February 1, 2010
Hi Everyone
“How To Use Emails To Drive People To Your Website”
A sound tactic of any email campaign is to be very clear what you would like people to do after they have read it.
Your email should be written with an intent, a purpose of mind, a clear end result on how you would like the recipient to act.
In the copywriting business we call it a “Call to Action”.
I am not necessarily talking about a asking for a sale every time you email.
In fact, experience tells us this tactic simply will not be receptive with even your most ardent of followers.
What you must do though is to have a clear strategy.
For instance, one of my very good clients Victor, from Melbourne Australia, makes good use of his monthly newsletter.
Victor, engages his list by referring them to his website to click on a few links to gain access to the monthly newsletter which contains numerous specials inside.
Do you want to know the funny part.
Most of Victor’s clients receive a ‘hard copy’ of the monthly newsletter in the mail. It is the same one which is on the website and contains the same specials
but…
people go through the exercise of clicking the links.
Why ???
Because it is ‘front of mind.
And this is the POWER of email marketing.
You see Victor emails to his List ‘weekly’ and reminds them to take a look.
The email reminds them the newsletter is published and to take peak at the monthly specials.
And they do.
How do we know ?
Because we can trace their actions.
So whether you have a newsletter or not.
The combination of email marketing and driving prospects to your website works.
Still not sure ?
Let Victor tell you. http://www.kurtjohansen.com/testimonials/39000-in-3-days-using-kurts-system/
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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January 28, 2010
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us.
and…
Are you ready for it? I mean really ready?
Whether you personally view it as the most romantic day of the year,
surrounded with love and affection,
or…
a tacky, hyped-up-retail propaganda;
there’s no denying, Valentine’s Day can have a dramatic effect on
many small businesses.
And one of the best ways to take advantage of this
potential windfall is through email marketing.
Here are 1o breathtaking tips you should implement immediately
to make sure your Valentine’s Day doesn’t pass like “two ships in the night”.
1. Start now. It’s only a couple of weeks away.
Start writing your copy, collect images, create the offers, etc.
then…
Plan a schedule of when to send your emails:
Email 1: Tuesday, Feb. 2: “introduction and initial offer email”
Email 2: Thursday, Feb. 4: “offer reminder email” (let them know only 10 days to go)
Email 3: Thursday , Feb. 11: reminder two — “Valentine’s Day is on Sunday -
Are you prepared ?!”
Email 4: Wednesday, Feb. 17: “thank you” email stating how happy you
were to help many customers save their relationships and how you helped others start new ones.
Extend another offer for one more day/night/purchase etc..
2. Add a Valentine’s Day image in your email or use a Valentine’s Day template, if you have one available. A Valentine’s Day template works gangbusters to get people in the mood and thinking about the Day.
3. Offer Valentine’s ideas in your email. People often do not know what to get their partner on Valentine’s Day.
Give them suggestions.
How many times have you wondered what you’re going to do for your special loved-one?
Us fellas often have a hard time thinking of ideas.
Do the work for us by providing a list of the top 2-3 Valentine’s Day gifts or services you can provide. Don’t give too many choices, you will confuse people and then they won’t buy.
4. Can you break-up your list by gender?
Send the guys and the gals different messages. They will want different things.
But a common email will work as well.
5. Have compelling offers. Most people would have spent their holiday pay and would not be too flushed with disposable income. Make the offer so compelling they need to take advantage of it.
6. Partner with another business. Can you offer complementing products and services.
Can a dinner include a photograph?
Talk to the business beside you – can you share lists? i.e You offer their services to your list (must be introduced and sent by you).
Will they send out your Valentine’s Day offer to their list?
7. Do you remember who bought from you last Valentine’s Day?
Contact them. Remind them.
Offer them an even better deal this year.
If the offer is right, they’ll most likely buy from you again.
If you don’t know them, make sure you keep a record this year.
8. Add “forward-to-a-friend” in your email.
Encourage people to forward your email offer to their friends.
It’s a way to make more sales and gain another client.
9. Add testimonials to your email.
Many consumers will buy if they know another person has had
a positive buying experience with your product or service.
Let your prospects know you are honest and reliable.
and finally…
10. If you don’t have a list then now is the time to start building one.
Use an instore promotion to WIN a valuable gift basket.
Start collecting Names (first name crucial),
Email Addresses and even birthdays (you don’t have to collect the year of birth – the day and month will do).
Collect their postal address too.
(There’s many ways to market to them then – but that’s another message from me).
There you go….
“10 Breathtaking Valentine’s Day Tips To Thrust Cupid’s
Arrow Deep Into Your Customers’ Heart”
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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January 27, 2010
Hi Everyone
Research from Pure360 located in Brighton, England suggest email marketers should be choosy when sending emails.
