Marketing Land » Lynn Baus

Using Data-Centered Storytelling To Enchant & Engage Your Email Audience

Lynn Baus — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:45:24 +0000

Our goal as savvy email marketers is to look beyond the lure of the one-time conversion and strive to build an ongoing relationship between consumers and our brands. Why is this goal so important? Because it’s been proven through many a marketing study that engaged customers become loyal customers and loyal customers are the most valuable segment in any list or database.

This type of highly engaged, loyal customer typically has higher overall lifetime value than the casual consumer. They’re also more likely to be an evangelist, introducing new customers to your brand in a very personal way and building the next layer of loyal customers.

But, how can you help to build a stronger bond with your customer base? In my last article, I outlined ways to stimulate an unengaged audience by increasing the relevancy of your email creative by including more dynamic content. Sharing relevant content demonstrates to customers that we know them as individuals and are dedicated to providing them with useful information, products or services.

Using historical and behavior data is a great way to present content that’s tailored to their individual needs and preferences, but you also need to engage with your audience on an emotional level in order to achieve the goal of creating a true brand-loyal customer.

This means you need to talk to your audience members like they’re real people — and real people are most satisfied when they are making connections. One of the easiest ways to make a connection is to share a story that’s easy to relate to, fun or draws the user deeper into their customer journey.

Let’s explore four creative ways in which email marketers have used data as a platform to build creative that forms a bond between their customers and their brand.

Example #1: JetBlue TrueBlue Summary/Reactivation Email

This could have easily been a straightforward annual summary statement. But instead, JetBlue used some simple data — last flight taken — to remind the customer of their last trip.

The most personalized and relevant information is at the top of the email. Scrolling down the email, the story is still based on data but becomes less personalized and more about all JetBlue travelers. Finally, the email includes stats about the JetBlue loyalty program itself.

Overall, the email creates the impression of a personalized message, and also makes recipients feel as if they’re truly a part of a community of JetBlue travelers.

Example #2: LinkedIn Invitation

As a recipient, I was delighted to see this personalized message come across my inbox. Now, when I later discovered that the top 1% most viewed profiles received their own separate email (which didn’t include me), I was a little less stoked. But, ego-busting moment aside, this is a great application of data-centered story telling that has a very relatable component to it.

Example #3: Microsoft SkyDrive Thank You

SkyDrive, Microsoft’s answer to cloud based media storage recently thanked their user base with this mobile-friendly email. The message kicks off with a thank you and a bold statement that affirms the size of the SkyDrive user base, making the recipient feel like they’re part of a larger movement. While less personalized, the message still pulls upon stats and metrics to frame the story of how SkyDrive has served their community throughout the year.

Example #4: Orbitz Destination Email

While the use of data is less obvious in this example, it is still driving the main message of the email. Subscribers within driving distance of major city centers received a message that was customized for their metro area and other likely drive-in destinations. In the middle is a fun game to draw readers though the email. What this shows is that you don’t necessarily have to use stats to have a data-driven message — you can use data like location, interests and purchase history to help create a compelling and personalized email.

I hope I’ve inspired you to take a little extra time to brainstorm on your next engagement assignment. Why not use data in a creative way to promote the confidence and trust that lead to repeat business for your brand?

Moving From Static To Dynamic: Building Relationship-First Email Creative

Lynn Baus — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:15:51 +0000

In the past, when email marketers noticed a drop in audience engagement, they would increase the volume of email sends, trying to win the attention deficit game by increasing frequency. But this strategy just doesn’t work anymore.

With the increased usage of mobile devices, smart phones and multi-channel social streams, your customers (or potential customers) now have a wealth of information available at their fingertips around the clock. In fact, it’s estimated that three out of four Americans under the age of 35 now check their smart phone or mobile device before even getting out of bed.

So if your audience is tuned out, the problem isn’t that they aren’t looking for information. The problem is that the amount of information has become overwhelming, making it hard to get your message noticed.

Turn Them On To Tune Them In

To get your users to tune in, you need to deliver the content they want to see, when they want to see it. To put it plainly, you need to increase the relevance of the message to grab their attention.

Delivering targeted, personalized content requires a different kind of approach to the email creative production process. In order to produce these personalized messages, you’ll need more than a template — you’ll need a flexible framework that will allow your brand to provide an individualized experience for each customer in an efficient and effective way.

