Why Are Top CEOs Afraid Of Social Media?

It is difficult to determine the precise reasons for this widespread shunning of social media by CEOs. It could be lack of time, unwillingness to expose themselves to flaming, or outright fear. Whatever the reason, it certainly displays a massive hole in the universality of social media.Related Articles

1. Monstrous Marketing Mistakes & Fears Intro


2. The Top 7 Monstrous Social Media Failures You Should Fear


3. Top 5 Things That Haunt Email Marketers

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Invasion of the Rotten Emails

Email folklore may not be as popular as the campy stories and urban legends you heard in your younger days, but it’s the kind of stuff that will raise the hair on the neck of any marketer. Unlike some of the typical ghostly tales, however, these grim accounts are based on true experiences that will chill any witch or warlock to the bone.

Don’t believe it?

We’ve summoned a few forbidding tales, so read ahead if you dare…

The Never-Ending Email

The biggest benefit of email is having a guaranteed way to communicate with your customers. But what happens when you own multiple storefronts and have customers from all over?

According to a pet shop retail chain that has store locations along the entire east coast, the answer is to cater to all customers in one shot. The result? The lengthiest email I have ever read. The events section alone listed 43 events in the tri-state area. That’s right, 43 events — each containing a one to two sentence description of what it entailed. Talk about overkill.

The Lesson

While it can be difficult to determine what you should share with customers in an email, it’s imperative that you do so to avoid overwhelming your readers. It also makes it easier for them to consume your content in the short period of time that they’ll actually spend reading your email.

In this particular case, the pet store could have taken a couple of different approaches. For one, they might want to consider segmenting their email lists based on geographical location, such as city and state, to ensure that subscribers only receive information about events in their home towns.

They might also want to feature a few main events and include links to an events web page that lists every occasion in greater detail.

The Email With No Purpose

There are certain fundamental elements that one would expect to see in any given email. Actual content, for example, being one of them. Content that provides value, being another.

However, there are those that completely skip out on both of these:

While I appreciate the well wishes, I have trouble justifying the purpose of this email (something every small business owner and marketer should consider before sending a message to subscribers). If the intention was to encourage engagement with the sender, they failed at providing me with a good reason to do so. There are no coupons, no compelling information for me to mentally chew on, nothing.

While they did include a call to action (“Have a health question? See a doctor now”), they failed at sparking my curiosity and getting me to at least think of something health related that I might want to know more about.

After clicking the call to action button to potentially shed some light on this confusing email, I’m brought to a landing page to sign up for a paid version of the company’s services. Lightbulb. Unfortunately, not many readers are going to even make it this far based on the email content alone.

The Lesson

If the goal of the email was to promote the paid version of the company’s services, they failed to do so because it was unclear in their email message. If you want your subscribers to take a specific action, whether it’s to download a white paper, read your latest blog post, or shop new discounts at your online store, then you must explicitly tell them.

This company also missed a huge opportunity to reconnect with a subscriber who has not engaged with their site in over a year. If they had shared common user questions and answers, for example, that might have prompted me to click to find out more. To re-engage your subscribers, include valuable content such as tips, questions, or even recent news that readers might want to learn more about.

The best way to make yourself relevant again to your inactive subscribers is by bringing value to them — end of story!

The Chaotic Email

When it comes to email content, less is more (unless you’re like our friends in the previous example who included nothing at all). But that isn’t always easy to do when you have a lot to say and not enough email space to say it.

I recently received an email that contained 10 hyperlinks and had information in both the middle and sidebar sections of the email. Needless to say, there was too much information and no visual direction on how to consume it.

The Lesson

To make things a little less cluttered and a little more clear, the email sender might want to focus more on layout. If you want to include a message, feature past events, and showcase upcoming ones, keep it visually organized. Email content should flow in a logical manner. It should not compete with other content.

Visual images and line dividers can also help organize your emails so they’re easier on the eyes. And as far as the sidebar goes, it’s probably best to eliminate placing content there altogether.

