Often times we get caught up in focusing our attention on the next “big thing”? It’s human nature and completely justified as we continually search for that silver bullet or walk-off home run for our businesses. While searching for this next big thing, we often put other programs or processes on auto pilot, and sometimes Read More 4 Ways Operating on Auto Pilot is Weakening Your Performance
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Email Marketing Case Study: a 96% Increase in Revenue with 6 Tips for Preheader Text
Years ago I was obsessed with preheaders, aka snippets or autopreview text, and wrote about them in my ClickZ column. Back then I did a lot of testing of preheader copy and generated some great results for clients. Fast-forward to today. I still consider preheader text when I’m helping clients optimize their email efforts, but am no longer Read More Email Marketing Case Study: a 96% Increase in Revenue with 6 Tips for Preheader Text
From My Inbox: Gentle Critique of an Email Marketing Program Resurrected, Part 2
Last week I discussed some features and flaws of the below email I had received from an industry acquaintance: This week, it’s time to discuss how this email message might be improved. Use Descriptive Subject Lines. While the subject line “A scintillating start” (above) is intriguing and cute, it doesn’t provide any value to the reader. Read More From My Inbox: Gentle Critique of an Email Marketing Program Resurrected, Part 2
Holiday Planning – One Year Revisited
It can often be difficult to identify topics to write on, when you are a constant contributor through blogs or newsletters. So when the time came to put down my thoughts, I pulled up some of my prior musings to see if I could find any inspiration. What made a direct hit in my mind Read More Holiday Planning – One Year Revisited
A View from the Marketing Trenches – “C’mon Man!”
For those of you who follow NFL on ESPN, they started doing segments where the commentators show a clip from the past week where a player often is caught doing a really dumb thing, followed by the expression, “c’mon man!” In my thirty years of direct marketing, I have witnessed some legendary mistakes, goof ups, Read More A View from the Marketing Trenches – “C’mon Man!”
What it takes to REALLY move the needle
As direct marketers, we all spend much time “fine tuning”, working under the premise that success will come from the cumulative effect of applying “best practices” in everything we do. This is especially true for us “data geeks” who are continually tweaking this or that model or contact strategy. This search is even more intense Read More What it takes to REALLY move the needle
Online Cart Abandonment: 3 Disturbing Industry Statistics and 7 Tips for Successful Cart Reminder Programs
I had the pleasure of leading not one but two webinars last month on digital marketing for retailers. I always like to round out my case studies and practical advice with industry statistics. And what I learned about online cart abandonment surprised and disturbed me: 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned (Bronto/Magento Study) Shopping Read More Online Cart Abandonment: 3 Disturbing Industry Statistics and 7 Tips for Successful Cart Reminder Programs
Why your buyer file may not be as valuable as it used to be: A lesson in lifetime value
The internet is a wonderful marketing tool for most companies, but the impact it has on your house file is often not accounted for. Let’s take a journey back in time; say 5 years ago, when there was an explosion of online marketing services that helped deliver new customers, online, at an unbelievable return on Read More Why your buyer file may not be as valuable as it used to be: A lesson in lifetime value
Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!
This week a client lamented that his customers are growing older, and he intends to target younger prospects with his future catalog mailings. This “Ponce de Leon syndrome” is frequently expressed to me, and in fact, has led many direct marketers to disastrous results as they purposely pursue younger customers with their existing offers, or Read More Do You Really Want to Go Younger?!
3 Tips for Improving the ROI on Your Email Marketing Efforts
What’s the return-on-investment (ROI) for each of your organization’s marketing channels? According to the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing delivers a higher ROI than any other online or offline channel. And not by a little – by a lot! See the chart below – email marketing is delivering more than four times the ROI of Read More 3 Tips for Improving the ROI on Your Email Marketing Efforts