Tuesday, December 29, 2015

For 2016, Leverage B2B E-mail's Full Potential

E-mail marketing tops other channels in terms of ROI, per the DMA's 2015 Response Rate Report, and the majority of business-to-business marketers rank e-mail as their top digital lead-gen tool. So if you're a B2B marketer, make exploiting e-mail's potential a 2016 resolution and check out this recent smartinsights.com post for nine great ways to accomplish that goal. Tactic No. 1 is to offer valuable curated e-mail content to gain contact details, targeting by industry and area of expertise. Second, use e-mail to re-activate existing contacts, such as automated e-mail sends after a period of inactivity, with incentives for log-in. The No. 3 e-mail tactic--and one of the most cost-effective ways to boost traffic and engagement--is e-mailed announcements about new products, site updates or business milestones such as awards. The fourth idea on the list is to showcase value or gain contact data by creating a white paper and e-mailing a free download link. E-mail tactic No. 5 is a no-brainer in today's multichannel world: Include e-mail in a campaign to help drive traffic, engagement/relationship-building or action (from inquiries to purchases). E-mail is an ideal tool for event traffic-building, too, including trade shows, seminars, webinars and social chat. So suggestion No. 6 is to invite event participation with a catchy subject line and enticing information. Since e-mail and webinars are a natural combination, idea No. 7 is to e-mail a webinar invite with a simple registration form and a clear, time-sensitive call to action. Sharing success stories is another proven way to inspire action from existing and potential clients, so Idea No. 8 is to promote links to a relevant case study, based on industry and job title/responsibility targeting. Last but not least, an e-mai offer of a free trial or demo is a great way to gain leads. To pump response, try an automated e-mail follow-up to non-responders with a limited-time offer. For real-life examples of each type of e-mail, go to http://www.smartinsights.com/b2b-digital-marketing/b2b-email-marketing/9-b2b-email-marketing-examples/

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Merry Marketing! 3 Easy Competitive Analysis Tools

Here are three great gifts to add to marketers' end-of-year shopping. Recommended in a Business2Community post from digital marketing author and consultant Warren Knight, these simple tools analyze competitors' digital doings to help marketers get ahead of the pack--or at least stay in the online race. For example, SpyFu allows for easy research of competitors' most profitable keywords. On the SpyFu homepage, you can simply type in a competitor's url and then select "paid keywords" or "organic search" to find out competitor keyword strategy--and even export that research as a CSV or PDF file. With the average B2B marketer earning 67% more leads by blogging than do non-bloggers, digital content is another key element of competitive intelligence. To evaluate content effectiveness, including blog efforts, try QuickSprout, which also checks on traffic scores, SEO scores and social media performance. Finally, Alexa is a must for the competitive-intelligence toolbox. Alexa provides comparative insight on websites in terms of user profile, monthly page views, unique visits, time on site, bounce rate, and site behavior/conversions, as well as search rankings, keywords and links. Knight touts Alexa as a boon for any digital marketer, business owner or content manager. For more info, go to
http://www.business2community.com/marketing/tech-tuesday-3-simple-tools-analyze-competitors

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

13 Ways to Use Direct Mail in 2016 Marketing

Here's a New Year's marketing resolution that we would suggest: Make 2016 a year of direct mail successes. Unsure of how to get the most ROI from "snail mail" today? A recent Target Marketing magazine article by Summer Gould conveniently lists the most effective uses of direct mail--13 ways to leverage this powerful tool for effective acquisition, retention and brand promotion. Here are just the top five: 1) generate traffic to a retail location, website or event; 2) gather sales leads by targeting your most qualified, active audience with a high response tool; 3) counter competitive offers by reaching out to competitor's prospects without broadcasting your strategy; 4) boost customer loyalty with exclusive offers and rewards; and 5) turn customers into sales generators by garnering and rewarding customer referrals. The list includes ways to fit direct mail into partner marketing and multichannel marketing efforts, with e-mail, social media, mobile and more, and ends up at No. 13: build brand awareness with what research shows is the most trusted form of marketing. For all the ways to best use direct mail in your marketing plan, read the complete article at http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/post/13-ways-direct-mail-works-best/

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Emotional E-mail Subject Lines Get More Opens

E-mail subject lines that spark certain emotions tend to earn more opens, according to a study of Black Friday e-mails by automated persuasive language generator Persado. Direct Marketing News magazine recently reported on Persado's results for five subject-line emotions--urgency, achievement, exclusivity, anxiety and excitement. For example, e-mail subject lines conveying a sense of urgency ("FREE SHIPPING Final Hours! Plus, $20 Online Bonus") generated an 11% average increase in open rates compared to the study's baseline e-mails (messages with subject lines containing no emotions and no mentions of Black Friday). E-mails that combined urgency with the words "Black Friday" did even better, with an average surge of 20% in opens. Subject lines rewarding achievement ("Shop our doorbusters TODAY—you've earned it") generated an 18% average uptick from baseline, and tacking on a Black Friday mention pushed open rates even higher, to a 20% rise. Subject lines with a sense of exclusivity ("Your exclusive $15 coupon is here!") earned the biggest response lift, a 28% average improvement in open rates over baseline. But adding Black Friday language to exclusivity dragged down open rates to just a 17% improvement. E-mails with subject lines sparking anxiety ("Don't Forget! $15 OFF $49 or $25 OFF $99") produced a 17% average bump in 2015, but combining anxiety with "Black Friday" backfired, cutting results to just a 10% average increase. Subject line excitement was the one emotional hook that did not deliver for marketers. According to Persado data, open rates for e-mail subject lines with an excited tone ("Two In-store Offers! Now That's Sweet") actually fell 11% below baseline opens in 2015. For the complete article, go to http://www.dmnews.com/email-marketing/how-consumers-really-feel-about-your-subject-lines/article/459681/

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Marketers Led Astray by Myopic Data Segmentation

Data segmentation is essential to today's personalized marketing, but it can also lead marketers astray if myopically focused. A recent Target Marketing magazine article by Matt Diehl, digital content writer for the Persio multichannel retailing platform, points out how segmentation based narrowly on recent purchase can go wrong, delivering misguided online ads and e-mails that erode customer response. As examples, Diehl cites promotions based on online purchases selected as gifts (that golf club bought for Uncle Bob doesn't mean non-golfer Susie wants to be bombarded by golf gear ads), promotions based on online purchases later returned in-store (if you didn't keep the gaming system, you don't need the accessories), and promotions remarketing one-time, big-ticket purchases (people rarely buy multiple HD TVs or dishwashers in a short time span). The solution is to develop a segmentation strategy based on multiple factors, adding demographics, location, interests, loyalty, and response behavior to purchase history. Data gathering for segmentation also needs to include both online and offline behavior. Finally, data targeting needs to incorporate sensible marketing triggers; rather than remarketing a big-ticket purchase, focus on complementary items, for example. For the complete article, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/when-data-segmentation-goes-wrong/

Thursday, December 10, 2015

B2B Media Firms Emerge As Targeted Data Sources

With most marketers (74%) planning to boost data marketing budgets, per a new Global DMA/Winterberry Group study, the hunt is on for targeted data sources. Luckily for business-to-business campaigns, a new data source is emerging in the form of B2B media companies, according to a recent CMO.com post by Scott Vaughan, CMO of Integrate. With print and website profits squeezed, media companies that already generate traffic for B2B marketing clients are reinventing themselves as data source experts and offering access to highly specific customer and prospect performance data, Vaughan asserts. To his point, we note that Bombora, which collects intent data from client companies such as CBS Interactive, UBM and Forbes to build a data bank of 180 million U.S. B2B users, has just made its data available to Adobe's newly launched Audience Marketplace and its Marketing Cloud. Bombora is not alone in the burgeoning B2B media data mart. It's time for B2B marketers to adjust data strategies. B2B media firms can provide two types of valuable data, Vaughan notes. First, they can mine online activities and content interest to harvest behavioral prospect data that signals intent to buy. That data can be used for targeting of ads or e-mail offers, lead scoring and prospect nurturing. Second, B2B marketing and sales can tap into company-content consumption data for account-based marketing. Media companies can use digital tactices, demand generation and data solutions to identify purchasing intent for a specific list of target companies, using company IP address and domain intelligence, for example, so that when target companies engage with content, they can be immediately retargeted. Vaughan acknowledges that the media company shift from traffic and lead gen provider to data source is still in an early stage, but he advises marketers to start planning on how to board the emerging data intelligence train. To see his suggested tactics, read http://www.cmo.com/articles/2015/11/6/b2b-media-company-transformation-means-more-data-for-marketers.html

