Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Reach the Right Customer with the Right Message

When small business leaders launch an e-mail marketing initiative, it might seem like a small consideration, but developing the right subject line for the e-mail message can be the biggest deciding factor between a successful and ineffective campaign. In fact, Jupiter research indicates that 35 percent of e-mail users open their messages simply because of what is contained in the subject line, so it’s crucial to spark interest by creating relevant subject lines.

The best way to create relevance is to personalize the message, which can take many forms—from simple salutations to customized content. Here are some key ways to personalize a message:

1. Basic personalization. Include the recipient’s first name in the subject line and in the copy salutation—and if it’s a business-to-business campaign, include the recipient’s company name and/or industry.

2. Intermediate personalization. Customize the full e-mail copy based on the recipient’s attributes. For example, include a Gemini horoscope based on the recipient’s date of birth.

3. Advanced personalization, Write sections of the e-mail copy based on the recipient’s purchase history.

These extra steps may make the process take a little longer, but personalizing messages in an e-mail marketing campaign can make the difference when a customer decides whether to open your message or to press the delete button.

Wendy Lowe
Regional development director
Campaigner
Ottawa

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/tips/archives/2010/08/reach_the_right_customer_with_the_right_message.html

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