Best Practices in Marketing with Email Newsletters
Table of Contents
 Introduction: Why Email Newsletters Now?
Statistics to Ponder
Glossary of Terms Used in This Report
Part I. Email Newsletters: The Basics
Definition of Email Newsletter
Text vs. HTML
Figure 1-1: A text-only email newsletter looks typewritten, but links to Web pages and email are underlined and clickable.
Figure 1-2: An HTML newsletter looks like a Web page in your inbox.
Advantages Over Print Newsletters
7 Myths about Email Newsletters
Budgeting Checklist Part II. Formulating Your Email Newsletter Strategy
What Do You Want to Accomplish with a Newsletter?
Who is Your Primary Audience?
When You Need Two Newsletters for Two or More Audiences
How Will You Know You Are Succeeding?
Wait! Do You Need to Publish at All?
Figure 2-1: EMC decided not to publish its own, but to sponsor one whose content is created for its own readership. Build vs. Buy
Relationship Marketing: The Strategic Foundation of Company Newsletters
15 Possible Goals of Publishing an Email Newsletter
- Goal #1: Acquire New Customers
Figure 2-2: By capturing newsletter opt-in preferences, Brooks Sports is able to publish a customized version of its monthly newsletter for each subscriber. This has resulted in an astonishing 45% average issue pass-along rate.
- Goal #2: Generate Sales
Figure 2-3: MarthaStewart sends sales pitches that readers are happy to receive.
Figure 2-4: OldNavy’s landing page perfectly matches the emailed offer.
- Goal #3: Turn Your House File into Active Leads
- Goal #4: Keep Sales Leads Warm
Figure 2-5: CSI’s newsletter is brief, but very technical. Anyone reading this consistently is likely to be a good lead, and will quickly be convinced that you are a source of expertise.
- Goal #5: Increase Customer Satisfaction and Education
- Goal #6: Build Trust and Confidence with Investors
- Goal #7: Build Long-Term Relationships with Prospects for Long-Sales Cycle Products and Services
- Goal #8: Support Retail and Offline Sales
Figure 2-6: The California Tortilla uses a newsletter to drive traffic to their store on rainy days.
- Goal #9: Upsell and Resell
- Goal #10: Educate the Marketplace
- Goal #11: Build Brand and Image
Figure 2-7: Silk Road newsletter builds brand for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
- Goal #12: Promote Media Coverage
Figure 2-8: Forrester’s newsletter caters to the press. By simply replying to the message, members of the press can receive all the latest briefs. Since Forrester relies on coverage of their research in the press, this is the perfect vehicle to reach the press on deadline.
- Goal #13: Manage and Inform Affiliates and Partners
- Goal #14: Drive Traffic to Your Web site or to Other Media
Figure 2-9: FoxNews’ newsletter drives traffic to the evening’s television news programs by telling subscribers what the topics will be.
- Goal #15: Generate Revenue from Ad Sales
The Top 7 Strategic Mistakes
When Multiple Newsletters Make Sense
Strategy Checklist
Part III. Newsletter Format, Length, Frequency, and Timing
Build the Newsletter Team
Format: Text, HTML, AOL – Options, Options
- The Sniffer Myth
- Figure 3-1: Formatting options, installed base, and likely users for each of the major email clients.
- Best Practices for Layout of HTML Newsletters
- Hotmail Link Issues
- Should You Switch from Text to HTML? How? When?
Figure 3-2: FirstPlace Software’s HTML newsletter is light on graphics, and uses HTML to give readers links to all the articles on the right. In this case, switching to HTML improved navigability and didn’t anger any readers.
Best Practices for Layout of Text Newsletters
Figure 3-3: Eddie Bauer sticks with a consistent, simple masthead so that readers recognize your publication immediately. The links in the masthead link to categories in the store. Regular shoppers will recognize the consistency with the store.
- Long Links in Text Newsletters: A Challenge
Figure 3-4: Include a “forward-to-a-friend” link in every issue, under every article, so readers won’t be tempted to cut and paste out of your issue, robbing you of potential pass-along subscribers. LangaList’s link goes to a Web form.
- Best Practices for Layout of House Ads in HTML and Text
Sponsorships: Build Brand
Ads: Inspire Reader Action
Figure 3-5: WritersWeekly is published by BookLocker.com. The only links to BookLocker.com’s store appear at the very bottom of a length issue.
Newsletter Length: What Works Best?
Frequency: How Often to Publish?
Timing: Time of Day, Day of Week
Variable Frequency and Timing: Event-triggered Mailings
Checklist for Determining Format, Length, Frequency, and Timing
Part IV. Content
The FROM Line
Subject Line
The Preview Panel
Figure 4-1: The preview panel in Microsoft Outlook. This is where you prove that you’re worth reading.
The Table of Contents: Layout
Your Footer: Administrative Details Go Here
Email-Appropriate Style and Voice
Tips for Productive Archiving
Tone: Me-to-You
The Newsletter Itself
- News
- Articles or Columns
- Using Syndicated Material
- Fun Features
- B2B Humor
- Facts or data
- Instruction or Advice
- Reader-contributed Content
- Polls
- Surveys
- Questions
- Letters to the Editor
- Resources
- Year-End Best-of Revelations
- Reviews
- Case studies – Avoid the Four Most Common Mistakes
- “Blog”
Content Personalization
Best Practices for Sales Alerts
Planning for, Producing, and Commissioning Content
- Editorial Calendar
- Idea File
- Stockpile and Schedule Issues
- Outsource Writing
- Finding a Qualified Writer or Editor
- Before You Press “Send”
- Responses to Content
Figure 4-2: “Squall Dad” was inspired by an actual reader letter that Lands' End copywriter Thom Pharmakis received and responded to himself.
