RyTech, LLC
  • Home
  • Solutions
    • Social Media
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • SEM & PPC
    • Website Development
    • Email Marketing
    • Text Message Marketing
    • Content Creation
    • Graphic Design
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About
    • Meet Team RyTech
    • News
    • Careers
    • Webinars

Learn @ RyTech

4 Email Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You

2/15/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
When you send out an email campaign are you getting the results you want? Whether you seek an increase in open rates, click rates, or a specific action, not achieving these goals can be frustrating and possibly detrimental to your organization. For many email marketers, there is no formal strategy or timeline when it comes to sending emails. A new product comes out, there’s an organizational announcement, or they feel they have the subscribers, so you should “just get something out.” Unfortunately, the “get something out” mentality, as with any aspect of your business, can leave your subscribers/consumers receiving nonessential information.

Along with not having an internal strategy, there are several mistakes your team may be making that are costing you money. These four mistakes include not having a strategy, straying from brand guidelines, not building a reputable list, and not creating segments within your master list.

1. Not Having a Strategy

You wouldn’t launch a product or service without a strategy, so why are you marketing your business without one? Creating an in-depth strategy can ensure the right message is getting out to the right people, with the right message. With the freedom to be tailored to your organization, a strategy should answer the most important internal questions: what are your goals, what has worked in the past (applicable if you’re currently sending out emails), and deciding what content should be sent out.

2. Straying From Your Brand

No matter what email platform the organization is using (MailChimp, Constant Contact, etc.), staying within brand guidelines ensures your subscribers will be able to distinguish your email in their inbox. While all of the platforms have a library of templates and features that can be used to make your campaigns pop, switching the look and feel too often or using prebuilt designs will give the look and feel of a prebuilt message and one that wasn’t customized for your valuable contacts. In short, you should not need to rebuild the wheel for every email. The most well-known brands have slogans and campaigns that include key aspects that are carried from one marketing tool to the next.

3. Not Building a Reputable List

A question almost every digital marketer is asked, “I have this huge list of emails, why aren’t people taking action?” To which we all respond, “How did you build your list of subscribers?” If your answer involves purchasing a list or adding every individual you’ve ever met, you may have built a large list, but not one of value. Building a reputable list still involves people you’ve met, but also asking people if they’d like to receive your emails. Implementing different opt-in strategies guarantees your message is going out to people that are interested and will more than likely execute your desired action. Opt-in solutions can include opt-in forms, either on your website, a social platform, or simply sent out to your list to determine who would like to continue receiving your message. Opt-in forms are a time and cost effective way to ensure you’re message is reaching the right people.

4. Lumping Everyone Into One List/Category/Segment

Once you’ve built a reputable list, it’s time to ensure those subscribers are going to act on your call to action. Having every email campaign go to all of your subscribers is not capitalizing on their unique traits such as decision-making power, interests, or demographics. Creating different segments or tagging contacts with “donor” or “programming” gives you the power to send emails tailored to a specific audience. If one product or service needs an introduction or a bit of a push, having segmented contacts will guarantee your message will be seen.
​

Subscribe to RyTech Revelations to have additional email marketing tips delivered straight to your inbox!
Subscribe to RyTech Revelations
0 Comments

How to Increase Email Open Rates with A/B Testing

5/29/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
It is of vital importance to modify your email marketing in accordance with ongoing trends. But with so many marketers using emails to promote their brand, how can you set yourself apart? The answer is, by testing your options.

What is A/B Testing?

A/B testing for email marketing, also known as split testing, is a method of working out which of two email campaign options is the most effective. In layman's terms, email A/B testing is a method of comparing two versions of an email with changes to only one element. Applying this method in your marketing efforts will help you determine which element is giving you the highest open rate and conversion. 

The effectiveness of A/B testing lies in the fact that even though there isn’t a drastic change happening in the email by changing a single element, there can be a tremendous change in the metrics collected after the campaign is sent out. In this blog post, we will focus on improving open rates for your email marketing campaigns. 

