Kathy McGovern says, “We’ve all seen ‘em. Emails that are so ugly, you ask yourself, “What were they thinking?” Nobody wants to send an ugly email, but it happens. To avoid major email eyesores, here’s a list of flaws or faux pas you should avoid when creating your emails. 1. An email template that isn’t mobile-friendly Sending an email that doesn’t render properly on a smartphone or tablet can be a waste of time for both the sender, as well as the reader. It’s frustrating for a reader to shift from vertical to horizontal while simultaneously pinching the screen to zoom in. After... [...]

Dela Quist says, “Since the inception of email as a marketing medium, it’s been thought of as a bottom-of-the-funnel marketing tool – driving conversions and purchases using data gathered from previous emails and other channels. As a result, email marketers have been laser-focused on sending the right message to the right person at the right time. However, this has created a dominant way of thinking that views email marketing as a staccato series of singular events. It’s not wrong, but that approach doesn’t allow email marketers to fully realize email’s potential through the rest... [...]

Sam Hollis says, “Managing an email campaign is easier said than done. Sure, using an email service provider definitely makes it easier to create and send emails to subscribers. But there are a number of different things you have to do to ensure you’re delivering emails people love. If you don’t, you could end up sending out the most dreaded email message of them all: Spam. *Cue the spooky music* If you stick to email best practices, however, you can be more confident that you’re sending emails people want to check out. And when that happens, you’ll be well on your way to growing and... [...]

Lisa Furgison says, “When you create an email for your business you want to get results, and we want you to help ensure that success. Use this handy 14-point email marketing checklist to cover your bases before you hit send. 1. Check the ‘from’ label Most often, you want your email to come from a company email account (or who the recipient has the relationship with). Your business name should be in the ‘from’ label, as well as the email address so your recipient can quickly identify whom the email is from. 2. Review your subject line Is your subject line short and to the point? According... [...]

Craig Elias says, “Job changes are one of the most effective trigger events for sales and marketing departments to track for two reasons: A decision maker new to a company is up 10 times more likely to switch vendors. 80% of new decision makers that make purchase decisions of one million dollars or more in their first year make them within 90 days of starting their new job. When an email bounces, most marketing and sales professionals simply delete that contact from their list. This is a huge mistake. Assuming that the majority of emails bounce because someone has moved to a new position... [...]

Catherine Magoffin says, “Keeping up with consumer expectations and ensuring experiences that deliver on those expectations are top challenges for marketers these days. Marketing pros spend most of their time juggling data, technological capabilities, and growing customer expectations for immediate, relevant, and personal messages. The solution to that challenge of context may seem to be in bright and shiny new channels, but an immediate opportunity exists elsewhere for innovation, learning, and optimization across channels. Where? In the email inbox. When you look across the marketing mix,... [...]

Tessa Wegert says, “Social influencers, who spread the word about your brand, can help boost your marketing efforts in an authentic way. Here are three ways to get them on board with your brand. It isn’t a stretch to say that social influencers are more valuable to brands today than ever before. Their role in marketing campaigns isn’t new – generating word of mouth has always been an advertising priority – but modern influencers have an amplified voice that can be heard around the world. Their soapbox is the Internet, their bullhorn social media. When they talk, consumers listen. Today’s... [...]

Jeff Hoffman says, “The method of outreach sales reps use for a first connect makes a significant difference in response rates. So rather than basing your decision of calling a new prospect or sending an email on your personal preference or what you’re more comfortable with, you should choose according to what the prospect is most likely to respond to. It’s a classic question in sales: Phone or email? While there are a few tips that can help you decide, sales reps should know that in the grand scheme of a sales engagement, it’s phone andemail. However, I’m specifically addressing... [...]

Courtney Eckerle says, “There are a lot of decisions that go into putting on Email Summit. Millions, probably, if you go deep enough. But they all come around with one objective: you. The attendees and people who are reading about, and following, the event. In every discussion and decision, we were asking ourselves how it would affect the experience. Your experience. So it made sense that when it came time to pick speakers and give out the Email Summit Awards, sponsored by BlueHornet, that customer-centric campaigns were the ones that rose above the rest”. Three Takeaways on Customer-centric... [...]

David Moth says, “In recent weeks I’ve been conducting various user tests on grocery store websites, and in the process I’ve registered my details with most of the UK’s biggest brands. My inbox is now slowly filling up with welcome emails and other marketing messages trying to lure me back to their ecommerce sites. Here’s a look at how a selection of the UK’s biggest grocery stores are currently making use of email marketing. And for more on this topic read our posts on how online grocers are attempting to attract new customers, and a comparison of Ocado and Sainsbury’s ecommerce... [...]