The move from a static approach to a dynamic method is, of course, easier said than done. But it’s not impossible, and it’s well worth the effort. Targeted communications, on average, have a 3x conversion rate over a mass communication, while a truly individualized campaign will have around 5x the conversions.

Thus, the question shouldn’t be if you should move towards targeted creative content, but how soon. Let’s look at the essential steps you’ll need to take to get there:

Who: Identify and prioritize customer segments.
What: Plan the kind of content they’ll receive.
How: Pre-plan your layouts to accommodate your content.
Repeat: Optimize to ensure maximum performance.

Who

You’ll need to know who your users are before you can provide them with a customized experience. Use data you already have to identify potential segments, and prioritize those segments against your business needs so that you can start to understand your new content needs.

Don’t think you have enough data to begin? Look at what you probably already track. Can you review past click behaviors to spot trends? Are you gathering information about your users’ activity on your website? Do you already have prospect, active, lapsed segments outlined for other channels?

These are all good places to start looking to understand how to group individuals into segments by their common needs and behaviors.

What

Now that you have an overview of your audience and the types of content that they may respond to, it’s time to plan the delivery of the content that will resonate with your segments. Start a simple matrix of your most valued audience segments so that you can start to sort the groups and create new content to meet the needs of these segments.

How

You’ll need a way to display and organize this content in a format that will be effective for your audience. This means you’ll need to use an email framework — a flexible template that is composed of set of modules that allow for a large variety of layout choices.

A well-designed framework will allow you to increase the percentage of relevant information over time without needing to redesign your basic template structure. This will provide you with a creative platform for your email sends, so you won’t need to go through a custom design process for every message.

Creating a customizable email framework will allow you to more easily grow into delivery of relevant, personalized content based on data such as products browsed, local store info, variable offers, etc., without having to revamp each email according to the new requirements.

It can be daunting at first, but if your framework is set up correctly, you can expand into using more personalized dynamic content by simply starting to use one or two dynamic modules at a time. You can also add to the variations within a module as your data matures or your production resources are able to produce more content. The key to a solid framework foundation is setting up a grid:

If you find that you have a high percentage of mobile device users, take the time to include mobile break points in your grid.

Breakpoints are the dimensions of each device screen size that your user base is likely to own. This will help prepare your framework for a responsive layout by establishing mobile display standards for each content region.

If you’re not familiar with the term, responsive design refers to a layout that is crafted in a way that it will respond to the user’s device and display the most relevant format for that experience. Think of it as taking dynamic content to the next level — user experience.

It requires a little more coding know-how, but responsive design for email is quickly evolving into a basic best practice and one of the most effective ways around to provide a customize mobile experience to the widest audience.

As with the modular approach, you don’t have to tackle every device breakpoint at once. It’s fine to start with a desktop and mobile breakpoint and add to it as necessary.

Repeat

Once you have your framework in place and you’ve road-tested your content, take a moment to look back and analyze the results.

Review what’s working and what’s not, and change your approach accordingly. Plan a quarterly review of performance in order to keep pace with your audience’s technology needs. Is your mobile experience still relevant? If not, it might be time to dive into optimizing for those needs.

The important thing is to continue to grow and look for opportunities to provide a better and more customized experienced for your user base. They’ll thank you for it with increased engagement and conversions.

So whether you’re dipping your toe into dynamic content or ready for a full-scale, one-to-one communication strategy, these basic steps can help guide you through the process of building your creative platform to get you from A to B or A to Z.

Mythbusting: Video In Email

Lynn Baus — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:00:46 +0000

As a Creative Director, my workday often revolves around crafting and optimizing email communications for big brands. So, I’m always intrigued when new technologies come along that allow me to put another tool in my kit.

One of the most exciting developments to come along recently has been the use of video in email. Not the spoofed playback buttons overlaid on a static image, or even animated gifs that simulate video, but honest-to-goodness sound and motion video played directly in a recipient’s inbox.

Why is this development so exciting? Well, email is a very brief and fleeting medium. Grabbing a user’s attention and convincing them to take action requires the skill to captivate and activate in 3-5 seconds or less.

And, nothing helps people connect with content’s purpose as quickly as video. It’s easy to understand and people instantly emotionally engage with it in a way they don’t often do with text and static images.

Motion Makes Email More Engaging

Rigorous testing of content has indicated that using motion in an email message is a very effective tactic. Even adding simple animations drive increased engagement and higher conversion rates. And, there’s mounting evidence that a richer experience pushes those metrics to even greater heights. That alone makes video in email a technique worth exploring.

So, if video in email is potentially so effective, then why haven’t more brands been using it? Well, up until fairly recently delivering video directly to the inbox posed a few problems. Big problems, in fact. So much so that I bet if you’ve been in the email sector for a while, you gasped when you read the headline “Video in Email.” Why such a visceral reaction?

The Deliverability Nightmare

Previously, video playback required the use of a 3rd party plug-in, like Flash or Quicktime, and email clients abhor 3rd party plug-ins. Plug-ins are a significant security risk to email clients as they can allow viruses and malicious code to sneak in and wreak havoc.

This meant that an email containing video that depended on a plug-in was likely to get sent to the bulk folder, or caught up in a spam filter, preventing the message from even reaching the inbox. Poor deliverability has been the source of many an email marketer’s nightmare. Even with the plug-in installed, and the email delivered, rendering support was spotty, meaning that the user experience was often disappointing.

But, Video Is Too Big

Another major issue had been file size. Lighter emails mean faster downloads, and video files are not light. In fact, just a few seconds of video can easily top out of 10 MB or more. When best practices recommend the use of files sizes of 101 KB or less, a file that is over a thousand times that heavy seemed like insanity. Who would wait minute-upon-minute for an email to download?

All in all, video in email had acquired a bad reputation as mad, bad and dangerous to send. Most email marketers decided to hunker down and play it safe by sticking to images and text, and including links to video hosted on landing pages when needed.

But then, something started happen in 2012. Major brands like Avon, Barney’s, Bloomingdale’s, Brookstone, Discovery, Disney, HP, AT&T, TomTom and Victoria’s Secret slowly started to test the waters again. What had altered so drastically to make video in email less dangerous and more desirable? Primarily, two key advances have changed the game.

1. The Advent Of HTML5 And Its Widespread Support By Email Clients

HTML5 is an open standard which is supported by a shockingly high number of email clients. This means we are able to use a simple HTML5 tag to deliver video to the inbox without the need for a 3rd party plug-in to almost all Web-based, mobile and desktop email clients. No plug-in needed; thus, no deliverability nightmare.

HTML5 also allows us to designate a list of media that can be displayed, letting the email client choose the best-supported format when the email is opened. In that list, we can include references to fallback media, like an animated gif or static graphic for those small number of email clients that won’t allow a video format. No special segmentation needed, no additional versions of the email, just a snippet of code and a few versions of the content.

Though it can be a bit more labor-intensive than using a simple graphic, this technique virtually eliminates the risk of a poor user experiences. When done correctly, it’s almost magical.

2. Use Of Hosted, Progressively Downloaded Video Files

Video files, no matter how small or how short, will always end up heavier than email best practices will recommended. However, with a progressive playback, we can allow users to begin to watch a video without requiring them to download the entire file before it begins. Not only does this mean almost instant access to video playback on a desktop environment, but mobile devices on a 3G+ connection will experience a smooth video experience as well. Pretty cool.

So, with two of the major technical barriers set aside, it’s time to move past the myth that video in email is difficult and troublesome and start learning how to refine its use effectively.

As with most things, the devil is in the details, and wading into video in email does take some research and expertise. The topic may very well warrant a follow up series of how-tos. In the meantime I’ll share a few key resources that I found helpful when I became brave enough to tackle video in email again:

How To Integrate Pinterest Into Your Emails

Lynn Baus — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:20:56 +0000

More than just a social hub to share images, Pinterest has become a lifestyle brand itself. Exuding a feeling of simple, clean, nearly dreamy — dare I say aspirational — moments of pleasure, it’s actually influencing a new aesthetic style. In fact, one of the common complaints is how spellbinding the Pinterest experience becomes as users spend hours upon hours exploring content and seeking out new curators of style, inspiration and taste.

Adopted primarily by women and at an astounding pace (at this rate there’ll soon be more people with Pinterest accounts than toothbrushes), it’s an opportunity for exposure to a vast and active consumer sector that’s hard for marketers to ignore.

