At Hat Trick Associates, we are often asked by those interested in web content creation about the number of blogs that are currently being followed, or have significant readerships. No one wants to feel as if what they are writing won't be read by anyone online, or the time and resources they are spending on their blog is wasted effort.
Have you ever wondered how many blogs there are in 2010? Perhaps like some you have thought that there are just too many current blogs for you to even bother with creating your own, or to build a following for what YOU have to say? The answer is simple: YES, you should create a blog!
First, it should be noted that search engine optimization strategies and best practices can help tilt the field into your favor. Employing good SEO tactics can provide even the smallest business owner or part-time blogger with the tools that they need to compete online with some of the largest companies around. And because of low (or non-existent) barriers to entry, anyone can begin blogging.
It should also be noted that many of those blogs that exist today, won't be around tomorrow! Apathy, shifts in time and resources, companies that go out of business and other personnel moves effectively "kill" thousands of blogs every year! And just because there are established leaders within your field, that doesn't mean that your voice should be any less insightful or valuable to potential readers. And what if you don't have the time or resources to write your own professional blog? Companies like Hat Trick Associates exist to help give a voice to your organization, and allow you to begin establishing you and your company as the kind of "trusted experts" that every business strives to become!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Our Current Economy, And Why Slashing Your Marketing Now Is Such A Bad Idea
For this post, I’m going to take a break from my usual topics for a bit, and discuss a few of the things currently happening in the US economy, and how this might affect you and your business plans or marketing initiatives in the future.
Let me start by saying that I pay attention to the news. Quite a bit, actually. I find that being current not only on business or technological issues - or the industries of my clients - but also the general state of affairs throughout the US and the world, gives me lots of ideas and inspiration for my own writing.
And when you see the current news about our economy, it’s easy to become confused. Is the economy getting better? Standing still? Continuing to decline? I guess it depends on who you ask. Hey, the stock market is doing great! And lots of folks see that as a sign that our economy is on healthy footing. Someone on CNBC today was even touting “Dow 12,000” by the end of this year! Can you imagine that?
After all we have been through - starting with the Lehman Brothers collapse, the sub-prime mortgage crisis and ensuing credit crunch, and then government takeovers and massive bailouts. Then throw in record unemployment, a weakening dollar, lots of government borrowing, and record bank closures. You get the idea.
Yes, we have been saved from the brink. But things still hardly qualify as “normal” these days. And we are now talking about Dow 12,000?
Now, one of the reasons why all equities are rising is due to the printing presses at the Fed, and a 0% lending rate. Money is basically free right now, if you're a big Wall Street bank that is. So they are taking our taxpayer money, and instead of lending it back to us, they are back in the bubble or “casino” economy mode, and speculating like mad all over again. But I use this explanation as a simple way to make my point, it's impossible to know what's "real" and what isn't in the financial world right now, and when the economy will be truly healthy again.
But it has become crystal clear that some of the challenges that we are currently facing WILL be here for a while. Unemployment is over 10%, and if you count those that are under-employed, or have given up looking entirely, the numbers are significantly higher. And most economists agree that there is a high likelihood that these elevated unemployment numbers will be here for some time, at least the next couple of years, as we struggle to provide new industries, education and training to those that have lost their jobs in the last 18 months. Many are calling our current unemployment situation the “new normal.”
So, beyond a gory retelling of our current economic woes, you are probably asking what does this all mean?
Well, for people that do what I do – assist companies to market their products and services – it can be a scary time. Sales numbers and revenues are down, and organizations are (rightly) looking for any inefficiencies or marginal initiatives or programs to cut. Marketing always seems to be on the top of the list. Now, I have always found this to be very counter-intuitive! “Well, sales and profits are down! What are we going to do? I know, let’s slash our marketing budget! One of the few things that can actually help INCREASE our potential sales!"
And I know why it happens too. Of course, you simply can’t cut Accounting, because no matter how much (or little) you sell, you need to transfer funds and pay taxes and payroll and suppliers, etc. And you can’t cut out your IT department, because without a running computer network or website or processing system you can’t function. And you can’t cut your service providers or line workers or whoever in the organization actually does the “real” work, right? And the list goes on.
But the marketing department? You can cut here, and it won’t be missed. Right??
Well, not for a little while at least. It is a department that isn’t completely essential for business, for TODAY at least. The doors won’t close, or the production line won’t grind to a halt, or the trucks won't stop rolling if marketing shuts down.
At least not yet. And that is why it is often on the chopping block first. Now, I think with a little bit of forethought, it isn’t that difficult to see why this is a very poor long term strategy. But this doesn’t stop short-sighted companies from doing it. But as I mentioned earlier, there is a major problem with this strategy this time around. Because although the economy is surely improving right now, we still have a long way to go to “economic health” and substantial growth. The “new normal” will be with us for some time. Will we be healthy again in 2011? 2012? Later than that??
In other words, if this is your "strategy," you may not be marketing or promoting your company for a LONG time! And it's easy to see why this is a losing strategy. And there will certainly be big financial winners - and big losers - this time around, as there always are. So the question is, "How can I be one of those big economic winners?" And as you may guess, the answer is rarely, if ever, "By slashing all marketing promotion of your brands, products and services!"
Actually, I find it fascinating that many economists and entrepreneurs believe that a recession is the BEST time to start a business. Once again, the reasons become clear when you consider that the companies that don’t make it through - that close their doors forever - just gave up X% of the market share within their industry or field.
Not only are all those potential customers or clients now up for grabs, but recessions cause many changes in buying behavior, regardless if many companies leave the marketplace or not. Tight economic times cause customers to re-evaluate the costs, and true value, of the many products and services they are currently buying. During tough economic times, there are usually far more requests for price quotes, directed at a larger pool of suppliers or providers, as businesses seek out different alternatives and value.
Of course individual consumers do these same things. They consider brands, products and stores that they haven't before. They shift dollars at a faster rate and at a larger magnitude than they do even during "roaring" economic times. This presents tremendous opportunity, for those who are bold and innovative enough to see this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime chance to greatly expand their market share and build their brands.
Which is why slashing your marketing budget during these times is such a poor long-term decision. Now I know that there are some companies that have no choice. They either immediately cut major portions of their budget or face insolvency instead. For these companies, I certainly wish you luck! But for anyone else, now is the time to be aggressive in your pursuit of market share within your industry, field or product category.
And the best part? You can promote your brand, your products and services FAR more efficiently now than ever before. Online marketing and communication initiatives typically cost much less than the "traditional" methods that many companies have used in the past.
Email marketing programs and e-Newsletters are a very cost-effective way to stay in touch with your customers or clients, prospects, donors, volunteers, etc. It's an easy way to stay “top of mind” with your target audience and continue to build brand awareness and presence, at a time when your competitors may have their “eyes off the prize” themselves.
Blogging about your company, your products or your services is another great way to inexpensively reach potentially huge numbers of potential customers, and introduce them to your business and what you do.
Enough has been written about social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, in recent months that I don’t feel the need to repeat all the stats again in this article. But suffice it to say that these initiatives can have a big influence on your brand equity and resulting sales numbers for the same relatively inexpensive cost.
Which is something that most companies love to talk about during ANY economy, the all-important Return On Investment. And if there was ever a time to generate great ROI with your marketing dollars, it's now!
The bottom line is that even during these tough economic times, if you feel your business has a future, NOW is the time to discover the many ways you can still aggressively (and efficiently) market your services or products with the many E-marketing communication methods that have been established or are currently emerging.
