Email Marketing Basics - 7 Keys to Success

By Megan Tsai

At a cost of just pennies per send, email is still one of the best marketing values around. But for many marketers, the amount of information available on this topic can be overwhelming - and sometimes even paralyzing.

Maybe your organization is just getting started with email marketing. Or, perhaps you're an experienced email marketer looking to boost results. Either way, getting these seven keys for success right will put you on the path to email marketing success.

Tip #1: Keep it Simple

Sure, you can spend hundreds of dollars on fancy email template design and rack your brain for creative subject lines - but it's probably not money or time well spent. Most email marketing services offer customizable, ready-to-use templates that provide a clean, polished look. And when it comes to subject lines, research proves that clear, direct subject lines consistently outperform cute and creative ones.

Tip #2: Build Your List

It's simple math: subscribers x response rate = results. And while it can be difficult to generate a massive uptick in your response rate, it's fairly simple to grow your email list by offering a good sign up incentive such as a valuable white paper, report or coupon and promoting your list in every way possible including email footers, web pages, conferences, trade shows and social media.

Tip #3: Offer Value

Whether it's important information, a shopping discount code or even a laugh, be sure each email you send offers something of value to your readers. If your subscribers aren't benefiting from your emails, they'll be sure to tune you out.

Tip #4: Make it Personal

Typically, an email from a person performs slightly better than an email from a business. For example, an email from "Santa Claus" would be better than an email from "The Up North Toy Factory".

Tip #5: Stay on the Radar (Within Reason)

If you maintain an email marketing list, be sure to use it at least once a month. If too much time goes by between emails, subscribers may forget who you are or why they signed up for your list. On the flip side, if you're sending more than once or twice a week, your subscribers may opt out as the annoyance factor rises.

Tip #6: Experiment

Email marketers often ask questions like "What subject line is best?" and "What is the best time of day to send?" The answer: it depends. What works well for one list may not work well for yours, so most email programs offer something called an A/B split. This tool divides your list into two groups so you can test various factors, such as the best day of the week to send or the best subject line. Just remember to test one factor at a time and keep an eye on your results. When done consistently, testing will lead to the constant improvement of your email marketing efforts.

Tip #7: Know Your Goals

Once you know your email marketing goals, you'll be better able to tailor the content of your emails. For example, if you want to increase brand engagement you might offer polls or incentives for following your company on Facebook. If you want to generate new leads for a software program, send out an invitation to download a white paper on a related topic. Perhaps most importantly, setting goals will help you determine the results of your email marketing program and pave the way for future success.

Megan Tsai is a seasoned communicator and award-winning writer. As a full-time freelancer, she provides business writing, copywriting and marketing communications for companies and advertising agencies.

Visit http://www.RedWagonWriting.com to learn more and sign up for the Red Wagon Writing monthly e-mail newsletter full of writing and marketing tips.

10 Ways To Make Your Cubicle You

By Kristin Sonntag

Getting a job isn't easy these days so, when you do get one, hold on to it for dear life! As hard as they are to come by, when you do get one, you will most likely be sitting in some sort of cubicle. One way I have found to ease the transition from college student to "nine to fiver" is to give my cubicle a little bit of flavor! It's hard to sit in one confined space for 8 hours 7 days a week so when I decided to add sparkle to my cubicle it helped make my space somewhere I WANTED to be.

Here are 10 ways I made my cubicle my home away from home:

1. ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE, ACCESSORIZE!!! I found this amazing website called the office playground with lots of fun gadgets and decorative yet useful supplies. I recently purchased the DeskQuarium Desk Organizer for $19.99 and the instant inflatable window for $10.99. Since I live in South Florida these give me my own ocean view!

2. To help with the everyday frustrations of work, it helps me to have a collage of my family and closest friends. Instead of just putting up one or two pictures I used a cork board and made a collage of all my favorite past times and put that on my tack board. It's nice to have just a few pictures but to have a collage of all my favorite moments really helps my day go faster.

3. I don't know about you but I love the holidays. Whether its Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines Day, Fourth of July, etc. it is always fun to decorate and get yourself in the holiday spirit. For my favorite holiday, Christmas, I have so much fun "wrapping" my desk. I use contact wrapping paper and just tape it to my desk. It's a great and easy way to give you some holiday cheer!

4. Have you ever been sitting at your desk, on your computer, and suddenly startled as you realize someone is standing behind you? I have! It can be very unnerving to have an unexpected guest creep up behind you. Being that this is one of my pet peeves, I went out immediately and bought a computer rear view mirror. I love it! This little attachment at the top right of my computer screen allows me to see incoming guest and passer by's.

5. One of my best additions was bringing a medium-sized mirror and extra makeup kit to leave at work. I probably use this more than anything! Rushing to work I always forget something or don't have time to finish my makeup, so having a back up at work has saved me more than a few times. It's great to have before a meeting, lunch, conference, or even Happy Hour with a few co-workers. It gives me the quick pick me up I need. For guys, I think it is great to have an extra deodorant, toothbrush, and a travel size cologne on hand. You never know when you'll need a little sprucing up!

6. It's always good to have packaged snacks on hand. It's a bad habit to keep boxes of "junk food" in your drawer and nibble throughout the day, so it helps me to change it up and bring in a different healthy snack each week. For example, this week I brought in one Nutri-grain bar and one 100 calorie pack of Cheese-nips for each day of the week. It's nice to have a snack when you feel yourself dozing off or are too swamped to leave your cubicle and grab a meal.

7. Sometimes what you need is a little background music of your choice throughout the day, but it's not good to have your head phones in so you can't hear what's going on around you. I recently picked up a mini speaker from Walgreens that attaches to my iPhone and allows me to play my music. I absolutely love it! Although I keep it on low so it doesn't bother anyone, it's loud enough to entertain me and keep me motivated.

8. Organization is key to a successful career. Instead of using the standard issued organizational supplies I went out and purchased my own pink and leopard print supplies. It helps me WANT to stay organized and adds a little funk to my cubicle.

9. Socialization is essential in any work environment. Talking and building relationships with co-workers helps you want to be at work and gives you an attachment. It's always important to be you in everything that you do, so one of my "staples" at the office is leaving my sticky notes on friends cubicles throughout the day. I have mine personalized which helps everyone know it was me and, it's a fun socializing tool for the office.

10. Last but not least, it is important to always keep a "health kit" in your cubicle. I brought in my "medicine box" knowing that the flu circulates though the work place like wild fire. I keep Airborne, hand sanitizer, Advil, band aids, a few tampons, Midol, really anything I thought would help me avoid a potential disaster. This has saved me during flu season and on many other occasions.

The list is endless and each person is different but if you get creative enough you will find that your cubicle really can be your own little slice of heaven.

Happy Decorating!

For more information on cubicles, office furniture, and other helpful work place articles visit our website at http://www.raceinc.org so visit us today!

Kristin Sonntag
RACE