What Day Is Best For Sending Email Broadcasts?

What is the best day to send an email broadcast?  This question is asked by just about all my clients and more! To answer it one must start with looking at one's list and the lifestyle of the recipients.  Then the best you can do, because people are checking their emails all day, every day, in today's world .. is go with your gut feel.

If the gut feel leaves you a bit "unsure" here is some recent research for the positives and negatives (of sending email broadcasts) for each day of the week. Enjoy!

Monday 
Positive: Office work has not filled inboxes yet
Negative: Consumers are in work mode and won’t be focused on non-work tasks
Best Practice: Send emails late Monday morning, after consumers have cleaned the weekend spam from their inboxes

Tuesday
Positive: People have organized their week, and can find personal time for emails
Negative: Emails poised for a weekend response may be too early
Best Practice: Use Tuesday for emails that request action during the workweek

Wednesday/Thursday
Positive: Consumers are planning their weekends and gearing up for personal time
Negative: Time during the workweek is running short, and requested action may be pushed back to the following week, or even forgotten about
Best Practice: Focus leisure and weekend notifications during these key weekend planning days

Friday
Positive: Studies indicate fewer total emails sent compared to the rest of the week, increasing visibility among the myriad of other messages
Negative: Consumers hurry to leave the office early, and may not take time to view non-work related emails
Best Practice: Send emails early in the day to give consumers more time to take action. An unopened email from Friday will sort to the bottom of an inbox on Monday, and is often discarded

Weekends
Positive: People check emails on weekends, too, so weekends may have untapped potential
Negative: A weekend email may seem overly-intrusive to some people
Best Practice: If possible, try to avoid Sundays and focus on Saturdays, which may have a better response rate

Keep your business growing!
margie

Creating The Subject Line For Your Newsletter ... What's Best?

Subject lines, on newsletters (and everthing you create), are more important than perhaps all of your content! Subject lines do two important things:

1. Get the newsletter opened
2. Put your business "in front" of a reader, even if they do not open your newsletter.

Do you ever find yourself in a delima as to what to put in the subject line? Or do you just throw anything up there? Maybe you don't put anything in the subject line (a definite tabu)?

It is important to give your subject line serious thought! One general thought that may help you is what I refer to as the "Golden Rule Of Online Communications" ... make sure your communication is convenient and removes all need to think!

Let me expand just a bit ... "convenient " means that you are delivering information that the reader wants to receive. Your information is not a hassle to receive. "Remove all thinking" means just that! Make sure your wording is clear and to the point. There should be no "grey" in the message - reader does not have to figure out anything, guess, etc.

Here are a few more tips to go along with the Golden Rule:

• Use Clear and Distinct Wording
  Example: ABC Company News vs. Re: ABC Company January 2010 News!
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• Pay attention to the 1st 4 - 5 words. They are the most important words of your subject line.
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• If you can be clear in a short subject line, great! If not, make sure the 1st 4 - 5 words are clear and a longer subject line will be read by those who are "lured" by the 1st few words.
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• Remember that your recipients hear from other people as well.
  Example: Our Newsletter vs. XYZ 's January News!
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• Capitalize the first letter of each word, even the little single letter words. This gives your subject line a bit more presence in the inbox.
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• Say exactly what you are communicating about! Do not be cute or whimsical. Always good to state a benefit as the subject line when possible. If a challenge, try pretending someone "live" is in your office and write it as you would say it! Makes it much easier to create... !

One question that often comes up when creating the subject line for a newsletter is whether to use the same line - your newsletter title - over and over or use an article title as the subject line. Have you experienced this dilimma?

I say both! Your newsletter is a form of branding and people who subscribe want to receive it and know that is has arrived in their inbox. If you use your newsletter name consistently in the subject line that is your 1st hook - it becomes part of your brand and your readers know it has arrived.

This said, you want your readers to have a compelling reason to open your newsletter each month, not just know it has arrived! So after your newsletter name, I always suggest that you put the title or benefit of your feature article or news. This will change each month and give your readers something to "look for!"

I hope this has helped put some of the mystery away. Let me know if you have questions. I welcome any other tips you might have. Please share with all of us!

Keep your business growing!
margie

Are You Maximizing Your E-Newsletter Stats?

Are you maximizing all the ways you can use your online newsletter statistics? Do you know?

Of course it depends on how many types of statistics you are receiving to get the most from statistics ...which means, before choosing a web-based email system, it is a must to check out the types of stats that come with each system!