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

How to Pick List Brokers for E-mail Prospecting

Marketers sometimes shy from e-mail prospecting lists, where there is not a direct opt-in or relationship with the target audience. They fear risking dollars on spammy, low-response data. E-mail list rentals via trustworthy, experienced data brokers address that concern, and, as data brokers, the AccuList USA team is happy to pass along tips for choosing an e-mail list partner as provided by a recent Target Marketing magazine article from Regina Brady. Yes, there are some unscrupulous list purveyors out there, so it makes sense to start with broker members of the Direct Marketing Association, who are more likely to follow DMA's code of direct marketing ethics, for example. Internet marketing consultant Brady then advises selecting brokers who are very experienced with e-mail marketing and e-mail lists. E-mail list brokers with expertise in your industry or related industries have an additional advantage, of course. And if your existing direct mail list broker has the e-mail chops, you'll have the added plus of an understanding of your customers and campaigns. In fact, it can make sense to bring in the expertise of more than one list broker, as Brady notes; no one broker has all the answers, and recommendations from other points of expertise can boost the odds for success. But remember, broker recommendations will only be as good as the information you supply about the demographics, psychographics, or firmographics of existing customers and segments; about past campaigns and list testing; about multichannel promotion and response vehicles; and about whatever else may impact results. So we are happy when clients "do a brain dump," as she urges. Finally, you can judge a good list broker by his or her inclusion of proven selects in list recommendations; drilling down with selects increases cost but also improves targeting and thus response. For more of Brady's advice on e-mail acquisition, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/how-to-increase-your-email-prospecting-odds-for-success/

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Getting Opens When Most B2B E-mails Go Unread

Most B2B e-mail recipients instantly delete messages without ever opening and reading them, according to a recent study reported by the KoMarketing Associates digital optimization agency. The "2015 B2B Participation Survey" by Iris found that 63% of respondents delete e-mails they don't think they want to read without ever opening them, per KoMarketing. The study found that another 19% open the e-mails they don't want to read--and then unsubscribe. So is there slim hope for B2B e-mail success? Actually, the same survey provided clues on how to craft e-mails, especially subject lines, so messages don't go straight into the trash. Respondents overwhelmingly (70%) said they do want to receive marketing e-mails that lead with example-driven content, and about 66% also said they like e-mails that are professional rather than overly friendly. Plus, unsubscribes are not a given if companies can manage at least a few open-worthy e-mails; 55% of respondents said they do not unsubscribe from a B2B e-mail list if a company occasionally sends an e-mail perceived as worthwhile. Curiosity works in business marketers favor, too, with 32% saying they stay subscribed to e-mail lists just to see what other B2B marketers are sending out. But if e-mail marketers are looking for a surefire tactic to boost opens, KoMarketing cites another survey by VentureBeat: Personalization--via name use, social profile or demographic targeting--increased open rates for a whopping 95% of 200 marketers surveyed, with the largest portion reporting open rate increases between 5% and 10%. For more, read http://www.komarketingassociates.com/industry-news/survey-majority-b2b-email-recipients-delete-messages-opening-2833/

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Print Can Add Needed Punch to Marketing Plans

Printed material, including direct mail, keeps proving its worth to our clients in this digital marketing era. So our thanks to Jean Gianfagna of Gianfagna Strategic Marketing for a post summing up the reasons for print's continued marketing power. She cites six marketing advantages that make print a must-have for a smart marketing strategy: unlimited creative options, from formats to personalization to dimensional impact; effective branding via the unique impression created by physical materials; enhanced customer relationships from targeted, personalized loyalty, cross-sell and up-sell messaging; increased customer understanding with detailed product descriptions, comparisons and options that don't fit tight digital formats; durability, influencing decisions long after a tweet or e-mail has been discarded and forgotten; and engagement tapping multiple senses (visual and tactile, plus even scent and sound). That said, marketers can also squander budget on overdesigned, untargeted, ineffective print efforts. So Gianfagna adds some important advice on using print wisely: work closely with a printer before finalizing design to choose the most cost-effective materials and formats; be cautious with use of pricey print techniques, such as die-cuts, embossing and foil stamping; use quality data for targeted, correctly addressed direct mail; plus, when it comes to direct mail, keep USPS regulations in mind for lower postal rates. For more detail, go to http://www.gianfagnamarketing.com/blog/2015/10/29/6-reasons-you-still-need-print-in-a-smart-marketing-strategy/

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

USPS, Mailers Prep for Busier Holiday Season

Happy Thanksgiving and best wishes for a profitable holiday season. The U.S. Postal Service is adding workers to handle an estimated 15 billion mail pieces over the holidays, a 10.5% increase from 2014. Hopefully, bulk mailers are prepped for the delivery rush, too, and have scheduled around mailing deadlines, starting with Dec. 8 for Priority Mail Express International and ending with Dec. 23 for Priority Mail Express. For a list of mailing deadlines, check out the recent Direct Marketing News magazine article: http://www.dmnews.com/postal/usps-prepares-to-deliver-15-billion-pieces-of-holiday-mail/article/452076/

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Brand Marketers Are Ignoring Consumer Preferences

U.S. brand marketers model communications on a dictatorship rather than a democracy, consistently ignoring consumer preferences for channel and frequency, according to a recent study by MarketingSherpa. Indeed, the gap between consumer preference and marketer practice is often wide enough that many brands shouldn't be surprised at a profit-burning customer revolt. A useful infographic of research results, based on surveys of more than 2,000 consumers and 455 brand marketers, was recently created by Direct Marketing News magazine. Among the findings, although 54% of consumers say they prefer to receive promotions via print mail, only 19% of brand marketers send out print materials. Instead, 90% of marketers blast e-mails, even though only 60% of consumers say they want to get e-mail promos. And once they've chosen to woo consumers via e-mail, marketers time messages to suit themselves; 76% of companies base e-mail frequency on their own needs, even though only 24% of consumers want that brand-determined frequency. Of course, marketers are enticed by social media popularity, so 77% of those surveyed offer customers the opportunity to follow brands on social media. The problem is that only 20% of consumers want to receive company updates and promotions via social media. Similar overfishing of digital waters occurs with online ads, with 60% of marketers using online advertising, even though just 27% of consumers say they discover new products via online ads. For more details from the DM News infographic, go to  http://www.dmnews.com/infographics/marketers-ignore-consumers-right-to-vote-infographic/article/453627/

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Facebook's Search FYI Has Marketing Promise

Facebook's recent launch of Search FYI may offer exciting new scope for social and content marketing, as a recent post by econsultancy.com points out. With Search FYI, Facebook has updated its search function so that search results include posts from the entire Facebook universe, which consists of more than two trillion posts, as well as posts from users' connections, friends and family members. When users tap Facebook's search function on a mobile device or desktop to find connections and content, Facebook will now generate personalized search suggestions that may include timely topics and current events and will organize search results to include public posts deemed relevant to the query. This implies that, via Search FYI, marketers can use social content to reach users with whom they don't have a relationship already. Although Facebook's 1.5 billion daily searches are less than half the estimated daily searches on Google, Facebook's search scope is still big enough to earn marketers' close attention. Of course, there are unanswered questions, the post notes, such as how users will interact with Search FYI, how Facebook will determine post relevancy to queries, and how Facebook may end up monetizing the search function, via paid placement for example. But marketers will definitely want to observe and adjust strategy as Search FYI evolves. For the full post, go to https://econsultancy.com/blog/67097-what-facebook-s-major-search-update-means-for-marketers/

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Research Offers Five Clues to E-mail Success

While chasing the holy grail of e-mail response, marketers can get lost in a forest of subject line and offer gimmicks.  Here's some helpful guidance that Direct Marketing News shared from a recent study by Retention Science, a marketing platform provider. Based on Retention Science's analysis of one billion e-mails, the article can distill five tips for success. Tip No. 1 is that percent signs trump dollar signs: According to Retention Science, 38% of customers are more likely to click on e-mails containing percent-off offers than on dollar-off deals, and 47% are more likely to convert in response to percent-off. Tip No. 2 is that mystery is better than excitement in subject line punctuation: Subject lines containing question marks have a 44% higher open rate than those containing exclamation marks. Tip No. 3 is that brevity is the soul of response: Retention Science found that e-mails containing subject lines with six to 10 words generated the highest open rates, at 21%, compared with a 14% open rate for messages with 11- to 15-word subject lines. Tip No. 4 is that timing matters--depending on whether the goal is click-through, conversion or retention. While open rates are fairly consistent year-round, click-through rates jump during the early holiday months, rising to 30% in October and 27% in November, and conversion peaks in July, with a rate 21% higher than average. But then e-mail list retention hits its nadir in August, with unsubscribes at a 28% rate. And Tip No. 5 is that novelty may spur opens, but familiarity breeds clicks. A novelty item in the subject line yields a 6% lift in open rates, but necessities in the e-mail body (such as groceries) earn a 10% higher click-through rate than featuring specialty items, even if those special items won an open for the subject line. For more on the Retention Science study, read http://www.dmnews.com/email-marketing/how-to-send-the-almost-perfect-email/article/449482/

