no definitive answer. The best day to send is very personal to your email campaigns and the way to determine this is through testing on different days to see when you get most reponse in terms of open rates, clicks, conversions etc.
When testing try to think like one of your readers and also think when are you messages most relevant. For example, if your message is 'weekend sale', you will create little sense of urgency if you send out on a Monday, 5 days prior to the weekend. You should also bear in mind how seasonality and national holidays could effect your email campaigns.
Visit eShoutz for more information.
When testing try to think like one of your readers and also think when are you messages most relevant. For example, if your message is 'weekend sale', you will create little sense of urgency if you send out on a Monday, 5 days prior to the weekend. You should also bear in mind how seasonality and national holidays could effect your email campaigns.
Visit eShoutz for more information.
Friday 15 August 2008
Creating an email is easy with eShoutz
It is easy to create email marketing campaigns with eShoutz. You have a number of options when creating a new email campaign. You can use the WYSIWYG tool to create the html email yourself from scratch, use an easily editable template stored within the system or import your own template design into eShoutz.
The WYSIWYG tool is for those who wish to create their own template online instead of building it offline in an html programme. It is ideal for email marketers who have some experience in building html, but want to create an email campaign straight in eShoutz to guarantee that it works within the system. The 'point and click' feature means that by using the simple toolbars in eShoutz you can soon have a full email campaign ready to send to your address books.
Alternatively, there are over 70 html templates within eShoutz which are quick and simple to edit. Add your own images, text and links to the coloured template for a quick email marketing solution. There are also a number of readily designed templates which can be edited, great for Valentine's Day and other holiday promotions. This option is ideal for those with a tight email marketing budget and are not sending to a large database of email addresses.
For a more effective email marketing campaign with a better possibility of getting an excellent ROI (return on investment), import a professionally designed html email into eShoutz. The eShoutz design team can create professional html templates that reflect your website and the overall theme of the campaign. The html template can be created offline then imported with the touch of a button ready for sending via eShoutz.
For more information on creating email marketing campaigns with eShoutz, visit the website at eshoutz.com or sign up for a free trial at eshoutz.com/freetrial.
The WYSIWYG tool is for those who wish to create their own template online instead of building it offline in an html programme. It is ideal for email marketers who have some experience in building html, but want to create an email campaign straight in eShoutz to guarantee that it works within the system. The 'point and click' feature means that by using the simple toolbars in eShoutz you can soon have a full email campaign ready to send to your address books.
Alternatively, there are over 70 html templates within eShoutz which are quick and simple to edit. Add your own images, text and links to the coloured template for a quick email marketing solution. There are also a number of readily designed templates which can be edited, great for Valentine's Day and other holiday promotions. This option is ideal for those with a tight email marketing budget and are not sending to a large database of email addresses.
For a more effective email marketing campaign with a better possibility of getting an excellent ROI (return on investment), import a professionally designed html email into eShoutz. The eShoutz design team can create professional html templates that reflect your website and the overall theme of the campaign. The html template can be created offline then imported with the touch of a button ready for sending via eShoutz.
For more information on creating email marketing campaigns with eShoutz, visit the website at eshoutz.com or sign up for a free trial at eshoutz.com/freetrial.
Thursday 31 July 2008
eShoutz Offers Excellent Reporting Tools... As Standard
The reporting facility which comes as standard with all eShoutz email marketing accounts, offers extensive information about how your email marketing campaigns have performed. The reporting tool records how many emails you sent and how many of those were opened or bounced. It also records who has opened the email, which links have been clicked on, why some emails may have bounced and who has requested to be unsubscribed from your address books.
All reporting is displayed in numerical values or as percentages, plus graphs and pie charts for some of the criteria.
Advanced ROI tracking is also available so that you can track what orders / enquiries email recipients have made on your website, along with the value of that order.
All reporting is displayed in numerical values or as percentages, plus graphs and pie charts for some of the criteria.
Advanced ROI tracking is also available so that you can track what orders / enquiries email recipients have made on your website, along with the value of that order.
Thursday 17 July 2008
Email Marketing Design Services
Are you looking for a professional email marketing design service? Then look no further. You don't need a massive budget to have personalised email marketing campaigns designed and created by the eShoutz design team.
You can get great looking email campaigns designed to reflect your brand or website with the help of the eShoutz designers and increase your brand awareness on the Internet in the process.
With eShoutz you can have fantastic looking email campaigns, an excellent self-service or managed account and great facilites to improve the deliverability of your email campaigns.
For more information visit the website at eShoutz.com.
You can get great looking email campaigns designed to reflect your brand or website with the help of the eShoutz designers and increase your brand awareness on the Internet in the process.
With eShoutz you can have fantastic looking email campaigns, an excellent self-service or managed account and great facilites to improve the deliverability of your email campaigns.
For more information visit the website at eShoutz.com.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
New to email marketing?
Email marketing is a cost-effective and powerful tool, which will drive business to your website, build customer loyalty, increase brand awareness and create sales opportunities. It can help to enhance the relationship between seller and the potential customer, and compared to direct mail, email marketing has better success rates and a measured ROI.
So choose eShoutz.com for your email marketing platform?
So choose eShoutz.com for your email marketing platform?
- eShoutz is easy-to-use and highly intuitive – which means no previous experience is necessary
- You can create professional and personalised emails quickly – eShoutz has a great library of templates to use or take advantage of our dedicated design team, who can create bespoke email campaign templates to reflect your needs
- eShoutz features powerful tracking and detailed reporting – which allows you to measure the success of your email campaigns
- Full technical support and advice – eShoutz is based in the UK with dedicated account managers
Tuesday 8 July 2008
Free Email Marketing
Are you looking for free email marketing? Then you need look no further than eShoutz.com.
Trial eShoutz.com for free today and see how easy it is to create professional looking emails. Our free email marketing trial is limited to 20 emails sends but allows you to interact with all of the facilities of eShoutz.com.
With eShoutz.com you don’t need a massive budget to design, create and send fantastic html emails; we can tailor-make email marketing packages to suit your budget and expertise. Our low cost email marketing services include the design, delivery and reporting of your email marketing campaigns.
Sign up for your free eShoutz trial here.
Trial eShoutz.com for free today and see how easy it is to create professional looking emails. Our free email marketing trial is limited to 20 emails sends but allows you to interact with all of the facilities of eShoutz.com.
With eShoutz.com you don’t need a massive budget to design, create and send fantastic html emails; we can tailor-make email marketing packages to suit your budget and expertise. Our low cost email marketing services include the design, delivery and reporting of your email marketing campaigns.
Sign up for your free eShoutz trial here.
eShoutz Email Marketing Templates
Looking for email marketing templates? Then look no further. eShoutz.com offer a range of email marketing templates to suit all budgets and expertise. As well as creating the design and html, eShoutz.com can take care of the delivery and reporting of all of your email marketing campaigns.
With eShoutz.com you don't need a massive budget to design, create and send fantastic email marketing campaigns. There is no software to install and full support is available.
So take a look at eShoutz.com for cheap and easy-to-use email marketing templates.
With eShoutz.com you don't need a massive budget to design, create and send fantastic email marketing campaigns. There is no software to install and full support is available.
So take a look at eShoutz.com for cheap and easy-to-use email marketing templates.
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