Thanks,
Jim Haynes – President, Hat Trick Associates
Let me start by saying that I pay attention to the news. Quite a bit, actually. I find that being current not only on business or technological issues - or the industries of my clients - but also the general state of affairs throughout the US and the world, gives me lots of ideas and inspiration for my own writing.
And when you see the current news about our economy, it’s easy to become confused. Is the economy getting better? Standing still? Continuing to decline? I guess it depends on who you ask. Hey, the stock market is doing great! And lots of folks see that as a sign that our economy is on healthy footing. Someone on CNBC today was even touting “Dow 12,000” by the end of this year! Can you imagine that?
After all we have been through - starting with the Lehman Brothers collapse, the sub-prime mortgage crisis and ensuing credit crunch, and then government takeovers and massive bailouts. Then throw in record unemployment, a weakening dollar, lots of government borrowing, and record bank closures. You get the idea.
Yes, we have been saved from the brink. But things still hardly qualify as “normal” these days. And we are now talking about Dow 12,000?
Now, one of the reasons why all equities are rising is due to the printing presses at the Fed, and a 0% lending rate. Money is basically free right now, if you're a big Wall Street bank that is. So they are taking our taxpayer money, and instead of lending it back to us, they are back in the bubble or “casino” economy mode, and speculating like mad all over again. But I use this explanation as a simple way to make my point, it's impossible to know what's "real" and what isn't in the financial world right now, and when the economy will be truly healthy again.
But it has become crystal clear that some of the challenges that we are currently facing WILL be here for a while. Unemployment is over 10%, and if you count those that are under-employed, or have given up looking entirely, the numbers are significantly higher. And most economists agree that there is a high likelihood that these elevated unemployment numbers will be here for some time, at least the next couple of years, as we struggle to provide new industries, education and training to those that have lost their jobs in the last 18 months. Many are calling our current unemployment situation the “new normal.”
So, beyond a gory retelling of our current economic woes, you are probably asking what does this all mean?
Well, for people that do what I do – assist companies to market their products and services – it can be a scary time. Sales numbers and revenues are down, and organizations are (rightly) looking for any inefficiencies or marginal initiatives or programs to cut. Marketing always seems to be on the top of the list. Now, I have always found this to be very counter-intuitive! “Well, sales and profits are down! What are we going to do? I know, let’s slash our marketing budget! One of the few things that can actually help INCREASE our potential sales!"
And I know why it happens too. Of course, you simply can’t cut Accounting, because no matter how much (or little) you sell, you need to transfer funds and pay taxes and payroll and suppliers, etc. And you can’t cut out your IT department, because without a running computer network or website or processing system you can’t function. And you can’t cut your service providers or line workers or whoever in the organization actually does the “real” work, right? And the list goes on.
But the marketing department? You can cut here, and it won’t be missed. Right??
Well, not for a little while at least. It is a department that isn’t completely essential for business, for TODAY at least. The doors won’t close, or the production line won’t grind to a halt, or the trucks won't stop rolling if marketing shuts down.
At least not yet. And that is why it is often on the chopping block first. Now, I think with a little bit of forethought, it isn’t that difficult to see why this is a very poor long term strategy. But this doesn’t stop short-sighted companies from doing it. But as I mentioned earlier, there is a major problem with this strategy this time around. Because although the economy is surely improving right now, we still have a long way to go to “economic health” and substantial growth. The “new normal” will be with us for some time. Will we be healthy again in 2011? 2012? Later than that??
In other words, if this is your "strategy," you may not be marketing or promoting your company for a LONG time! And it's easy to see why this is a losing strategy. And there will certainly be big financial winners - and big losers - this time around, as there always are. So the question is, "How can I be one of those big economic winners?" And as you may guess, the answer is rarely, if ever, "By slashing all marketing promotion of your brands, products and services!"
Actually, I find it fascinating that many economists and entrepreneurs believe that a recession is the BEST time to start a business. Once again, the reasons become clear when you consider that the companies that don’t make it through - that close their doors forever - just gave up X% of the market share within their industry or field.
Not only are all those potential customers or clients now up for grabs, but recessions cause many changes in buying behavior, regardless if many companies leave the marketplace or not. Tight economic times cause customers to re-evaluate the costs, and true value, of the many products and services they are currently buying. During tough economic times, there are usually far more requests for price quotes, directed at a larger pool of suppliers or providers, as businesses seek out different alternatives and value.
Of course individual consumers do these same things. They consider brands, products and stores that they haven't before. They shift dollars at a faster rate and at a larger magnitude than they do even during "roaring" economic times. This presents tremendous opportunity, for those who are bold and innovative enough to see this perhaps once-in-a-lifetime chance to greatly expand their market share and build their brands.
Which is why slashing your marketing budget during these times is such a poor long-term decision. Now I know that there are some companies that have no choice. They either immediately cut major portions of their budget or face insolvency instead. For these companies, I certainly wish you luck! But for anyone else, now is the time to be aggressive in your pursuit of market share within your industry, field or product category.
And the best part? You can promote your brand, your products and services FAR more efficiently now than ever before. Online marketing and communication initiatives typically cost much less than the "traditional" methods that many companies have used in the past.
Email marketing programs and e-Newsletters are a very cost-effective way to stay in touch with your customers or clients, prospects, donors, volunteers, etc. It's an easy way to stay “top of mind” with your target audience and continue to build brand awareness and presence, at a time when your competitors may have their “eyes off the prize” themselves.
Blogging about your company, your products or your services is another great way to inexpensively reach potentially huge numbers of potential customers, and introduce them to your business and what you do.
Enough has been written about social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, in recent months that I don’t feel the need to repeat all the stats again in this article. But suffice it to say that these initiatives can have a big influence on your brand equity and resulting sales numbers for the same relatively inexpensive cost.
Which is something that most companies love to talk about during ANY economy, the all-important Return On Investment. And if there was ever a time to generate great ROI with your marketing dollars, it's now!
The bottom line is that even during these tough economic times, if you feel your business has a future, NOW is the time to discover the many ways you can still aggressively (and efficiently) market your services or products with the many E-marketing communication methods that have been established or are currently emerging.
Thanks,
Jim Haynes – President, Hat Trick Associates
Monday, November 16, 2009
Online, "Content is King." But Why? And How Can You Distribute Your Web Content?
Content is King
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase before. And it makes perfect sense when you consider that your content is the thing that attracts your customers to your product or service, and then retains their attention. With clear, concise and compelling information about your company, your products and your services, presented in the most effective and efficient way, you hope to move the visitor to view your offering in a favorable way, and then take action as they make their purchasing decision.
Obviously the primary goal of your online content should always be to drive these key purchasing decisions and responses, since after all, this is the reason you’re in business, right? But there is an added benefit to having great content online. You are also affecting future inquiries and sales by virtue of improving your online search engine ranking, or SEO (search engine optimization) results when you have great content.
The algorithms used by Google, Yahoo, Bing etc. are far too complex and have too many variables to be discussed in an article of this length, but suffice it to say that the quality of your content - meaning the inclusion of keywords that are relevant to your product category and the frequency of their use - as well as the number of external links from other online sources to your content AND the frequency of your web updates or postings are all quite important for creating a good SEO ranking for your website. And the higher your score, the more likely it is that you will be found in “organic” search engine results and be higher up on the list of results – which means more visitors to your site, and which also means more business for you.
There are a number of effective ways to create and share your content online. The most important categories are:
E-NEWS
E-Newsletters, or email marketing, are one great way to share valuable information, advice, special promotions and offers with your customers and prospects. This method is dependent on you having a good list of email addresses, of course. (If you do not track email addresses for your customers or business contacts, now is a great time to start! This list is one of your most valuable resources for future business.)