The Deja Vu Email

Email and consistency go hand in hand. People love knowing when they can expect messages from different businesses, which ultimately builds a level of trust and dependency on your brand. Sticking with the same template is also a good habit to get into, as it makes it easy for your subscribers to know where to find specific information.

However, sending the same email template and the same email contents are two totally different things.

One e-commerce site regularly sends emails with 20 or so pictures of a variety of products, from women’s fashion and accessories to home decor items. While we encourage the use of visuals in your email marketing efforts, there is a balance that’s important to maintain. For one, don’t rely on images alone.

While the pictures are visually intriguing, there are no product descriptions, no mention of whether or not these products are popular, or if people are?buying them. After a while, all emails begin to blend together.

The Lesson

To make their emails stand out from one another, they might want to start featuring less products with more details. By including product descriptions, designer names, and items that are customer favorites, readers might be more encouraged to check out an item.

Organizing product images by category would also help visually organize the email, so loyal readers can easily find what they’re looking for, or simply browse with little confusion.

If you don’t have any products to feature or sell, you can freshen up your emails with new published content (e.g. blog post, white paper), curated industry-related content, or even a ‘tip from the pros’ to provide exclusive actionable advice for your readers. As long as you keep your message from going stale, you’ll be golden.

Do you have any tips for creating great emails? Share with us in the comments below!

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Stop Fearing Innovative Marketing Approaches

You have to muster up a lot of courage when launching a new and different marketing plan, but if you do it right, the rewards will soon follow!Related Articles

1. Monstrous Marketing Mistakes & Fears Intro


2. Top 5 Things That Haunt Email Marketers


3. The Top 7 Mistakes Event Organizers Make

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Trick or Treat – Google’s Inbox and What It Means for Email Marketers

This first part of a two-part column asks email experts what they think about Google's latest addition to the email ecosystem, and what it means for marketers.

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10 Rules For Mind-Blowing Brainstorming Sessions

Brainstorming new ideas is something that everyone that writes content, especially for business, strives to keep fresh. The problem is work and life get in the way and generating new ideas can seem forced if not given the proper time and framework. So how do you take the time and make new ideas? According to Garrison Wynn and Brian Carter, co-authors of the new book “The Cowbell Principle: Career Advice On How To Get Your Dream Job And Make More Money,” there are ten rules you should adhere to in order to get those creative ideas flowing and stay on track.

——

Have you seen the More Cowbell sketch from Saturday Night Live? It’s more than just funny. Believe it or not, it’s a powerful metaphor for a successful work life. And it provides insight into the kind of people you need on your team, and what makes an effective team.

Everyone has at least one cowbell — it’s your unique, profitable talent people pay you for or your company’s unique offering. It’s something people have a fever for. When you discover it and give those people a ton of it, you gain success and happiness for both yourself and others. It’s a win-win.

A cowbell is simultaneously something you love doing and something other people really want as well (although, as we’ll see, you still will have detractors and critics). A cowbell creates joy for you and other people. It makes them yell for more. They can’t get enough.

Some Creativity Required, Batteries Not Included

Creativity is a big deal these days, because content marketing is the hottest digital marketing trend. More and more content is posted every day, but we each only have so much time for consuming content each day. We’re picky about what we read and we have more choices. That supply and demand equation means your free content has to be even more valuable!

As a marketer you want your content to stand out, you need to get even more creative- and that means you need an effective brainstorming process. Brainstorming can give you fresh and exciting ideas for many content types, including blog posts, ebooks, infographics, emails and headlines.

I sometimes mentor first-time writers or coordinate corporate brainstorming sessions. Both activities have similar pitfalls and teach similar lessons. From those experiences, I’ve created?

10 Rules For A Mind-Blowing Brainstorming Session

1. No negativity. Ironically, I have to be negative about negativity here. No analysis or criticism or comparing or editing of other people’s ideas. Be positive about every contribution.


2. All ideas are valid at this stage. Think about what’s good or bad later.


3. Everyone contributes. Non-contributors should leave, because otherwise they make the contributors self-conscious and can lower the energy level.


4. No computers or tablets or cell phones. Phones need to be completely silent. Buzzing phones are not acceptable. Have someone assigned to writing the ideas on a whiteboard. This person has no extra power in the brainstorming session and must contribute ideas too. You can switch up who’s writing them down every 10 minutes or so if you want. Another approach is to give everybody post-its and as they come up with ideas they just post their own post-its on one communal wall.


5. Every idea is welcome, even dumb or crazy ones. Especially dumb and crazy ones! Purposely trying to think of stupid ideas can break through your internal judgment, which otherwise holds you back.


6. Build on other people’s ideas. You may combine ideas during the brainstorm, or save idea combinations for a second brainstorming session. At times, that combining approach can be too analytical and may slow you down.


7. Come up with as many ideas as you can. Strive for quantity not quality. It’s a good idea to have individuals brainstorm by themselves both before and after the group brainstorm session.


8. Take turns talking. Listen when you’re not talking.


9. Forget the past and think about the future instead. Figure out if ideas fit with your corporate values and traditions later, not while you’re brainstorming.


10. Resist tangents like storytelling and joking. Too much talking by any one person can drain the group’s energy.

When you’re writing or brainstorming, you must have the attitude that every idea is good. You must separate the creating part of yourself from the criticizing part, or you’ll get writer’s block, and everybody in a brainstorming meeting is too afraid to vocalize ideas for fear of looking stupid. Everyone who’s going to brainstorm has to agree to support everybody’s ideas and vocalize all of theirs. Later you can judge those ideas. You’re not making a commitment to the ideas yet – you’re just sharing them.

Similarly, when you write blog posts or articles, you should not be editing. Do creation and editing at separate times. Just get everything typed out. Fix problems and polish it up later.

A brainstorming session is not the time to try to look good. If there’s someone in the room everyone’s trying to impress or who they’re afraid to anger or look bad in front of, even if (especially if) that’s the boss, you need to get that person out of the room, or that person needs to affirm all the brainstorming rules we’re talking about here. A quiet person of great authority in a brainstorming room is intimidating. If you aren’t going to contribute ideas, don’t go into the brainstorming room. There really is an argument for NOT having executives in the room, unless the room is only executives.

——

This post is an excerpt from the forthcoming book The Cowbell Principle: Career Advice On How To Get Your Dream Job And Make More Money, by Garrison Wynn and Brian Carter. Brian and Garrison will be giving away a limited number of digital copies at launch time. To get notified when they’re available, sign up at The Cowbell Principle.

Garrison and Brian are using AWeber to keep everyone updated the release of the book and deliver bonus materials – just another great example of how you can use AWeber to grow your audience!

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The Top 7 Monstrous Fears Which Handicap Online Marketers

You can be afraid of the dark, or of spiders, or of stepping on a crack in the sidewalk. Some fear is a good thing as it’s an essential human quality which allows us to avoid risky situations that could injure us. In marketing, however, you should shun fear, build up courage, and go out there and show the world what you’ve got!Related Articles

1. Monstrous Marketing Mistakes & Fears Intro


2. Top 5 Things That Haunt Email Marketers


3. Fire Your Writers, Hire Your Customers!

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Spending a Moment with Advertising Week's Matt Scheckner

We talk about the current state of marketing, the growth of Advertising Week and Dave Grohl ... a lot of celebrities actually. Matt's kind of a big deal.Related Articles

1. Encouraging Lucid Email Marketing - The Weekly Wrap


2. Facebook’s “People Talking About This” Metric Aims for Businesses


3. Google’s Matt Cutts Admits It’s All about the Ads

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Top 5 Things That Haunt Email Marketers

