Email Marketing by the Numbers: How to Use the World’s Greatest Marketing Tool to Take Any Organization to the Next Level

Email User Experience

By Melinda KruegerPrincipal, Krueger Direct/InteractiveURUE. You are the User Experience.

At the recent Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMMA) Conference, CEO Andy Sernovitz imparted this simple phrase that says so much. It made me consider how subscribers perceive their experience with a company’s email program: Does it feel like a disjointed barrage of marketing messages, or is it a positive experience? Here are a few ways to move from the former to the latter:

• Identity: Can you create a name for your subscribers to help them feel recognized and valued? Let’s face it, being an email subscriber sounds about as appealing as being a taxpayer. Make your subscribers feel like they’re part of something special by developing an identity for Brand X VIPs, Brand X Insiders, Digital X Fans, or something that describes their importance to your organization.

• Exclusivity: A name for your opt-ins is just the start. Consider providing sneak previews, a behind-the-scenes story, or a VIP discount that is unavailable to nonsubscribers. Consumers enjoy feeling like insiders who get special treatment.

• Personality: Most email has a safe, generic tone and seems to come from a faceless corporation. A direct marketing rule-of-thumb is to always write a letter from one person to another and, when possible, to tell a personal story. Give your organization a human face and an interesting voice.

• Gratitude: In a country where “here you go” has replaced “thank you” as the phrase most often uttered ...