Hello,

I hope you took the opportunity to think more creatively after last month's newsletter. If the creative juices are flowing, now you're ready to plan your e-mail marketing program. Let's get started.

Cordially,

Harry Hoover
harry@hoover-ink.com
Ink Briefs
Have you missed any issues of Think? Visit the newsroom section of my site to see the archives. hoover-ink.com.


According to a recent survey of consumer attitudes, spam is making it harder for permission-based e-mail programs to differentiate, gain and maintain relationships of trust with consumers.

But if done right, the data shows that respondents who had the longest permission e-mail relationships with companies buy more online, respond more frequently to e-mail offers, and value permission relationships significantly more than the average user.

Other findings include:

- Permission-based e-mail greatly affects brand perceptions

- Subscribers with the highest standard of privacy are among the best customers

- Respondents value predictability in messaging


With Hoover ink, you can easily develop a successful relationship management or e-marketing program. Contact harry@hoover-ink.com.



Our link of the month is an excellent resource for either PR people with media relations responsibilities or for freelance writers: www.woodenhorsepub.com.




About Hoover ink

Hoover ink helps position businesses that are serious about their success. Then, we craft and deliver bottom line messages that ensure it.

Who are we? We're a marketing communications firm with more than 25 years experience in providing services to financial, high tech, real estate, tourism and consumer products companies.

From employee relations and media relations to collateral material and e-newsletters, we develop the programs and communication tools that will differentiate you from your competitors. And that's the bottom line.
 
  Plan? We Don't Need No Stinking Plan!

"Who needs a plan? It's only e-mail. Let's just launch it and see what happens."

Too many organizations launch half-baked e-mail programs and then are disappointed when they fail. A plan helps manage expectations as well as focus your efforts. It does not have to be War And Peace, but it should include at least the following:

- Objectives
- Audience Definition
- Key Messages
- Format
- Tactics
- Timeline
- Budget
- Measurement

First, determine what is it that you want the e-mail program to achieve from marketing and communications perspectives. Is this a newsletter designed for relationship management purposes, or is it a sales-oriented vehicle? Are you trying to build awareness, generate leads, increase web traffic, encourage loyalty, or close sales?

Next, define audiences. Who are you trying to reach? What do you know about them? Are you addressing multiple audiences? If so, do you need to segment your audiences and develop e-mails with different messages? How will each audience profit from your communications.
  The Devil's In The Details
Now, what is it you want to say? What's the nature of the content? Will this include just editorial information or will it also contain some sales-oriented material?

Closely tied to messages is your format. Are you producing a newsletter with a lot of editorial material, or does it contain brief snippets of information? Is it an announcement list, a discussion list, or commercial messages? Think about your audiences as you develop the most appropriate format.

Your tactics section lays out tasks and responsibilities. What technology do you need? Do you have in-house e-mail capabilities or should you use an application such as www.ntarget.com?

How will you build and manage your list? How will you acquire new subscribers? Who will create content, design and distribute the e-mail?

Now, develop a schedule for having your technology in place, building your list, creating content, designing and distributing the e-mail, and determining if it is weekly or monthly.

Your budget may help you answer many of the questions above. Smaller budgets may mean you complete a lot of the work in-house.

Finally, establish criteria for measuring the program. An awareness program may call for some baseline research so you'll know how you are doing.

A relationship management program may measure customer retention. Increased click-through from your e-mail to your website is also a measurable element.

Sales-oriented programs might measure total sales from e-mail, or incremental sales increases with individual customers.

The bottom line is this: a little time spent planning your program is important because like potatoes, e-mail marketing is bad when half-baked.