There are a number of tips and tricks that you can employ to increase the “open” rate of your email newsletter, and then the “click” rate, or those that actually take action after reading your message. Most distribution vendors also provide valuable information not only on open and click thrus, but also things like email address bounces and unsubscribes. Other details such as the subject line, the use of graphics, and keeping important links “above the fold” in your message can increase your readership and your response rates.
PROFESSIONAL BLOGS
For those that do not have a viable list of email addresses for their customers, a professional blog is another way to communicate with the masses and get the word out about your service or product. A well written blog can establish you as an expert within your business category, a “trusted advisor” that readers will consult before making their purchasing decisions.
Promoting your blog is vital. Not only should your official blog be prominently featured (and hosted) on your website, but also social media sites and other online venues. (Why host on your website, as opposed to a blogging site like blogger.com? Because you want the “juice,” or the boost in SEO score, to apply to YOUR website, not the website of an external entity. We have the capability at Hat Trick Associates to install a WordPress blogging script and interface within your website, to generate the additional web content benefits for your own site and not someone else’s.)
One of the many great aspects of a blog is the ability to receive comments back from your readership, which creates a more collaborative and interactive environment for your communications. This type of feedback is vital to understanding the changing wants and needs of your customer base, and responding appropriately.
SOCIAL NETWORKS – FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN
Social networking sites can be another important and growing tool in distributing your content online. Facebook fan pages, Twitter feeds and other networking sites such as company pages on LinkedIn provide a great platform not only to connect and communicate with your customer base, but also gives them the opportunity to provide feedback and spread the message about your organization to all of the other connections they have on these social media sites. And the usage of these sites is rapidly increasing, and not just among the younger generations. The fastest growing segment on Facebook you may wonder? Women over the age of 55.
HAT TRICK ASSOCIATES: WE. CREATE. CONTENT.
Hat Trick Associates specializes in the creation and distribution of web content. Whether it be a custom E-Newsletter template and unique content researched and written every month for each issue; a professional blog created for you, with 100% original blog posts researched and written for you and published on a pre-determined schedule; or a social networking account such as a Facebook fan page or Twitter feed set up and content-managed for you, Hat Trick Associates can help!
We also create web page copy and can build a new site for you from the ground up, from the creation of an original sitemap to the content and links needed for every page within your new website.
Not only do we offer top-notch research and writing capabilities for web content, but the Hat Trick Associates team also includes an expert and award winning graphic designer, with many years of agency Art Direction and expertise. We offer complete web design, development and hosting services, including our new Content Management Made Easy website option. To see our demo website please visit: content managed websites.
We also have a resident SEO specialist with years of extensive search engine ranking experience, knowledge and expertise to help with more detailed initiatives, like major link-building campaigns and submissions to thousands of web directories.
You will also find our pricing structure to be quite attractive for content of our quality, especially for those that have utilized expensive (and these days, less effective) traditional print advertising or marketing and sales collateral in the past.
Please visit www.hattrickassociates.com for more information about our services and your many content options, and for access to our official blog and Twitter feed.
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase before. And it makes perfect sense when you consider that your content is the thing that attracts your customers to your product or service, and then retains their attention. With clear, concise and compelling information about your company, your products and your services, presented in the most effective and efficient way, you hope to move the visitor to view your offering in a favorable way, and then take action as they make their purchasing decision.
Obviously the primary goal of your online content should always be to drive these key purchasing decisions and responses, since after all, this is the reason you’re in business, right? But there is an added benefit to having great content online. You are also affecting future inquiries and sales by virtue of improving your online search engine ranking, or SEO (search engine optimization) results when you have great content.
The algorithms used by Google, Yahoo, Bing etc. are far too complex and have too many variables to be discussed in an article of this length, but suffice it to say that the quality of your content - meaning the inclusion of keywords that are relevant to your product category and the frequency of their use - as well as the number of external links from other online sources to your content AND the frequency of your web updates or postings are all quite important for creating a good SEO ranking for your website. And the higher your score, the more likely it is that you will be found in “organic” search engine results and be higher up on the list of results – which means more visitors to your site, and which also means more business for you.
There are a number of effective ways to create and share your content online. The most important categories are:
E-NEWS
E-Newsletters, or email marketing, are one great way to share valuable information, advice, special promotions and offers with your customers and prospects. This method is dependent on you having a good list of email addresses, of course. (If you do not track email addresses for your customers or business contacts, now is a great time to start! This list is one of your most valuable resources for future business.)
There are a number of tips and tricks that you can employ to increase the “open” rate of your email newsletter, and then the “click” rate, or those that actually take action after reading your message. Most distribution vendors also provide valuable information not only on open and click thrus, but also things like email address bounces and unsubscribes. Other details such as the subject line, the use of graphics, and keeping important links “above the fold” in your message can increase your readership and your response rates.
PROFESSIONAL BLOGS
For those that do not have a viable list of email addresses for their customers, a professional blog is another way to communicate with the masses and get the word out about your service or product. A well written blog can establish you as an expert within your business category, a “trusted advisor” that readers will consult before making their purchasing decisions.
Promoting your blog is vital. Not only should your official blog be prominently featured (and hosted) on your website, but also social media sites and other online venues. (Why host on your website, as opposed to a blogging site like blogger.com? Because you want the “juice,” or the boost in SEO score, to apply to YOUR website, not the website of an external entity. We have the capability at Hat Trick Associates to install a WordPress blogging script and interface within your website, to generate the additional web content benefits for your own site and not someone else’s.)
One of the many great aspects of a blog is the ability to receive comments back from your readership, which creates a more collaborative and interactive environment for your communications. This type of feedback is vital to understanding the changing wants and needs of your customer base, and responding appropriately.
SOCIAL NETWORKS – FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LINKEDIN
Social networking sites can be another important and growing tool in distributing your content online. Facebook fan pages, Twitter feeds and other networking sites such as company pages on LinkedIn provide a great platform not only to connect and communicate with your customer base, but also gives them the opportunity to provide feedback and spread the message about your organization to all of the other connections they have on these social media sites. And the usage of these sites is rapidly increasing, and not just among the younger generations. The fastest growing segment on Facebook you may wonder? Women over the age of 55.
HAT TRICK ASSOCIATES: WE. CREATE. CONTENT.
Hat Trick Associates specializes in the creation and distribution of web content. Whether it be a custom E-Newsletter template and unique content researched and written every month for each issue; a professional blog created for you, with 100% original blog posts researched and written for you and published on a pre-determined schedule; or a social networking account such as a Facebook fan page or Twitter feed set up and content-managed for you, Hat Trick Associates can help!
We also create web page copy and can build a new site for you from the ground up, from the creation of an original sitemap to the content and links needed for every page within your new website.
Not only do we offer top-notch research and writing capabilities for web content, but the Hat Trick Associates team also includes an expert and award winning graphic designer, with many years of agency Art Direction and expertise. We offer complete web design, development and hosting services, including our new Content Management Made Easy website option. To see our demo website please visit: content managed websites.
We also have a resident SEO specialist with years of extensive search engine ranking experience, knowledge and expertise to help with more detailed initiatives, like major link-building campaigns and submissions to thousands of web directories.
You will also find our pricing structure to be quite attractive for content of our quality, especially for those that have utilized expensive (and these days, less effective) traditional print advertising or marketing and sales collateral in the past.
Please visit www.hattrickassociates.com for more information about our services and your many content options, and for access to our official blog and Twitter feed.
