Author Archives: Denise Cox

Denise Cox

About Denise Cox

denise cox is Newsweaver’s Lead consultant. Newsweaver is a leading European email newsletter specialist and service provider, giving customers the email software and tools required to create emails that deliver results. denise has extensive knowledge in email from best practice and marketing know-how to content. In 1996 she formed her own email marketing agency. In 2000 she joined forces with Newsweaver. Since then denise has been providing practical consultancy and best practice guidance to the Newsweaver’s clients, enabling them to maximise their investment in email.

denise writes the email newsletter, “The Business of Email”- which has been publishing for over ten years. She also has an award-winning blog, “… email matters!”, and is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars, as well as conducting email marketing workshops throughout Europe. denise also contributes to a wide variety of publications around the world.

She was elected to the DMA’s Email Marketing Council in 2009. denise also serves on the Council's Partnership Hub and the Events & Communications Hub.

Event DMAEmail+ – bringing a multichannel approach to list growth

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The DMA Email Marketing Council have launched a series of events called DMAEmail+. This series will give you the tools and insight to take a multichannel approach to your email marketing.

The first in the series looks at list growth and takes place Tuesday morning, 17th of July.  Our  speakers will take you through tips and tactics, plus provide case studies that will give you real takeaways you can use to grow your email lists, including using mobile, social and websites to accelerate your results.

The event agenda

Speakers include  Richard Austin of  Silverpop, Kath Pay of PlanToEngage, Tim Watson of Zettasphere and Dave Chaffey of Smartinsights. A wrap-up discussion panel, led by Richard Gibson of ReturnPath, will give attendees the opportunity to put questions to all the speakers. (complete agenda)

The first part of the event is split into two sessions (you’ll select at registration). One session provides tactics  – both off and online – proven to grow your list. The other session shows you how to prepare and maximise your website for list growth.  Then, all attendees will hear two case studies highlighting  how a multichannel approach works.

New feature added: Email Clinic

Something very cool too:  We’ve introduced a new element to these events – the opportunity for companies to sit one-on-one with email marketing experts to get immediate and relevant input on their own challenges.  This email clinic is being brought to you by sponsors Silverpop. Spaces are filling up quickly, so book your session now! contact megan.hawkins@dma.org.uk or 020 7291 3349

We hope to see you there!

Event: DMA Email+ – a multichannel approach to growing your list
Location: 15 Hatfield
Date: Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Time: 08:30 am -11:30 am
Register: http://www.dma.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=159
Event Fee: DMA Members Free, Non-DMA £ 36

 

Getting the most out of your newsletter content

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Do you spend time writing and preparing content for your email newsletters, crafting your newsletter, hit send – and then check it off as a finished campaign?  If so, you are missing a big digital opportunity to reach beyond the inbox and use your content to draw attention to your company and attract new subscribers.

It’s referred to as a ‘splash and drip’ approach. After you’ve emailed your newsletter and “splashed” all the content out to your subscribers, you can take a few more steps and expand your digital presence. First, promote the newsletter to your own social networks. Then, give your readers the tools to post your newsletter content to their own social networks. Now, extend the life of your newsletter by “dripping” individual content elements of the newsletter.

This content includes links to your articles, and event alerts, videos, graphs, podcasts and presentations within them. Post these newsletter links in your own social profiles, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, etc.  When the opportunity arises, use relevant newsletter article links in your posts on discussion groups, as well as in comments on blogs. As I say, make sure it’s relevant to the topic – or worthy of starting a discussion with! Also, take advantage of social bookmarking outlets such as Digg or Delicious as places to post your newsletter or links within it. (Check out this article showing how social bookmarking can raise your SEO profile.)

P.S. Don’t forget to conduct an subscribe form audit to ensure people coming across your newsletter content via all this social activity can sign up to your newsletter.

 

Example of how to use social to drive both list growth and sales

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Marketers are confining themselves when thinking of campaigns as either email or social. I believe the two can work together very well. Marketers can use the push power and ‘share-ability’ of email to drive social networking efforts; and then take advantage of their expanding online fan base to capture new email subscribers. Once you have that email permission you’ll be in a powerful position to communicate on a one-to-one single-brand basis directly in their inbox.

I recently wrote up a case study about Newsweaver customer Knuttel Prints.  The company sells giftware and prints by world-renowned Irish sculptor and painter Graham Knuttel.  They’ve put email at the centre of a social media strategy – with excellent results. (And by ‘excellent results’ I mean €10,000 in sales generated directly from each mailing!)

Here’s their approach (full case study):

  • Rolled out an online presence (FB, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube)
  • Launched a monthly email newsletter
  • Created and posted newsletter sign up forms everywhere (here’s their Knuttel’s Facebook page)
  • Regularly attract new subscribers: by posting about the newsletter on all their social networks
  • Offer an incentive to sign up:  exclusive-to-the-newsletter competitions and discounts
  • Drive opens and clicks (and sales): by posting online that the latest edition has been sent – and that competition winners have been announced (only) in the newsletter

denise cox is Lead consultant for Newsweaver

Online Trust Alliance releases security framework document

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The Online Trust Alliance (OTA) has just released a Security by Design Framework which includes a  set of security best practices aimed at organisations that run “interactive messaging ecosystems”.

The eight-page framework document was created in response to recent high profile data breaches. Spearheaded by the OTA, it includes input from  industry organisations, service and technology providers and major brands. It aims to drive the message that security and privacy must be taken seriously – and immediately – and provides guidance for adopting effective security measures .  “As marketers are increasingly collecting sensitive and personal data, ‘security by design’ needs to become part of the industry’s DNA for every new service, feature and process,” said Craig Spiezle, Executive Director and President of the Online Trust Alliance.  “This collaborative effort demonstrates a commitment to online trust and confidence and the vitality of the internet.  The willingness of businesses to make systemic changes while recognizing their role as data stewards, demonstrates leadership and a commitment to self-regulation.  We call on all organizations to embrace these efforts and help put trust back in email.”

New DMA UK Email Benchmark report

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We’ve just released the latest in the DMA UK Email Marketing Council’s ongoing series of Benchmarking Reports. Two key findings: UK business’s are becoming more dependent on email to achieve their marketing goals, and there’s been a  huge shift towards social media integration with email.

Here’s the full press release:

17 February, 2011

The latest Email Benchmarking Report (Half 1 2010) from the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) reveals that UK marketers sent over 1.7 billion emails in the first half of 2010, an increase of 50% over the same period in 2009. According to Dela Quist of the DMA’s Email Marketing Council, “businesses turn to email in adverse economic conditions because it is very versatile from a tactical perspective and extremely cost effective.” The Report also reveals a huge shift towards social media integration with email. Fully a third of marketers are including ‘share with your network’ (SWYN) links, which allow the email recipient to forward content or offers to their Facebook friends or Twitter followers in their messages.

Despite the increase in email volumes the Report also shows that average Open Rates for email appear to be holding up year on year at around 24% for retention emails and 11% for acquisition emails. “What we are seeing is evidence that email marketers have become better at targeting their promotions and that their customers are getting used to receiving email from brands they trust which is great news” says Quist. Much of the growth is being driven by acquisition email programmes, which represent almost one third of the volume sent over the period covered.

Looking forward, the Report highlights some challenging trends for email marketers. First there is the ‘intelligent inbox’, which allows people to pre-sort their emails and prioritise messages from contacts and favoured brands. Similarly, the fragmentation of digital communications in the form of social media and other pathways can be a huge opportunity for marketers but a big obstacle too.

Email Benchmarking Report (Half 1 2010)
(Available free to DMA UK members, £100 to Non-Members)

Press contact:
Rachel Aldighieri
Head of PR, Marketing & Communications
Tel : 020 7291 3314 /07801 573324
Email: rachel@dma.org.uk

DMA’s UK SME B2B Tracking Study launch: 24th November

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If you are an SME B2B, or communicate with this sector, you’ll want to attend this DMA UK event. The report will be launched and available to attendees. (Findings include “marketing by email is now a firm favourite”).

UK SME Tracking Study Launch, London, Wednesday, 24 November, 5.30pm – 8.30pm

You are cordially invited to the launch of the inaugural UK SME Tracking Study.

Taking the pulse of the SME B2B sector, the inaugural UK SME Tracking Study provides detailed analysis of the health and wealth of the sector, as well as its current business and marketing trends.

This event will give you a key insight into:

  • How SME’s plan to spend their budgets on marketing
  • What particular channels/activities SME’s plan to spend their budgets on
  • What type of communication they want (DM/Email/Telephone etc)
  • What day of the week they want to be communicated on
  • What time of the day they would prefer to receive communications
  • What particular type of messages would solicit the best and worst response
  • What key products or services SME’s want to buy in the immediate future

This evening event is also a great opportunity for you to network with you industry peers. For more details please click here.

If you or your colleagues would like to attend this free event, please RSVP today to book your place.

articles: reactions to Facebook’s messaging system announcement

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On Monday Facebook introduced new communication channels for its users – including the offering of a @facebook.com email address.

How will this affect email marketing? Here’s a round up of articles:

  1. Return Path: “10 Ways for Email Marketers to Survive Facebook Messages“
  2. Mark Brownlow: “Actually, Facebook changes everything (and nothing)”
  3. Dave Chaffey: “5 Implications of the New Facebook email services“
  4. eCircle: “Marketers should embrace Facebook’s “this is not email” announcement“
  5. Dotmailer: “Introducing Facebook Messages“
  6. SCMagazine: “Facebook introduces Messages to allow users to contact unsubscribed friends, but denies that it is an email service“
  7. The Relevancy Group: “Why Facebook Email Adoption Will Soar Past Gmail“