A ghoulish time isn’t had on just Halloween. In fact, for many email marketers, their weekly email campaign is met with the same harrowing fear as October 31. Take for instance these top 5 email marketing fears that haunt the average business.Related Articles

1. Monstrous Marketing Mistakes & Fears Intro


2. The Top 5 Email Mistakes That Prove You’re A Turkey


3. Email Marketing Content: Trawling the Customer Service Files

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The Top 7 Monstrous Social Media Failures You Should Fear

These are truly monstrous epic fails in online marketing and your brand should never tread anywhere near these truly disastrous and miserable social media stupidities!Related Articles

1. How A Social Networking Face Person Can Boost Your Email Marketing Results


2. The Proper Email Marketing Practice Checklist


3. The Fallacy of Pursuing Social Media Friend Pyramids

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AWesome Highlights from ASCEND Digital Marketing Summit 2014

Not many conferences can brag about bringing together an outstanding lineup of talented speakers (and maybe part-time comics?), enthusiastic attendees, and a fun astronaut. But it happened, and there’s a lot we want to talk about!

The energy was tangible even before the inaugural ASCEND Digital Marketing Summit (hosted by AWeber) kicked off Thursday morning October 23, 2014 at The Westin Philadelphia — and it only carried on throughout the remainder of the conference. With topics ranging from content marketing to optimization strategies and affiliate marketing, each session was engaging and informative, providing many actionable takeaways for attendees (or as we call them, ascendees) striving to become better digital marketers.

While we’re still digesting all of the incredible information we just absorbed (and Tweeted), here are some of our favorite highlights from ASCEND 2014:

ASCEND Kickoff

Off to a great start with @tkulzer at the #ASCENDsummit2014! http://ift.tt/12S6kzg ? Heyo (@heyo) October 23, 2014

Introducing AWeber’s Newest Team Member

.@aweber unveils Commander AJ, our copilot to the #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 and beyonddddd…. http://ift.tt/12S6mY5 ? SEER Interactive (@SEERInteractive) October 23, 2014

Speaker Sessions: Day 1

Dear Diary: A Content Marketing Makeover

Speaker: Ann Handley

“Writing is a habit, not an art.”

“We don’t need more content. We need better content.”

To become a better marketer you need to become a better writer. #ascendsummit2014 @MarketingProfs ? SEER Interactive (@SEERInteractive) October 23, 2014

“Create ridiculously useful content. Make them miss you if you go away” @annhandley #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 23, 2014

Ingredients of great content – empathy x useful x inspiring #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 #contentmarketing #marketing ? Sushant Misra (@treptalks) October 23, 2014

[content marketing] It’s not about what story you are telling, it’s how you are telling the story – @annhandley #ascendsummit2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 23, 2014

The Entrepreneur Story

Speaker: Peter Shankman

“Having an audience is not a right. It’s a privilege.”

“Don’t have a back up plan for when you fail; have a back up plan for when you succeed.”

“Learn to write, learn to speak, learn to communicate. Create something real. Be different.”

? Content was cool before the internet and still reigns supreme. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Alexis (@AlexisQMassacre) October 23, 2014

RT @ChuckHall: Good content beats any amount of advertising you can do. -Peter Shankman #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @aweber @petershankman ? Don Lafferty (@MinglSocial) October 23, 2014

“Brand Everything You Do”… sage advice repeated over and over from @petershankman #ascendsummit2014 ? John Langan (@Gr8JohnL) October 23, 2014

Challenges are surmountable if you start by being a nice person.? #WiseWords #ASCENDsummit2014 @petershankman ? Heyo (@heyo) October 23, 2014

“At the end of the day all you have is your brand and the people who will vouch for you.” @petershankman #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Julie Touchstone (@feelrock) October 23, 2014

Seriously loving #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @petershankman takeaway: be a little nicer, put out 10x more than what u’ll ever need. ? Kelly Russell (@russkellbell) October 23, 2014

SEO Straight Talk: Why You Need #RCS Now More Than Ever

Speaker: Wil Reynolds

“Build cliques, not clicks.”