Monday, November 9, 2009
25 Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Be Asking Themselves
Some more great entrepreneurial advice from our old friend David Siteman Garland, of Rise To The Top fame here in St. Louis. These are questions you need to be asking yourself as you contemplate or begin your own business, some good stuff here.
1. Can I remove myself from this business or will I always be a part of it?
2. Can I work “non normal hours” including nights and weekends if necessary?
3. Do I have 6 months extra cash reserves?
4. Do I have a list of trusted professionals (lawyer, accountant, etc.) or do I need a referral?
5. Can I take criticism?
6. Who are my mentors and go-to people when I need help?
7. How will my business make money and what are the alternative revenue streams? (*Seems obvious of course but many have made this mistake, have you?)
8. Do I work better alone or in groups?
9. What things do I LOVE to do on a daily basis?
10. What things do I HATE to do on a daily basis?
11. Who is doing the books and keeping finance in order?
12. How far in advance am I planning? 6 hours? 6 days? 6 years?
13. How much time will my business require of ME?
14. Do I plan on on selling your business?
15. What is your web strategy?
16. Am I also marketing my business, product or service or soliciting help?
17. Do I have a plan for hiring your first employee?
18. How am I going to generate buzz for your business?
19. Where is the start up capital coming from?
20. Will I be investing my own money?
21. Am I prepared to deal with the emotional toll of the ups and downs of businesses?
22. Where am I getting answers to my entrepreneurial questions?
23. Who are my favorite entrepreneurs and why were they successful?
24. Why is my business unique?
25. WHY am I starting my own business?
1. Can I remove myself from this business or will I always be a part of it?
2. Can I work “non normal hours” including nights and weekends if necessary?
3. Do I have 6 months extra cash reserves?
4. Do I have a list of trusted professionals (lawyer, accountant, etc.) or do I need a referral?
5. Can I take criticism?
6. Who are my mentors and go-to people when I need help?
7. How will my business make money and what are the alternative revenue streams? (*Seems obvious of course but many have made this mistake, have you?)
8. Do I work better alone or in groups?
9. What things do I LOVE to do on a daily basis?
10. What things do I HATE to do on a daily basis?
11. Who is doing the books and keeping finance in order?
12. How far in advance am I planning? 6 hours? 6 days? 6 years?
13. How much time will my business require of ME?
14. Do I plan on on selling your business?
15. What is your web strategy?
16. Am I also marketing my business, product or service or soliciting help?
17. Do I have a plan for hiring your first employee?
18. How am I going to generate buzz for your business?
19. Where is the start up capital coming from?
20. Will I be investing my own money?
21. Am I prepared to deal with the emotional toll of the ups and downs of businesses?
22. Where am I getting answers to my entrepreneurial questions?
23. Who are my favorite entrepreneurs and why were they successful?
24. Why is my business unique?
25. WHY am I starting my own business?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Fun Facts About Email
By now you've certainly read or heard about the incredible statistics that surround social networks. Social networks and blogs are the 4th most popular online activities, and 67% of global users visit member communities daily, and 10% of all time spent on the internet is on social media sites. Another interesting fact is that 80% of companies use, (or are planning to use), LinkedIn as their primary tool to find employees this year and into 2010.
Impressive stats for sure. But what about social networking's older brother, the venerable email? What are some fun statistics that you can throw around at your next cocktail party? Well, how about:
If email was a country, its 1.4 billion users would make it the largest in the world. Bigger than China, bigger than the populations of the USA and European Union combined.
247 billion emails are sent each day. That's one email every 0.00000035 seconds.
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, some 20 million emails entered cyberspace.
Every second, the world's email users produce messages equivalent in size to over 16,000 copies of the Complete Works of Shakespeare (assuming a 30KB average email size).
13.4 billion: the number of direct marketing dollars forecast to go on email in the US in 2009.
$583 billion: the return from that investment if you use standard figures on email marketing ROI. That's four times the market value of Microsoft.
181: the number of marketing emails it would take to produce enough revenue to buy one share in Microsoft.
83,689,738,832,367: the number of marketing emails it would take to produce enough revenue to pay the US National Debt.
Impressive stats for sure. But what about social networking's older brother, the venerable email? What are some fun statistics that you can throw around at your next cocktail party? Well, how about:
If email was a country, its 1.4 billion users would make it the largest in the world. Bigger than China, bigger than the populations of the USA and European Union combined.
247 billion emails are sent each day. That's one email every 0.00000035 seconds.
In the time it takes you to read this sentence, some 20 million emails entered cyberspace.
Every second, the world's email users produce messages equivalent in size to over 16,000 copies of the Complete Works of Shakespeare (assuming a 30KB average email size).
13.4 billion: the number of direct marketing dollars forecast to go on email in the US in 2009.
$583 billion: the return from that investment if you use standard figures on email marketing ROI. That's four times the market value of Microsoft.
181: the number of marketing emails it would take to produce enough revenue to buy one share in Microsoft.
83,689,738,832,367: the number of marketing emails it would take to produce enough revenue to pay the US National Debt.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Great Email Marketing Subject Lines
At Hat Trick Associates, we're always being asked things like, "What is the best day to send email?", "What are the real email marketing secrets?" and "What are great subject lines?". I decided to focus this post on that last one, and offer some really great and proven-to-work subject lines that you can test out for your email marketing campaigns.
First of all, I'm assuming at this point that your recipients will recognize you from your "From Label". I've written why your From Label is very important in your email marketing campaigns. If they are familiar with who the email is coming from, you'll have better luck getting your email opened with a catchy subject line.
As a retailer your email marketing campaigns are probably all about selling. If you sell your own products or products from other manufacturers, you'll be trying to announce new products, new seasons or discounts and sales. You'll want your recipients to act fast, so you may want to try expiration dates in your subject line. We even see businesses using hours in the day in their expiration time periods.
You'll see that some of these subject lines are a bit vague like "An Exclusive Offer for You", however sometimes that might get more opens than if you talk about a specific product. That's something that we often test for clients to determine what specific subject lines have the most impact.
Here are some sample offers:
Enjoy this Special Offer at Our New Location
25-40% off - Email-Only Offer – Today Only
Invitation-Only 2 Hour Event Starts 11:30 AM CT
Ends Today! 20% Off Friends & Family
Top 10 under $10
Free shipping - offer ends in 3 days
Free product with purchase of [product name]
[New Product] has arrived. Order now before we run out.
Earn double points for [insert product or action].
Last Chance: Get up to $25 now
Save 10% on your next order
Enjoy [season] with rates from $65
Service Notice: Exciting new changes at [your company]
An Exclusive Offer for You
[Your company] October Specials
Last minute deals, special offers, and new [product name]
Act Now to renew your [subscription name]
Online only: 25% off friends and family
Introducing our latest…[product/feature here]
[Product name] Promotion week. Save 25%
Extended for a day! Get Free shipping through Friday
Stock up and save 15%
Limited Supply: Limit 2 [product name] per customer
Ho-ho-ho: The [your company] holiday catalog is here!
Email subscriber exclusive: [Product name] sale is here
Ends Today: Take 20% off your entire order
Private Sale Ends Today
Your choice of amazing items $50 + under
Great gifts for [Dad, Mom, etc]
Best Sellers every [girl, boy, man, woman, dog, etc.]