They have broken down what times we should be sending marketing emails.
But before I talk about the research…
From my experience the best times have always been mid morning and you will discover this is not what Pure360 research suggests.
but the reality is…
I can see who has opened my emails and when (yes, if you have the right software this is possible) and have come to the conclusion an email opening lasts for about three days.
What I mean by this is once a marketing email is sent, it has a life-time of around 72 hours.
After 72 hours only a few people on my list will open it.
So, whilst a particular time of the day can be researched it will all depend on what message you are sending and to whom.
Here is an overview of what Pure360 discovered and my comments after each one in brackets:
1. “The Abyss” (10 p.m. to 9 a.m.)
Ineffective time to send email promotions. (Unless your list is to computer and social media people I would think.)
2. “Consumer AM” (9 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
Beginning of the workday, with consumers opening offers on clothes, live events, restaurants and consumer goods. (I believe you will be in ‘heavy traffic’ if it’s sitting there in their inbox when they get to work.)
3. “Do Not Disturb” (10 a.m. to noon)
Consumers don’t open marketing emails. (I disagree – I find this is a very good time to activate my lists. This time of day allows people to clear their inboxes which means your message will not compete with others.)
4. “The Lunchtime News” (Noon to 2 p.m.)
Consumers are unlikely to open marketing emails during this period, opting instead to read news and magazine alerts. (Maybe but if your email is from a trusted source – yourself – maybe they would want to open it.)
5. “In The Zone” (2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)
Consumers only respond to email offers relating to financial services during this period. (See my comments under Point 4.)
6. “A Life-Changing Afternoon” (3 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
More emails related to property and financial services are opened between these hours than any other type of promotion. (Again, See my comments under Point 4.)
7. “Working Late” (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
Holiday and B-to-B email promotions are more likely to be opened in these two hours. (I do see a reduce opening of my emails during this period.)
8. “Last Orders” (7 p.m. to 10 p.m.)
Consumer promotions focused on clothes, sports and gyms are more likely to be opened during this period. (I find Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter works better at this time of the day)
The real point about email marketing open times is to TEST.
All emails you send should be able to traced to whom opened, when they opened and what links they clicked on.
And if you cannot do this yet then…
You need to obtain a different email marketing sending program.
Plus…
Maybe your emails are not adhering to the 7 Killer Tips I have published over to the right???
The point of this post is to say – Make sure you TEST !
Don’t just believe a research company, if they didn’t include your list in their research.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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January 18, 2010
Hi Everyone
The last couple of weeks have been somewhat hectic.
I have been putting together email campaigns for businessess and then all of a sudden the family’s 12 day beach holiday was upon me.
I was planning, organising and scheduling events so I could relax in style – that’s me doing nothing except lying around and watching the cricket.
It’s now Day 6 (Monday 18th) and I received a timely reminder this morning that life should be about contentment.
You see…
The kids disappeared somewhere…
It’s OK (somebody else can feed them today), and I was left to my own devices.
Well the T.V. went on but the cricket finished. Damn those Australians – too good again !
So, I have found the next most interesting thing for me to do and that is:
and for those who follow me it’s been a little while since I did this.
So, as I enjoy my life in contentment, let me leave you with a few words which I discovered last year during hundreds of email campaigns for businesses.
1. All businesses need to collect names and addresses of clients;
2.. All businesses need to inform customers about what’s happening inside the business;
3. All businesses have a story to tell their clients;
and there is no excuse NOT to do this.
Whether you use email, direct mail, telephone, flyers, newspaper ads, T.V., radio or a combination – if you wish to be in business then market.
It is not a person’s repsonsibility to find out what you do IT’S YOUR RESPONSIBLITY to let them know.
Bob Proctor says, “Success is a combination of Motivation and Education”
I can’t motivate you, you have to do that yourself.
but…
I can educate you if you wish to learn.
And as I said in my last post and in an email to my LISTS…
“Don’t make NewYear Resolutions MAKE New Year DECISIONS.”
So, as I contemplate what the next two hours will bring here at our Beach Holiday, I ask you what the next two hours will bring your business.
Are you ready to be educated about email marketing???
If so, send me an email and let’s get started.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
PS: I now know what I am doing – the kids are back – and we are going Jetty Jumping !
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January 7, 2010
Hi Everyone
I was wrong but I’ll tell you why in a second.
First though; have you made any decisions on how you are
going to occupy 2010 yet ???
For instance…
This time last year I wrote several articles about avoiding
making New Years’ Resolutions and replacing them instead
with New Years’ Decisions.
Three of my decisions in 2009 were:
- Stop watching the news on T.V.;
- Cease reading the newspaper;
- Continue creating a rewarding and successful email-marketing
business for my clients to profit.
Now on reflection I am able to say my results were:
- My T.V. news watching was reduced to only a handful of nights;
(Do you notice how the News is mainly ‘Bad News’ – Yuck !)
- I only read the weekend papers (I love the sports); and
- Many of my clients profited by email marketing strategies we employed
for them during 2009.
Such as:
- Sales of $39,000 worth of PVC Pipe in 3 days,
- Restaurants filled with diners on normally quiet nights;
- Breakfast meetings book-ed by the power of email;
- Weekly remedial massages book-ed;
- Clothing Sold to clients’ VIP Customers;
- Seminar Seats organised around Australia;
- Training courses filled;
- Sign-Up for e-books recommended to my lists;
- HR Manuals sold;
- Beer sold at Hotels for VIP Customer nights;
- Birthday Gifts happily welcomed by clients’ clients
- and much much more.
I even had a major political party contact me about helping them.
The fact is many people whether using my email system and strategies
or…
on the receiving end of my emails, have vastly benefited from
email marketing.
It’s now 2010 and I have re-done my decisions for this year.
What about you?
- Have you sat down and thought about what 2010 will bring you?
- Have you sat down and written them out?
I once thought writing down goals was a waste of time and preferred
to have them in my mind.
but…
wait for it…
I was wrong
and…
now proudly place them on my Vision Board next to my
home computer so my family and myself can see where I wish to be
this time next year.
So…
Are your decisions going to be bold, up in lights and visible to all?
because…
Until they are, how can anyone help you achieve your desires when they
may not know what you are aiming for.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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January 6, 2010
Hi Everyone
One of the most important aspects of your email marketing campaigns should be your headlines.
More importantly though is the email subject headline.
These should arouse curiosity and grab the readers attention to open your email.
Here is a list of headlines which actually appeared in newspapers -
you could use them
but…
I think it may be best to avoid them.
“Astronaut Takes Blame For Gas in Spacecraft”
he mustn’t be used to dried food
“Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges”
remind me to avoid going that way
“War Dims Hope For Peace”
yep, I guess it would
“Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife And Daughter”
and so he should have !
“Miners Refuse to Work After Death”
hmmm, I think I would too
“Hospitals Are Sued By 7 Foot Doctors”
just give them their basketball ring
“If Strike Isn’t Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile”
do you think so?
“Something Went Wrong In Jet Crash, Expert Says”
something terribly wrong I reckon
“Police Begin Campaign To Run Down Jaywalkers”
they just need to learn don’t they
“Cold Wave Linked To Temperatures”
ah, maybe
And…
How about this one…
“Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over”
now that’s dedication, what a guy.
=====================================
The use of email subject lines is very, very important in email marketing
but…
make sure it’s one which will WORK and do the job you intend it to.
Having someone crack up laughing at your headline may make you noticeable but will it make you a sale?
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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January 4, 2010
Hi Everyone
I am working on a paper, “Words to Avoid In Your Email Marketing”.
It will contain numerous words with variations which could be used instead.
These are words which spam filters love to discover and ‘rate’ and then make a decision to allow your email to be forwarded to the intended recipient.
These variations could be synonyms or they could be spelt another way to avoid the ’spam filters’ or they could be just other words you could use.
What ever way you wish to go with these words if you MODIFY them you will have more chances to get your emails read.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
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December 24, 2009
Hi Everyone
Thank you for following me this year.
Merry Christmas to all.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
Email Mastery
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December 18, 2009
Hi Everyone
Email marketing spending is due to rise in 2010, according to email research firm Silverpop.
Read the full article by David Goetzel of Media Post underneath.
Read the article here.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
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December 17, 2009
Hi Everyone
Over the past few months I have been working with new clients on their email marketing campaigns.
I invariably get asked about open rates and read rates and “How much is good?”
i.e. What percentages do other people get?
Well it all depends really.
What I find is over a period of say five email campaigns we can get a fairly strong indicative response rate from a list. It’s still in the testing stage but roughly we can get to see what ‘numbers’ they are pulling.
By using this information the strategy begins to improve THEIR numbers and not worry about anyone elses.
We can also see if they should continue using email marketing as a strategy.
I am finding by looking at individual client statistics I am able to determine a more exact marketing campaign which could include the use of direct mail, sms or the telephone.
All very useful marketing mediums.
but…
email marketing is still the most cost effective and immediate results known marketing you can do.
So the point of today’s post is don’t hooked on what other people are doing.
Worry about what you are doing and make it better.
Cheers and Great Selling
Kurt
PS: Although many businesses close down over Christmas don’t ignore the hugely popular retail-driven January sales.
Don’t stop marketing, people are in the mood to spend during this period.
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