Email Marketing Articles
November 28th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
If you’re like many small businesses—and especially retailers this time of year—sending out emails is a huge part of your marketing strategy. But how can you ensure your emails get opened, and clicked on, among the deluge of messages swamping recipients’ inboxes? Email marketing provider GetResponse analyzed some 21 million U.S. email marketing messages and has some useful advice about the best—and worst—times to send emails. Here’s what they found:
Retailers’ newsletters and emails are far more likely to be opened in the first hour after delivery than at any time afterwards. In the second hour, results drop by half; in the third hour, they drop by another 30 percent; and in 5 hours they dwindle by 90 percent.
Open and click rates vary widely depending on the time of day. Recipients’ top engagement times are 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Ideally, you want your email to land in the inbox one hour before these times for maximum attention and results. Sending newsletters during readers’ top engagement times can increase your average open rates and click-through rates by 6 p.m.
However, the study also found that messages sent in the afternoons and evenings were the most likely to be opened or clicked. Although morning is a top engagement time, it’s also the time when most emails are sent, so your email could be more likely to get lost.
There are other factors to keep in mind:
- Time zones. Use time zone segmentation so an email you want to hit inboxes at 9 a.m. arrives at the appropriate time for the recipient’s time zone.
- Know your recipients’ routines. For instance, if you send an email to a busy mom at 3 p.m. when she’s picking up the kids from school, it’s likely to sit in the in-box until homework, dinner, bathtime and bedtime are over….several hours later.
- Know what your competitors are doing. Learn from big companies in your industry by watching when they send their emails and testing similar timing.
- Track results. What works for the competition might not work for you—or you might want to try something “counterintuitive.” You need to assess your open and click-through rates and test different times to see what works for your business.
Image by Flickr user julianlimjl (Creative Commons)
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Tags: Email marketing, Marketing, sales process, small business
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November 9th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
U.S. retailers have high hopes for the upcoming holiday shopping season, and are spending accordingly on their marketing programs to make sure they grab their share. According to a new survey from Retail Systems Research and Bronto Software, more than 20 percent of U.S. retailers say they plan to significantly increase their spending on mobile, social or email marketing channels this year. An additional 22 percent will slightly increase their marketing budgets.
Overall, retailers are very optimistic about the coming holiday, with 68 percent projecting their sales to increase compared to last year. Of those, almost one-fourth believe that their sales will increase by over 50 percent.
Email, mobile and social media marketing channels are all top concerns for retailers this year, with a full 20 percent of respondents planning to allocate more than half of this year’s holiday marketing budget to one or more of these channels. However, out of the three, email is by far the most important for retailers, with a whopping 87 percent using it and more than 50 percent saying they will send more marketing emails this year than they did in 2011.
To prepare for this massive email marketing push, retailers have been spending money on:
- Subscriber acquisition (46 percent)
- Automated/triggered messages (43 percent)
- Personalization (36 percent)
- Segmentation (21 percent)
Other areas where retailers have invested in the past year to improve their service and operations include:
- New email service provider (50 percent)
- Mobile applications (49 percent)
- New ecommerce platform (46 percent)
- Mobile website optimization (43 percent)
“While email is a more established channel and has inherent technologic advantages for communicating with consumers, marketers are getting ready to use mobile and social to break out of the pack,” said Joe Colopy, CEO of Bronto Software, in announcing the results.
Free shipping is the main promotional tool that retailers will use this holiday season; all of the companies surveyed say they will offer some form of free shipping. How will ecommerce retailers lure customers back to abandoned shopping carts? Some 43 percent say they will use an email message offering free shipping, and 35 percent will use percentage-off or dollar-off emails.
Although this survey focused on large retailers, knowing what tactics the “big guys” are planning for the holidays can help you determine your own business’s marketing strategy. How will you beat the giants this holiday shopping season?
Image by Flickr user ccarlstead (Creative Commons)
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Tags: ecommerce, Email marketing, holiday 2012, retailers, small business, social media
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November 5th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
How does your small business’s digital marketing strategy measure up? A recent study from BIA Kelsey, Local Commerce Monitor Study, Wave 16 found that small businesses are expanding their digital marketing efforts. Some 40 percent of small and midsized businesses in the study say they plan to increase their digital spending budget in the next 12 months; just 3.7 percent say they plan to cut digital marketing spending.
Beyond spending more on digital marketing, small businesses are also expanding their reach into more channels. In 2007, small companies in the survey said they used an average of three media channels; in the latest survey, the average almost doubled to 5.8 channels.