Let's start at the beginning ... why do you send out your newsletter? I believe it is the only way that you can "go to" your clients and prospects and be in front of them! I once had a sales manager who said, if you want to make sales you have to stay in front of your clients! In those days we had to do it by making face to face calls ... an online newsletter makes it a lot easier!

Most often sending an online newsletter is a useful way of letting subscribers (clients and quality prospects) know about what is happening at your business.,... new services, new products, new staff, etc. Some people use them simply for promotions of events and/or services and products. You will hear me refer to the online newsletter as the "town crier."

So, all of the above said, let's look at some typical statistics:

• Read or Open Rates
  This of course is the most fun statistic. You get to see how many people actually opened your mailing! Most web-based email systems will also break down your total and provide you with the name of each individual reader. AND, in a quality system you will be provided with "how many times" each individual read the mailing!
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• Send Rates
  This is of course how many emails were sent out in your broadcast. It is important because you want to compare it to the Unsubscribe Rate ( how many people opted "off" your list during your broadcast). The reason you compare it to the "unsubscribe" total is because as long as your subject line gets in front of your subscribers, you have achieved at least a part of your mission - to keep your business in front of your clients and prospects.
  Sends without being opened have value as long as you create an effective subject line. Think I will talk about that tomorrow!
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• Unsubscribe Rates
  As just mentioned in the above note, these are the people who opted out. Good to know! You would not want to be at a live event and assume someone was still on your list and find out in an embarrasing moment they had taken themselves off! Also, you might want to inquire why ( when appropriate) ... there is always something to be learned from knowing why someone says "no." It might not have anything to do with your mailing and then again the reason for opting out might help you create better newsletters in the future.
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• Bounce Rates
  Bounce rates are of course the number of emails that never reached their destination. A quality web-based email provider will detail for you the type of "bounce" that occurred so that you can take the proper action. You can have a typo, an address that doesn't exist anymore, an inbox that was full, an overcrowded network, a spam software bounce (the most common) and sometimes there just is no reason, it just bounced! Knowing why the email bounced can help you get the matter corrected or simply allow you to modify your list accordingly.
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• Open Link Rates
  This is what I've been referring to in my last two postings. You get to see which links that were included in your mailing were opened, which individual read each link and how many times! Great for identifying your reader's interests!
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• Quantities
  A quality web-based email provided will give you totals and often the % of the totals for your tracking purposes. Totals are valuable ... not only should you know how many total emails were opened but you should know how many total times each email was read! Your "read" total will be much higher than your open rate in most cases. Then you should also know the totals of how many times each contact read your mailing. A quality web-based email system will break these totals out for you into individual lists of their own, i.e. 50 people read the mailing 5 times or more ... and then of course also provide you with the list of the individuals making up the total.

Of course all of the above combines itself into information on where and how your "relationships" are developing ... who likes what, how much, etc. A smart business will create their newsletter so that it will provide the stats needed for them to know how to grow and develop their business. Do you see how you can do that?

A quality web-based email system will provide all of the above and more! One last thing to look for when reviewing statistic offerings - at the end of each listing of individuals associated with a statistic (assuming the system provides that) check and see if there is a way to instantly make a new list of just those contacts. This is how you can do follow-up emailings specific to this group's interests! A great way to strengthen your relationships and build your business profit!

Would love to know what you are using and if you are receiving all of the above from your statistics. If you are receiving all of the above, are you maximizing your use of it? Let me know!

Also, if you need some ideas on systems to look at, my favorite for stats is CoolerEmail. You can find out more about them at www.cooleremail.com.

As always, you are invited to share your thoughts ...

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Building Bonds From Mailing Lists Having Multiple Interests

Hi everyone ...

Yesterday I spoke about how to find out who on your list is interested in what different types of products and/or services that you sell. The action I suggested to take assumed you "already" had a list of subscribers, but did not know their specific interests.

Before I continue with the next step to take with your list, let me just point out that some web-based email systems provide you with a sign-up form for your webpages that will allow you to include multiple fields (for notating specific interests) in the sign-up form. If this is available, use it and you will already have some specific demographics within your mailing list.

Ok ... let's go forward now. You have your list and you have contacts who have identified their specific interests within your business. Writing to your reader's specific interests will build the bond between the reader and your business. Any readers who see info on items not of interest simply place your business on the sideline or totally distance themselves from you. Nothing in it for them. It only takes one wrong mailing!

So how can you build bonds with multiple interests? There are several ways..