What Elements Can Be A/B Tested?

Each email blast is set up with a multitude of different components and there is an opportunity to test every one of them. The two most common components tested for improving open rates are the subject line and send time.

How Do You Prepare for A/B Testing?

Before you move ahead with conducting A/B testing, it is important to chart out your strategy and ask these questions:

  • What component will be tested?

  • What is the size of your test group?

  • What will be the time period between the send time and analysis time

  • the metrics to analyze the winning campaign?

After you have answered these questions and successfully put together your A/B test, you can use the following tips into practice to improve the effectiveness of your A/B testing.
​
  1. Have a hypothesis: Your hypothesis is the starting point of an A/B testing This is where you assume a particular reason behind your current email performance and based on this hypothesis, you take steps to improve it.

  2. Frame your test according to your goal: Set up one test for each of the elements and pitch your winning email based on increased open rates.

  3. Ensure consistency: Ensure that the variation between the two elements is not entirely different in your test campaigns. For instance, subject lines “Special offer! Buy today” and “We have a special offer just for you!” is a good variation.

  4. Segment your list: A/B testing needs to be conducted between your subscribers that are like-minded. If you don’t segment your email list before sending your A/B testing, your results are going to be affected since the engagement rate might be skewed.

  5. Split the list wisely: Your test segments need to be large enough to reach statistical relevance. So, before you test your email campaign, check if the list is large enough for an A/B split.
    ​

  6. Learn from your past: Evaluate campaigns from the past that are relevant to each other and analyze what has worked best versus what did not.

Analyze the Data

A/B testing can be taxing the first few tries, but experts in email marketing consistently use it to serve nothing but the best to their subscribers and thereby increase open rates. Comparing and analyzing data from your tests will help you take the guess work out of your marketing efforts with tailored user experiences. 

Are you planning to conduct A/B testing in your next email marketing campaign? Or are you having trouble getting started? Let us know about your experience in the comments below or contact us directly to learn more!
0 Comments

Email Etiquette: Business to Customer

10/4/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Questions, comments, concerns -- they are bound to appear in your inbox from both happy and not so happy customers.  Before you get all worked up to sing their praises or virtually yell at your customer, keep in mind good business email etiquette. Email is not only a means of communication, but also a tool to form lasting impressions on customers.

Tone.

Often times the emotion behind our message gets lost in our keystrokes. Be extra friendly so that your customer knows for sure you have good intention in your message.

Proofread for spelling and grammar.

Spell check is your best friend. There is no easier way to look unprofessional than a poorly formatted email with spelling and grammar errors.  Know that your computer can not catch every little mistake. Take the time to read through your message before you send it out.

Be brief and thorough.

Separate your email like a memo -- no one wants to read a novel.  Include the information you need to get across clearly and concisely. ​

Timely.

When people have questions, they want answers and they want them now.  Responding to an email as soon as possible is best practice. But don’t answer for the sake of answering -- be sure you have each aspect of their questions covered. Do your best to acquire the information you need so you can pass it on within roughly 24 hours. If you need more time, let them know. This way they’re aware that you received their question and that you’re looking into it.

State who you are.

Think of how often you’ve used an email signature to find someone’s phone number or other information. Having a clear footer with your name, position title and links to your website/social media demonstrates credibility and professionalism. ​

Be available.

As the conversation comes to a close or the problem is resolved, make it clear that you will still be there to help if anything comes up. Offer your assistance, even if they do not take you up on it. The gesture will not go unnoticed.

Stay positive.

If you have an angry customer, do not fight fire with fire. Respond calmly in a rational, collective, and positive manner. If you did happen to make a mistake, own up to it and offer proactive solutions.

Pick up the phone.

