Now on SendLabs: Crossing the pond for great email marketing

Who knew I’d have to get on a English email list for a documentation on how to design great email? In my Tuesday post on SendLabs.com, I look at UK-based DVD company SilverVision and their effective use of stacking when designing email for their consumer base.

Give it the ol’ looksee and readskee here.

Now On SendLabs: The 11-Day Email Marketing Binge

Yesterday’s post on SendLabs was focused on the WWE’s holiday marketing and their promise to deliver 11 straight days of offers…is it worth it?

Also, a few notes for email marketers that are still thinking about doing some campaigns. A bit behind the 8-ball? Yep, but not all is lost.

And video blogs are coming. The experiment begins next week.

New post on SendLabs: thoughts on Bob Marley’s email marketing

As part of an exciting new partnership I am working on with my old friends at SendLabs, I posted a new blog at their site today, something I’ll be doing twice a week there as part of the ever-expanding NasonMedia network of power.

(Ok…the power is coming, but it’s still pretty cool.)

“Comedian Bob Marley – a fixture in many a Maine resident’s memory as well as those fans of the cult movie classic Boondock Saints – sent out an email last week (seen left) in preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday with a few jokes. What I read was email marketing as its worst: a mix of all caps ‘yelling’, lack of clickable links and a lack of understanding for how powerful this medium is. Do I blame Bob? No, because he’s a talent and even though he’s a hustler in the best sense of the word, there is a reason people like Marley have assistants and agents.”

For the rest of the post, here you go! And as always, I’m here to help you with your email marketing. All you have to do is ask.

Waiting by the e-mailbox

Remember the days before email when getting the mail was actually a big deal? Especially for kids (who didn’t have to worry about the bills their parents hated to get), seeing your name on an envelope meant something…especially when it was eagerly expected.

VH1 attempted to recreate that emotion last week with a contest they ran. The idea? Data collection, of course. They drove to sign up people for their VH1 Classic list by offering the chance to win either a Genesis or Led Zeppelin box set.

After signing up, the user was prompted to check their email on Friday at 1 pm EST for details on how they could win. It wasn’t enough to get me intrigued to sign up (VH1 has nine different newsletters), but VH1 did take a different route as opposed to the normal sign up/prizes drawn at random approach many take.

Having said that, a few logistical thoughts came up:

-Why? I guess I don’t understand why they would drive to have users check their email at a certain time and not the actual website.

-As any ESP will tell you, guaranteeing emails to all arrive at a certain time can be difficult. If an ISP throws a curveball or there are traditional issues with email transit, some people may not get it exactly at 1 pm. As a result, the reasoning behind having people check their inbox is moot.

-I understand that people can access email everywhere, but would you remember to check your inbox at a certain time for something like this? Yeah, I probably wouldn’t either and it’s doubtful I’d set a calendar reminder. Again, VH1 was simply providing how you could win the set, not if you actually won.

I appreciate what they were trying to do, but I’d remind the network that building a separate list of opt-in users from their other lists was the key. The best way to do that? Show value*. Provide an easy incentive to sign up. Make it truly different than the eight other newsletters you churn out.

*The word ‘value’ is the most undeveloped point of importance with marketers today, in my opinion. I think we need to ask ourselves in everything we do if it provides value to the end user. Whether it’s a blog post or a brochure or a phone call, are we providing value or are we carelessly running through the motions?

Comedian does email personalization the right way

I know it’s simple to do, but I liked this email from comedian Dave Attell I got this week which used my name and location for personalization. As you’ll see, it’s pretty simple but I liked how he/it asked ‘How’s Manchester?’ I get terrible personalization emails all the time that just use my first name ad nauseum, but this was a nice approach. Also, it’s simple messaging within, updating fans on some upcoming concerts with links. Yeah, it would have been nice for a better-looking (or any) template, but we’ll take it: