VerticalResponse Email Marketing Blog for Small Business

4 Tips for Managing Events for Non-Profits

Most, if not all non-profits have some kind of annual fundraising event to help raise money and keep things up and running. But getting your events to run smoothly can be tough and all that effort can be put to waste if not handled correctly. Here are 4 tips to keep in mind as you plan your upcoming event:

1. Who's invited: Who are you inviting to the event? Is this going to be a general fundraiser that includes your community? Or are you targeting a certain group or business type for your event? Are you going to need volunteers to help things run smoothly? Make sure you know who you want involved in your event before you get started. This will make getting your invite and volunteer list together easier. And knowing 'who' will be a good start to planning your marketing strategy.

2. Get the word out: This can be daunting, but there are tools to help you with this, and VerticalResponse is here for you. Email and social media marketing are easy and inexpensive ways to let people know you're having an event and can get them to sign up on the spot. But think about your overall marketing plan and what will work best for the type of event you're doing (for example, using mailed invitations may be expected for an upscale fundraiser).

Using something like the VerticalResponse Event tool will make it easy to set up a registration page for your event. Fill in the info about your event, set up tickets, and publish. This kind of system will allow you to share info about your event on social media through built-in plug-ins and send email invitations. Also, think about promoting information or fun facts about your event through social media on a regular basis. Setting up a social media campaign to regularly update your followers can help incite interest and sign-ups too.

Email is also a great way to follow up and remind people that they're attending or have volunteered for your event. Send out 1 or 2 reminders to your attendees, including the date, time, and location for the event. Send your volunteers emails about when they are needed, where to meet, what their duties are and the time and date they are doing them. You can create a list of attendees or volunteers easily to help manage these reminders. Plus, email stats will let you know who is reading your invitations or reminder emails and help you manage non-responders.

3. Ticket sales: Once you get the word out about you're event, you're going to need to manage attendance and/or donations. When your event page is live you can manage sign-ups, plus take money for ticket purchases or even accept donations for your organization. You'll need to decide what the pricing will be for the event and what that will include. For example, are there different contribution levels, group discounts, early bird pricing, VIP level or extra charges for meals or t-shirts? This is where an online management system will come in handy: once the tickets are set up it will manage all the different levels for you. 

4. Follow up: One of the most important things to remember about wrapping up your event is to send out a thank you, to everyone. This includes of course, attendees and donors, but don't forget your volunteers and staff! If this is an event you do annually, sending out a thank you can help ensure a great turnout next year. It's a simple thing to do, but often overlooked. Again, email and social media will be easy for this: post a thanks to everyone on your Facebook wall, and send out emails to everyone who signed up or helped out in some way. If you send out a monthly newsletter, give a shout-out to those who helped as well.


These are just a few suggestions to help you manage an event. There are, of course, other things to keep in mind as well. For more info on planning events for NPOs check out the websites for NTEN (Non-Profit Technology Network) and the Fundraising Authority.

 

Posted by Jill Bastian.

Jill Bastian is the Training and Education Manager at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter @Jillieb3.

 

 

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How to Handle an Unsubscribe with Style, Class & a Little Sass

I work for an email marketing provider, so it's a given that I get a lot of email. Sometimes when enough is enough, or I just don't need to receive an email anymore, I click unsubscribe. Often, because I know how hard small businesses work to build their list, I feel guilty. It's important to remember though, that when someone unsubscribes, it's not personal.

I've been intrigued over the years by the different experiences I've encountered with a simple unsubscribe. The unsubscribe process has run the gamut from emails not even containing an unsubscribe link (which breaks the CAN-SPAM law and isn't legit) to those that make you take 5+ steps just to get off a mailing list. However, there are those that actually do a great job of dealing with an unsubscribe with a dash of wit, humor and some smarts.

Read on to see some top notch examples of what to avoid at all costs and what to start doing today:

Make it Easy, Fast and Flawless: When someone wants off your list, let them get off the list, period. Being able to unsubscribe should be as simple as clicking a link that says "unsubscribe" or replying to an email with unsubscribe in the subject line. Don't require users to re-enter their email address, passwords, log-ins or account numbers to unsubscribe. Making people jump through hoops will only irrate them further and it doesn't comply with CAN SPAM, which could then cause them to report your message as SPAM.

This example from Disney.com illustrates how to tick off your readers. They've buried the unsubscribe in a ton of small print text at the bottom of their email. I had to search for it just to find it.