But, with such a short track record of reliable metrics or marketing case studies, few email marketers know how to tap into the volume and energy that Pinterest is generating. However, that lack of a metric-informed roadmap hasn’t stopped top brands from jumping into the game in an attempt to engage, delight and ultimately convert users to their cause. Let’s take a look at a few of the popular emerging trends and maybe swipe a few smart strategies along the way.

Top four trends:

Emails integrating the Pinterest icon into a social icon suite

Emails promoting a brand’s presence on Pinterest

Emails used as an acquisition and growth channel for Pinterest

Emails featuring pin-able or pinned content to encourage conversions

1. Emails Integrating The Pinterest Icon Into A Social Icon Suite

Grouped in with the Facebook icon, Twitter icon, and occasionally, an Instragram icon, you’ll now find the Pinterest option. Nearly ubiquitous, the Pinterest icon runs the risk of becoming part of the template itself and fading into the woodwork.

Some brands have taken the additional step of styling the icon so that it blends with the overall look and feel of the message, which is a nice touch. Others have added copy and additional details like arrows to draw attention to the channel, which also enriches the experience.

Examples:

Viva Terra default icon Detail, Full Email
Free People styled icon Detail, Full Email
Gaiam styled icon Detail, Full Email
Catbird icon with copy Detail, Full Email
Kate Spade icon with copy Detail, Full Email

2. Emails Promoting A Brand’s Presence On Pinterest

Brands that have embraced the curatorial aspects of Pinterest have begun to promote that presence via email.

Email as a promotion channel is particularly effective because messages are delivered directly to users who have expressed interest in the brand by opting in to receive this very type of information — as opposed to the more passive mode of waiting for a brand to be discovered through organic activity.

The most common approach to content for these messages is to showcase boards. These grouping of pinned content often help users understand the category theme, like gift guides, and provide inspiration for the usage of products, feature how-to’s, or offer styling suggestions.

Examples:

3. Emails Used As An Acquisition And Growth Channel For Pinterest

Web-based contests and sweepstakes that require an email opt-in are a well-traveled email-list growth strategy. Bigger lists, more opportunity for conversion.

Now, the tables turn, and email is serving as an acquisition path for Pinterest users by promoting contests.

Like with all social networks, quality activity is rewarded with more interest. If more users are following and pinning a brand, the more likely other users will be to do the same.

Stimulating Pinterest activity with contests is an effective way to kick-start a following and creates the momentum needed to attain critical mass for a brand to earn its share of the pie. The most popular strategy is to ask users to create a board that includes a brand’s product, one of which is then selected for a prize.

The life of the winning board often outlives the contest timeline, picking up more follows well past the expiration date of the sweeps.

Examples:

4. Emails Featuring Pin-able And/Or Pinned Content

This type of usage typically falls into two major categories: featured product content and brand engagement content.

Some brands have gone as far as crafting specific, Pin-worthy content. Two of the breakout brands have been Zulily and Philosophy, which both understand how to provide highly pin-able content that strengthens their customer relationships.

Meanwhile, Finish-Line leveraged pinned content as a way to showcase popular products and capped the message off with a sweeps to encourage more pins.

While the experts can’t agree on what the exact value of an interaction on Pinterest may be, it’s a channel that won’t be ignored. So, smart marketers are figuring out that you have to at least play to win!

Mobile Email Marketing: Tips For The Holiday Season

Lynn Baus — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:00:29 +0000

‘Tis the season when the volume of email sends begins to soar. From Black Friday previews to last minute gift reminders, retailers are upping the ante on the number of messages being sent. This makes the inbox a crowded place to be.

But that’s not news. What makes this retail holiday season special? This year over 30% of those messages will likely be read on some type of mobile device. So how do you ensure your message will stand out in the mobile inbox?

Even if you haven’t been able to transition your emails into a responsive template or you’re waiting to roll out that new mobile strategy in 2013, there are still a few mobile-smart techniques at your disposal.

They’re quick, easy and will make sure your email messages keep pace this season.

First Steps: 3 Things To Do Today

1. Set To Scale For iOS Devices

This seems like a simple thing to do, but some retailers still ignore this detail. Including this strategic line of code (see below) will ensure that your HTML and text scale for iPhones’ and iPads’ viewable screen sizes.