Thursday, November 12, 2015

U.S. E-mail Deliverablity Rates Drop in 2015

About one in four e-mails sent in the U.S. do not reach intended recipients, reflecting a sharp decline in U.S. e-mail deliverability rates for 2015. The overall U.S. e-mail deliverability rate is just 76% for 2015, down from 87% in 2014, according to the latest global research by Return Path. Return Path's "2015 Deliverability Benchmark Report," which analyzed inbox placement statistics by country, industry and e-mail provider, did have some good news for consumer-facing industries; retail, health and beauty, food and beverage, automotive and apparel industries all showed e-mail deliverability rates of 90% or above globally. In reporting the study, MediaPosts's Email Marketing Daily noted that e-mail provider policies and new spam filtering systems could be one factor impeding e-mail marketers' deliverability ratings. For example, Yahoo! Mail inbox placement rates dropped 13%, although Outlook improved by 3% and Gmail stayed consistent (Gmail's new block button has sparked concerns for 2016 deliverability, however). Another factor could be the overwhelming volume of e-mails, according to the Return Path report, noting that e-mail traffic has grown by 16% since 2013. For more on deliverability by country and industry, read http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/260317/email-deliverability-rates-drop-in-2015.html

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

First E-tail Visit Predicts Future Buying Behavior

Online retailers can judge shoppers by their very first e-tail transactions, according to recent research from Optimove. As reported by Direct Marketing News magazine, Optimove found that one of the best indicators of future transactions is the number of items purchased on the first website visit. Shoppers who buy two or three items are 30% more likely to place a second order than those who bought only one item, per Optimove's two-year study of over a million transactions in varied product categories. In fact, shoppers who purchase more items in their first order are also more likely to join a retailer's top 10% of customers in terms of overall purchases. Wooing more first-time purchases to cultivate repeat customers is especially vital in an online environment where 62% of first-time buyers never place another order, per Optimove data. So how can e-tailers convince new shoppers to buy more? Optimove's research found the follow strategies were the most effective: data-based personalized recommendations before checkout; offers of impulse items during checkout; offers of discounts and promotions for purchase of additional items; encouragement of social sharing about purchases; and gaming mechanics, such as punch cards to earn discounts or freebies on the next order. For more data from the study, go to http://www.dmnews.com/e-commerce/first-transactions-can-predict-future-buying-behaviors/article/447997/

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Direct Mail Still Key Insurance Acquisition Tool

In providing targeted lead lists to insurance marketers, we've seen the continued acquisition power of direct mail over the years, so it's nice to find an Insurance Journal article supporting our experience. Speaking to independent property and casualty insurance agents (but with arguments that apply to mailings for other insurance types), author Michelle Peel of IWCO Direct printing, cites four key reasons direct mail should be part of customer acquisition plans. No. 1, statistics show that consumers prefer direct mail for branded promotions, she notes, citing Experian's 2012 Channel Preference Study finding that 73% of Americans prefer direct mail for brand communications. And that preference extends across generations to include millennials, with 57% of younger buyers saying they have made a purchase as a result of a direct mail offer. Direct mail acquisition also continues to have a higher response rate than digital channels such as e-mail, per the latest Direct Marketing Association (DMA) data (1% for mail prospecting compared with 0.1% for e-mail). No. 2, creating the relevant, personalized and timely messaging that makes direct mail succeed is easier than ever with online marketing tools and templates from many insurance providers and, we would add, variable data printing to fill rental list data into custom-targeted, personalized creative. No. 3, the U.S. Postal Service is on the side of direct mailers and continues to develop products such as Every Door Direct Mail for blanket area coverage, as well as print-to-digital technology promotions of Quick Response (QR) code and Augmented Reality (AR) use. No. 4, direct mail drives traffic to online channels, too; Peel cites DMA data that 44% of mail recipients visit the company website, 34% search for the company online, and 26% save the mailer for future reference. Of course, using personalized urls (PURLs), QR codes and AR will further help boost online traffic. See http://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/features/2015/03/09/359395.htm

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Content Often Misses the Mark With Mobile Users

Content marketing often fails to engage, especially when it comes to mobile users, per recent findings from BrightEdge's “Content Engagement Report” posted by B2B marketing firm KoMarketing Associates. Engagement rates for content vary by industry, coming in at 33% to 50% overall, with hospitality at the high end of the engagement rate spectrum and retail at the low end. However, industry engagement rates also differ based on whether the audience accesses content via a mobile device or a desktop, with engagement rates consistently lower for mobile users. For the B2B technology industry, as an example, there was a 53% engagement rate among desktop users, but engagement fell to 26% when content was viewed on a mobile device. The poorer mobile engagement is not surprising given that one in four mobile sites are not optimized correctly, resulting in an average smartphone traffic loss of 68%, KoMarketing points out. What is surprising is the slow response of some marketers to the need for mobile-friendly content to engage the 35%-40% of website visits coming from mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. KoMarketing cites a 2015 survey published by Clutch showing that only 56% of small businesses have mobile-friendly websites, and 10% said they have no plans to create mobile-responsive design! For more, read http://www.komarketingassociates.com/industry-news/report-less-half-todays-content-leads-engagement-2430/

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Subject Line 'Thank-you' Boosts E-mail Engagement

E-mail marketers are always looking for the magic subect line words to inspire opens. It turns out that a simple "thank you" has that engagement power, per a recent study from Adestra shared by Ragan's PR Daily. E-mails with "thank you" in the subject line have the highest above-average engagement levels (+62%), according to the Adestra study of 3 billion e-mail attempts by 125,000 global campaigns conducted by organizations in four industries (retail/B2C, conferences/events, media/publishing, and B2B). The open-sesame power of "thank you" may be because many automated, transactional messages include the phrase, such as e-mail receipts sent by brands after customers complete online purchases. But, at the other end of the specturm, other often-used subject line words hurt engagement levels, apparently by making the e-mail read sound like work, with the worst-performing words including "journal" (-50%), "forecast" (-47%), "training" (-47%), "whitepaper" (-40%), and "learn" (-36%). More engaging for e-mail recipients were words that suggest timeliness, such as "bulletin" (+32%), "breaking" (+27%), and "order today" (+27%). For the full story: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/Study_These_words_will_make_or_break_your_subject_19472.aspx

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Smart Sign-up Tactics Harness E-mail List Power

If your digital marketing can't seem to gain traction with e-mail list building, a recent article from the Content Marketing Institute is a must-read. There's no arguing the acquisition power of e-mail, which is 40 times more powerful at acquiring new customers than Facebook and Twitter combined, per a recent McKinsey study. But coaxing site visitors and social followers to hand over e-mail addresses in volume seems to stymie many marketers. CMI article author Aaron Orendorff helpfully lists 11 different strategies proven to rev up e-mail list-building. To emulate Buffer, a social media marketing firm that doubled its e-mail list in just 30 days by combining eight strategies. marketers will want to implement a lot more than one of Orendorff's suggested e-mail gathering tools: Carrot content (also known as lead magnets or bribe-to-subscribe content); landing pages; “happy” opt-in buttons (a value pitch beyond "submit"); two-step opt-ins; entry pop-ups; exit pop-ups; “painful” opt-out buttons (opt-out as bad choice); end-of-post forms; in-line forms; sidebar forms; and contact forms. For real-life examples and explanations of how to get the most out of each strategy, read http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/09/sign-up-strategies-email/

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Content Tops Marketing Chiefs' Budget Plans

To keep up with leading marketers, plan to expand spending and refocus on content marketing, with an accent on social media. More than half of marketers not only plan to boost their budgets in the next few years, they will give content the biggest piece of the pie, according to a recent Advertising Age magazine report on a study by IBM and the CMO Club. The online survey of 100 chief marketing officers at b-to-b and b-to-c companies found that 57% plan to boost marketing budgets over the next two to three years. Content development will make up the largest portion of future marketing budgets (13.3%), followed by traditional advertising (11.5%), per the study. Other top areas of investment will be online advertising (11.1%), events (10.9%), website development (10.5%) and public relations (9.6%). Content leads marketing budgets explained Jay Henderson, director of strategy at IBM Commerce, to Ad Age because CMOs are focused on investing across the customer journey, and content requirements differ for the growing number of channels and devices at each stage, plus there is a demand for increased personalization at every stage. The survey divided the customer journey into six phases: discover (initial search), learn (research), try (testing and product comparisons), buy, use (requiring customer support) and advocate (recommending to others). The "discover" and "buy" phases currently receive the most marketer attention (20% and 21% of budget allocations, respectively), compared with the "learn" and "try" phases (16% each) and the "use" and "advocate" phases (13% and 14% respectively). But when it comes to prioritizing by channels, marketing attention is less evenly distributed, with social leading for all but the "buy" phase, when the website becomes the focus. See the full article at http://adage.com/article/btob/cmos-spending-content-buying-cycle/300181/

