When it comes to email marketing, there are lots of things that can go wrong, but the real ship sinker, according to Christoper S. Penn, is to have someone click the “report as spam” button on an email you send. Chris was a recent guest speaker at PodCamp NH, where ActiveEdge’s Diane Vautier also was a guest session leader.
The “report as spam” button adds your name to a Black List that identifies you as an unsolicited emailer (or spammer) and could potentially shut down your email program entirely. Now, assuming you’ve been carefully cultivating your in-house list and been vigilantly maintaining what you thought was a clean list, this may come as quite a shock. If the recipient originally opted-in, why are they now reporting the email as spam?
Apparently, email recipients will use whatever tool or button is most convenient for them to manage their inbox. Typically the “report as spam” button is located at the top of the page and is easier to find and click on than the unsubscribe options. The tendency then is to use the “report as spam” button instead of scrolling to the bottom of the email to “unsubscribe”.
Although “report spam” is NOT a substitute for unsubscribe, time-pressed users may choose it anyway just to save a few mouse clicks.
So, how do marketers avoid this killer click? Chris suggests adding an opt-out path at the top of the email. Some may find this to be counter-intuitive, but Chris has found that doing so, actually retains users and reduces the chance that they’ll take the path of least resistance when it comes to managing their inbox.
Do you offer an easy unsubscribe option on your email?
Are you sick and tired of seeing the same old company logo staring back at you day after day? Are you bored with the monotonous repetition of seeing it printed everywhere, on letterhead, online, on business cards, on shirts? Is it always constant and ever present?
Well my friends your boredom with your logo is NOT a good reason to update it. That’s right. In fact, consistency, repetitiveness, and omnipresence are actually good things for a brand to have. So, just because you’re sick of looking at it doesn’t mean your customers and the market in general are over-exposed to it.
But (and there’s always a but), there are some perfectly good reasons a logo update may be in order for your company. Here are some we’ve found to be especially on target.
1. You’re Visually Outdated. Like your favorite pair of bell bottom jeans from your childhood, a logo can and often does, get out of style and stale. Burnt orange and brown may have been really popular colors when you first had the logo designed, but today, those colors could be more reminiscent of your grandmothers shag carpet and living room décor than the cutting edge company that you are. That’s even despite the fact that some retro colors have actually made a comeback. Read more »
Given the tough economic times many have experienced this year, we chose to donate to and support our neighborhood community in order to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.
Instead of sending the usual holiday gift baskets to our top 10 clients, we made a donation to feed a local family of five for a week. That means that 10 families will have what they need to celebrate this holiday season.
Whatever special occasion you celebrate at this time of year, we hope it’s filled with good friends, good health, and joy.
Email Marketing, Marketing, Uncategorized | Diane Vautier | 
October 25, 2010 2:44 pm | 
Comments (2) 
This holiday season, 
