Marketing Tools September 2014
Ryan Thompson Creative Services Manager
What will you learn today? 1. Benefits of using of using e-mail marketing 2. Ideas for getting e-mail addresses 3. E-mail marketing tips and tricks 4. How MACC can help with e-mail marketing 5. Marketing mash-up!
Trivia round one 1. It s produced by a company headquartered in Austin, MN 2. It s really popular in Hawaii 3. It was first marketed in 1937 4. 3.6 cans of it are consumed every second in the U.S. 5. It s name is short for spiced ham 6. It s SPAM!!
We won t be talking about SPAM! There is a difference
The difference Bulk email spam Spam is any email sent for commercial purposes without permission from the receiver. Opt-in email Opt-in email is any commercial email sent to people who have specifically signed up to receive it. - Benchmark
Two ways to apply e-mail marketing to your business 1. Up-selling new products and services Faster Internet services HD channels to non-hd subscribers Sports packages at the start of each season 2. Customer communications Outage information Availability of new services Community events
Why use e-mail marketing? 1. Costs 2. Targeting of market segment 3. Ability to track effectiveness 4. It s still effective
E-mail marketing costs 1. Biggest cost is time 2. Commercial distribution systems 3. E-mail address acquisition costs 4. Don t pay for lists ever!
Targeting market segments 1. You can really customize your message 2. Messages based on current services 3. Geography 4. Last contact 5. Special messages
Tracking effectiveness 1. You can precisely see who opened an e-mail 2. You can also see what links he or she clicked 3. Tracking is still available via call to action if needed
Tracking effectiveness
Tracking effectiveness
E-mail marketing is effective 1. 44% of email recipients made at least one purchase last year based on a promotional email. (Convinceandconvert.com) 2. 82% of consumers open emails from companies. (Litmus) 3. 7 in 10 people say they made use of a coupon or discount from a marketing e-mail in the prior week. (2012 Blue Kangaroo Study) 4. More on Salesforce.com
Social media isn t king yet 1. 75% of all adults express e-mail as their preferred communication method. 2. Even among the 18-29 age group, e-mail trumps social media for commercial communications. 3. E-mail vs. social media link (Get Elastic, January 2014)
How to get e-mail addresses 1. New customers 2. Ask existing customers Customer interactions Put a link on your website (example) Consider a campaign 3. Give customers benefits exclusive offers 4. Set expectations 5. Give employees an incentive
Where to store e-mail addresses 1. Customer Master allows you to store and send e-mails 2. Commercial services like Constant Contact or Mail Chimp 3. Multiple lists will likely be needed
How MACC can help utilize e-mail 1. Store e-mail addresses as you gather them 2. Remind staff to ask for e-mail addresses from customers 3. Sort e-mails based on a wide variety of criteria 4. Send e-mails directly to customers, including bills 5. Export reports for use with commercial e-mail vendors
How MACC can help utilize e-mail
Trivia round two Q. In what year, did the TV series Love Boat first set sail? A. 1977
Tips and Tricks - Don t send SPAM 1. Use clean lists! 2. Use e-mail addresses customers know for the from address 3. Include contact information for your company
Tips and Tricks - Don t be SPAM 4. Include an option to unsubscribe 5. Don t use deceptive subject lines 6. CAN-SPAM Act - Link
Tips and Tricks E-mail Frequency? 1. You re looking for engagement 2. Frequency and engagement are negatively correlated 3. Study recommended 15 sends per month 4. A better approach may be to send a message when you have something to say Mail Chimp Blog (April 2013)
Tips and Tricks E-mail Timing 1. Early morning and evening (Ad Week, 2013) 2. These times have the best chance of being near the top of the pile 3. For business customers, try Sunday afternoons (CBS News Money Watch, 2012) 4. Try mixing it up and seeing what works best with your customers
Tips and Tricks Get those messages opened! Subject lines play a large role in the success of your campaign 1. Keep them short - 50 characters or less 2. Explain concisely the point of the e-mail 3. Include your company name 4. Personalize if you can 5. Avoid spam trigger words (example) (Marketing Profs, 2013)
Final take-aways 1. E-mail marketing is still an effective and affordable tool for your company 2. Work e-mail address collection into your processes 3. Make sure to follow rules to not be spam 4. Create meaningful messages that engage your customers 5. Test for the best timing and frequency of your messages
Trivia round three (last chance!) Q. Who is this guy? A. Gopher aka Fred Grandy Q. What state did he represent in Congress? A. Iowa
Marketing Mash-up!
Don t forget CM s marketing capabilities Marketing Campaign Manager
Don t forget CM s marketing capabilities Suggestive Marketing
Don t forget CM s marketing capabilities Promotion Tracking
Don t forget CM s marketing capabilities Additional CM marketing features 1. Client Relationship Manager 2. Reports, reports, and more reports 3. Quotes and contracts 4. On-bill ads now selective 5. Bill inserts
Tips for customer engagement Bill insert bingo an option with proven results Increase Facebook likes Boost Twitter followers More website visits Increase walk-in traffic
Tips for customer engagement Additional ideas Photo contests Boost newsletter readership with games/hidden information Reward good customers drawings/loyalty programs Referral programs
Tips for marketing new fiber-based services Fiber kits to distribute as homes are passed
Tips for marketing new fiber-based services Yard signs for newly installed customers
Tips for marketing new fiber-based services Use the USPS Every Door Direct Mail Program Large postcards Reduced postage No mail list needed No CPNI concerns
Mobilize your website 1. Almost third of all data passed over the Internet now goes through a mobile device CNET, May 2013 2. More than half use a mobile device to access the Internet and for almost a third, it s the only method Pew and American Life Survey, 2012 3. They truly get used one MACC client picks up nine requests for residential service each month through their mobile site
Mobilize your website 1. Mobile sites automatically adjust to all screen sizes 2. Content is designed with the mobile user in mind
Questions? Thank you!