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Majority of Millennials Block Digital Ads, per Poll

Bad news for digital advertisers aiming for younger consumers: The majority of millennials, those aged 18 to 34, block advertising when viewing digital content, according to a Moz and Fractl survey recently reported by eMarketer. Specifically, 63% of millennial Internet users told the July survey that they use ad blocking software. Millennials don't find all advertising irrelevant--over half in the Moz/Fractl poll said that retargeted ads and social media ads were very or somewhat relevant, for example. But the fast-growing mobile ad category was also the most rejected, rated as relevant by only 28%. So how would the millennials prefer to receive promotional messages? Those surveyed gave a thumbs up to free content, followed by discounts or free offers via direct mail, and then online search results. For more, read http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Nearly-Two-Three-Millennials-Block-Ads/1013007

Thursday, October 15, 2015

New Product Injects Direct Mail in Retail Clickstream

A debut "programmatic direct mail" service hopes to inject a direct mail response boost into Internet retailers' clickstreams. The new PebblePost product, described in a recent Direct Marketing News report, offers a direct mail retargeting mechanism using real-time digital analytics so that, for example, an online customer's shopping cart abandonment triggers a postcard mailing that puts a personalized offer in the customer's mailbox within a few days. Pilot product testing mainly has involved online retailers and catalogers with the required first-party mailing address data. PebblePost is supported by partners that include Axciom, and the startup venture just received $3 million in funding for expanded visibility, per DM News. The article quotes PebblePost's CMO David Cooperstein, a former Forrester marketing analyst: "It is physical retargeting of digital activity, but it's also a powerful new form of direct mail. Here we know there's interest and there's relevancy, because these people were just on the website." For more, go to http://www.dmnews.com/direct-mail/programmatic-direct-mail-makes-its-debut/article/444135/

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Mobile Seen As 3rd Largest Ad Spend by 2017

Here's another wake-up call for marketers who have failed to prioritize mobile strategy. Mobile ad spending is on a path to outpace radio, magazine, outdoor, and newspaper spending by 2017, becoming the world’s third-largest medium after television and desktop, according to a MarketingProf's report on projections from ZenithOptimedia. Global spending on mobile ads, estimated at $29.8 billion for 2014, is projected to rise to $89.5 billion by 2017, accounting for 44% of Internet ad dollars and 15% of all advertising expenditures. While television will stay the largest medium in terms of spending, its share will drop as digital channels keep growing. Mobile Internet is seen as the driving force of global ad spending growth between 2014 and 2017, contributing $59.7 billion in additional dollars, compared with television's $10.9 billion growth and $9.6 billion from desktop Internet, according to the ZenithOptimedia forecast. For details, read the story at http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2015/28603/ad-spend-forecast-mobile-to-overtake-print-radio-and-outdoor-by-2017

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Survey Reveals Shoppers' Favored Holiday Promos

For online and multi-channel merchants planning their holiday shopping blitz, here's some guidance about what promotions are most likely to drive purchase decisions. Marketing Profs recently reported on the promotional preferences revealed in a survey of 1,000 holiday shoppers and 100 major retailers by commerce marketing platform Bronto and market research firm Ipsos. When it comes to online-only shopping, free shipping is a key draw, with 84% of holiday shoppers saying free shipping influences online purchase decisions and over a third (38%) saying they will not shop an e-commerce site that does not offer free shipping. Overall, including in-store sales, customers rate percent-discount promotions as the top inducement to buy (71%), followed by clearance sales (65%), buy-one-get-one (58%), dollar-off sales (52%) and free gift with purchase (47%). The interesting thing about the survey results is that merchants polled don't have the same promotional preferences; while 72% say they plan to use the percentage discounts popular with shoppers, only 38% plan to embrace BOGO sales, for example. And despite the importance of free shipping to online shoppers, only 18% of online-only merchants say they plan to offer it on all purchases; e-tailers prefer (41%) limiting free shipping to certain order values or times. Some holiday promos also differ in appeal according to consumer age. Limited-time "Flash Sales" appeal most to millennial shoppers (54% say they are more likely to buy) but decline as a purchase inducement with age, down to just 15% of those over 65. For more detail. see http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2015/28594/the-holiday-promotions-consumers-like-most

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Getting the Most Out of E-mail Fundraising

The season of intense fundraising activity is beginning, and we assume most nonprofits will be investing in e-mail. After all, e-mail has the highest ROI (21%-23%) of direct marketing media in the latest Direct Marketing Association stats. Plus, e-mail delivers a third of online fundraising revenue at a time when online giving is outpacing overall fundraising growth. For nonprofits who want to get the most from their investment in e-mail, we're passing along some handy guidelines to success, with examples, from a recent business2community article share of a Constant Contact blog post. "The Anatomy of a Successful Fundraising E-mail" highlights must-haves: First comes a subject line that entices opens by using both accuracy about the nature of the appeal and enough intrigue to make the recipient want to read more. Once the e-mail is opened, fundraisers must offer content that earns action/clicks by concisely and clearly explaining the program promoted, the impact of giving, and how to help, including a clear and visible call-to-action, such as a brightly colored button. We would add personalization to that content list, too. And last is an appealing design that brands professionally, uses easy-to-read text, and includes a powerful image to inspire action. For examples that illustrate each of these points, see the article at http://www.business2community.com/non-profit-marketing/the-anatomy-of-a-successful-fundraising-email-01318519#lEkbmm705yql01gl.97

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Online Crystal Ball Sees Video, Mobile & Price Hikes

While many digital marketers are focused on the upcoming holiday frenzy, at least one online marketing guru is already looking ahead to next year's challenges. A recent Forbes magazine post by Jayson DeMers, an online marketing consultant, suggests preparing for these seven top online marketing trends in 2016: 1) videos will increase their ad dominance now that Google, already involved via YouTube, is adding video ads to search results for 2016; 2) watch for an explosion of dedicated apps that boost reach beyond mobile-optimized web pages; 3) the crowning of mobile as a digital marketing power is assured now that mobile traffic overtook Google's desktop traffic and Google unveiled its mobile-favored search algorithm; 4) look for a new kind of online optimizing to take advantage of popular digital assistants like Siri; 5) the launch of more virtual reality devices next year portends the arrival of a new advertising medium; 6) emergence of more wearable smart devices, in the footsteps of Apple Watch, will help wearable technology gain traction as a marketing application; 7) and now the bad news--expect a continued rise in online ad prices. DeMers' crystal ball may not be on target for all 2016 trends. Online marketers probably have time to prepare for VR, digital assistants and wearable technology, but failing to plan for the impact of video, mobile and pricing is less wise. For the full post, go to http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/09/29/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2016/

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Why Do B2B Marketers Fail to Test Landing Pages?

We think of testing as a basic direct marketing tenet, yet a MarketingProfs survey published in September shows how remiss B2B marketers are when it comes to testing landing pages, an essential step in digital conversion success. Only 15% of respondents said they do extensive testing of landing pages (A/B, usability or multivariate), and 26% admitted to no testing of landing pages at all! The majority (59%) called their testing "limited." This lack of testing was despite the fact that respondents also said that A/B testing was the most effective method for optimizing landing page conversion rates. We perhaps understand low use of multivariate testing; it is rated as the most difficult tactic to execute by respondents. But what's the excuse for neglecting A/B testing? It was not only ranked most effective by 50% but also seen as one of the easiest methods to execute (only 14% rated it difficult)? A recent article in Marketing Land by columnist David Rodnitzky provides some common reasons online marketers give for skipping testing. Check to see if your marketing team is hiding behind one of these excuses: "We're at maximum efficiency," or "use it or lose it" budgeting pressures; "Our agency/marketing team can't be beat," or a bias in favor of existing assumptions/staff; and "We don't have time/budget," at least not enough to risk going outside what's already working. Rodnitzky shoots down each of these testing "fails," warning that "a complete lack of testing leads to decisions by HIPPO, 'the highest paid person’s opinion,'" When that person is influenced by bias and budget pressures, inefficient marketing results. "Don’t be a hippo, be a tester!" he urges. See his article: http://marketingland.com/test-everything-lies-online-marketers-tell-139072

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Online Content Can Fall Through Generation Gaps