 

Just. Do. It.: Unsubscribes should be processed immediately with no exceptions. In the eyes of the user, they've asked to be removed from your list now. If you wait two days and send them something in the meantime, you're going to be seen as a spammer which you want to avoid at all costs. The CAN-SPAM law permits you ten days to remove someone from your list, but this is the time to deliver immediately without delay.

Appeal to Their Senses: I've seen businesses try a last ditch effort to keep subscribers on their list here with a bit of humor, wit or even guilt (tread lightly) with messages such as this one from eBay:

I like how they make a bid (no pun intended) to get me to stay with the sniff sniff, but still make the unsubscribe process easy.

Here's another example from Fab.com. They do a great job branding their page and using a good balance of humor and efficiency. And, they give you a last chance to opt back in, if for some reason, you've unsubscribed by accident, or have regrets.

 

 

 

 

Taking it much farther is Groupon, as only Groupon can, with this:

 

This example (from 2009) is extreme, especially when a coworker in the background comes up behind and throws coffee at poor Derrick (the guy getting punished for your unsubscribe). I'm certainly not endorsing this as a best practice, and can't say I've ever seen a call to action to punish someone, but this just illustrates what's out there. Not good IMHO (in my honest opinion).

It Doesn't Have to be Ugly: You work hard to provide a flawless user experience and your unsubscribe process should also be on par. Just because your reader is leaving your list (for now), don't make it ugly. Make the effort to brand your unsubscribe confirmation pages (like the example from Fab.com above) and emails just like you would your opt-in form and other landing pages. You want this last impression to be a lasting impression in a good way. 

Remember, just because someone unsubscribes doesn't mean they're a lost cause. Make it easy for people to opt-in to your list on your website, your blog and social media channels like Twitter and Facebook because you never know when they'll change their minds. You can tweet a link to your opt-in form or have it on your business Facebook Timeline in just a few minutes.

You can expect to lose about 30% of your email list each year due to attrition, so keep in mind that growing your list is an on-going process. Then, living up to the promise you delivered when people opt-in is paramount. Give them what you promised and you've won half the battle.

  

Posted by Kim Stiglitz.

Kim Stiglitz is the Director of Lifecycle Marketing at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @Stiggy1.

 

 

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Marketing Lessons From the 'Little Guys'

This article by VerticalResponse CEO and founder Janine Popick originally appeared on Inc.com.

It's usually assumed that when it comes to marketing, small businesses can always learn from their larger counterparts, right? Chances are, the big guys have survived their fair share of marketing campaigns, whether good, bad or downright ugly. Factor in an ample marketing budget and a well-paid marketing team and they're probably light years ahead of smaller businesses. But is that really the case? I beg to differ.

Corporations tend to keep a closer eye on their bottom line, which means they're far less likely to take risks or test out new ideas. Conversely, the folks in charge could also decide to gobble up every last penny in the budget knowing if they don't use it now, it might not be there next year. But what if those dollars came out of their own checking accounts? They'd certainly think twice before spending it now, wouldn't they?

Most small business owners experience pangs of guilt after opening up their pocketbooks. I know I did when I first launched my email marketing company,VerticalResponse. It seemed like every dollar spent on advertising was one less dollar going toward buying new supplies or technology, hiring employees or even clearing their paychecks. It's a pretty tough pill to swallow. Because every dollar is so important, small businesses want to see results for everything they spend, and they want to see them quick.

That's why small businesses must be super creative when it comes to acquiring customers. Here are some things that  I think small businesses are doing good that larger companies might learn a thing or two from.

Grassroots Marketing

 Remember the days of good ol'-fashioned face-to-face networking? Ever see anyone from a huge corporation at a local Chamber of Commerce function? Small business owners frequent these gatherings and network like there's no tomorrow, because a lot times this is their only opportunity to get out of their store or office to meet like-minded people. The San Francisco Chamber, for example, holds after-hours events where local business owners meet, exchange ideas, establish leads and stay in touch however they can. Bigger companies should follow suit by designating community coordinators who can get to know owners by name and attach real, human and hopefully smilling faces to corporate logos.

Social Networking

Small businesses excel at building genuine connections, engaging existing customers and leveraging their networks to secure new prospects. Take San Francisco-based pet boarding facility Pet Camp. They keep in touch with email marketing and include lots of easy-to-share content. They take photos of their campers and post them to their Facebook page (often with hilarious captions), so proud moms and dads can check in on their four-legged family member while away. Of course, larger companies do encourage social media participation – as long as employees follow their gazillion-page social media rulebook. Now I'm not saying social media should be a free-for-all, but companies of all sizes can benefit from having a personality and some flexibility when it comes to social media.

