An Ignoble Experiment: [Hints & Tips] The secret to sending relevant emails

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Dear Indiana,

With the vast amount of information that the average consumer receives every day,
it is more important than ever to provide relevant content to the people on our
email lists.
This month's issue is focused on one of the most effective strategies marketers
have for sending relevant email communications: list segmentation.
You'll find everything you need to get started with segmentation, from a definition
of what it is to ideas and real-life examples of how to make it work for you.
If you have a list segmentation story to share or a question to ask, please visit
the Hints & Tips [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IV-jVafDIp4qHo6GUCuuSeSORasXRk4mzHOsYjt_zqd0xV9hP8sPofjXPMglNtGO1ODIuhlm13fzboORQCty1Zbz8Gh4eAr5kplOtk9PpKB071GjUJSGYqqFojCisBQz-7n6sc2lMaGVz3jQxwcxCmnnDR-Ic9S4Jf3e86jnl01MxyZhUW2DggH]
forum [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IV-jVafDIp4qHo6GUCuuSeSORasXRk4mzHOsYjt_zqd0xV9hP8sPofjXPMglNtGO1ODIuhlm13fzboORQCty1Zbz8Gh4eAr5kplOtk9PpKB071GjUJSGYqqFojCisBQz-7n6sc2lMaGVz3jQxwcxCmnnDR-Ic9S4Jf3e86jnl01MxyZhUW2DggH].
And when you are done reading, please let us know if you found this issue helpful
[http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IW6tMv9N3TYvatN4y5DexE8Xv0S2xixJ1irV-JvZVlH-VPksmFUTo28TVlVHpFMQgZABcDUwFVBxoul4-Fm_IV5aivrKj5n6ES7nrza73Az8zZ4ITQdnleBwoyh3uyVRmZsfRO5UcZuR3idR3nB9ael-qZYv3yvCpTGVTuatsEAJ3nIl4XgF-nOVPjm_vSGhZKxSxFzEbLMP2r2BH2HD1mN].
We always enjoy receiving your feedback.

All the best,

Amy Black
Editor, Hints & Tips e-Newsletters
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In This Issue of Hints & Tips

* The Secret to Relevant Emails with John Arnold
* Finding Success with Targeted Emails by Amy Black
* Success Stories:Two examples of list segmentation
* "How to" Tips:List segmentation and management
* What's New:Resource center and customer service award
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The Secret to Relevant Emails: Segment Your List
An interview with John Arnold, Regional Development Director and Author of Email
Marketing for Dummies
According to a 2006 study by Jupiter Research, engaging your audiences in more relevant
communications could increase net profits by an average of 18 times*. That's why
as email marketers, we need to do everything possible to make our emails relevant.
One of the best ways to create a relevant experience for your subscribers is to
segment your email list and send content to each group based on their specific needs
and interests. In this interview with Hints & Tips, John Arnold gives insight
on how to get started with segmentation.

HT: What is the definition of email list segmentation? It sounds a little daunting.
JA:Don't let the word scare you. It's the task of breaking your list into groups
with similar interests and needs so you can send highly relevant communications.
You don't need a separate list for every customer detail. You can effectively target
your emails with a few segmented lists.

HT:For someone who is just getting started with email marketing, is there an easy
way to begin segmenting right out of the gate?

JA: Absolutely. The best time to collect information for segmenting purposes is
right when your prospect or customer joins your email list. For starters, you can
easily create lists by offering options with checkboxes on your sign-up form. For
example, a music store might create a list for each type of instrument they sell
so they can send information relevant to the musicians who play each instrument.
Read the full interview [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IW97G8oejV1SWHVZ4uxqzaaBhwg4YefuKk20fJ3yLKXiIshO58cyCVv4eiS9ltGkwos60IUpJZIa57tFD951vaOQh9t6zdtgh5kB7mE8Om1ADRvs_KZPp4boCvgxGlYA_xUayVG7559W45C7C9QEnqQvEiZ4Dgoj43SVXNtu08xuVBMMUTAqPR3dXYQp8WIRdd3q-Ttc6BlkvizWR1KUpMX]
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Finding Success with Targeted Emails
How to reap the benefits of targeted emails with minimal effort
by Amy Black