​Some things are best discussed verbally. A five-minute phone conversation can save you hours of back-and-forth emailing. It shows that you’re personable, efficient and invested in your relationship with the customer. If you need documentation of what was discussed for future reference, send a confirmation email after hanging up. It can be something as simple as “Hi, I’m just emailing to confirm our phone conversation in which we discussed…”

In today's age of constant communication, it's important to pay attention to the small details of email etiquette with your customers. Use these tips and let us know how you plan on improving your email communication with your audience!

0 Comments

The Dos and Don’ts of Email Segmentation

8/10/2017

0 Comments

 
Email Segmentation
It feels like a game of “Guess Who?” trying to segment your email list.  Who is going to pay attention to your newsletter? Who is most likely to purchase your new product if you send it to them? Segmenting your email list is a powerful tool that will help you engage with the right people at the right time so you get the best open and click-through rates. No need to play a guessing game. Here’s what you should be looking for when beginning the segmentation process.

Demographics

Gender, age, family, income, and job can tell a lot about your audience's needs and interests. This information can be obtained during the sign up process. But be careful, you do not want to ask too many questions and scare people away. Pick 1-3 demographic questions that are most valuable to your company.  If you are in retail, gender will be important to note, but if you're in finance, income is more valuable information.

Geographics

Location is key to unlocking the interests and lifestyle of different individuals.  Knowing this information can help you pick the best time to send your email, provide you with information on local events that could tie into your email campaign, and personalize content in a special way. Gathering this information can be useful right off the bat when people sign up. ​

Behavioral

Who has engaged with emails in the past? What kind of emails did they engage with? Keep sending them emails of the same nature. If they have purchased or enlisted your services in the past, you are beginning to collect data on not only the items they like, but also the items they may need more of or replaced in the future. You know how much they have spent and may be able to spend again in the future.

Context

Sending out a quiz or survey to those on your email list can provide you with a plethora of information. Ask them about how they would use, or do use, your product and service.  Here you can get a sense of their tastes, beliefs, likes, and dislikes so that you can then better tailor your emails to them. Here you can gain a whole new array of tools to segment your mail list.

Email segmentation may seem tricky at first, but if you incorporate the right elements from the start, you will have useful information to improve your targeted messaging. Take the necessary steps to ensure that you’re using email marketing to your advantage.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Receive Our Blog Posts via Email

    * indicates required

    Categories

    All
    A/b Testing
    Bounce Rates
    Brand Awareness
    Brand Development
    Cloud
    Communication Strategies
    Content Creation
    Content Marketing
    Digital Advertising
    Digital Marketing
    Edtech
    Email Marketing
    Generating Leads
    Giveaway
    Google Ads
    Google Adwords
    Google Analytics
    Graphic Design
    Guest Blogger
    History
    Increase Open Rates
    Keyword Research
    Link Building
    LinkedIn
    Local Link Building
    Logo Design
    Marketing
    Marketing For Law Firms
    News
    Open Graph Protocol
    PPC
    Real Estate
    Review
    Sales Funnel
    Search Engine Optimization
    Seo
    Small Business Tips
    Social Listening
    Social Media
    Social Meta Tags
    Technology
    Text Message Marketing
    Website

    Archives

    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    October 2012
    September 2012

    RSS Feed

Solutions

Social Media
Search Engine Optimization
SEM/PPC
Website Development
Email Marketing
Text Message Marketing
Content Creation​
​Graphic Design

About RyTech

About
Meet the Team
News
Blog
Careers

Information

Contact
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Picture
CHICAGO
21 South La Grange Road
Suite 200
La Grange, Illinois 60525
630.537.0556

CHICAGO
320 West Ohio Street
Suite 3W
Chicago, Illinois 60654
312.460.2380 

MILWAUKEE
1845 North Farwell Avenue
Suite 220
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
414.395.0657

WASHINGTON, DC
7315 Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 400W
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
301.458.3022

​© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • Solutions
    • Social Media
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • SEM & PPC
    • Website Development
    • Email Marketing
    • Text Message Marketing
    • Content Creation
    • Graphic Design
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • About
    • Meet Team RyTech
    • News
    • Careers
    • Webinars