Over-Delivering

In order to set themselves apart from competitors, "mom-and-pop" operations realize a few extra touches make all the difference in the world. I once bought a pair of shoes from a seller on eBay. The package not only arrived in pristine condition, but came with a free shoehorn, leather protection and hand cream. Talk about making the most of your packaging real estate. When was the last time you were treated to a freebie by Amazon?

Being Human

Small businesses do a great job at showing what happens behind the scenes, which helps establish a stronger and more genuine connection with customers. Sonoma, Calif.-based winery Longboard Vineyards encourages readers to learn about Oded the owner, his passion for wine-making and his loyal Longboardians while browsing photos of the lush grounds and their trips to Costa Rica and San Diego. What an great way to immerse people in the company culture.

Lightening Up

Many entrepreneurs start their own businesses for the chance to do what they truly enjoy, not to make it to the top of the corporate ladder. Customers sense this the moment they enter their stores or visit their websites. Vermont's Magic Hat Brew Company injects fun into everything they do, whether it's telling folks about upcoming events or where to buy beer. My own company once shot a rap video to increase awareness of what we do and years later, it's still getting views.

I challenge big businesses to lighten up, get creative and take a few cues from small business owners. Urge your CMOs to pretend they're spending their own money and you'll be surprised at what they come up with to battle the competition and the "little guys." But watch out, we're sure to put up a fight!

 

Posted by Janine Popick

Janine Popick is the CEO and founder of VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @janinepopick, and check out more of her Inc.com columns.

 

 

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All-Hands Meetings: Friend or Foe?

This article by VerticalResponse CEO and founder Janine Popick originally appeared on Inc.com.

I admit it, all-hands meetings are a tough one, especially if you’ve got a larger small business. At my company, VerticalResponse, we were once split between two floors in a building and didn’t have the luxury of space to get everyone together. Once we had a webinar because it got cost prohibitive to get everyone into a local hotel meeting room. Not to mention, I’m not a fan of huge meetings. (My team will tell you that!) I want to talk to everyone about the future of the company and get them as jazzed as I am about it, but I also know it takes a ton of people away from their jobs, and some might look at it as a PITA (pain in the a**).

On top of it all, if my team knew how much I belabored the details of the company meeting, they’d die. Why? Because there’s no BS. I’m talking to people I know, love and trust. They work tirelessly for our customers and I care about each and every one of them. I underestimate the power of my enthusiasm to get people excited about what we do every day, because sometimes the big picture is lost in the details of everyone’s daily life.

But I’ve come to understand more and more that this is exactly what’s needed in our company, and likely your company. The organization has to be marching toward the same goals and if one part of the team isn’t, you know it right away.

Of course, after an all-hands meeting you might get some not-so-positive comments back. You didn’t highlight enough departments (you never can). You didn’t single out and give kudos to all of the members of the team you could have (you never do). You could have gone deeper into the XYZ topic (you always could). But generally, if you’ve got a great message to deliver to your team, and you get them excited about where you’re going as a company, you need to be doing these meetings more often than not – at least quarterly, in my opinion.

Right after our company-wide meeting, all 100-plus of us get together and have pizza, because people are abuzz about what we’ve just talked about, and they want to know more and they want to contribute … Which is exactly what you want in your team.

So what we’ve found to be the best way to communicate to our team is over-communicating. We’ve got monthly newsletters where each department can describe what they’re working on and what they’ve accomplished. The execs take employees from different teams out to lunch for an open forum so they can ask questions (and so can we!). And now we’re going to do all-hands meetings more often, because the more information your team has, the more they’re likely to care.

Do you have regular all-hands meetings? Love to hear how they go!

 

Posted by Janine Popick

Janine Popick is the CEO and founder of VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @janinepopick, and check out more of her Inc.com columns.

 

 

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How to Be an Expert People Trust – and Buy From

When it comes to business, credibility is crucial. People are more likely to pay attention, trust what you have to say, and – most importantly – buy from you when you're reputable. And while things like lots of good word of mouth and positive PR will help boost your credibility, they’re not always something you can control.

Building yourself as an expert in your profession, however, is something you can control. People look to experts to provide new perspectives and help solve their issues. Think about that CEO who has a regular column in a top magazine. Or the person who’s on stage at a conference giving a great presentation. They’re not doing it just for kicks; they’re doing it to establish expertise and credibility so that people, and potential customers, will remember them.

You can do the same; after all, no one knows your business better than you do. Why not show off that knowledge? Chances are, there are people who haven't experienced what you have, and would be interested in what you have to say. Here are a few ways to get started. 

 

1. Determine your topic of expertise – and stick to it

Think about what you can offer in the long term that will help your colleagues and customers. (Tip: It’s not your product or service; see No. 5.) If you own a catering business, you probably have tons of recipes and kitchen shortcuts to share. If you're a fitness trainer, you're the perfect source for people who want to know what works and what doesn't for getting fit. Now's the time to let everyone else know.

Consistency is key when you’re trying to establish yourself as an expert. Our friend Andy Sernovitz, for example, is a well-known thought leader and expert on marketing. He also loves bbq, but you won’t find him blogging away about grilling equipment on his website. Being focused on what you want to be known for makes it easy for people to remember who you are and where they’ve heard about you.

 

2. Stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest

It’s impossible to be an expert at anything if you aren’t aware of what’s going on in the world and in your business category. Keep up with the latest news, trends and issues affecting your industry and your customers. Carve 30 minutes out of your day, every day, to read the headlines. The more you know, the more opportunities you have to provide a perspective on something that's on everyone's radar.

 

3. Produce helpful, compelling content

Now that you’ve got a topic and interesting stuff to say, say it! An easy way to get your viewpoints and expertise out there is through your own blog. The key is to create new content regularly (at least weekly, preferably more often when you’re starting out). This helps create momentum and gives others a reason to check back regularly. Not to mention, all that fresh content is great for search engine optimization (SEO). Get the word out by teasing your blog posts using social media and email marketing. Inform all your colleagues, too, about your blogging efforts so they can share with their networks.

Once you’re in a writing routine, reach out and offer to write for other websites that post content relevant to your industry. This is a great way to get your expertise in front of new eyeballs and boost your authority. Just be sure the site is high quality (beware of content farms) and reaches the audience you want. Trade magazines, too, are often looking for contributors. Whether it's an online or offline publication, you usually can include a short author’s bio with a couple of sentences about who you are and your company, as well as a URL.

 

4. Apply for speaking engagements

Old-fashioned face-to-face is still very important when it comes to establishing expertise. Plus, with everyone live-tweeting and live-blogging these days, being a speaker or panelist is even more rewarding. Every industry has trade shows and conferences with presenters, panelists, workshops and more, and they usually issue a “call for speakers” four to five months before the event, depending on event size. (If there isn’t one, reach out to the event coordinator.) Start with smaller events to get your feet wet and gain some experience.

 

5. Don’t be self-promotional

Approaching this as a strategy to talk about how great your company is will get you nowhere fast – and ruin your credibility. You must be genuinely invested in helping your colleagues and customers. Whether it’s blogging or speaking, you need to provide real, ongoing value so that people will remember you. Once you’ve established that awareness, it’s much easier for them to choose you over the competition when they’re in the market for your product or service.

 

Becoming an industry leader won’t happen overnight, and it shouldn’t – building credibility and trust requires time. But if you’re committed, you should start seeing a positive difference in your reputation and in your business.

Who are the leaders in your industry, and what do they do to establish their expertise?

 

Posted by Connie Sung Moyle

Connie Sung Moyle is the Public Relations Manager at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @sungmoyle.

 

 

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Not Just for Job Seekers - 3 Ways to Get More Out of LinkedIn

If you're like most Internet users out there, you probably think of LinkedIn as the world's largest career-oriented social network. With 161 million members and hundreds of thousands of job opportunities listed every year, this would indeed be an accurate description of the company. What you may not realize, though, is that LinkedIn can be far more than just a networking site for job seekers. In fact, for many professionals, it is arguably the premier social network for personal branding in a professional environment. Here are three easy ways to get LinkedIn to work for you:

 

1) Showcase Your Content

LinkedIn provides a great opportunity for you to share your content on the web. Aside from simply posting content as a status update, as you would on Facebook or Twitter, though, give your content an extra boost by using a few additional methods:

• Post to Groups: LinkedIn Groups are a powerful way to interact with other professionals with similar interests as yourself. Join groups based on your industry and affiliations and post your original content to your groups' "Discussions" section. Ask for feedback and use your posts as a springboard for deeper conversations.

 

• Link to Your Blog: Most major blogging platforms provide an application to display your most recent posts on LinkedIn. Go to the "Applications" section under the "More" tab on your LinkedIn profile, find the app provided by your blogging platform, install and you're done. Your profile will then automatically update whenever you have a new blog post.

