CONTENT + CONTEXT = INBOUND EMAIL MARKETING

CONTENT + CONTEXT = INBOUND EMAIL MARKETING We will be starting at 2:00 pm ET. Use the Question Pane in GoToWebinar to Ask Questions! 1 Use the hashtag #InboundLearning on Twitter 2 Question of the day

#INBOUNDLEARNING

WEBINAR SCHEDULE 8/5 - Designing an inbound email experience 8/12 - How to build inbound emails 8/19 - Review of customer emails

Mark Kilens @MarkKilens

Niti Shah @NitiFromBoston

AGENDA 1 Email best practice reminders 2 20 HubSpot customer emails

1 EMAIL BEST PRACTICE REMINDERS.

OPTIMIZING FOR MOBILE IS A MUST. 47%

3 PERSONALIZATION PAYS OFF. Over 75% of email revenue is now generated by alternatives to generic one-size-fits-all campaigns. Personalized emails see 14% higher click-through rates and 10% more conversions. SOURCE: ALCHEMY WORX: ABERDEEN GROUP

INBOUND MARKETING STRATEGY This is where segmentation comes in.

HOW TO SEGMENT YOUR DATABSE. 1 2 3 Determine who your audience is Determine your audience s lifecycle stage Choose your segmentation criteria 4 Add list suppressions to improve list quality

IDENTIFY A SPECIFIC GOAL: Generate new leads: enable sharing Follow up on offer download: kickback email Collect audience feedback: surveys Increase program awareness: informative copy Nurture leads further down The Buyer s Journey: resources Facilitate sales process: CTA such as call us Educate customers about new features: overview

12 EMAIL BEST PRACTICES 1 Identify a specific goal 2 Personalize sender 3 Optimize subject lines 4 Personalize email copy 5 Optimize images 6 Use multiple CTAs 7 Encourage sharing 8 Edit the plain text 9 Optimize for mobile 10 Keep it short 11 Say you, not I 12 Focus on benefits

12 ANALYZE YOUR RESULTS Measure stats such as: Delivery rates Open rates Click-through rates Contact churn Hard/soft bounces

+ Right Content Right Audience Right Timing SUCCESS

Emails should add value, not ask for it.

Cool. Do you have examples?

2 20 HUBSPOT CUSTOMER EMAILS.

Things we like: Good branding in header image Funny, engaging copy and tone Good use of second person tense: you Things to improve: 1 The headline is confusing and might be unnecessary Add the headline to the image Test the amount of links that are in the email What s the email's purpose: new lead generation? Add social sharing icons then. The calls-to-action at the bottom detract

Things we like: Great design using three columns Good use of alt text Overall design is good, but there s a lot going on 2 Things to improve: Header, logo and nav should go. Think B2B not B2C. Content should be clear and above the fold. What s the purpose of the email? Keep image sizes and placement the same Remove the bottom part of the email

Things we like: 3 Nice signature Good use of numbers in the email layout Good use of white/negative space Things to improve: Header image is not necessary, logo is fine All about the company. Not written for the recipient. I vs. You Use more visually stimulating call-to-action buttons Clean up email footer design. There are two footers. Remove sign up today call-to-action

Things we like: 4 Good header image, but it needs a logo at the top Nice design with white/negative space Use of icons and nice color scheme Things to improve: Lots of calls-to-action. What s the email s purpose? The content in the email could be five separate emails Think about your email segmentation and list creation

Things we like: Nice personalization Written in the second person Good use of different content in the email Clear call to action button. Be a bit more descriptive Images are linked to the right landing pages Things to improve: 5 Horizontal bars are not necessary because of the rectangles No need to underline links, think email design Increase email fount size No alt text for images

Things we like: Good use of a call-to-action image. Remove text from call-to-action and add to email body Nice P.S. at the bottom. But make sure it aligns with the email s purpose Things to improve: 6 Stock image is not needed. Think about mobile. The entire email should be about cost analysis Make the image a clear call-to-action Shorten text and text-based call-to-action is not linked Don t need to explain who you are at the bottom

Things we like: Short and to the point. Great! 7 Things to improve: No clear call-to-action button Remove the redundant logo images Header text is long and hard to understand Have it come from a human 3-5 bullet points would be ideal Remove share buttons and add them to the landing page instead

Things we like: Really like the call-to-action button Good use of a link in the first sentence Coming from a real person Nice use of actual signature Bullets are good, but make them more concise Identified a specific segment and tailored the email content to the segment Things to improve: 8 Make the logo smaller. Wrap the image with text. Left-align the image. Think mobile.