Online content marketing risks slipping through some surprise generation gaps, according to the latest study from Fractl and BuzzStream of digital content consumption by Millennial, Generation X and Baby Boom age cohorts. As reported recently by MarketingProfs, the study found that each generation's online consumption habits differ in terms of quantity consumed, timing, and device preferences. It turns out that online content viewing skews older, for example. Baby Boomers (those born 1946-1964) spend more time online than the younger generations; a quarter of Boomers say they spend 20 or more hours each week consuming online content, while the largest shares (22% each) of Gen Xers (born 1965-1976) and Millennials (born 1977-1995) spend only 5-10 hours per week with online content. Marketers may also want to think about online promotional timing: Boomers tend to consume online content during the work week, while more Millennials save online content viewing for weekends, and Gen Xers fall in between in terms of consumption timing. When it comes to devices, Boomers prefer to use a laptop (43%) or tablet (40%), while the younger Millennials tilt toward mobile devices as primary online viewing tools (25%). Indeed, of people using mobile devices as the primary way to view content, over half (52%) are Millennials. Marketers aiming for younger prospects better make mobile optimization of online content a priority. At least when it comes to content length, the generations agree: 300 words is ideal. For more details from the study, read the MarketingProfs article: http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2015/28460/generation-gap-online-content-consumption-and-age

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

'Choice' Is the New Magic Word for E-mail Opens

Putting the word "choice" or "choose" in an e-mail subject line can help a campaign generate 22% more revenue per e-mail and a 46% higher transaction rate on average, according to the latest analysis from Experian Marketing Services. As reported recently by a post for The Wall Street Journal's CMO Today blog, Experian data shows that a subject line such as "Choose your gift today" trumps even the personalization factor of putting the customer's first name in the subject line, which boosted open rates 20% on average. Why is appearing to offer a choice so important? The WSJ post quotes Spencer Kollas, Experian Marketing Services vice president of global deliverability services: "Marketers know that consumers are the ones in control of their relationship today. Consumers are responding to brands that explicitly given them that control." Today's e-mail campaigns definitely need to find some magic words for open rates in the increasingly crowded e-mail space. Experian data cited shows that while e-mail marketing campaigns rose 16% in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, unique open and click rates stagnated at 17% and 2% respectively. For the full post, go to http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/09/10/this-word-can-boost-the-performance-of-your-brands-email-campaign/

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Are You Maximizing E-mail's Lead Gen Potential?

With e-mail marketing generally rated as the most effective online tool for lead generation, a well-crafted e-mail strategy is a digital marketing priority. According to the latest business survey by Ascend2, 48% of respondents ranked e-mail as the most effective lead generator, outdistancing paid search or online advertising (23%), social media (26%) or search engine optimization (37%). So what can marketers do to optimize e-mail's great lead potential? Here are some ideas from a recent post for the HuffPost Business blog by business consultant Larry Alton. He cites the following five top tactics in the e-mail lead-gen arsenal: Collecting e-mail addresses via a high-value e-newsletter; triggered e-mails to automate lead nurturing and follow-up; segmentation by subscriber behavior to better tailor e-mail messaging for new signups, failed conversions or nonresponders; "gated" content to gather contact data in exchange for free but valued material; and sharability, including requests to forward, social sharing buttons and embedded pre-formatted tweets. For more details and examples, read http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-alton/email-marketing-best-prac_b_8054350.html

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

PetSmart's 'Dog Day' Leverages Social Marketing

PetSmart took National Dog Day, not one of the nation's most well-known occasions, and made it the center of an imaginative social media marketing plan catering to dog lovers' passion for their pets, reported a recent Direct Marketing News magazine article. PetSmart engaged in social media conversations (more than 780,000 tweets) on the fun Aug. 28 dog recognition day and rewarded user-generated content, such as personal pet photos, with fun giveaways when users tagged @PetSmart with #NationalDogDay. As a result, PetSmart earned a whopping 56% of the #nationaldogday conversation in the Twitter pet space and positioned itself as a trusted partner of pet lovers. It's not the first time PetSmart has used a quirky national day to generate social media buzz; another effort included a dog-oriented promotion for National Lazy Day during the "dog days" of summer. As the DM News article points out, other industries can emulate the PetSmart social media tactics--and have--with promotions centering on National Underwear Day or National Doughnut Day, for example. For the full article, read http://www.dmnews.com/social-media/petsmart-barks-up-the-right-marketing-tree/article/437885/

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Some Surprising Factors Affect E-mail Opens

An unopened e-mail is a marketing dud. While many articles focus on inbox placement and subject lines to boost opens, marketers may be surprised by four other factors underlying e-mail open rates, per a recent Direct Marketing News magazine article.  The article cites analysis by e-mail services provider Constant Contact of more than 100 billion e-mails sent mainly by small businesses to their subscribers in 2014 and 2015. The first basic factor affecting open rates is e-mail list size. While the average open rate was 22% for all campaigns, super-targeted campaigns to 35 or less earned an average open rate of 55% compared with messaging up to 7,500, which racked up 14% average opens. The solution for big lists is segmentation, Constant Contact concludes, selecting smaller audiences from the larger subscriber base for more targeted messages. The next surprise factor is the customer's domain. Per the study, e-mails sent to Comcast, Verizon, Cox and SBC Global domains had higher open rates, while messages to Gmail, AOL, Hotmail and Yahoo users had lower open rates. Next, the sender's industry vertical can impact open rate success. For example, the study found that nonprofits overall get the highest opens (29% average), while, at the other end of the spectrum, B2B consultants get only 13%. Finally, mobile-responsive e-mail is increasingly essential to high open rates, with more than half of e-mails now opened via a smartphone or tablet. For details from the study, go to http://www.dmnews.com/email-marketing/4-factors-that-impact-your-open-rates/article/436908/

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Protect Your Marketing From Costly Lawsuits

Marketing missteps that blossom into costly lawsuits make daily headlines, but many marketers still assume it's a risk only for the "big guys" or the "other guys." A recent Target Marketing magazine article by Alex Baydin, CEO of PerformLine Inc., a marketing compliance company, brought home the increasing scrutiny and pain of regulatory enforcement for all sizes and types of marketers. He notes that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alone reported $19.4 million in remediation for noncompliant marketing practices in the last six months of 2014. Penalties for marketing violations can be onerous. Baydin cites a recent CFPB complaint against PayPal over online credit sign-ups for $15 million in consumer redress and $10 million in penalties, plus a recent $11 million judgment by the Federal Trade Commission against Ashworth College for deceptive marketing. Before you shrug off the noncompliance threat because you aren't a high-dollar player, Baydin also reports recent action by the Federal Trade Commission to punish two auto dealers in Alabama and California for deceptive advertising. He lists five basic steps to protect your marketing from similar suits and fines: understanding of existing and new regulations; tracking of marketing messages across channels; a dedicated compliance team; clear and enforceable marketing guidelines for employees and affiliates; and close attention and timely response to customer complaints. For details, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/marketing-campaign-going-get-sued/

Thursday, September 3, 2015

No Postal Rate Hike May Stall Other Mail Savings

Direct mailers will cheer if the Postal Service's current 4.3% exigent surcharge disappears and no rate hike occurs in the spring of 2016, and it is a possibility given that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) used to set the annual postal rate increase is now close to zero. But even good news has its down side when it comes to the U.S. Postal Service, warns Al Urbanski, senior editor of Direct Marketing News magazine, in a recent article. Joe Schick, director of postal affairs for major mailer Quad/Graphics, points out to Urbanski that a number of operational improvements translating into money savings for mailers might be stymied by because they require rate changes for separate classes of mail, which are dependent on a blanket CPI rate boost. Schick cites planned savings from changes in handling of Intelligent Mail barcode service and Flats Sequencing System (FSS) mail as improvements disrupted by a rate rollback. According to Schick, the USPS leadership is aware of the problem and "sincere in wanting to do the right thing," so there is hope that mailers may get rate relief without sacrificing other efficiency savings. But hold the applause for now. For more detail, read http://www.dmnews.com/postal/when-no-postal-rate-increase-is-a-bad-thing/article/432772/

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Politics Marks 2015 Top Nonprofit Mailers, E-mailers

Target Marketing magazine recently published a list of the top 10 mailers and e-mailers in the nonprofit sector for 2015, using Who's Mailing What! data from monitoring of mailboxes and inboxes. For direct mail, the list of top nonprofit marketers is eclectic, with strong representation by animal welfare and humanitarian causes; just the top five mailers are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Wounded Warrior Project, AARP, Republican National Committee and World Wildlife Fund. Only the Republican National Committee indicates the ramp up to a 2016 election year. However, when it comes to the top nonprofit e-mailers, politics is paramount, with all top 10 e-mailers from politically motivated campaigns; just the top five are the Center for Individual Freedom, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Democratic National Committee, Republican Presidential Task Force and National Republican Congressional Committee. For the complete lists, go to http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/2015-top-10-nonprofit-mailers-emailers/

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Get Better E-mail Results by Adapting for All Devices