 

• Share Presentations: Create a SlideShare account to host your presentations and use the SlideShare for LinkedIn app to display them on your profile. SlideShare presentations also support YouTube videos, making them a great way to add video content to your LinkedIn page. Additionally, you can also use links in your presentations to drive traffic to conversion pages on your website.
  

 

2) Improve Your Personal SEO

Because of the way LinkedIn indexes its pages for search engines, it is the most powerful social network for search engine optimization. Do a web search for your name and company to see for yourself; LinkedIn profiles frequently appear in top search results. There are three key areas in your LinkedIn profile to focus on if you'd like to improve your SEO for people who might be searching for someone with your skill set: Headline, Summary, and Skills and Expertise. Make sure that the copy you use in all three of these places reflects the keywords people would use most often to discover you.

 

3) Highlight Your Expertise

LinkedIn Groups (mentioned above) are a great way to show off your expertise by participating in relevant discussions, but there is another LinkedIn service that is often overlooked and arguably an even better method: LinkedIn Answers. Set up in a familiar Q&A format, LinkedIn Answers represents an opportunity for you to provide value to people looking for specific information. In many cases, folks asking questions are right at the purchase consideration point of looking for products or services. This can be a sweet spot for you to be in if you're what they're looking for.

Regardless, answering questions relevant to your industry is also a fabulous way to establish credibility and thought-leadership in your industry. While providing valuable information to the inquiry should be your first line of business, don't be afraid to promote your offerings as well in the context of the answer. To find questions that you're most suited to answer, simply visit LinkedIn Answers and perform an advanced search for topics you can speak to.

 

This list is by no means exhaustive, but these actions are a good place to start when looking to get more out of your LinkedIn presence. For even more ideas on how to put together an awesome LinkedIn profile, check out our free recorded webinar, LinkedIn for your Business.

 

Posted by Ellery Long

Ellery Long is the Social Media Manager at VerticalResponse. Connect with him on Twitter at @EL.

 

 

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5 Golden Rules to Creating a Significant Email Newsletter

Do you remember the theme song to The Golden Girls? Don’t hold back now, sing it with me: “Thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant.” In the world of email marketing, guess who your customers’ pal and confidant is? Ding, ding! Your newsletter… and there’s research to prove it!

According to the Nielsen Norman Group's latest and extensive Email Newsletter Usability report (based on 270 email newsletters across 6 different countries), readers feel an emotional attachment to their email newsletters.

“Newsletters feel personal because they arrive in users' inboxes, and users have an ongoing relationship with them… The positive aspect of this emotional relationship is that newsletters can create much more of a bond between users and a company than a website can.” 

Did you read that? Newsletters create a bond. Cue Golden Girls theme song again. So how do we ensure we remain the Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia of newsletters to our readers? Follow these five steps and you’ll be golden: 

 

1. Be informative   

You might be rolling your eyes and scoffing, “well, duh,” but being informative and relevant is the end all/be all in the newsletter stratosphere. It’s also how we make friends (hint hint: girl/bro talk!). If your email looks like a newsletter and smells (?) like a newsletter, but isn’t valuable, educational and/or dripping with juicy new content, then you can’t call it a newsletter. So what do people consider valuable content?

According to the Nielsen Norman Group, more than 40% of users said that each of the following aspects make for valuable newsletters:

• Informs of work-related news or company actions (mentioned by 2/3 of users)
• Informs about personal interests/hobbies 
• Informs about events/deadlines/important dates 
• Reports prices/sales

Hungry Girl has an uber-informative daily newsletter (with more than 1 million subscribers!). If you love food, but you’re watching your weight, she’s got the know-how on just about everything including newly released low fat/cal sweets, eats & recipes. Starting out with an email newsletter in 2004, Hungry Girl today has exploded into NY Times Bestseller book deals, a Food Network TV show, and features on The Rachel Ray Show, Good Morning America and more. Looks like having an informative newsletter is nothing to scoff at! 

 

2. Lose the (sales) hype

People like to be informed of sales, but it shouldn’t be your main focus in a newsletter - that’s what promo-specific emails are for. To the contrary, your newsletter is a trusted friend being let into your reader’s home/inbox. If someone lets you into their home and you instantly transform into a pushy salesman with a pitch, they’re going to think twice about opening the door for you (i.e., opening your newsletter) again. If you want to promote a sale or a product in your newsletter, do so like a friend would: “Did you know they’re having a friends and family sale at Gap until Sunday? Let’s go!” and leave it at that.