Things we like: Logo links to the website Short and to the point Personal signature and personalized with first name Things to improve: 9 Logo is too big Call-to-action design could be updated. Use an icon. Make the call-to-action more clear. Link more of the email s text to the landing page Don t need to have the FREE in all caps Bold the entire phrase not just a word or two

Things we like: Header image makes sense because it s a call-toaction. Make sure the image is linked! Not overwhelming, short and to the point Good use of forward to a colleague 10 Things to improve: All images should be linked to the landing page Make sure the image sizes are all the same Add a header to drive the value proposition home Be mindful of line spacing

Things we like: Beautiful design. Very clean Short and sweet. Very clear what the offer is Good linking of the logo 10 11 Things to improve: Make sure the top image links to the landing page Add alt text to the images Test plain text email design as well Be sure to mobile test the emails

Things we like: Love how the top image is a call-to-action and it s linked to the landing page The recipient knows exactly what the offer is Good color coordination between the image and callto-action at the bottom Great use of company branding Nice use of links in the email s text Identified the pain point of the list Things to improve: 12 3 Clarify the call to action so it represents that it s for the recipient's boss Add personalization: Company name

Things we like: Email is responsive. Yay! Logo links to homepage 13 3 Things to improve: Strange template. Center the email content. Content could be in two paragraphs with bullet points Wrap the text around the icon. Make it clickable and move it further up. Try to use a more relevant, enticing image Call to action should be sign up or register, not join

Things we like: Links are great, but move them above the fold Looks like a personalized follow-up, not a marketing email 14 3 Things to improve: Logo is too big Second paragraph is too dense Email language could be improved. You vs. I. Watch for grammar and capitalization consistency Reduce the length of the email

Things we like: Nice header image with text. Link the image. Using general personalization Good use of P.S. but it s too long 15 3 Things to improve: Watch grammar and copy Call to action is very hard to read. Too small Lots of extra space at the bottom of the email Sign the email by a human

Things we like: Great copy Great image, but make it clickable. Watch out for design overload Things to improve: 16 3 Use either just the image or just the text with a small image Design a more clear call-to-action Adjust the call-to-action tense to be in the second person No need to change text size and color as much. Keep the changes consistent with design Center the call-to-action Social sharing language is confusing

Things we like: Good use of personalization Logo leads to a specific landing page 17 3 Things to improve: Remove the about Datatrack section. Add a short P.S. instead Too many calls-to-action. What s the email's purpose? Reduce the content, shorten email. Think about your persona and list. Remove the certification image

Things we like: Love the logo, but words under the logo are hard to read and are small Like the image based call-to-action 18 3 Things to improve: Email design could be improved Include a call-to-action at the bottom of the email Improve the email s signature Email length is too long Too many sharing options. Move them to the landing page

Things we like: Good footer design Nice email sharing icons at the top. But do the personas share content like this? 19 3 Things to improve: Remove the stock image. Add it to the landing page. Too many links in left column. Remove the column. Less is more. Shorter paragraphs. Improve the emails headline. What s the purpose of the email? Have it come from a person Make the call-to-action more clear and move it up

Things we like: Good use of call-to-action language Great content that will entice the recipient to take action Good copy. Short and sweet 3 20 Things to improve: Too much content in the email Create a cleaner layout Improve the overall design cadence Don t need the extra resource at the end. Create a separate email

NEXT STEPS 1. To be successful at email marketing you need to send the right content to the right person at the right time. 2. Segment your contacts database to increase engagement and deliverability. 3. Optimize emails based on the goal of your email. 4. Every audience is unique. Optimize for YOUR segments.

CLASS RESOURCES Introductory email training HubSpot customer email examples 10 Examples of Brilliant Email Marketing

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU.