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 Building Your Catalog’s Email FileAugust, 2001 BY REGINA BRADY All my favorite catalogs (both business and consumer) are regularly sending me email promotions or newsletters. Most catalogers have created distinct HTML templates for email that complement their web site design; although a few are still sending me text messages. And, I hear from my catalogers at least once every two weeks. It’s obvious that companies take email communication very seriously and devote significant marketing efforts to regular contact with their customers and prospects. A cataloger’s email file is a valuable asset in building site traffic and sales. And, the web provides some interesting and productive techniques that allow catalogers to build their email file quickly and effectively. Here are some things to consider in aggressively growing your elist. Prominently feature an invitation to sign-up for email on your home page Most catalogs offer a subscription for email specials or newsletters; but it is amazing to me how hard they can be to find. Sometimes it is not on the home page. Sometimes it is there but I had to scroll down “below the fold” to find it. Sometimes it’s buried in a list box of features. Make sure your invitation stands out. The upper right or left sections on your home page are perfect positions. Web usage studies have shown that is where the eye is likely to track. One company I know significantly increased their sign-ups by moving the registration area from the bottom left position to the more visible top right of their home page. And, keep sign-up simple. Ask for email address first and when they click “submit” bring up a page that at minimum asks for first and last name and permission to communicate with them in the future. Test carefully to see how many additional questions you can ask before the abandon rate escalates. Capture subscriptions on multiple pages of your web site A first-time visitor may reach your home page but not be ready to provide you with their personal information until they know more about your products and services. As they explore your site they will, hopefully, become more intrigued and engaged. Look at your web logs and determine which areas have the highest traffic. Make sure to also include a sign-up area on these pages. Create viral marketing promotions Encourage the customers and prospects on your elist to pass the email along to a friend. Some catalogers create a specific promotion with a reward such as a $5 off coupon if a list member passes the email along to a friend and that friend registers with the site. Other catalogers simply include a button suggesting members forward the email to a colleague. Such word-of-mouth promotions are effective and low-cost. Tip: keep track of who forwards your emails on to others and treat them well. These are your evangelists. Consider affiliate programs Many catalogers have found affiliate programs to be very effective in driving site traffic. The neat thing about affiliate programs is that you get to decide what your main objectives are and construct a payment system that rewards that behavior. You might want to pay only if someone registers at your site or only if they purchase on your site. Many catalogers work with the big affiliate sites such as BeFree, LinkShare and Commission Junction and others appear to have simply created their own programs. Test email for acquisition I’ve observed that some catalogers try to do too much with their prospecting email efforts and come away disappointed. An email prospect may not be familiar with your brand or products and services and as a result they are less likely to make an immediate purchase. I suggest a two-pronged strategy: include a link to specific products and services AND a link to your subscription registration page. If you capture their email address and permission to continue a dialog you can nurture the relationship and subsequently convert them from a prospect to a customer. Try contests, surveys and other promotions These are tactics to be employed from time to time on your site. They add fun and interactivity. When visitors take advantage of any of these make sure to ask for email address and gain permission to communicate with them in the future. And, as you build your email list remember to manage permission. Permission is not a one-time event. List members can opt-out of future emails with a simple mouse-click so monitor your opt-outs carefully. If the rate rises your content may be off-target or you may be communicating too often. You certainly don’t want your list size to erode. I’m fascinated by how many catalogs are doing it right. I welcome the compelling and interesting content that gets delivered to me. I appreciate the distinctiveness in style and design along with some of the great subject lines that get me to open my messages.. I like the personal touches such as addressing the mailing specifically to me and having it signed by a real person. These catalogers are slowly but surely cementing my loyalty. Keep those emails coming! Regina Brady is president of Reggie Brady Marketing Solutions, a direct and e-mail marketing consultancy. A respected industry leader, Brady is active on several industry boards and advisory committees and is a frequent speaker at trade conferences. She can be reached at (203) 838-8138 or reginabrady@att.net. Return to Articles | ||||||||||||
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