You know the challenge you have as an email marketer: to make your emails as relevant
as possible to those receiving them. The first step is to segment your list into
groups. The next step is to create relevant email campaigns for each targeted segment.
This approach to email marketing allows you to focus on the specific needs or interests
of each group.
Just how much of a difference can a targeted email campaign make? In his book, The
Quiet Revolution in Email Marketing, Bill Nussey tells the story of the retailer
eBags who sent targeted email campaigns to new subscribers. As a result, their
click-through rates climbed by 20 percent and the average order size grew by 45
percent. Wow! These results show that there is great potential in taking this approach
to your email marketing.
You may not have a marketing staff, but you can still market intelligently and efficiently
by sending relevant content to specific target audiences. Here are two fictional
scenarios, along with visual examples, of how to efficiently produce targeted promotional
and newsletter campaigns. Use these examples as inspiration to create a plan of
your own.
See the examples [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IXzOylhU1y35zx36d3jfXKtMxzmKnoaLJnWG6aEb4FJvYV758nOskN8Da1b9dh3fn9T5wWB7RhzSJa5GvioYLjsynTuMQA6c475x5GteDmjEKpXOgGfou0kJesxPorgQLXEm7-cR6scp24dlunxqKT8x8VP3uxuah93GnDU2YEytIzmwk43yxxpmLAPqxZzuuRCmpxEztNjQEnfBGNCSRsW]
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August 2008
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Free Webinar: Boost your response rate with segmentation

Explore how to use
existing contact information, email reports, sign-up forms, and other tools to segment
your list, stay relevant, and increase the impact of your emails.

Register to attend a live webinar. [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IXUIaNZe7tgLC9tnE2UrIXIIH7ok9rYIE61PaXdSYNkWNnPchOrZPGL2yv8ap8B5m2YVtGPVzM63VV8nGwsSu0hwy2_9EVq_vmXgNZBAHm8NJfoNxshdkU-qlbL6nIouhVB9-CvnXr4CsYI376mJFLEk25774tjxO0cBFdOijZu9Hjm9U3G44sH4gzhEcG54InrnuJeFJOUL9DGB3prNU3egSS1rLUV0uAcJpAQSx4IxgqBUwQkQPVejQEiFmcvrJhTT4N7gxgd9cvzV5vHiNii]

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Extend the life of your emails with Archive
When you add Email Campaign Archive to SpeakUp!SM Email Marketing, you can instantly
turn the emails you've already sent into easy-to-view web pages.
If you are a Constant Contact customer, simply go to the Email Archive tab when
you are logged in to your account.
Learn more about Archive. [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IWF2XWRiEi9eqLwtZmivALgg-4TAy8NJCTdK09FgiJgu4kRLC5G0pXdWTiY-gSo9nhmDn0Iz5v1UEVSGkT00LC6wC9IYUuuN0TBJQ2_sJGXc7sMALhEbE4QRmvYx6LksNEngHusi4c6gL2AvhVeKDf40lfXmvcPSOgkj4mmS39piZwzvmOvm2u0fr0TPv3OJavRl6kCgThhw2F_eS1t4Q6MOs5cYK6JAJc=]
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Segmentation in Action
Two email marketers share their success with segmentation
Girls Learn To Ride
www.girlslearntoride.com [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IWkLV9JWF4k2rMVvYU3TLKH8MSKec8lI4fM1JsUdcPnC4CzcGaV-PJCIslAyqe7tTfog4iTyESHPOHjhAEf_VhE-fUCnaumI_unUhTB88BAjf8OuOnuOwwU]
Email marketing since: 2002
List size: 12,000
GLTR email sample [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IWONlPI7PuOeCAOXPVApiEeJbtm1YR43rp53d9hFewZbeJ3mLoeCrpkGW6jeN5wxEnsioqmY2AsRFcORNLoDFLaWoMJk6RjJPP83_lj6JFGAGKC0L_odWtpWj7rxSbXp7v4ggy6QFnJ5VZ-wtkZHabcDmDW_qAQDrc7-83X6ej0IVAzaNZ9GcJe5cuiKLr3b0I=]Tell
us about your company. Girls Learn To Ride is an online resource for girls and women
who want to get involved in action sports like skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding,
motocross, wakeboarding, mountain biking, and BMX. We also produce and/or co-sponsor
instructional clinics and camps throughout North America.
How do you segment? By sport (surf, skate, snow, wake, motocross, BMX freestyle,
BMX racing, skiing, mountain biking), and by what type of communications they would
like to receive from us (newsletter, weekly report, product features).