With e-mail now viewed on desktops and smartphones, marketers must adapt content to optimize for all device users, and a recent Direct Marketing News magazine article suggests four strategies for success. While mobile e-mail viewing has surged, desktop e-mail has not gone away. In fact, the article notes, Movable Ink's "U.S. Consumer Device Preference Report" for the second quarter of 2015 found that desktop conversions actually increased to 52.6% of total e-mail conversion in the quarter. Nasty winter weather may be a factor (keeping e-mail recipients close to desktops), but it is still a reminder that e-mail needs to be device-agnostic. This is especially true because device preferences differ by market vertical, per Movable Ink data. For example, 49.4% of nonprofit e-mail opens occur on desktops, but 62.5% of apparel marketing e-mails are opened on a smartphone. The article draws on advice from Vivek Sharma, CEO of Movable Ink, to highlight four strategies for adapting e-mail to all device users. First, adjust content for customer e-mail habits that differ by device, by time of day, and even by geographic location (Californians prefer smartphone e-mail but Virginians lean toward desktop viewing). Second, note that post-click behavior also can vary by device. For example, ask a smartphone nonprofit e-mail opener to text to donate but send a publication subscriber opening a desktop e-mail to an online page. Third, avoid a silo mentality and integrate e-mail strategy for all devices with social, direct mail, and other channels. Finally, measure beyond opens and clicks--tracking click-stream and time on site for example--to tailor content more effectively across devices. For more details: http://www.dmnews.com/email-marketing/four-ways-to-make-email-content-adaptable-for-any-device/article/433149/

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Direct Mailers Fear Late Deliveries This Fall

Coming into the busy autumn mailing season, direct mailers and catalogers are worried about the potential for significant late mail deliveries this year, reports Direct Marketing News magazine's Senior Editor Al Urbanski. The concern is based on a recent report by the Office of Inspector General that late mail deliveries by the U.S. Postal Service rose 48% in the first six months of 2015 compared with the same period last year. A rise in delayed mail was expected after the USPS made major operational changes in January, including shifting of a significant portion of Standard Mail from a two-day to a three-day service standard. But the revealed size of the delivery impact has mailers fretting. The OIG has tried to allay fears by noting that on-time delivery has improved, going from 472 million late deliveries in January to just 64 million in June. But the heavy fall mailing season lies ahead, and mailers are especially concerned about poor USPS performance in predicting real-time delivery so they have enough time to adjust their plans for crucial fall mailings. See the full story: http://www.dmnews.com/postal/late-deliveries-raise-concerns-of-mailers/article/433025/

Thursday, August 20, 2015

2015 Retail Marketers Boost Social Media Use

Social media advertising, especially on Facebook, has moved up significantly as a favored acquisition tool of retailers, according to the recent State of Retailing Online 2015 survey conducted by Shop.org, Forrester Research Inc. and Bizrate Insights. Per a recent story by Multichannel Merchant, the survey found that 25% of retailers now cite Facebook as a top acquisition platform, although paid search and e-mail marketing still top their list of most effective channels. Among the paid social media tools, 50% of retailers said they are spending more this year than last year on paid Facebook options such as promoted posts and paid ads. YouTube came in second place among paid social choices, with 29% of retailers saying they will spend more on paid YouTube promotion, followed by Pinterest with 27% planning an increase, Twitter 22%, Instagram 20% and Snapchat 6%. For more from the survey, including trends in online marketplaces, search engine marketing and online site merchandising, see http://multichannelmerchant.com/marketing/facebook-is-the-top-acquisition-platform-for-retailers-22072015/

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Marketers Pick E-mail for ROI, Mail for Response

Articles proliferate about social and online strategies, but the old standbys of direct mail, e-mail and even phone solicitation turn out to be the channels that shine when it comes to what matters: measurable results in terms of response rates, conversion rates, and return on investment. The Direct Marketing Association 2015 Response Rate Report vindicates marketers' continued faith in older, proven channels. Based on a survey of 485 marketers, the report shows that e-mail may have one of the lowest response rates among channels but still leads in ROI, with campaigns conducted with house lists achieving an average 30% to 32% ROI, and those using prospect lists achieving 15% to 17%. Direct mail continues to outperform all digital media in terms of response rates, with house list campaigns generating 3.73% response and an average 18% to 20% ROI. Social media, by comparison, had average click-through rates (CTRs) of 2.1% to 2.5% and 15% to 17% ROI. But social is still ahead of online display ads with CTRs of 1.1% and 1.5%. Meanwhile, phone calls win the highest response rate of 9% to 10%. For a survey synopsis, and a link to download the full report, see the Direct Marketing News article: http://www.dmnews.com/direct-line-blog/email-and-phone-uber-alles/article/406874/

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Mobile Trumps Language in Wooing Hispanics

Marketers are eager to cash in on growing U.S. Hispanic purchasing power, which is rising at more than two times the national rate, but a recent MarketingProfs article warns that success goes beyond how well the brand message is translated into Spanish to how well it is translated to mobile, video and social platforms. For example, Hispanic consumers are less likely to access the Internet via desktop and more likely to own a smart phone than non-Hispanics, the article points out. So focusing on the mobile user experience becomes vital, via use of responsive design, mobile e-mail, an easy toggle to Spanish, or native advertising in appropriate mobile-friendly sites. Video--whether pre-roll, in-banner or social--is another way to engage with an audience that spends nearly 30% of its online time watching videos, streaming twice as much video as non-Hispanics. And with 71% of adults Hispanics using social networking sites, a social brand and ad strategy is another must. For more advice, read http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2015/28109/the-biggest-hurdle-to-reaching-hispanics-isnt-language-its-mobile

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Quitting Direct Mail Cost Big Fundraiser $30 Million

When it comes to the value of direct mail, sometimes, to coin a song lyric, "you don't know what you've got till it's gone." At least that was the case for the American Cancer Society, which suspended its direct mail acquisition program from January 2013 through June 2014 as part of an organizational consolidation and re-alignment of fundraising strategy. As reported recently by The NonProfit Times magazine, ACS now reveals that, in the first year of suspended mail acquisition, its new donors declined by 11% and new donor revenue dropped by $11.3 million. In addition, the direct mail hiatus impacted renewal programs, planned giving and events, so the charity estimates the mail suspension will end up costing $29.5 million in lost revenue over five years. For every $1 invested in mail acquisition, ACS brings in $7 over the course of three years, explained Catharine Houlihan, ACS director of marketing, in an ACS-led panel discussion of its re-entry into mail at the Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation's New York conference. "We need acquisition to feed the core audience or else the entire program loses profitability through the course of the natural customer cycle," she noted in the article. When ACS successfully re-launched its mail acquisition program in 2014, it was part of an integrated multichannel strategy including digital, e-mail and tele-fundraising--but direct mail remained at the core, raising 80% of direct response revenue. The ACS panel noted that while digital and e-mail channels are attractive because they are less expensive, they also take longer to break even and fill the fundraising funnel. For more, read http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/live-from-dma-direct-mail-hiatus-cost-acs-30-million/

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Caution: These Words Can Turn E-mail Into Spam

E-mail messaging is a tough balancing act, creating interest and urgency on a tightrope over the spam abyss--especially when writing the subject lines so critical to recipient opens. Our thanks to Geoffrey James, Inc. magazine contributing editor, for his recent article providing a whopping 401 words and phrases likely to raise spam flags and tip e-mail straight into spam folders instead of inboxes. His list starts with "$$$" and ends with "You've been selected." Along the way are many tempting and seemingly innocuous marketing words and phrases: 50% off, affordable, all new, bargain, bonus, call, compare, deal, discount, for you, hello, instant, member, no cost, no obligation, now, one time, only, opportunity, sale, save up to, subscribe, urgent. And, of course, beware almost any phrase beginning with the word "free." Other no-no words reflect the e-mail abuses found in certain industries: insurance, investment, mortgage, quote, prize, refinance, lose weight, search engines, vacation, Viagra. For his complete list of words to avoid, read http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/401-reasons-your-email-is-spam.html

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Catalogs Continue As Key Retail Revenue Driver

Print catalogs still top retailers' marketing options in an omnichannel world, notes a recent post by Megan Conley, staff writer for Bigcommerce, an online shopping platform provider. Print catalogs are a big revenue driver for omnichannel operations, she argues, noting that 2014 consumers who received catalogs spent an average of $850 per year on catalog purchases, and that 31% of shoppers have a catalog with them when they make an online purchase, according to retail consultancy Kurt Salmon. In all, about 90 million Americans make purchases from catalogs per Direct Marketing Association data, and the number of catalogs mailed in the U.S. has increased 60% from 2007. That's one reason many major retailers have revived interest in their mailing lists, and Conley cites some well-known names: J.Crew, Patagonia, Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie, Athleta, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Neiman Marcus, J.C. Penney, Bonobos, Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Chico’s. Catalogs also help identify the best customers and push them to use omnichannel outlets, increasing brand loyalty and awareness, she notes. She quotes Craig Elbert, Bonobos’s vice president of marketing: "We found that the catalog allowed us to tell a fuller narrative about the brand and our products in a way that we were struggling to do online. In all, our catalog customers tend to spend more. And our catalog customers who make purchases at our brick-and-mortar stores are our best customers overall." But many of the new generation of catalogs do look different from predecessors. They have become less product- and sales-oriented in favor of an aesthetic, lifestyle publication look. Susy Korb, chief marketing officer of Anthropologie, recently told the New York Times: "We don’t call it a catalog; we call it a journal. Of course, we’re trying to sell clothes and accessories, but it’s more to inspire and engage." For more, see the business2community re-post: http://www.business2community.com/marketing/direct-marketing-brand-association-and-revenue-why-a-catalog-might-be-your-next-best-marketing-bet-01283212

