I have been wanting to do more to give back to the digital community that has given me so much. Each Wednesday I will be taking questions from professionals around Digital and eCRM (email, SMS and Push notifications) programs and provide my feedback based on what I have experienced. If we can help one person create better programs, then this is a success.
So for this weeks Q&A, looking for a good question that you might have. Please submit to bernie@b7design.com and I will post it here and on LinkedIn.
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8/3 Question of the Week
Question: What should you be asking when evaluating a new eMail Service Provider?
Answer: Looking for a new ESP is an experience that I have gone through 4 times in my career. It is one that is very time consuming in which you are over communicated to from all the potential prospects – “We can meet your every need” is what I heard a lot. You go through pages and pages of features and documentation only to find that some prospects just come up a little short of your needs.
One thing to keep in mind, is that the major ESPs will give you 80% of what you need. You need to really look at the other 20% to see how they stand apart and what they can do for your business. For myself, I have very specific tools and eCRM needs that I must have. If those tools or needs are something that the ESP doesn’t currently have, then they are no longer a prospect. With a mature program, we have certain toolsets that are a must and not easily duplicated.
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7/27/16 – Question of the week
Question: Should you use an incentive for email signups?
Answer: It is good to grow your list, but it is also important in HOW you grow your list. I always want people within my programs that are engaged and want to willingly join our programs. With that said, I do like organic traffic over all other methods, but there are many incentives that are good for your business. Each business needs to be looked at differently and approached differently with a good solid plan on using incentives.
Before you start any incentive programs to get customer to join your eMail program, there are a couple questions you should ask yourself:
– What is the goal or the end result you are looking for?
– Is it engagement
– Immediate sales and transactions?
– List growth for short and long term?
– How are you going to analyze these new customers?
– What are you going to communicate to these customers?
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7/21/16 – Question of the week
Today’s question is one that I receive often.
Question: What tool or tools do you use to preview eMails in multiple clients and to see how customers are engaging with your eMails?
Answer: I use a web based partner called Litmus (www.Litmus.com) for all our preview eMails and for analytics to see how customers are engaging with our eMails. Litmus is not another eMail provider but a web application that works outside of your email provider.
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7/13/16 – Question of the week
Question: What are the most effective things using digital advertising to help create a call to action…
Answer: Digital advertising is considered ineffective without a call-to-action especially when your advertising dollars are at stake.
Some of the most effective things that I have seen and experienced to create-a-call to action within digital advertising are some of the following…not in any order of importance. Read More