1. How can we improve the email experience for my subscribers?
This question is different from the “What will I send my subscribers” question. We are moving away from “WHAT” and focusing on the “WHY”. WHY should subscribers interact with our messaging. This helps us to consider what our email program can do for them and also pushes us to think more in depth about our email program and what we can provide to our customers (that we are not currently doing now). One of the (2) answers should be: “save them money,” “make them purchase.” When planning content strategy that is purely promotional, it can get stale very fast when subscribers aren’t primed to make a purchase. The key is the more we personalize the messaging for what subscribers care about and make it clear that the email message(s) being sent are (accurately) customized for them - the easier it is to answer the “WHY.”
2. How can we improve the mobile email experience?
In planning ahead to optimize emails for mobile, we will need to adjust our creative templates. Another thing that we may want to think about is our data. Data will us make better decisions with these questions: (1) Do we know what percentage of our subscriber base is using a mobile device, including the type of device and the time of day they typically use it? (2) Do we understand why our subscribers shift back and forth between different environments? (3) Are they using their smart phones on our store site? (4) Are they using their tablets at certain times of day or on certain days of the week?
- What comes after the welcome?
Things to consider are: (1) what new subscribers need, and (2) going beyond what a single welcome message presents to the customer. The first 30 days of the subscriber relationship are critical – the email program should be paving the way for engagement and interactivity. Simply sending a message that says “welcome” and in Plain Text - isn’t a true onboarding experience. An onboarding strategy is also about setting the subscriber up for what’s next in their journey – the email journey and the brand journey. An effective onboarding strategy ensures that they’re primed and prepared, lowering the hurdle to engagement.
- How do we stack up against the competition?
This can be done in 2 ways:
(1) Comparing what we sent with what our competitors have sent, provides us with the insights we need to make meaningful email program adjustments. (2) It would also be great to have the data that can tell us what percentage of our subscribers are receiving email from our competition, what their comparative level of engagement is, and what actions they’re taking with those messages. Having that information, we can determine if we need to invest in growing market share (increasing the size of our email list) or mind share (increasing the level of engagement with our program) or both. In addition, we can determine if sending more frequently, including more triggered messaging or sending different types of content, will resonate with overlapping segments.
- What can we learn from subscribers who complain?
Spam complaints can be detrimental on sending reputation, inbox placement rates and ROI, but it is also an incredibly useful and informative data point. When customers mark email as spam, they are clearly indicating that our email program is no longer valuable to them. It’s essential to dive in and determine why. The most common reasons for subscriber complaints include a disconnect between what they expected to receive when they signed up and what they’re actually getting. (Eg.- frequency that’s too high and a lack of relevant content) By analyzing complaints across segments, message types, and acquisition sources, that can help get to the root of the problem before it erodes the email program ROI.
- How can we improve reengagement?
As marketers we know that we need to have a win-back program in place; however, too many reengagement strategies are ineffective. Sending one “we miss you” message to all of our inactive segments isn’t enough. Treating different types of non-responsive subscribers differently and sending a series of messages to drive action, whether it’s an open/click or a purchase. It’s also important to look at the data to see if our inactive segments are engaged email users that regularly take action within their inboxes, or if they’re generally disengaged with email, as well as with our brand. In addition, it’s important to consider how we measure the success of a win-back campaign and go beyond just opens and clicks. A recent Return Path study showed that 45% of recipients who received win-back emails read subsequent messages – meaning they reengaged – but only 24% had read the win-back message itself. The campaigns’ effects extended beyond subscribers that opened or clicked.
