Thursday, June 12, 2014

Ugly Can Outperform Pretty in Direct Mail

"Ugly" direct mail can attract more response than pretty mail. We were glad to see a recent reminder of that from direct marketing consultancy DMCG. It really isn't that surprising, since graphic design is not at the top of the list of mail-response predictors. In order of importance, response is due to audience targeting (the list), the offer, the channel and, at last, creative execution, the blog post notes. That means direct marketers need to put knowledge of their market and copywriting ahead of graphics in crafting pieces. Many marketers get fixated on creative look instead, the post opines, because response-generating copy based on study of audience and value proposition is a lot harder than producing fun graphics, because marketers fail to test creative rigorously or track sales back to creative, and because the volume of content required in the digital age has outstripped the availability of expert copywriters. (We would add, as data brokers, that organizations will fall short with a focus on tweaking graphics over finding, segmenting and testing data to reach the right mailboxes.) DMCG cites a real ugly-beats-pretty example in the success of its inexpensive, homely but official-looking Snap Pack format for clients such as AARP. See the full article at http://dmcgresults.com/direct-marketing-blog/2014/5/23/why-ugly-beats-beautiful-in-direct-mail.html

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Tips for Welcome E-mails That Win Engagement

Welcome-to-our-list e-mails are key to subscriber engagement, yet some marketers either don't send them or don't take care to make them effective. With two to six times the open rate of other e-mails, that first welcome is a once-in-a-digital-relationship opportunity, so get it right! Courtesy of a recent article in Target Marketing magazine by Cyndie Shaffstall, here are some tips for improving welcome e-mails. Start by using a short subject line that reminds the recipient of the new relationship ("Welcome" is one obvious word choice). A simple text e-mail is more likely to dodge spam filters, while interactive html encourages engagement. But why choose? You can send a text and follow with an html. As far as content, write clear and direct copy, repeat the WIIFM message that inspired subscriber opt-in, and personalize as much as possible. Send that welcome message immediately before they forget they opted in; an auto-response makes it easy. Set expectations on frequency, format and content -- and deliver as promised. Increase engagement and retention with a reward (any gift promised or a surprise offer) and make it easy to redeem rewards. Boost social sharing with incentives, too. Remind new subscribers to save/archive the message if it contains important account data. Of course, you can then use A/B testing to craft the best possible "thanks for subscribing" e-mail. For more detail and examples, read the article at http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/blog/thanks-subscribing-10-tips-great-welcome-emails#