Everything you need when the temperatures [rise, fall]
Free Shipping--Limited Time Offer
Catchy & Creative
Sometimes all you need is a little vase lift (retailer selling vase's)
We've got you covered from head to toe (retailer selling hats, shirts, pants and boots)
How La Perla got its name (retailer selling lingerie, telling a story inside the email)
Temperatures Fall, Style Rises (retailer selling coats)
Celebrity Favorites (selling accessories that Hollywood is wearing)
Did you remember to get a gift? It's ok, we did. (retailer wanting to get people to register for gift reminders)
10 Gift Ideas for your little ones (retailer listing top 10 suggestions for kids)
Manhattan View for a Song in the Shower (retailer selling shower curtain with Manhattan skyline on it)
Take your pick: Our 9 Favorite Dresses (retailer suggesting by popularity)
Coolest modern desk on the job...for $149 (retailer including price in the subject line)
Score Great Savings on Game-Time Gear: HDTVs, Furniture & More (retailer selling TV's with a sports slant)
Party Like it's 1999 Aged Cabernet Special (wine retailer)
In our store: Last minute Mother's Day combo ready to go (retailer getting the last minute shoppers with a catch "combo to go".)
Adorn Your Home Now & Through the Holidays (Home decor retailer)
Mind-Blowing Grenache (wine retailer)
Bring this email to a Gap store and win! (retailer trying to get store traffic)
First of all, I'm assuming at this point that your recipients will recognize you from your "From Label". I've written why your From Label is very important in your email marketing campaigns. If they are familiar with who the email is coming from, you'll have better luck getting your email opened with a catchy subject line.
As a retailer your email marketing campaigns are probably all about selling. If you sell your own products or products from other manufacturers, you'll be trying to announce new products, new seasons or discounts and sales. You'll want your recipients to act fast, so you may want to try expiration dates in your subject line. We even see businesses using hours in the day in their expiration time periods.
You'll see that some of these subject lines are a bit vague like "An Exclusive Offer for You", however sometimes that might get more opens than if you talk about a specific product. That's something that we often test for clients to determine what specific subject lines have the most impact.
Here are some sample offers:
Enjoy this Special Offer at Our New Location
25-40% off - Email-Only Offer – Today Only
Invitation-Only 2 Hour Event Starts 11:30 AM CT
Ends Today! 20% Off Friends & Family
Top 10 under $10
Free shipping - offer ends in 3 days
Free product with purchase of [product name]
[New Product] has arrived. Order now before we run out.
Earn double points for [insert product or action].
Last Chance: Get up to $25 now
Save 10% on your next order
Enjoy [season] with rates from $65
Service Notice: Exciting new changes at [your company]
An Exclusive Offer for You
[Your company] October Specials
Last minute deals, special offers, and new [product name]
Act Now to renew your [subscription name]
Online only: 25% off friends and family
Introducing our latest…[product/feature here]
[Product name] Promotion week. Save 25%
Extended for a day! Get Free shipping through Friday
Stock up and save 15%
Limited Supply: Limit 2 [product name] per customer
Ho-ho-ho: The [your company] holiday catalog is here!
Email subscriber exclusive: [Product name] sale is here
Ends Today: Take 20% off your entire order
Private Sale Ends Today
Your choice of amazing items $50 + under
Great gifts for [Dad, Mom, etc]
Best Sellers every [girl, boy, man, woman, dog, etc.]
Everything you need when the temperatures [rise, fall]
Free Shipping--Limited Time Offer
Catchy & Creative
Sometimes all you need is a little vase lift (retailer selling vase's)
We've got you covered from head to toe (retailer selling hats, shirts, pants and boots)
How La Perla got its name (retailer selling lingerie, telling a story inside the email)
Temperatures Fall, Style Rises (retailer selling coats)
Celebrity Favorites (selling accessories that Hollywood is wearing)
Did you remember to get a gift? It's ok, we did. (retailer wanting to get people to register for gift reminders)
10 Gift Ideas for your little ones (retailer listing top 10 suggestions for kids)
Manhattan View for a Song in the Shower (retailer selling shower curtain with Manhattan skyline on it)
Take your pick: Our 9 Favorite Dresses (retailer suggesting by popularity)
Coolest modern desk on the job...for $149 (retailer including price in the subject line)
Score Great Savings on Game-Time Gear: HDTVs, Furniture & More (retailer selling TV's with a sports slant)
Party Like it's 1999 Aged Cabernet Special (wine retailer)
In our store: Last minute Mother's Day combo ready to go (retailer getting the last minute shoppers with a catch "combo to go".)
Adorn Your Home Now & Through the Holidays (Home decor retailer)
Mind-Blowing Grenache (wine retailer)
Bring this email to a Gap store and win! (retailer trying to get store traffic)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Getting Responses With Email Marketing - Part Five
5) Let A Picture Tell The Story...
So we've all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. What does that mean for your E-Newsletter?
Your graphics can be the difference between someone paying enough attention to your email marketing to click a link or read an opening paragraph, or moving on. Always make sure that whatever you use is directly or obviously connected to your feature, story or promotion. Don't make people have to "work" or guess what they are viewing and how it relates to the content...unless of course this is part of a well-thought out marketing plan! And simpler is typically better.
Finding good photos or illustrations online certainly isn't hard these days. (With almost 100% broadband coverage now, video and audio are now a component of some E-Newsletters too, but more on these topics another day.) One of the top and fairly inexpensive options is iStockPhoto.com, although many other libraries exist. And don't forget the multitude of royalty-free images available on Google, Flickr or Yahoo Images.
Following our theme of trying different options until you find one that works best for you and your E-Newsletter, maybe you could try removing all images for one issue...and see if a text-only version gets better results? How 90's of you!
And that brings me to the final point...which is really the one I've tried to make with every tip. DO NOT BE AFRAID to experiment! As long as the information you are presenting is factual and relevant, every other aspect of presentation should be up for review and testing. That is really the most important take-away....Test, test and test again, and you can create the type of email newsletter that gets results for YOUR company!
So we've all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. What does that mean for your E-Newsletter?
Your graphics can be the difference between someone paying enough attention to your email marketing to click a link or read an opening paragraph, or moving on. Always make sure that whatever you use is directly or obviously connected to your feature, story or promotion. Don't make people have to "work" or guess what they are viewing and how it relates to the content...unless of course this is part of a well-thought out marketing plan! And simpler is typically better.
Finding good photos or illustrations online certainly isn't hard these days. (With almost 100% broadband coverage now, video and audio are now a component of some E-Newsletters too, but more on these topics another day.) One of the top and fairly inexpensive options is iStockPhoto.com, although many other libraries exist. And don't forget the multitude of royalty-free images available on Google, Flickr or Yahoo Images.
Following our theme of trying different options until you find one that works best for you and your E-Newsletter, maybe you could try removing all images for one issue...and see if a text-only version gets better results? How 90's of you!
And that brings me to the final point...which is really the one I've tried to make with every tip. DO NOT BE AFRAID to experiment! As long as the information you are presenting is factual and relevant, every other aspect of presentation should be up for review and testing. That is really the most important take-away....Test, test and test again, and you can create the type of email newsletter that gets results for YOUR company!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Getting Responses With Email Marketing - Part Four
4) Your Links Are Important!
So you've gotten your recipient to open and view your E-newsletter with your subject line, offer and formatting. But are they clicking your links? That's the real purpose of course!
You know by now that your E-news needs to be rich in links. It doesn't cost you anything to include links within your content, and you have much to gain. Make sure your links are relevant to what you are trying to communicate, of course, but unless the article becomes difficult to read due to an extreme overabundance of links, you should be including them.
So if your E-newsletter has 5 links to your offer, why not try including 5 more - and see if your response increases? And also be mindful of the previous tip, and make sure that many of your links are happening above the fold and not below!
You can then look and compare how many more times the links higher up in your copy are being visited as opposed to the ones that are lower on the page. Then ask yourself a question: Are these the links that matter most to your business? If not, here is another great opportunity to make adjustments to your newsletter, and swap positions for these links!
NEXT TIP: Images
So you've gotten your recipient to open and view your E-newsletter with your subject line, offer and formatting. But are they clicking your links? That's the real purpose of course!
You know by now that your E-news needs to be rich in links. It doesn't cost you anything to include links within your content, and you have much to gain. Make sure your links are relevant to what you are trying to communicate, of course, but unless the article becomes difficult to read due to an extreme overabundance of links, you should be including them.
So if your E-newsletter has 5 links to your offer, why not try including 5 more - and see if your response increases? And also be mindful of the previous tip, and make sure that many of your links are happening above the fold and not below!
You can then look and compare how many more times the links higher up in your copy are being visited as opposed to the ones that are lower on the page. Then ask yourself a question: Are these the links that matter most to your business? If not, here is another great opportunity to make adjustments to your newsletter, and swap positions for these links!
NEXT TIP: Images
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
15 Reasons that Email Isn't Going Away Anytime Soon
So we have all been talking a lot about social networks, and how they are fundamentally changing the way that we communicate. But while it is certainly true that these networks are becoming more and more vital to reaching your customers, clients and members, that doesn't mean that email marketing has lost its importance too.
In fact, the two communication strategies can co-exist nicely, and address different needs for reaching out to consumers. Here are the Top 15 Reasons Email Isn't Going Away Anytime Soon.
1. People still send hand-written letters via snail mail, even though they could instead make a phone call, send an email, text message, or status update.
2. Nearly all sites on the web that require registration still require an email address. Some are starting to integrate social media into this process (through things like Facebook Connect), but that is still a small fraction, and they typically still allow for email information as well.
3. Email notifies you of updates from all social networks you are a part of (provided your settings are set up that way).
4. Email is universal, and social networks are not, at least not yet. Nearly everybody on the web (while there are no doubt some exceptions) has an email address. Most places of employment give employees email addresses when they begin working there. Meanwhile, some of them are restricting workers from accessing social networks.
5. Email is still improving. It hasn't screeched to a halt with the rise of social media. There is still innovation going on, and integration with social media. Look at the new Yahoo Mail, and how Google is constantly adding new features to Gmail.
6. Even social networks themselves recognize the importance of email. Never mind that they update users about community-driven happenings via email. MySpace, still one of the biggest social networks, even launched its own email service recently.
7. More social media use means more email use. Look at these recent findings from Nielsen. The people consuming the largest amount of social media are also the people consuming the largest amount of email.
8. Twitter and Facebook are fantastic products and companies; but that's what they are, companies. Even though email is host to 279 million users vs. 301 million users of social media according to Nielsen, email isn't going anywhere so on with many companies offering it as a service. Twitter and Facebook are just two companies that likely make up most of the social media users.
9. Your email recipients are still going to use business email for business purposes. They'll not likely let their boss know that they've finished the spreadsheet and are ready for the meeting now by posting to Twitter. If they don't use their business email address they probably also have a personal email account that they like to receive your email-only specials.
10. You can't easily segment your friends and followers to do targeted marketing in Twitter & Facebook for the optimal response.
11. You can't tell who clicked on a link with some social media outlets so that you can follow up with them again because they might be interested in your content. That said, since you also can't tell who didn't click on the link so you can follow up with them with a different message trying to get them to take action.
12. You cannot size your graphics or use more than one in Facebook. You can't use them at all in Twitter. Graphics can help tell a story.
13. You can't track how many clicks you got on your links in Facebook unless you use a third party URL shortener.
14. You are limited to 140 characters in Twitter, leaving it impossible to put multiple messages in one Tweet.
15. You almost have to have separate social media accounts for your business and your personal life. Some customers might not care about that vacation you took where you...let's just say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
As far as online marketing is concerned, email is still a great channel of communication, as many companies continue their search to find the right social media strategy to suit their needs.
There have been a significant number of studies released in recent memory, indicating that email marketing is doing quite well. Epsilon shared some findings about how email marketing is driving offline purchases. The same firm also found that email open rates increased for the fourth quarter in a row (up 18% YoY according to the most recent study). Forrester Consulting and ExactTarget found that email marketing is the most popular channel for consumers. Earlier this year, Forrester Research reported that email marketing in the U.S. alone was expected to reach $2 billion by 2014.
Is the email landscape changing? Yes, without a doubt. Social media has become a very large part of the online lives for many Internet users. Earlier this year, social sites were even said to have surpassed email in usage. That said, Facebook has come significantly close to matching Google in terms of unique visitors, but that doesn't make Google any less important does it? The two can co-exist, and so can email and social media. They are co-existing.
So email marketers are facing new challenges with an increasingly social and mobile web, but we are meeting those challenges too, and continually finding effective ways to connect with consumers with email.
In fact, the two communication strategies can co-exist nicely, and address different needs for reaching out to consumers. Here are the Top 15 Reasons Email Isn't Going Away Anytime Soon.
1. People still send hand-written letters via snail mail, even though they could instead make a phone call, send an email, text message, or status update.
2. Nearly all sites on the web that require registration still require an email address. Some are starting to integrate social media into this process (through things like Facebook Connect), but that is still a small fraction, and they typically still allow for email information as well.
3. Email notifies you of updates from all social networks you are a part of (provided your settings are set up that way).
4. Email is universal, and social networks are not, at least not yet. Nearly everybody on the web (while there are no doubt some exceptions) has an email address. Most places of employment give employees email addresses when they begin working there. Meanwhile, some of them are restricting workers from accessing social networks.
5. Email is still improving. It hasn't screeched to a halt with the rise of social media. There is still innovation going on, and integration with social media. Look at the new Yahoo Mail, and how Google is constantly adding new features to Gmail.
6. Even social networks themselves recognize the importance of email. Never mind that they update users about community-driven happenings via email. MySpace, still one of the biggest social networks, even launched its own email service recently.
7. More social media use means more email use. Look at these recent findings from Nielsen. The people consuming the largest amount of social media are also the people consuming the largest amount of email.
8. Twitter and Facebook are fantastic products and companies; but that's what they are, companies. Even though email is host to 279 million users vs. 301 million users of social media according to Nielsen, email isn't going anywhere so on with many companies offering it as a service. Twitter and Facebook are just two companies that likely make up most of the social media users.
9. Your email recipients are still going to use business email for business purposes. They'll not likely let their boss know that they've finished the spreadsheet and are ready for the meeting now by posting to Twitter. If they don't use their business email address they probably also have a personal email account that they like to receive your email-only specials.
10. You can't easily segment your friends and followers to do targeted marketing in Twitter & Facebook for the optimal response.
11. You can't tell who clicked on a link with some social media outlets so that you can follow up with them again because they might be interested in your content. That said, since you also can't tell who didn't click on the link so you can follow up with them with a different message trying to get them to take action.
12. You cannot size your graphics or use more than one in Facebook. You can't use them at all in Twitter. Graphics can help tell a story.
13. You can't track how many clicks you got on your links in Facebook unless you use a third party URL shortener.
14. You are limited to 140 characters in Twitter, leaving it impossible to put multiple messages in one Tweet.
15. You almost have to have separate social media accounts for your business and your personal life. Some customers might not care about that vacation you took where you...let's just say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
As far as online marketing is concerned, email is still a great channel of communication, as many companies continue their search to find the right social media strategy to suit their needs.
There have been a significant number of studies released in recent memory, indicating that email marketing is doing quite well. Epsilon shared some findings about how email marketing is driving offline purchases. The same firm also found that email open rates increased for the fourth quarter in a row (up 18% YoY according to the most recent study). Forrester Consulting and ExactTarget found that email marketing is the most popular channel for consumers. Earlier this year, Forrester Research reported that email marketing in the U.S. alone was expected to reach $2 billion by 2014.
