The Dos and Donts of Email Communications

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The Dos and Donts of Email Communications

• Presented by
• Dina M. Lewis, CAE
• Distilled Logic, LLC
• To
• The Council of State Executive Directors of the
  NRPA

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Agenda

• A Case for an Email Strategy
• Tips for Managing Incoming Email
• Tips for Managing Internal Email
• Focus on Outgoing Email
• Protecting your brand
• Managing your lists
• Using emails or newsletters
• Newsletter Dos and Donts
• Resources You Can Use

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Ways you communicate

• Face-to-face
• Telephone
• Magazine and/or newsletter
• Publicationseditorial advertising
• Events
• Fax blasts
• Website
• Email

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Why a strategy?

• Email volume in the United States is projected to
  nearly double from 1.5 trillion in 2003, to 2.7
  trillion in 2007(eMarketer)
• Some 94 of online women and 88 of online men
  use email. (Pew Internet)
• 81 of associations are using websites and email
  to share information with members (ASAE)

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Why a strategy?

• Gilbert Email Manifesto
• Rule 1 Resources spent on email are more
  valuable than the same resources spent on Web
• Rule 2 Build website around an email strategy
• Rule 3 Email oriented thinking will yield
  better strategic thinking overall.
• Email is the new homepage.

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Incoming EmailGoals

• Efficient intake and processing of member/market
  correspondence
• Facilitating a responsive process for incoming
  correspondence
• Tracking email correspondence for business
  intelligence
• Protecting your staff from email that is
  undesirable, inappropriate, or solicitous
• Ensuring member/constituent emails get to
  recipient

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Incoming EmailControls

• Email Management
• Out of office rules
• System Policies - Mailbox size, attachment format
  size restrictions
• Desktop - Filters, Sorting, Filing Management
• Form responses, customer service requests, member
  service, information requests, comments/feedback
• Workflow for managing types of incoming mail
  (e.g., info_at_)
• Standardize Customer Response
• Staff, temps and interns
• Receptionist, front desk, help desk
• Response times auto-response fast or manual
  slower
• Customized or Generic

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Internal Email Goals

• Promote efficient use of the tool
• Communication with remote or road warrior
  personnel
• Facilitate telework
• Protect the organization, infrastructure, and
  staff from compromise
• Cultural changes, communication breakdown, poor
  management
• Staff-to-staff solicitation, harassment
• Storage overload

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Outbound EmailGoals

• Create/Sustain brand awareness
• Call to action
• Share information
• Persuade/Change opinion
• Sell/Raise money

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Brand/Call to Action
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To inform
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Persuade
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Sell/Raise Money
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Outbound EmailManagement

• Control distribution
• Manage lists
• Ensure message unity
• Protect organizational brand

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Outbound EmailManage Lists

• Let registered users/members manage Opt-in and
  email address changes via website
• Use Subject Line to remind recipients to reply
  for Double Opt-In
• Attend to Opt-outs immediately

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Outbound EmailManage Lists

• Ask for preferred email address and state how you
  will use it
• Implement Opt-in or Double Opt-in

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Outbound EmailProtect Brand

• Train staff on editorial standards, language,
  grammar, etc.
• Create an approval policy for mass emails
• Establish a communications calendar

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Email or Newsletter?

• Do you have the content?
• Can you support a regular editorial schedule?
• Is your content news they can use?
• Is there a genuine demand?
• Content is King
• Offer value, not aesthetics

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Email Marketing

• Insert rotating signatures in emails

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Email Marketing

• Targeted email campaign considerations
• What is your level of familiarity with the
  audience?
• Is the email expected?
• What is their tolerance level?
• What type of format can they accept?
• Have they opted-In?

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More List Management Ideas

• User profile storage and segmentation capability
• List integrity bounce handling
• User activity tracking click through and
  conversion to action
• Ability to integrate with databases
• Staff access levels workflow controls

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Newsletter Examples
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Newsletter Examples
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Newsletter Examples
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Newsletter Dos and Donts

• Do send with the right frequency
• Dont offer only one format
• Do write to facilitate scanning
• Dont email without permission
• Do track your results
• Do strike a balance between content promotion

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Newsletter Support

• www.constantcontact.com
• www.gammadyne.com
• www.getactive.com
• www.group-mail.com
• www.informz.com
• www.kintera.com
• www.lyris.com
• www.magnetmail.com
• www.verticalresponse.com

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Other Resources

• General
• www.crmguru.com
• www.gilbert.org
• www.pewinternet.org
• Email/Marketing
• www.clickz.com
• www.marketingsherpa.com
• www.sensible.com
• www.useit.com
• www.wilsonweb.com

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Thank you!

• Dina Lewis, CAE
• dina_at_distilledlogic.net
• 202/320-3060
• www.distilledlogic.net