The Holodeck | Email Marketing

Let’s talk email marketing, shall we? Wait! Don’t go. I promise this will be valuable. Unless you prefer to break all kinds of rules, spend a gazillion dollars in fines, and alienate the very customers you’re trying to entice. No? Okay, cool. Let’s move along.

First, a mini history lesson for you. Did you know that the first mass marketing email was sent in 1978!? I didn’t know email was even a thing back then. I remember when AOL was super cool despite that godawful dial up sound and the ability to pretty much go make a full-on dinner between telling your computer you wanted to connect and actually connecting to an extremely limited version of the internet. Anyway . . . that email was sent to 400 ARPANET (old school internet) users by Gary Thuerk – now deemed the Father of Spam – in order to promote Digital Equipment Corporation’s new T-series of VAX systems. (Say what with the huh?) The email definitely wasn’t a looker, but it generated about $13 million in sales. Boom. Mic drop. E-Marketing was born.

Fast forward to current day. Who here pretty much ignores their inbox?

I get so many emails that I wind up missing the important stuff. This is one of the biggest challenges a marketer faces. How do we get that coveted face time with our customer when there’s a sold-out stadium full of other businesses vying for their attention, as well? Hopefully, we come up with a brilliant email marketing campaign that shines that all important “Hey, Look at Me!” spotlight on your business. But, how?

Kind of a no-duh step in an email marketing campaign is tapping into a database full of email addresses that your company has acquired. The trick is to ensure that list is full of legit people who gave the green light to hear from you. Basically, they need to give you permission and then have every right to take that permission away. So, how do we get the go ahead? We ask. In creative – yet clearly defined – ways, of course. Here’s the thing. You could be the most selfless person on the planet, but there’s still a tidbit of selfishness lurking in the darkness. Even if it’s subconscious, you’re not going to give your personal information to someone else unless there’s something in it for you. It could be as simple as making your life easier the next time you purchase something. You’re not an awful person. You’re just not an idiot. Congratulations.

According to HubSpot, there are two key components in legally obtaining email addresses – lead magnets and opt-in forms. Lead magnets are those selfish incentives. Put something in front of their face that makes them think, “That would totally make my life awesome and I must sign up immediately.” However, make sure the incentive is solution-oriented, relevant, super clear, totally doable (on your end and theirs), and – obviously – full of awesome. The opt-in form is where you snag their details. Ditto on relevancy, clarity, and simplicity, however complicate it up a smidge by seeking a double opt-in confirmation. Instead of sending a welcome email after they complete the form, send an opt-in confirmation email just to double check they understand what they’ve agreed to. (Sounds so evil, doesn’t it?) Speaking of evil, don’t be a tricky trickster that makes your customer opt-out instead of opt-in. Uncheck the opt-in box by default so they have to physically click the thing. Yes, if the box is checked then you’ll get all kinds of people who didn’t mean to sign up and – yay – they’re legitimately in your database. But, quality over quantity, party people. You want the email addresses of people who want to be there. Plus, you’d waste time and money on people who could care less . . . and your emails will ultimately be directed to their SPAM folder, which we all know eats into your search engine credibility.

The biggest kicker is providing value in every email you send. Make it matter, otherwise what’s the point? (And, trust me, your customers will start to ask that same question.) Some quick and dirty tips?

• Build your list, don’t buy your list. It’s not cool, so don’t do it.

• Segment your list in order to target the right customer (sound familiar?) and then personalize the email. Be human – and helpful – not a generic and boring robot.

• Make sure the subject lines grab attention in a short and concise way. Instill curiosity and a sense of urgency. Think of the emails you open. Why did you open them? Would you open yours? And be honest. Remember you’re not as cool as you think. (Still no offense on that.)

• Keep the content and layout uber simple. We’re dealing with short attention spans. Don’t forget that.

• Pay attention to timing strategies. Depending on your end game and your target audience’s behaviors, there’s a statistical game plan out there for you.

• Remember everyone loves their phones, so optimize those emails for mobile.

• Be diligent and patient. Building relationships take time. Don’t force it.

Simply put? Right audience. Right content. Right time.

So, why use email marketing when everyone’s inboxes are overly flooded and email seems pretty old school in comparison to social media? Because it works. Emails can create brand awareness, acquire customers, generate business, enhance customer engagement, and reward customer loyalty. With over 4 billion daily users and an impressive ROI, email is here to stay. Plus, vintage is totally in.

Become one with the CAN-SPAM Act. No, this doesn’t mean you can spam to your heart’s content. It’s quite the opposite. Basically, CAN-SPAM was created to protect the consumer from receiving communication they didn’t ask for. Rather than dive into the nitty gritty, check out the gist below and then head over to the Federal Trade Commission to learn all things CAN-SPAM – including this short video that quickly speaks to the below rules. (Psst . . . if you have dreams of going global and/or just want to be on top of your e-marketing game, read up on GDPR – EU’s version of CAN-SPAM, but on crack.)

What does this mean for The Holodeck’s email marketing strategy? If we haven’t already, then we need to get crackin’ on building our customer database. Assuming we have a website and/or social newly established and – oops – failed to include the following, we definitely need a pop-up offer on our homepage that leads to an opt-in form, a link to said opt-in form in a distinct area throughout our website, a sign-up button on all social, a cost-effective incentive to share said incentives with friends, as well as posts to generate awareness of the fancy sign-up button and incentives. Possibly even go super old school and post well-designed, but inexpensively printed handouts and flyers where we’d generate the most traffic around town. Maybe it’s the former Print Buyer in me, but a tangible reminder of the intangible world isn’t such a horrible thing.

While our target audiences differ in age and life goals at the moment, our research indicates that they align in a desire to have fun with friends and family, they value respect for others and kindness, they’re not down with poor service, bad food, rude people, or grody establishments, and that they pay attention to reviews. We can use that to our advantage by pushing singular messages that speak to both. We can also push messages that are cohesively branded, but speak to their individual demographics. Timing-wise, let’s say we’re promoting a Grand Opening event and we’re hoping for a response to an RSVP or alike. Research indicates our best bet is to send the email between 6–8am or 8pm–midnight on a Friday. These are outside the norms of the standard marketing push, so the emails will stand out. Additionally, most people are winding down and have the time to actually read and respond to what you sent them. Assuming that all-important subject line does its job, of course.

So, lesson of the day? Email marketing might feel old school, but it’s still super valid. All you need to do is play the game to ensure you stand out in the crowd in a legitimate, non-jerky way. Good luck to you.

REFERENCES

- Wozniak, T. (2018, December 12). What We Can Learn From Email Marketing’s 40-Year Evolution. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/12/12/what-we-can-learn-from-email-marketings-40-year-evolution/

- Templeton, B. (n.d.). Reaction to the DEC Spam of 1978. https://www.templetons.com/brad/spamreact.html#msg

- Perricone, C. (2022, September 8). The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing. HubSpot.

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-guide

- CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business. (2023, February 3). Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business

- Complying with the CAN SPAM Act. (2023, February 16). Federal Trade Commission. https://www.ftc.gov/media/71413

- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – Official Legal Text. (2022, September 27). General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). https://gdpr-info.eu/

- Frost, A. (2021, June 11). When to Email Prospects If You Want Them to Take Action [Infographic]. HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/when-to-email-prospects-if-you-want-them-to-take-action-infographic