1. As covered yesterday, strive to keep your mailings to "all contacts" generic. Make sure it is information that "everyone" is interested in.
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2. If you must still mention specific interests within your generic mailings do the following: After writing some general content you can make individual paragraphs per interest notating that the interest in the headline. For example, a headline might be, "For Those Interested In Swimming, here are January updates". The next paragraph headline might be, "For Those Interested In Senior Bingo, here are January Bingo Game dates." You are still taking a chance with losing someone's interest so to make it more of a direct connection for each reader, put a summary at the top with links to each section so they don't have to go scroll through each paragraph that they don't care about.
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   Rmember the golden rule of online communication is make all content convenient to an interest and remove any need to think!
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3. Check and see if your web-based email system has a "dynamic rule" feature. This is where you can create one mailing, BUT... you create several optional individualized paragraphs per specific interest that the email system will automatically insert! It works this way - after you write your generic content you can arrive at an interest paragraph and insert the "dyanmic rule" that all contacts who have "swimming" in the database field #345 will have "paragraph #1" inserted, all contacts who have "Bingo" in the database field #345 will have "paragraph #2" inserted, etc. Creates individualized mailings and you only need to create and send one mailing. Let me know if you have questions on this ... it is a feature not found in all web-based email systems.
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4. You can also simply send out individualized mailings in addition to your monthly generic mailings ... of course by specific interests.

Just always remember how you feel when you walk into a "live" networking/business group and they are not talking about something that is of interest to your needs. What do you do? Usually people walk on .... ! Same reactions occur when reading! Use your mailings to create bonds, not destroy them.

Let me know what you think about the above. It might seem like a lot of work .. but you are really making business easier for yourself in the long run plus creating strong and loyal clients! As always, please share your thoughts via a comment or two!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Is Your Email Newsletter "Distancing" People?

If you are one of the many sending out email newsletters, you know that they take time and work. The last thing you want to have happen from your efforts is to "distance" your business from a reader. Afterall ... one of the major reasons for sending an online newsletter is to "attract" ... NOT distance!

BUT ... there "are" time when you need to get information out to readers on your list that just doesn't interest everyone on your list. So what do you do? Have any of you conquered this situation? Please share with me what has worked for you?

I find there are several steps you can take, with some careful thought, that will prevent "any" distancing from happening with your mailings!

1. Choose a web-based emailing system that provides you with a large database capability. Make sure you can label your contacts with more than name and email address. There should be multiple fields where you can keep a record of a contact's interests and demographics.
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2. Choose a web-based emailing system that provides you with a good variey of statistics. In addition to seeing who opened and read your mailings, a good variety of statistics includes how many & exactly "who" clicked on a link, how many times and "who" read your message, "who" forwarded your mailing, and of course how many and exactly "who" did not open your mailing. These are starters. Anything beyond is even greater!
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3. Create a mailing that includes content that you know will appeal to everyone on your list. Within that mailing create a section where you ask people what their interests are. Of course the selections you provide will be the different subjects you want to talk about that you know will not interest all. Example .. if the YMCA sends out a newsletter to all its members they could ask, who would be interested in knowing about swimming activities, etc.
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4. Use links in your mailing per interest that appeals to only a portion of your mailing list. The link can go to a simple "thank you" page.
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5. Now go to your statistics and see who and how many have told you what their specific interests are from your business! You've now got the beginning of a strong foundation for building quality relationships with these contacts.
   

There are a couple of ways you can proceed from Step "5." I will talk about them tomorrow. Right now I want to ask if you have any questions on the above? Also, before tomorrow, check out your web-based system for what it provides in terms of database and statistic offerings. Let me know what you find out!

Keep Your Business Growing ...
margie

Keeping Online Newsletters 1-To-1

Hello to all...

Tis the day "after" Christmas and hope you are feeling a moment of calm. All is done, love abounds, life is good. I hope this is what you are feeling all day today ... if not all day, for at lease just one moment at some point within today!

Soon all will begin again and I thought I would start a short series of blogs about online newsletters! Do you use one? Has it created good things for you?

The importance of having an online newsletter has kind of taken a backseat with all the buzz about social networking. People do mention the importance of list building but I haven't seen much lately on how to maximize the power of your list.

I believe we all know the basics. You create a mailing list and then send out information to that list. However ... the competitive edge these days in business lies within the strength of your relationships. Your mailings to your list can serve a huge role in building strong relationships! Do you think about that when creating your mailings?

There are several ways to achieve relationship building with a mailing, but today I just want to speak of your mindset when first writing your mailing's content. Let's just visualize right now sitting down at your desk and starting to develop your content for your mailing .....

• First thing we usually think about is what we want to say! That's cool.
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• Next we need to think about who we are saying it to. Is the information you want to deliver meaningful for everyone on your list? Let's assume right now it is. Cool.
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• Now you have to write your content. Here again you are sending a 1-to-1 communication to "many" ... and, you have to write your content as if you were just speaking to one person. If not, your communication becomes much, much easier for people to skim over and pretty much waste all your effort! Your message becomes an "ad" vs. a "communication." That said, there are times for "ads" .. .but if you are doing a newsletter about your business .. .the more 1-to-1 in feeling you can provide, the better your bonding.
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• How do you write 1-to-1 when mailing to many? The best exercise I can give you is one I mention a lot and that is to pretend someone on your mailing list is sitting at your desk. Start talking out loud to that person about what you want to say. Then write down exactly what you said in the same way on paper. You'll get the idea pretty quickly and see the difference!
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• Do one more review of the people on your list and make sure you have written something that they can all relate to and that will strengthen your relationship. Read you message to yourself as if "you" were receiving it.
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• You are now one step closer to maximizing your newsletter maling.

Tomorrow I will talk a bit about what happens when you don't know who would not be interested in the information you want to send to your list. It's a biggie so make sure you check my blog out tomorrow. You can subscribe on the right side my blog, right here, just to make sure you catch tomorrow's posting . Would love to have you on board!

Also please share with us if what I wrote today makes sense! What are your experiences in writing this way ... 1-to-1 to many!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

I Have An eZine. Why Do I Also Need A Blog?

Ezines (online newsletters) and Blogs ... it's easy to assume that the two may be alike. Don't think you are off-base to have that assumption. They do have several things in common.

1. They both speak to your market about what's going on in your business
   
2. They both allow subscriptions by readers
3. They both offer "new" information in an ongoing manner.
   

So what's the difference? To me the difference is the "roles" they play within your communications platform. The functioning capability of an ezine and a blog may be very similar, but the communications that occur via each resource can be very different. Each has its own strengths for connecting with readers. (Some people beg to differ ... if that's you, let me know!)

I often refer to online newsletters as your town crier! They allow you to send information one-way to your market. You can announce, tell, inform, promote, i.e. advertise in an ongoing manner. Interaction may be created but not on the newsletter itself. The reader needs to respond via a link to another resource to interact with you.

A couple of other benefits of ezines (online newsletters) :

• Subscribers may enter their own email addresses, and you may also enter email addresses from people who have requested subscriptions via "paper" registration forms used in your business or people who have simply given you verbal permission.

• Web-based online ezine platforms, (CoolerEmail, Constant Contact, etc.) provide you with statistics. You can actually get feedback on which "sent" emails were read, not opened, bounced, had links that were clicked on, and more ... depending upon the platform you use. No other form of direct advertising provides you with that information.
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• Formatting resembles a webpage.
  

Blogs are often referred to by me as where the water cooler conversation of your business occurs. I also refer to them as "backstage" at the theater. The blog platform serves beautifully as a central location for "ongoing" business discussion as your readers can interact with your postings immediately via a comment. They engage, share, and simply invite conversation right then and there ... it's easy! This is why I see the best use for a blog being a way to dig a little deeper into your business and your clients and prospects. Dig a little deeper into the value of what you do and why people buy what you have. Really works towards building strong relationships.

Some additional distinguishing features of blogs include:

• Blogs may be subscribed to via an RSS feed or via email. RSS feeds must be set up by the subscriber. Email subscriptions must also be set up only by the subscriber as there is a confirmation email they must reply to. There is no way for you to enter someone's email address unless you alert someone to the confirmation they will need to reply to.
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• Formatting resembles a series of journal entrees.
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• Statistics are available for blogs, but they don't come with most blog platforms You have to go to outside resources to acquire them for you blog.
  

So let me dig a little deeper with you and ask how "you" are using both platforms? Are you using both platforms? What do "you" like the best about each platform. Let me know!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Don't Forget About The Value Of Newsletters!

Happy Columbus Day!

I don't know how many of you are on LinkedIn, but I am a member and participate in answering some of the marketing questions. Yesterday there was a question asking "what were they missing?" They proceeded to lay out an elaborate online communication plan that included their website, a blog, ads in articles and on other blogs, etc. All their components relied upon their market "going to them" ... i.e. waiting to be found.

The one missing piece, that to me was shouting out, was a newsletter. A newsletter continues to be a communication that "goes to your market!" Newsletters put your information in front of your market. Even if they don't open your email with your news, the subject line still gets seen.

So, in the midst of my promo for creating your blog and your websites ... DO NOT FORGET the power and the value of having a newsletter.

Keep your business garden growing ...
margie