Email targeting workarounds for the rest of us

Andrew Seel pops a promotional message from retailer Full Circle under the email marketing microscope, and discovers nine design and copywriting faults.

Not only do we get an evaluation of each fault, but also a screenshot of the improved version...complete with an explanation of the changes made.

One of Andrew's criticisms is that the email targets both men and women, but the men's content is effectively out of sight to the casual observer. His suggestion is to split up the address list and send separate emails to each gender.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the option to segment their list in such a way. The required data might not be there, the software or service functionality, the resources, the skills, the time...whatever.

Inevitably, some emails do have to be all things to all people. But for that to work, you have to make it easy for people to find the content relevant to them.

Two techniques I've seen for doing that are to clearly distinguish different content areas within an email. And to have "internal links" at the top of the email.

A sports fan picking up a daily newspaper knows the sports pages are always at the back.

So an email can follow the same principle. If there are several sections or text blocks, likely to appeal to different folk, then keep them in the same place each email.

And make sure they are clearly delineated...using headlines, boxes, or other design elements that make each section or article quick and easy to find and identify.

The top of the email can also link internally to these sections, so people can jump to the content of interest to them quickly and without effort. Here two examples:

1. Links built into the opening editorial welcome:

2. Table of contents:

This internal linking also helps ensure casual readers quickly see what's in your email (for example, in the preview pane of their email client or webmail service.)

Some will argue that you should make people work to find the relevant content, so they're forced to read all your copy. In my experience, people never want to work hard to read your messages (however wonderful you may find your words.)

Make it hard to find relevant material and they just don't bother to try...

More on targeting using email | Tags: email marketing, segmentation, targeting, email design, email copywriting

Permalink | September 04, 2007 | 0 comment(s)
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