How do you communicate differently with each group? We try to customize our emails
to the audience they're addressed to. For example, if we are featuring an upcoming
surfing clinic, we will direct it to that type of participant by featuring related
products and helpful tips. Each sport email features photos and content related
to that particular sport.
What positive results do you get from taking this approach to email marketing? It's
more direct and becomes more useful to the participant. Girls who are into skateboarding
may not necessarily want to read about mountain biking or BMX. If they choose to,
we have links within the email for them to click on to read about the other sports
and features. We try to remember that our readers are unique and have different
tastes. Due to this approach, our open and click-through rates are better than average.
BEK Inc.
www.bekinc.net [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IXRpz_1jJPxoypjN0NNg6m9_1shIADQ63xGRLW8J1hgbS7ezx_4l_K3fakSixsPrwex1-MiJGh9U_nea9HODOi499xSCJxmBMARJDtZ21E0lA==]
Email marketing since: 2007
List size: 300
BEK sample email [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IU2aCohbYYXA9TAQhTBQgAcZzlIJPxd6zmPDVktGLjq3a1aLqX52ji8kBTArp7De8DBsufAkHmmahcpY2nUZOVPCUPlqIG8AhRHMWsYZ-MJRkkQjwEP71A2H7RNmc7_GhITmD3ubTLq9dLg7jEIiKQvffls4iUTjD63OmMZapnGNrlslOm7j9Ql_MgBnvPH-k4=]Tell
us about your company. We are a full service IT company with strong roots in mid-coast
Maine. We've provided professional service to Maine businesses and families for
nearly 10 years. We deliver many IT solutions, covering everything from help desk
support to complete network design and installation. Our customers benefit by having
a single, local point of accountability for all their IT needs.
How do you segment? We divide our list into these categories: professional clients,
residential clients, BNI (a networking organization), event guests, vendors and
partners, and general interest.
How do you communicate differently with each group? I send more tech savvy emails
to my professional and vendor lists. My residential clients receive more lighthearted
emails with "top 10" lists. Event guests get updates of all open houses or seminars
we hold with vendors and partners. The general interest group receives most of my
emails.
What positive results do you get from taking this approach to email marketing? My
commercial clients do not need the same information as my residential clients; they
are looking for ways to save money on technology and how to use technology more
effectively to increase their profits. Residential clients are looking to keep their
home computers safe and effective. This is totally different information. Segmenting
my list and developing different strategies for each customer has led to a stable
list size and happy customers.

Do you have an email marketing success story?
Has email marketing helped your business or organization to be successful?
We want to hear about it.

Share your success story! [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IUlZq_aLLjrrBr7f8L3BbSkYj1iWLOTqBVMIZ31GcmZ1CeW2AJEv6fXjh2vR5K-7ucYIZEb19u4vOsBqORtBwsg7C2LHghfxieQOcslOcjX4mIvJ_R2xHybPhLX-OawNawlbRAmrB1dA5tzQgFbrplMDQSCULNvSEqyqEpL71EkjLrm0JbBQiPURPRGaKvlCTAGUQc6IcM67x8tlbmX7Jmn]
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"How to" Tips for SpeakUp!SM Email Marketing

What's New with Constant Contact

Recent updates, new resource center, and best customer service recognition

Updates to Our Tools
If you didn't get to read about the recent updates we made to our email marketing
and online survey tools, you can find out what's new here [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IXdVAmTWNskUaFCskt5c5XseSTb4b_12dmxGq_qz4l01TV8UtW7p-uNHbewMCfV5BIta2lT992XVA1uRY59QxDJbYcI1Xi53ighqhOKuQIkVpuNaoutoxM_s13QJ34hfSSptWZe3Voq-ZA07nZolzyBQ98ZNEaya6OiEGeLytBhxfka27nR-jGOUnMfvOir15c=].
New Resource Center
Our new resource center has the answers you want and the coaching you need. All
in one convenient place.
Visit the Resource Center [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IXm2Bs5IL4v3xKD1BKmtdk64saF9cmwk3v0IBmLSO3oThgR8EIUf0LMQSxRN0pq1w8JgqOj7F7nph9_EQ4qnJC7qII7eutOmyHDSt2LdNEe3t1_BNHXkOyEaWvw23ucmM8=]
Award-Winning Customer Service
At Constant Contact, we are dedicated to providing our customers with free, industry-leading
customer support. This summer we were thrilled to receive a Stevie Award for "Best
Customer Service Team" by the 2008 American Business Awards in recognition of our
efforts. Here's what Constant Contact's senior vice president of customer operations,
Tom Howd, had to say about the honor:
This Stevie Award is a testament to our customer service organization and the entire
Constant Contact team who continually deliver excellent support and education. We
dedicate this award to our customers whose stories of success for their small businesses
or organizations inspire us every day. It is our customers that make it easy for
us to go above and beyond to provide them the support they need to be successful.
Find out more [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001vFNU4tcT0IW6ghlu4GY9dZZdhaId4Afp6vi7x-pHe4KD10txsZYy4VnnrNMoxh2Ifmqm0m0rI3FswHq4ZrB78gFOZHNj3PTB10XCfhRafLXTi1aQ-AiQpb3rFD5x3SPLwXCagv_pTdabtNr9YH90MOpaNVsUxDlaIQm_6tlabYb6wccRqoD9Xlpn-k05GfjxBCYoiISIQyhJZQD_3NXp-QKCCx3Gaw_ukyuMSbJTp4Y=]
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