Checklist for Newsletter Content
Appendix to Part IV: Sample Editorial Services Agreement for Freelance Writers
Part V. Growing Subscribers
Opt-in Only: What and Why
Why is it so important to take the opt-in route?
The Double Opt-in Debate
Information Gathering During Opt-in
Testing Long Versus Short Sign-up Forms
Figure 5-1: This subscriber survey poll from iMakeNews asks readers, who are likely to be email marketers, which email marketing metric they find the most useful.
Essential for Opt-in: Your Privacy Policy
Figure 5-2: uPromise has the nicest privacy policy we’ve seen. Note how they use an executive summary at the top to link to the details below.
Figure 5-3: FutureNowInc includes the expression “We value your privacy” under their opt-in box. That sentence links to their privacy policy while reassuring visitors who don’t actually click the link.
15 Best Passive Opt-in Tactics
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #1: Web Subscription Box
Figure 5-4: EMAILsherpa uses a picture of a newsletter page, as if the newsletter were delivered on paper, but shows an envelope with an E in it to connote electronic delivery
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #2: Pop-up Subscription Box
Figure 5-5: Altrec offers a chance to win a prize that would be highly coveted only by its target audience in its pop-up box.
Figure 5-6: iVillage gets you to divulge enough preferences and interest information that by the time they offer a newsletter, they offer the one that is just right for you.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #3: Article Archives
Figure 5-7: Notice how DWR.com combines the best practice of providing a link to a sample issue to garner opt-ins with the best practice of having the sign-up box prominently on the home page.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #4: Archived Articles Presented as Valuable Site Content
Figure 5-8: “The Great Debates” at RestaurantReport.com are past issues of their newsletter.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #5: Your Printed Marketing Materials
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #6: Asking for Pass-Alongs in Your Newsletter
Figure 5-9: HP’s HPTC newsletter gives readers a form with the option of forwarding the newsletter to up to five friends – perfect for distributing information to everyone on your project team.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #7: Pass-Along Welcome Letters
Figure 5-10: MarketingSherpa’s welcome letter offers something for your friends, too.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #8: Invitation on “Thank You” Pages
- Passive Opt-In Tactic #9: Check Box on Registration Form or Shopping Cart Form
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #10: Email Signatures
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #11: Voice Mail and On-Hold Messages
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #12: Autoresponder Course
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #13: Planting your Newsletter Content on Other Sites
Figure 5-11: Affiliate Wire.com explains how their headlines are in other places. The box on the right is the box an affiliate would get.
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #14: E-cards
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #14: Online Quizzes
- Passive Opt-in Tactic #15: Home Page “Prequel”
14 Best Active Opt-in Tactics
- Active Opt-in Tactic #1: Single Email or Append Service to Convert Your In-house Database
- Active Opt-in Tactic #2: Direct Mail
- Active Opt-in Tactic #3: Telemarketing
- Active Opt-in Tactic #4: TV or Radio Ads
- Active Opt-in Tactic #5: Rented Opt-in Lists
- Active Opt-in Tactic #6: Ads in Other E-zines
- Active Opt-in Tactic #7: Trade Shows, Seminars and Events
- Active Opt-in Tactic #8: Co-registration
Figure 5-12: HipLists offers co-registration for specific, named partners.
- Active Opt-in Tactic #9: Press Releases and Media Relations
- Active Opt-in Tactic #10: Ad Campaigns on Other Sites
Figure 5-13: New Balance offers an interactive ad that allows visitors to sign up for the newsletter without leaving the site on which the ad appears.
- Active Opt-in Tactic #11: Discussion List Participation with Signature
- Active Opt-in Tactic #12: Sign-up Box at Retail Locations
- Active Opt-in Tactic #13: Print Ads
- Active Opt-in Tactic #14: Pay-per-click Search Engine Advertising
Welcome Letters and Other Opt-in Copy
Sample Single Opt-In Welcome Letter
Sample Double Opt-In Welcome Letter
When to Use a Series of Welcome Messages
Confirmation Messages & How to Avoid 4 Biggest Mistakes
Unsubscribe Messages
Letters Responding to Spam Accusations
Reply to Feedback or Comments
Sample Autoresponder Copy from Wabash & Lake
Checklist for Growing Opt-In Subscribers
Part VI. Managing Distribution and Your List
Figure 6-1: The three places where email filtering takes place.
In-house or Out-of-house Distribution?
Questions to Help You Select a List Host
Database Tips
Subscriber Data Worth Collecting
Why the Biggest Subscriber List Isn’t Necessarily Best
Testing the Process is Part of the Process
Keeping Your List Up-to-Date
Vital to Success: A Well-Functioning Unsubscribe Process
How to Anger Subscribers 101
Customer Service for Your Newsletter
Checklist for Managing Distribution and Your List
Part VII. Measuring Performance
Planning to Measure Results
Source of Opt-Ins on Your Web Site
Quality of Co-Reg or Other Campaign Subscribers
Viral Effectiveness
Measuring Results
Calculating the ROI for Your Newsletter
Customer Value for Subscribers vs. Non-subscribers
Other Measurements
Measuring Reader Satisfaction
Checklist for Measuring Newsletter Success
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Best Practices in Marketing with Email Newsletters
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