3. Keep it brief & aim for a click 

Guess how long the average person spends reading a newsletter? Hours, perhaps? That’s flattering, but in reality: 51 seconds! Don’t let that get you down though. We live in scan-to-survive times because attention spans are spread thin. Keeping your content scannable with content blocks, brief blurbs, snapshots, takeaways and/or bullet points will give your readers’ eyes a scanning sigh of relief. But remember, friendship is give and take, and you deserve something too! Satisfy your readers just enough, but leave them eager to learn more via a click. Lead readers back to your site/blog/social media network for more info. The point of a newsletter isn’t to make a sale, it’s to build a relationship with your audience, to inform/educate, and snag some clicks... which, with any luck, will eventually lead to a sale.

“Newsletters need to be smooth and easy: they must be seen to reduce the burdens of modern life. Even if free, the cost in e-mail clutter must be paid for by being helpful and relevant to users - and by communicating these benefits in a few characters in the subject line.” - Nielsen Norman Group

Save the Waves Coalition (a VerticalResponse non-profit customer!) does an excellent job of breaking up their content into brief content blocks with additional links for more information:

4. Be reliable and consistent 

Don’t you just hate flaky friends? I mean, you love them, but they’re unreliable, unpredictable, and the more they flake, the less likely you look to them for friendship. The same goes for your newsletter. If you tell readers to look for your newsletter each week, you better be there, because oh, they’re expecting it! Pick a frequency, whether it be daily, weekly, monthly, etc. and stick to it. Make sure to tell readers on your opt-in form just how often they can expect to hear from you – some people don’t like surprises, last minute drop ins and/or no shows.

“69% of users said that they look forward to receiving at least one newsletter, and most users said a newsletter had become part of their routine. Very few other promotional efforts can claim this degree of customer buy-in.” - Nielsen Norman Group

5. Let them opt-out easily

Breaking up is rough, but would you rather someone break up with you calmly, or unknowingly throw you under a bus? A person unsubscribing from your newsletter is just a fact of life, and it’s nothing to take personally. However, the harder you make it for someone to unsubscribe, the easier it allows them to click that seemingly insignificant “spam” button, and BAM! under the bus you go. Let your readers go easily if they so desire (they can always come back!) and make your unsubscribe link easy to find. Otherwise, sitting in a spam box will only cause your delivery, open, click through, etc. rates to go down.

Creating a personable, presentable and significant email newsletter takes work, but it creates a friendship with your customers that most marketing strategies can't. Follow these five golden rules, and your customers will “thank you for being a friend.” 

• If you’d like to dive even deeper into the depths of email newsletter creation, attend our Email Newsletters: Ideas & Tips to Get You Started webinar on June 27, 1 pm PT. 

• Also, did you that know that we’ve done a lot of the newsletter design work for you? Check out our newsletter templates (page 3) in your VerticalResponse account.

• Lastly, we couldn’t write a post about email newsletters without asking if you receive our own? Check out and sign up for the VR Buzz here!

 

Posted by Colleen Corkery

Colleen Corkery is a Lifecycle Marketing Coordinator at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @youcollme.

 

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How Mobile is Your Marketing? 4 Tactics to Try Today

Go Mobile with Your Marketing

We’ve come a long way since the first mobile phone call was made in 1973. Back then, the mobile phone weighed a hefty 2 pounds and cost nearly $4K! Fast-forward to 2012 and 70% of the world’s population has a mobile phone. That’s more than 5 billion mobile subscribers, and in the US, that's 9 out of 10 people!

Mobile phones are a way of life that enable us to communicate and interact with each other in real-time. Does this change the way you market your business? It should. Here are 4 tactics to try to connect with customers in ways you never dreamed possible:

1. Create a mobile site
About a year ago we launched a mobile version of our website to capitalize on the roughly 69% of consumers that are using their smartphones for Internet access. This way, when someone is searching for our site on a smartphone, they're presented a mobile-optimized version of our website that is streamlined for mobile usage. We include a call-to-action to sign up for an account to capture any new customers that may be browsing for an email service provider, and we’ve had thousands of signups as a result. Not bad considering these folks might not've signed up otherwise. A little effort can go a long way. And, while slightly less than 5% of our overall traffic is coming from mobile users, we know this is an important channel that will continue to grow.

 

2. Get Listed
Is your business listed on a mobile directory? Say what, you ask? Yes, that’s right, there are directories specifically for mobile search and if your business isn't listed, you may be missing out on valuable opportunities. Some of these listings and directories include Google Places Mobile, AroundMe and Yahoo! Local Mobile. When someone is searching on a mobile device, it'll recognize where the user is and will deliver search results based on that location. Get your business listed and capture the potential of mobile search.

3. Click to Call
If you’re sending out emails to promote your business, good for you. We’re big fans at VerticalResponse because that’s what we do! We’ve penned a ton of blogs with tips for designing your emails for mobile devices which is a must-do. Heck, we've even written an entire guide about it. But, have you thought about simply including a "click to call" link in your emails? It's a powerful “touch” because with a single click, the recipient can immediately be connected to your business. Quick, simple and effective.

4. Get Social
Social networking websites like Foursquare and Facebook Places use the smartphone's GPS to enable users to “check in” at different locations around their neighborhood, or around the world. If you haven’t already, set up your business page on these sites and others like them so customers can actively engage with your business and help spread the word when they post their check-in to their social networks. Then, their friends will see the check-in and see your business. It's simple word of mouth marketing, without the mouth.

 

There you have it. 4 things to take action on with your marketing to get mobile-friendly. Let me know how it works for you!

*Stats via Digital Buzz & Google

 

Posted by Kim Stiglitz

Kim Stiglitz is the Director of Lifecycle Marketing at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @Stiggy1.

To Personalize or Not to Personalize - Which Drives the Best Results?

There’s been a lot of back and forth regarding the use of personalization in email. Many argue personalization (in the subject line for example) can leave your emails feeling spam-like and generate negative results when it comes to open and click rates. Others swear by personalization, claiming it increases clicks and engagement. What’s the verdict? Like most things in life, there is no right answer. Testing your email to find what works best with your audience is key. See below for tips on using personalization in email and determining which method of personalization works best for your business.

Personalize with a purpose – Including personalization for the sake of attaining an extra open or click will get you just that…an extra open or click. To truly engage recipients, include personalization to address a subscriber's preferences and needs. Use the data you have on purchase history, demographics, location or customer status to personalize messages and give a more intimate and tailored feel. For example, a winery may include the name of a particular Sauvignon Blanc a customer has purchased paired with suggestions of similar flavors; or an airline may include a merge field for the number of frequent flyer miles each recipient has earned along with suggested travel locations.

Example of Loyalty Points Personalization

 

Use the appropriate salutation – Including a recipient’s name in the introduction or greeting of an email is one of the most common forms of personalization. The salutation one selects to pair with the first name can determine whether your email sounds causual or more formal. A simple “Hello, {First Name}” or “Hi, {First Name}” is appropriate in most communications (remember to include a default such as "Valued Customer" in case your list or data is missing the first name for one or more list members). It can be especially important in B-to-B, or more formal communications to include the first name merge in your greeting. It'll appear professional and will make recipients feel as if they're reading a message that was composed for them specifically.

Example of First Name Personalization and Default Value

 

Get creative with your data – Think outside the box and get your recipients’ attention by using crafty personalization tactics. Your customers will be more likely to engage with an email they notice, will appreciate your effort and your business will appear clever, timely and relevant. This subject line from last Valentine’s Day, "The clock is ticking! Send Rebecca a Valentine's Day Bouquet" merged in the name of a recipient's loved one - a great example of using personalization wisely.  

Example of Personalization in the Subject Line

 

Not sure whether or not you should personalize or which salutation will get your recipients to respond? Perform a split test and  send one email with personalized information and one email without. Testing is the best way to determine what will give you the best results. It really comes down to whether or not the information you include in your email is relevant, interesting, and useful. Once recipients find your content engaging, they'll continue to open your emails and interact with what's inside.

Posted by Savannah Stewart

Savannah Stewart is a Lifecycle Marketing Coordinator at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @savannahstewart.

 

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Thinking about Launching an Online Contest? Read This First

It used to be that you literally had to throw your name into a hat for a chance to win something. Now that online promotions are the norm, you have more tools than ever to create a cool, engaging contest to excite your audience and build your brand. Just recently, the VerticalResponse Next Teen Tycoon video contest came to an end and we wanted to share what we learned (some of it the hard way!).

If you’re thinking about launching a contest of your own, these eight tips will start you off on the right track.

1. Set your goals

Just like any marketing campaign, you need to establish what you want to get out of the contest before you get into anything else. Is it more Facebook fans? Traffic to your website? Press coverage? Set specific metrics you want to accomplish at the end of the contest, whether it’s an X percent increase in fans or traffic, or X number of stories and articles written about the contest. Then develop your promotion, user interaction flow and follow-up based on those goals.

 

2. Know the laws

This isn't a whole lot of fun, but the most important. There are different laws and regulations for different types of promotions (sweepstakes versus giveaways, for example), and they can vary by state, too. We strongly advise having a lawyer or legal expert review your official contest rules. Check out Social Media Examiner’s great post on online promotions and the law.

Additionally, if you’re using Facebook or another third-party platform to host your contest, they may have their own set of guidelines. For example, promotions on Facebook must be administered within Facebook Apps. Here are the latest Facebook Page rules, including promotions.

 

3. Make it easy to enter

It makes sense: The more hoops people have to go through to enter a contest, the less likely they’ll do it. It’s best not to require participants to do something complicated unless the potential payoff is in line with the large amount of effort. Sweepstakes have the lowest barrier to entry, since all you need to do is throw your name and email address into the bucket. With giveaways, a prize that’s exclusive or in limited supply will attract more interest than just something off the shelf. Video contests, with all the preparation and equipment needed, tend to draw fewer (but more engaged) entrants.

4. Give ’em something worth their efforts

When was the last time you entered a drawing for a free pack of gum? Yeah, I can’t remember either. I’m not saying the prize needs to be worth X amount of dollars, but it should feel special. Some of the most creative online promotions are memorable and successful because they speak directly to their audience’s interests. Side note: Having multiple, tiered prizes makes people think they have a greater chance of winning, something to think about.

5. Consider an online promotions app

The idea for your contest might be a simple one, but the technical aspects of running it – tracking, sniffing out fraud, measuring success, etc. – might be beyond your in-house abilities, especially if it turns into a wildly popular contest. We used Wildfire Interactive to help manage our Next Teen Tycoon contest and that decision ultimately saved the team a ton of time; their prices are small biz-friendly too, starting at $5 per promotion plus $0.99 per day of the contest.

 

6. Be prepared for fraud

You’ll be surprised at how “creative” people can get to try to game the system – especially if there’s a big prize up for grabs. Sites like Fiverr.com and FansGalore.net make it super simple for someone to buy votes, likes, fans, views, etc. We’ve also seen people on forums trading points, virtual gifts and other types of currency for votes (we learned this the hard way). Not cool.

What to do? First and foremost, include a clause in your contest rules that states you have the right to disqualify a contestant at any time for any reason. Once the contest is launched, monitor things closely. If someone gets a big, sudden spike in votes, strange comments/commenters, email addresses or social media accounts that don’t seem real, you’ll need to put on your detective hat. This is when a third-party app vendor comes in handy: They can provide vote logs, IP addresses and other information you might not have easy access to otherwise.

7. Partner up

Reach out to other companies, individuals and organizations that might be interested in supporting your contest so you can leverage their clout and willingness to spread the word. You’ll be surprised at how willing folks are to help, especially if your contest is tied to a feel-good cause. Being associated with well-known organizations boosts your contest’s credibility, too!

For example, with our Next Teen Tycoon contest we partnered with respected groups like TEDxTeen, The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and Teens in Tech. They promoted our contest like crazy to their own networks because we were looking to help teen entrepreneurs, and teen entrepreneurs are their audience. Even big companies like Dell and Inc. Magazine hopped on board because they wanted to be associated with a program that promotes entrepreneurship and small business.

8. Get ready to shout from the rooftops

Just because you built it doesn’t mean they will come. Create a link or badge for your website’s home page directing visitors to wherever your contest is hosted. Once it’s launched, mention it regularly on social media (don’t forget to create a unique #hashtag for Twitter). Send out a dedicated email marketing campaign or two. Ask your employees to include a link to the contest in their email signatures. And don’t forget to remind your partners to let their peeps know!

If your contest involves a semi-finalist or finalist round, those who advance will likely be super motivated to get their followers to help them win. Make it easier for them by creating badges that they can post to their websites or blogs, and provide suggested copy (with link, of course) for their social media posts and tweets. Don’t forget to include a clear call-to-action so their followers know what to do.

Running an online contest or promotion takes time, effort and a leap of faith in your audience, but the results can be well worth it, if done right. Have any cool contests come across your radar lately? 

 

Posted by Connie Sung Moyle

Connie Sung Moyle is the Public Relations Manager at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter at @sungmoyle.

 

 

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Calling All Teen Entrepreneurs: Enter Our Next Teen Tycoon Contest and Win!