Thursday, July 30, 2015

How B2B Marketers Can Leverage Facebook,Twitter

Business-to-business marketers remain leery of advertising on consumer-oriented social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, assuming their value is limited to targeting small businesses and sole proprietors. So our thanks to a recent Forbes.com post by Mike Templeman, who offers tips on how to turn Facebook and Twitter into more effective B2B lead generation tools. First, he advises, optimize your Twitter and Facebook business pages with branding, messaging and organic posts in an active posting schedule. Next set up remarketing tags on your website using Facebook and Twitter ad platform tools, which will allow your social ads to appear in a website visitor's Facebook newsfeed and Twitter stream. Then create social media ad campaigns that engage and entice traffic to your website--via promotion of interesting content such as blog posts, downloadable white papers and guides, or a webinar. You can extend the reach of these ads by uploading your own customer and prospect e-mail lists into the social media platforms, which will automatically match against existing members. Templeman advises that you can expect a 30% to 60% match rate for business e-mail addresses on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, your custom audience will now be able to view social ads on mobile devices, where 80% of social users view content. You can also use digital tools to build personas of best customers to better target your ad campaigns. But remember, the key to social marketing success, B2B or B2C, remains targeted, quality content. For more, read  http://www.forbes.com/sites/miketempleman/2015/07/23/how-facebook-and-twitter-fit-into-b2b-marketing/

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Tips on How Mailers Can Optimize QR Code Use

Direct mail QR codes, mobile-device-scannable code storing an online url, have been both touted and declared "dead" by various marketing pundits in the last few years. For mailers pondering QR code inclusion, a recent Target Marketing magazine post by Summer Gould, president of Eye/Comm Inc., provides a useful discussion of the whys and hows of QR code use. Before marketers include a QR code in a mail piece, they need to decide what they hope to achieve with it, Gould points out. QR codes can drive online engagement, facilitate a phone call, provide a coupon, provide access to additional information, or allow order placement. If a QR code isn't doing any of those things, there is no benefit to the recipient (or the mailer), so it's not a useful response device. But once the direct mailer has a clear goal for the QR, the next step is to design the code for maximum results. Gould provides six key design guidelines: include instructions for mail recipients on how and why to scan; keep a 1/16-inch buffer of white space around the code; keep the code between a half inch and 1.5 inches in size for easy placement and scanning; use a url shortener to keep scanning time short; and make sure the user is taken to mobile-friendly online pages. Finally, of course, test the code with different devices and lighting conditions to make sure it works before mailing! For more QR code optimization tips, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/post/qr-code-qr-code/

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Prepping Non-Political Ads for Social Election Impact

The 2016 presidential election is already grabbing headlines, ad space and social media attention, and it's only going to get more intense. This election cycle, non-political marketers not only have to be concerned about competition for consumer attention in broadcast media and direct mail, they will need to plan for a political blitz in social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Marketers need to start planning now for how to prevent their non-political messages from being drowned out, squeezed out, and priced out of the social media space. A recent Direct Marketing News magazine article by Perry Simpson, digital content coordinator, warns that cost-per-click (CPC) pricing--a popular way to sponsor and boost posts on Facebook and other social sites--is likely to increase significantly as politicians fight for attention. Simpson suggests three ways to prepare now for the social impact of the election frenzy. First, analyze your geographic performance, especially on a state level. Excluding battleground states, which are likely to see larger CPC spikes, is one option if those states are not key to performance. Next, test and hone messaging now to make sure your creative is as compelling as possible, since cost-per-click on networks like Facebook is affected by click-through rate (higher response lowers CPC). Finally, tighten up CPC bids before the election grabs the market. Lowering bids closer to your desired CPC will avoid outstripping target spend when bids start to climb because of political competition. For more detail, read http://www.dmnews.com/social-media/3-tips-for-non-political-marketing-during-the-presidential-elections/article/427133/

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Are Inbox Placement Fails Sapping Your E-mail?

It's an old saying in business that you can only manage what you measure. A recent Target Marketing magazine article by Tom Sather, Return Path's senior director of e-mail research, makes the important point that many marketers are not measuring, and thus not managing, e-mail inbox placement rates. In evaluating e-mail campaign performance, they may focus on improving subject lines, list targeting or brand engagement without realizing that a key part of the target audience never saw the message. They may be comforted by a good deliverability rate, but that rate only measures the percent of e-mail that did not bounce. Inbox placement rates, on the other hand, measure the number of messages actually arriving in subscribers' inboxes, taking into account those undelivered plus those shunted into spam folders. E-mail inbox placement will be affected by bad addresses and ISP filtering for poor reputation, content and engagement. Inbox placement will in turn fundamentally affect the validity of benchmarks and testing results as well as e-mail ROI, Sather points out. To put his remarks in perspective, note 17% of permission-based e-mails fail to reach inboxes globally--6% going to spam folders and 11% blocked--according to Return Path's most recent "Inbox Placement 2014" benchmark report. U.S. marketers did only a little better, with 13% of e-mails failing to reach inboxes on average. But on an industry basis, inbox placement rates have a wide range, with the best inbox placement rate attributed to health and beauty pitches (96%) and software and Internet e-mails at the bottom (43%). For Sather's comments on why inbox placement matters, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/inbox-placement-rates-cant-measure-cant-see/

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Clues That Your Media Mix Needs a Tune-up

Every budget cycle, marketers question whether they have the right media mix to optimize sales, whether they need to shift dollars between channels, especially in the rapidly changing digital landscape. In a recent Marketing Land article, Scott Rayden, chief revenue officer for 3Q Digital, offers seven clues that a change in your digital mix may be in order. Here are a few of his tips, starting with a no-brainer: If your brand, and non-brand, search numbers are declining, it's time to consider new ways to boost online brand awareness. He advises taking a look at options such as Twitter, display ads, video, Facebook, Pinterest, and Gmail sponsored promotions. Next, now that mobile traffic has topped desktop traffic, you are clearly behind the curve if most of your traffic, whether B2C or B2B, is desktop-driven, so invest in mobile. Rayden also notes that even with great CRM and well-segmented e-mail campaigns, you may not be mining all the gold in your first-party data. Consider using customer knowledge to prospect for lookalikes with new targeting programs offered by Facebook Lookalike Audiences, Google Similar Audiences and Twitter Tailored Audiences, he suggests. And if you are generating lots of leads but not enough paying customers, he advises rethinking targeting and linking CRM first-party data to marketing campaigns to weed out junk lead sources and boost channels delivering conversions. And, of course, pay attention to competitors; if they use many more channels to target the same demographics or firmographics, an expanded media mix may be in order. For more tips, read http://marketingland.com/7-signs-cmos-need-examine-media-mix-133456

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Best and Worst Subject Lines for E-mail Opens

The goal of an e-mail subject line is straightforward: Get the recipient to notice and open your communication. But crafting a good subject line is trickier. With the wrong subject line, your e-mail gets ignored, deleted or, worse, declared spam. A recent Target Marketing magazine article by Jeff Molander, a digital sales trainer and author, provides helpful guidelines for effective subject lines. Basically, to get recipients to open an e-mail from someone they don't know, the subject line needs to do one of three things--indicate an anticipated message, scare/worry, or spark curiosity. But there are definitely right and wrong ways to achieve those goals. So Molander starts with subject line copy to avoid: a yes/no question (since half are likely to say no and delete); overly specific (why open when you know what's inside); too vague (interest disconnects lead to deletes); asks for a meeting or time (people don't waste limited time on a stranger); sounds like a newsletter (unsolicited newsletters get dumped); sounds unbelievable (spammy claims get trashed); sounds too familiar (familiarity breeds deletes, too). So much for subject line don'ts; what are the subject line dos? The best subject lines are appealing and relevant, useful and goal-oriented, specific yet not too specific, believable, provocative yet credible, and, most of all, short, per Molander. Translating that into actual copy, he shares the three most effective subject lines based on his years of consulting with sales reps: "Know this about X?" (and make X something the prospect wants to know); "Advantages of X" (where X is not your product but something unexpected or negative that your product addresses); and "Is this a fit for X?" (where X can be personalized to "you, John" to spark curiosity). For more tips, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/post/death-subject-line/