Is the email landscape changing? Yes, without a doubt. Social media has become a very large part of the online lives for many Internet users. Earlier this year, social sites were even said to have surpassed email in usage. That said, Facebook has come significantly close to matching Google in terms of unique visitors, but that doesn't make Google any less important does it? The two can co-exist, and so can email and social media. They are co-existing.
So email marketers are facing new challenges with an increasingly social and mobile web, but we are meeting those challenges too, and continually finding effective ways to connect with consumers with email.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Social Networks Are Fundamentally Changing How We Communicate
Although I quote or cite research all the time here on my blog, I don't often include direct links to other content, other than my company www.hattrickassociates.com. But I came across this on Twitter and thought I would share.
The title is 5 Ways Social Media is Changing Our Daily Lives, and I think that it speaks to both the things we are doing now at Hat Trick Associates, but also the way that individuals will be communicating for the next 20 years!
One of the things I really liked about this article is that it begins by asking you a question: How is the way you communicate with your social network, connect with business partners; get most of your news; find new employees, entertain yourself; etc. etc. different now as compared to just 5 years ago?
The differences are HUGE for myself personally, and I'm sure for most of you as well. There has been a shift in how we send and receive information. When selecting a company to do business with, I am FAR more interested in the customer service experiences or opinions of friends or colleagues that I see online than more generalized or "generic" ratings...and now I can get them from everyone, quite easily - instantaneously!
We have very quickly gone from simply knowing email or IM addresses of our friends, family and coworkers, to now being completely interconnected with them on services like Facebook or LinkedIn. And we can let the world know exactly what is on our mind the second we think it on our social networks and on microblog sites like Twitter.
So it's really no surprise that 80% of all Tweets are actually sent from mobile devices. Imagine all that is being said about YOU as your customer, client or member is walking out your door after having a GREAT customer experience.
Or, what do you think happens if they have had a BAD one??
And how can you take advantage of this new opportunity to connect and interact with the people who matter most to the success of your organization? From a business standpoint, those are certainly thoughts that your company should be pondering, and answering, right now...
Here is the article: http://mashable.com/2009/10/16/social-media-changing-lives/
And please comment if you have thoughts on this topic, or any of the other topics that I include in my blog postings.
The title is 5 Ways Social Media is Changing Our Daily Lives, and I think that it speaks to both the things we are doing now at Hat Trick Associates, but also the way that individuals will be communicating for the next 20 years!
One of the things I really liked about this article is that it begins by asking you a question: How is the way you communicate with your social network, connect with business partners; get most of your news; find new employees, entertain yourself; etc. etc. different now as compared to just 5 years ago?
The differences are HUGE for myself personally, and I'm sure for most of you as well. There has been a shift in how we send and receive information. When selecting a company to do business with, I am FAR more interested in the customer service experiences or opinions of friends or colleagues that I see online than more generalized or "generic" ratings...and now I can get them from everyone, quite easily - instantaneously!
We have very quickly gone from simply knowing email or IM addresses of our friends, family and coworkers, to now being completely interconnected with them on services like Facebook or LinkedIn. And we can let the world know exactly what is on our mind the second we think it on our social networks and on microblog sites like Twitter.
So it's really no surprise that 80% of all Tweets are actually sent from mobile devices. Imagine all that is being said about YOU as your customer, client or member is walking out your door after having a GREAT customer experience.
Or, what do you think happens if they have had a BAD one??
And how can you take advantage of this new opportunity to connect and interact with the people who matter most to the success of your organization? From a business standpoint, those are certainly thoughts that your company should be pondering, and answering, right now...
Here is the article: http://mashable.com/2009/10/16/social-media-changing-lives/
And please comment if you have thoughts on this topic, or any of the other topics that I include in my blog postings.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Getting Responses With Email Marketing - Part Two
2) Change Up Your Offer!
So, you've followed our first tip, and have gotten the reader to Open your email campaign. Good first step! But what if they don't respond to what they see and read? Try changing up your offer.
Why not send different offers along with your various subject lines we mentioned earlier? Maybe try a % off with half of your email list, and a flat dollar-amount savings with the other half? Once again, it's all about apples-to-apples COMPARISONS...finding out what your readership will respond to best.
Or maybe you run a test with free shipping vs. no free shipping, or one campaign with an expiration date vs. one without?
You can even send to smaller samplings of your list first; review your Open rates in real time; and then roll out the "winning" offer to the rest of your addresses.
The bottom line -- especially at the beginning of your journey into email marketing -- don't be afraid to try new things!
If it works, great. And if not, now you know yet "another way to NOT invent the lightbulb" with your readership, as our old friend Thomas Edison would say.
NEXT TIP: Formatting
So, you've followed our first tip, and have gotten the reader to Open your email campaign. Good first step! But what if they don't respond to what they see and read? Try changing up your offer.
Why not send different offers along with your various subject lines we mentioned earlier? Maybe try a % off with half of your email list, and a flat dollar-amount savings with the other half? Once again, it's all about apples-to-apples COMPARISONS...finding out what your readership will respond to best.
Or maybe you run a test with free shipping vs. no free shipping, or one campaign with an expiration date vs. one without?
You can even send to smaller samplings of your list first; review your Open rates in real time; and then roll out the "winning" offer to the rest of your addresses.
The bottom line -- especially at the beginning of your journey into email marketing -- don't be afraid to try new things!
If it works, great. And if not, now you know yet "another way to NOT invent the lightbulb" with your readership, as our old friend Thomas Edison would say.
NEXT TIP: Formatting
Monday, October 5, 2009
Getting Responses With Email Marketing - Part One
So, you've sent out your E-Newsletter to your email list, and now you're sitting back waiting to review your Open and Click rates...and the response comes back, and it's not quite what you were hoping for.
While every campaign and organization is different, and there is no "magical" Open rate, the industry standard often quoted is between 20 - 30%. Anything greater than 30% is often reserved for organizations with smaller lists or recipients who are deeply invested with the organization sending the E-Newsletter.
So, how do you improve those numbers and get readers to Open your campaign? This is part one of a five-part series on variables you can experiment with to increase your readership - and results - from email marketing campaigns.
1) Your Subject Line is Vital!
If no one opens your email in the first place, then it doesn't matter how valuable, timely, or eye appealing your E-Newsletter is on the inside.
So with your next issue, why not try a different style of subject line than what you have used before, and see which type of subject works the best with your recipients? That way, when you look at the analytical reports provided by most vendors for previous campaigns, you can see what type of subject lines your recipients are responding to, and use a similar offer or call to action in the subject line of future E-Newsletters.
Another angle is to break down your list into smaller pieces and try different subject lines for the same issue, and compare them head-to-head. This provides an even better comparison, since Click rates for different subject lines will be based on the exact same copy and design once the E-Newsletter has been opened by the recipient.
Did a question compare favorably to a statement? Did including a special offer or discount work better than a more general or broad subject line?
And once you figure out what works best with your readership, you can continue to tweak subject titles in ongoing issues...to continue incremental increases and overall success going forward.
For more information on email marketing, E-Newsletters and other online communication tips visit www.hattrickassociates.com.
NEXT TIP: Your Offer
While every campaign and organization is different, and there is no "magical" Open rate, the industry standard often quoted is between 20 - 30%. Anything greater than 30% is often reserved for organizations with smaller lists or recipients who are deeply invested with the organization sending the E-Newsletter.
So, how do you improve those numbers and get readers to Open your campaign? This is part one of a five-part series on variables you can experiment with to increase your readership - and results - from email marketing campaigns.
1) Your Subject Line is Vital!
If no one opens your email in the first place, then it doesn't matter how valuable, timely, or eye appealing your E-Newsletter is on the inside.
So with your next issue, why not try a different style of subject line than what you have used before, and see which type of subject works the best with your recipients? That way, when you look at the analytical reports provided by most vendors for previous campaigns, you can see what type of subject lines your recipients are responding to, and use a similar offer or call to action in the subject line of future E-Newsletters.
Another angle is to break down your list into smaller pieces and try different subject lines for the same issue, and compare them head-to-head. This provides an even better comparison, since Click rates for different subject lines will be based on the exact same copy and design once the E-Newsletter has been opened by the recipient.
Did a question compare favorably to a statement? Did including a special offer or discount work better than a more general or broad subject line?
And once you figure out what works best with your readership, you can continue to tweak subject titles in ongoing issues...to continue incremental increases and overall success going forward.
For more information on email marketing, E-Newsletters and other online communication tips visit www.hattrickassociates.com.
NEXT TIP: Your Offer
Sunday, August 2, 2009
The End of Snail Mail ??
I just saw on the news that up to 700 Post Office locations may be closed, and service on Saturday may come to an end.
The reasons are pretty straightforward – fewer and fewer people are using the postal service, and there isn’t enough revenue.
Most of the time, the only things in my own mailbox are bills or an occasional account statement. And even these items are a vanishing breed, as more folks sign up for online billing options and “E-Statement” products.
It’s hard to speculate what the USPS will look like in 2015 or 2020, but it may be very different than what we all grew up with.
Further cuts in service seem inevitable, and the bi-annual postage increases that we have recently come to expect are probably permanent.
Now I guess you could say that these are all “good” developments for someone in my business, which I will broadly refer to as E-marketing. Every new cost increase or service cut simply makes my own product more attractive!
But I think even though it isn’t an immediate threat, it would be quite a shame to see the Post Office go away completely.
Although I haven’t sent a hand-written letter through the mail in ages, I would hate to think that I COULDN’T send one...
Joel Converse is an expert in the fields of E-Newsletters and online marketing. He is a founding member of Hat Trick Associates (http://wwwhatttrickassociates.com), a firm specializing in the design, writing and distribution of E-News and promotions.
The reasons are pretty straightforward – fewer and fewer people are using the postal service, and there isn’t enough revenue.
Most of the time, the only things in my own mailbox are bills or an occasional account statement. And even these items are a vanishing breed, as more folks sign up for online billing options and “E-Statement” products.
It’s hard to speculate what the USPS will look like in 2015 or 2020, but it may be very different than what we all grew up with.
Further cuts in service seem inevitable, and the bi-annual postage increases that we have recently come to expect are probably permanent.
Now I guess you could say that these are all “good” developments for someone in my business, which I will broadly refer to as E-marketing. Every new cost increase or service cut simply makes my own product more attractive!
But I think even though it isn’t an immediate threat, it would be quite a shame to see the Post Office go away completely.
Although I haven’t sent a hand-written letter through the mail in ages, I would hate to think that I COULDN’T send one...
Joel Converse is an expert in the fields of E-Newsletters and online marketing. He is a founding member of Hat Trick Associates (http://wwwhatttrickassociates.com), a firm specializing in the design, writing and distribution of E-News and promotions.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The Delicate Balance Between Selling...and Providing Information
Clients often ask just how “salesy” their E-Newsletter should be. Or, how much emphasis should there be on selling their product or service?
First, let me say that there are times when it is completely appropriate to just sell.
What most people are actually discussing in this situation is what I will call “E-promos”, or something very similar to online coupons. A great example would be the neighborhood auto repair shop, offering a $ discount on your next service stop or oil change. In this situation, the email content can focus entirely on the promotion. But the purpose of this type of communication is far different than that of an actual newsletter.
But when I hear or use the term “E-News”, what that means to me is really “value-added”. In other words, unbiased content or information. Literally, news.
This concept can seem foreign to some clients. They want (quite understandably) to SELL SELL SELL most of the time! They don’t ever want to shift focus away from directly on their company, their service or product.
But the best way I can explain it is this: Most people, regardless which industry or field you are talking about, prefer to deal with those that they perceive to be the experts. Sure, other variables like location or cost are also considerations. But if people think that you really know what you’re talking about, and they like dealing with you, they will find a way to justify doing business or associating with you.
The problem is that these days – after years of countless media exposures – most individuals have very sophisticated radar when it comes to sales pitches or advertising.
Of course, readers expect you have a motivation for contacting them. And most will realize it’s probably more than a simple desire to educate. But once they label your incoming E-News as “just another piece of marketing”, you’re efforts are suddenly a lot less valuable in their mind. The DELETE or SPAM button usually isn’t very far behind.
This fate can be avoided by providing your customers or clients, prospects, members, vendors or business partners with some of the intimate knowledge you have of your industry, field or organization.
Explain an interesting trend, create a list of ways that the reader can improve a process or outcome (people always love lists!), or provide interesting analysis or commentary. Linking to other unique, valuable information elsewhere on the web is another option.
The bottom line is this: share information WITHOUT trying to sell them at every turn. And don’t worry, if your topics and insights are interesting to your audience you won’t have to do much selling, your clientele will come to you.
Joel Converse is an expert in the fields of E-Newsletters and online marketing. He is a founding member of Hat Trick Associates (http://wwwhatttrickassociates.com), a firm specializing in the design, writing and distribution of E-News and promotions.
First, let me say that there are times when it is completely appropriate to just sell.
What most people are actually discussing in this situation is what I will call “E-promos”, or something very similar to online coupons. A great example would be the neighborhood auto repair shop, offering a $ discount on your next service stop or oil change. In this situation, the email content can focus entirely on the promotion. But the purpose of this type of communication is far different than that of an actual newsletter.
But when I hear or use the term “E-News”, what that means to me is really “value-added”. In other words, unbiased content or information. Literally, news.
This concept can seem foreign to some clients. They want (quite understandably) to SELL SELL SELL most of the time! They don’t ever want to shift focus away from directly on their company, their service or product.
But the best way I can explain it is this: Most people, regardless which industry or field you are talking about, prefer to deal with those that they perceive to be the experts. Sure, other variables like location or cost are also considerations. But if people think that you really know what you’re talking about, and they like dealing with you, they will find a way to justify doing business or associating with you.
The problem is that these days – after years of countless media exposures – most individuals have very sophisticated radar when it comes to sales pitches or advertising.
Of course, readers expect you have a motivation for contacting them. And most will realize it’s probably more than a simple desire to educate. But once they label your incoming E-News as “just another piece of marketing”, you’re efforts are suddenly a lot less valuable in their mind. The DELETE or SPAM button usually isn’t very far behind.
This fate can be avoided by providing your customers or clients, prospects, members, vendors or business partners with some of the intimate knowledge you have of your industry, field or organization.
Explain an interesting trend, create a list of ways that the reader can improve a process or outcome (people always love lists!), or provide interesting analysis or commentary. Linking to other unique, valuable information elsewhere on the web is another option.
The bottom line is this: share information WITHOUT trying to sell them at every turn. And don’t worry, if your topics and insights are interesting to your audience you won’t have to do much selling, your clientele will come to you.
Joel Converse is an expert in the fields of E-Newsletters and online marketing. He is a founding member of Hat Trick Associates (http://wwwhatttrickassociates.com), a firm specializing in the design, writing and distribution of E-News and promotions.
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