Overall, small businesses’ spending on all kinds of advertising and promotion is holding steady, at about $3,000 annually. Given that limited budget, it’s probably not surprising that Facebook was the top digital channel for small businesses. More than half (52 percent) of small businesses use Facebook for marketing. By comparison, 25 percent use email marketing, about 20 percent use Google + for marketing, 17 percent use online videos for marketing and 14 percent use online ad banners. “Social media appears to be rapidly evolving into a core medium for SMB advertising and promotion,” the study reports.
While small business owners are mastering Facebook as a marketing tool, one area where they still have a long way to go is mobile marketing. Only 20 percent of small business owners had a mobile marketing strategy in place. About 50 percent have heard about mobile marketing, but either don’t know much about it or simply aren’t using it. Ready for the real shock? Thirty percent haven’t even heard of the concept of mobile marketing.
Given that local, social mobile marketing can bring huge advantages to a small business that relies on a local clientele, this knowledge gap is especially amazing. If you’re a small business owner with a community focus, you need to get your feet wet in mobile marketing or your business is going to fall behind.
Image by Flickr user FutUndBeidl (Creative Commons)
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Tags: mobile marketing, small business marketing, social media, Technology, Web Design
Posted in Email Marketing, Marketing, Small Business, small business, Social Media, social media, Technology, Web Design | 5 Comments »
October 31st, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
Consumers are feeling good about the upcoming holiday season. In a new study by PriceGrabber, more than half of consumers say they plan to spend the same amount of money or more this holiday shopping season than they did last year.
But even increased spending doesn’t mean Americans are ending their price-conscious ways. On the contrary, shoppers are looking for bargains with more vigor than ever, and feeling confident in their ability to search out the deals. Two-thirds of consumers surveyed say they expect retailers to offer better prices and discounts this year than last. What will persuade them to buy? Free shipping was cited by 77 percent of respondents, price cuts by 74 percent and coupons by 55 percent.
In fact, customers are already looking for holiday bargains. “Our survey data found that … 59 percent of consumers plan to start shopping even earlier this year to spread out the impact of purchases, compared to 53 percent in 2011,” said Rojeh Avanesian, vice president of marketing and analytics of PriceGrabber. Some 17 percent of consumers started their holiday shopping in September, and 31 percent said they would begin in October this year.
Worried that means it’s already too late to get the business? Don’t be. A follow-up study by PriceGrabber found that while there are those early-birds, more than half of consumers still believe the best holiday deals are found between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Got an ecommerce site? Then you’ve got an edge: When asked where they planned to shop this year, 75 percent of respondents said “online retailers.” By comparison, just 49 percent mentioned department stores, and 41 percent said they’ll shop with local independent retailers.
Even if you don’t have an ecommerce site, you can use local search to give your retail store an edge. A whopping 88 percent of shoppers say they’ll stick to their budgets this year by going online to research products and pricing before they buy their holiday gifts.
Make sure your store is listed on local search directories, on ratings and review sites, and that you use relevant keywords on your website so it comes up in the results when potential customers search for products you sell. You might even want to consider taking out online ads such as pay-per-click or Facebook ads to direct local customers to your store.
Image by Flickr user Steven Depolo (Creative Commons)
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Tags: Email marketing, Marketing, sales process, Search Marketing, small business, social media, Web Design
Posted in Email Marketing, Marketing, sales process, Search Marketing, Small Business, small business, Social Media, Web Design | 1 Comment »
October 24th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
When it comes to holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday typically grab all the headlines—but the real powerhouse this year just might be Thanksgiving Day, according to data reported by Internet Retailer.
A study by email services provider Responsys found that some 80 percent of major retailers plan to send email marketing messages on Thanksgiving Day this year, up from 76 percent last year, 60 percent in 2010 and 45 percent in 2009. That will make Thanksgiving Day the third busiest day for email, after Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Last year, online shoppers spent $479 million on Thanksgiving Day, an increase of 18 percent over 2010, according to comScore stats reported in the article.
With Thanksgiving “[replacing] Black Friday as the unofficial kick-off the holiday shopping season,” as Responsys puts it, what kind of marketing messages should you send on the holiday?
Reponsys says there are two different tacks retailers typically take with Thanksgiving Day emails: one, promoting special Thanksgiving Day sales, the other, teasing Black Friday promotions or offering them a bit earlier than normal.
With some brick-and-mortar retailers opening stores on Thanksgiving last year, you don’t even have to be an ecommerce retailer to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Day trend.
Of course, there are some consumers who dislike the idea of shopping on a national holiday—but there’s even an appropriate marketing email for them: You can tell them that your store will be closed on Thanksgiving Day to honor tradition and family.
What’s behind the growth in Thanksgiving Day marketing and shopping? As you might expect, the rise of smartphones and tablets is a big factor. After the turkey is eaten and the family togetherness starts to chafe, consumers looking for digital distraction are likely to whip out their phones.
If you don’t like the idea of shopping or marketing on Thanksgiving Day, you’re really not going to like what Responsys says is the next up-and-coming trend: sending marketing emails on Christmas Day—another time when people are on the go, out of their homes and likely to get bored.
Image by Flickr user carolynwakefield (Creative Commons)
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Tags: Email marketing, holiday retail, sales process, small business
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October 23rd, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
Do you want to learn more about marketing your small business online? If you’re in or near the Dallas area, it’s not too late to sign up for this Thursday’s Web.com Small Business Forum on online marketing. Register now!
Held from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, in Dallas, this interactive forum will be hosted by Web.com’s Jason Teichman. At the event, small businesses will learn everything they need to know about successfully marketing their companies online. Topics that will be covered include:
- What are the elements of a great website?
- How do I increase traffic to my website and to my business?
- Is my website “working” for my business?
- How do I market my business on Google, Facebook and Twitter?
Along with the informative presentation, the event also includes a Q&A session so you can ask the experts your questions. And, of course, you’ll have plenty of time to network with and learn from other small business owners.
Register now, and if you know other small business owners who might want to attend, please let them know about it too!
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Tags: Email marketing, online marketing, small business events, social media
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October 19th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
Small business owners in the Dallas area can get free help learning more about marketing their business online at a Web.com Small Business Forum coming up next week. (Register now!)
The interactive forum, to be held from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, is led by Web.com’s Jason Teichman and will teach local small businesses the ins and outs of successfully marketing their companies online. In addition to the presentation, the event will feature a Q&A session where you can learn and ask more about:
- What are the elements of a great website?
- How do I increase traffic to my website and to my business?
- Is my website “working” for my business?
- How do I market my business on Google, Facebook and Twitter?
Of course, there’ll also be lots of opportunities to network with other entrepreneurs.
Register now. Know other small business owners who might be interested? Spread the word!
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Tags: online marketing, Search Marketing, small business events, social media
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October 17th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
Do you want to learn more about marketing your small business online? If you’re in or near the Jacksonville, Florida, area, it’s not too late to sign up for this Friday’s Web.com Small Business Forum on online marketing. Register now!
Held from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 19, in Jacksonville, this interactive forum will be Web.com’s Jason Teichman. At the event, small businesses will learn everything they need to know about successfully marketing their companies online. Topics that will be covered include:
- What are the elements of a great website?
- How do I increase traffic to my website and to my business?
- Is my website “working” for my business?
- How do I market my business on Google, Facebook and Twitter?
Along with the informative presentation, the event also includes a Q&A session so you can ask the experts your questions. And, of course, you’ll have plenty of time to network with and learn from other small business owners.
Need more reason to go? As a bonus, each attendee will also receive two free tickets to the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters.
Register now, and if you know other small business owners who might want to attend, please let them know about it too!
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Tags: Email marketing, Events, Marketing, online marketing, Search Marketing, small business, social media
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October 12th, 2012 :: Rieva Lesonsky
By Rieva Lesonsky
Are you a small business owner in the Dallas area looking for help successfully marketing your business online? Register now to sign up for the free Web.com Small Business Forum and learn how.
The interactive forum, to be held in Dallas from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, will focus on helping local small businesses learn how to market their companies online. Web.com’s Jason Teichman will lead a presentation and Q&A session. Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
- What are the elements of a great website?
- How do I increase traffic to my website and to my business?
- Is my website “working” for my business?
- How do I market my business on Google, Facebook and Twitter?
There will also be plenty of time for networking, of course!
Register now, and please spread the word to other small business owners who may be interested.
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Tags: Email marketing, Marketing, online marketing, small business events, social media
Posted in Branding, Email Marketing, Events, Marketing, Search Marketing, Small Business, small business, Social Media, Web Design | No Comments »
October 11th, 2012 :: Maria Valdez Haubrich
Alicanto
Never tackle your small business marketing alone again. Alicanto is your virtual marketing assistant, ready to help you spend less time marketing, while increasing your customer base. The cloud-based platform provides highly tailored marketing and sales plans, and then lets you execute the plans across email, social media, SEO optimization, printed materials, advertising, direct mail, sales promotions and more—all within minutes of signing up. Alicanto reads your personalized news feed for ideas that will help your business grow, reminds you about promoting upcoming holidays, and sets up new customer and birthday campaigns–to name just a few ways your business will benefit.
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Tags: Email marketing, Marketing, Resources, sales process, small business, social media
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