Thursday, July 9, 2015

B2B Needs to Tap Growing Native Ad Trend

Native advertising may be a hot digital marketing tactic, with spending expected to hit $10.7 billion in 2015, but many marketers, especially business-to-business marketers, still haven't embraced its opportunities. Our thanks to Ash Nashed, founder and CEO of digital tech company Adiant, for his educational b2bmarketing.net post on native ads. Nashed especially speaks to B2B strategists, where only 34% of marketers have put native ads in the mix, he notes. Native ads, which are specifically created to organically fit within content, include search ads appearing alongside organic search results; social media ads resembling organic feed posts; promoted listings on e-commerce sites like Amazon, which appear next to algorithm-generated recommendations; video ads that entertain to promote brands; ads that appear within news articles targeted to specific interests; and advertorials offering educational editorial content. Per Nashed, the keys to success are what we'll call the four "T's": targeting (using data to select hypertargeted segments by demographics, intent, location and/or platform), testing and results tracking (marketing givens), and trust (qualified leads don't come through trickery; the audience must know they are clicking on an ad). For inspiration, Nashed holds up GE's award-winning efforts, including a blog on global innovation for The Economist magazine, a segment on "The Tonight Show," and in-stream ads on Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest. For more: http://www.b2bmarketing.net/blog/posts/2015/06/24/win-over-decision-makers-smart-native-advertising

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Brain Science Finds Mail Bests Digital With Buyers

The latest brain science explains why direct mail maintains its role as a multichannel marketing linchpin. In fact, direct mail beats or ties digital advertising in almost all the ways marketers seek to woo buyers, per a recent Temple University neuromarketing study sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General's office. As reported by Direct Marketing News, the study, which showed a mix of 40 e-mail ads and postcards to laboratory subjects, found that a digital approach bested snail mail in only one area: grabbing customer attention. However, postcards outperformed e-mail in five other areas: holding customer engagement longer, generating a greater emotional reaction, generating speedier recall, and creating subconscious desire and perceived value for a product or service. And the two methods tied in three categories: engagement in terms of the amount of information absorbed, memory accuracy, and willingness to purchase and pay. The Inspector General's office is hoping the findings will inspire marketers to make better use of mail's power to win customers. Among its suggestions are increased marketer testing of mail creative, sequencing, and digital print technology, such as augmented reality and QR codes. For more details, read http://www.dmnews.com/postal/direct-mail-has-a-greater-effect-on-purchase-than-digital-ads/article/423292/

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Costly Bad-Address Returns Still Plague Mailers

With advances in data technology and systems offered by the U.S. Postal Service, such as National Change of Address, direct mailers should have seen a decline in "return to sender" address glitches in recent years. Not so, points out Direct Marketing News magazine Senior Editor Al Urbanski in a recent article. In fact, according to USPS figures, 3.7% of first-class mail was returned to senders in 2014, up from the 3.4% in 2004. That small percentage adds up to big costs for direct mailers. Urbanski cites estimates by Novitex, a mail management company, that each piece of returned mail costs marketers between $3 and $50 a piece, with the higher hit on transactional mailers receiving payments for insurance premiums, merchandise purchases, credit card payments, and loan payments. But all mailers are burdened by wasted printing, prep, postage and data processing spends, as well as customer churn and lost opportunities. What to do? The fundamental problem is bad mailing-list data, despite all the systems available to keep lists clean and updated. So Novitex urges using automated services for address updating, including NCOA; centralized returned mail operations to improve reaction and cut risk of postal service audits and lost discounts; and implementation of data technology to track mail behavior to the root causes of returns. For the complete article: http://www.dmnews.com/direct-line-blog/return-to-sender-is-still-high-on-mailers-playlists/article/421022/

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Marketers Embrace 2015 Spending, Including Mail

Direct marketers have finally left behind recession-inspired cautionary spending, with many in a "full-steam growth mode," per Target Marketing magazine's "2015 Media Usage Survey." And the good news for direct mail data professionals like AccuList USA is that direct mail retains a key role in media budgets. Per the survey, about 44% of business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketers reported that their media budgets are staying the same as in 2014, with 32% increasing spending and only 12% planning a budget decrease. Where are they spending? Most respondents (65%) are increasing e-mail spending, and most respondents (61%) plan to increase social media engagement investments in 2015. Search engine marketing (SEM) and optimization (SEO) also both continue as high priorities, especially for acquisition, so that content marketing, video and mobile optimization—each offering strong search benefits—were cited as high priorities, too. However, snail mail is still a critically important channel for most direct marketers. Overall, 30% plan to increase mail budgets and 37% will keep spending the same compared with last year. More than half are still using direct mail for both acquisition and retention. Yes, 11% of respondents reported decreasing direct mail budgets, but, as Target Marketing sums up in its report, that doesn't mean direct mail is withering away but that "newer strategies are factoring into the direct marketing equation, and its share is being spread around to other corners of the media landscape." For more detail, read http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/target-marketings-media-usage-survey-2015/

Thursday, June 25, 2015

E-mail CTA: Best, and Hardest, Way to Up CTR

The best way to boost your e-mail click-through rate (CTR) is a meaningful call to action (CTA). That's the verdict of 65% of the marketing, sales and business professionals surveyed worldwide by Ascend2, as reported recently by MarketingProfs. Second place went to list segmentation for targeting (47%), followed by message personalization (42%). Tactics garnering frequent online discussion gathered the fewest votes by the way: social sharing (6%) and video e-mail (10%). There isn't a big surprise in those findings from marketers, who were weighted more heavily toward B2B (68% of surveyed). But before you rush off to spruce up your call-to-action effort, note that those same marketers also rated list segmentation and call to action as the most difficult tactics to implement for improved CTR, by 41% and 35% respectively. Clearly, knowing what to do isn't the same as knowing how to do it well. Maybe that's why the surveyed marketing pros saw e-mail CTR trends as relatively stagnant, either not changing (34%) or increasing only modestly (33%). For more details of the survey, go to http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2015/27811/the-best-tactics-for-improving-email-ctrs

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Study: Consumers Prefer Priority Info Via SMS

SMS has become an essential communications tool for retailers as online and mobile shopping grow. In fact, 85% of consumers in a new survey said they would prioritize unopened text messages over e-mails and push notifications from apps. Direct Marketing News magazine recently reported on a survey of 1,000 UK consumers by eDigitalResearch, which showed texting as the most effective way to reach consumers in real time with time-sensitive information. The survey results are especially pertinent for retailers, suggesting they need to implement a comprehensive communications strategy that includes multiple channels to engage with consumers across the entire life cycle, said Steve Brockway, director of research (UK) at eDigitalResearch, in a news release about the study. The research not only showed that SMS is preferred (by 85%) for the delivery of priority information, such as order status alerts, but that 53% of respondents cited SMS as the preferred method of communication when on the go, and half said they'd choose SMS for day-of notifications. It's not an entirely text-happy world for marketers: 59% of respondents prefer to receive promotional information via e-mail, and 54% said they always or mostly always open offers received via e-mail. E-mail also had the highest open rate for marketing information, although closely followed by text messages. However, trust remains an obstacle for retailers when it comes to mobile technology. Only 43% of respondents said they were willing to share their mobile phone numbers with retailers out of fear they would be bombarded with irrelevant communications. For more detailed survey results, read http://www.dmnews.com/marketing-strategy/dont-text-and-drive-do-text-and-market/article/416397/

Thursday, June 18, 2015

USPS Unveils Real-Time Mobile Notification of Mail

The U.S. Postal Service announced a new product to further marry digital and direct mail channels by allowing mail recipients to see what mail is arriving in real time on their mobile devices, reports Target Marketing magazine. Called “Real Mail Notification,” the soon-to-come product was unveiled to direct mailers by USPS Postmaster General Megan Brennan at the recent National Postal Forum in Anaheim, Calif. Nine out of 10 consumers participating in a Northern Virginia product pilot are checking daily on their mobile devices to see what’s arriving in their physical mailboxes, she told PostalNews.com, which also reports that a New York City pilot of the RMN program will launch later this year. Brennan touted RMN mobile notification to EcommerceBytes.com in the Target Marketing story: “If you see that you’re receiving a mailpiece from a favorite retailer, you can click on that piece for an additional offer that drives you to open that mail when you get home. Or, you might jump directly to a transaction. In either event, the physical mail piece draws you into the interactive experience.” In her speech to the National Postal Forum, Brennan claimed, “We saw a 10-fold jump in response rate for the pieces we tested.” For more detail and a link to Brennan's speech transcript: http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/usps-goes-digital-with-daily-real-mail-notification/