If you’re always looking the ROI in every marketing channel, you’ll probably fail at marketing? -@wilreynolds talking #SEO #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Stephanie Humphrey (@TechLifeSteph) October 23, 2014

“You don’t need more links. You need more heart.” << @wilreynolds bringing the RCS at #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Oli Gardner (@oligardner) October 23, 2014

You can’t get an ROI on SEO if you don’t care about the customer #RCS #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @wilreynolds ? SEER Interactive (@SEERInteractive) October 23, 2014

If your SEO worked & you didn’t help the customer, you lost. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 #RCS @wilreynolds http://ift.tt/1suDpWK ? SEER Interactive (@SEERInteractive) October 23, 2014

We love this. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @wilreynolds http://ift.tt/1suDn18 ? Heyo (@heyo) October 23, 2014

Affiliate Marketing – Live and Uncut Moderator: Tricia Meyer Panelists: Sarah Bundy, Jen Myers Ward, Geno Prussakov, Brian Littleton

“It’s a matter of finding the right partners and educating them.”

“Do your research, get to know your audience – you need to bring value.”

“Humans are creatures of habit. Big changes can take time to adjust to, especially in A/B tests.”

? Merchant Misconception #1: Affiliates are a great way to test things out… um NO!! @ePrussakov @svbundy @jenmyersward #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Jessica Celenza (@jessicacelenza) October 23, 2014

“It’s the number of ACTIVE affiliates that really matters.” – @eprussakov #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 23, 2014

? Affiliate Misconception #2 If you build it, they will come: Success takes more than just putting up a site! @jenmyersward #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Jessica Celenza (@jessicacelenza) October 23, 2014

?Build valuable content around a topic you?re passionate about? -@jenmyersward talking #affiliatemarketing #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Stephanie Humphrey (@TechLifeSteph) October 23, 2014

? “The opt-in form is the first place you should be testing.” – @anneholland55 #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 23, 2014

If you do A/B split email test, you need to do it more than once and observe the behavior -@AnneHolland55 #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 23, 2014

#ASCENDSUMMIT2014 “Click here” still rules. Over 97% lift in unique clicks. ? Martin Ramirez (@martinramirezit) October 23, 2014

Via @meladorri “If you’re going to increase frequency in your #emailmarketing, send less content with each email.” #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Bill Ross (@BillRoss) October 23, 2014

Advanced Blogging and Multichannel Analytics Speaker: Andy Crestodina

“Don’t send people from your homepage to YouTube. There are baby hedgehogs on there. They’re never coming back.”

“If you’re not making friends, you’re doing it wrong.”

? “Your website is the mousetrap, content is the cheese.” @crestodina #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 http://ift.tt/1suDnhz ? SEER Interactive (@SEERInteractive) October 23, 2014

#ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @aweber @crestodina Tips from Andy’s Presentation: dont put social media buttons on every page- that’s backwards! ? Joe Witte (@wittejoe) October 23, 2014

? Great marketers really focus on a topic and need a set of complementary topics. @crestodina #ASCENDSummit2014 ? Charlene Havens (@charlenehavens) October 23, 2014

Blogging hack: do a google search with your keywords. Based on those search results, write blog posts about them #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Jenny Kessman (@jakessman) October 23, 2014

#ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @aweber @crestodina Tips from Andy’s Presentation: Collaborate with other influencers! ? Joe Witte (@wittejoe) October 23, 2014

The Future of Content Marketing Speaker: Michael Brenner

“Great marketing has always been about storytelling.”

“Banners have 99 problems and a click ain’t one.”

“Content needs to be a cultural transformation within companies.” – @brennermichael #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 23, 2014

Amazingly well said! @BrennerMichael #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @aweber http://ift.tt/12S6may ? Ebong Eka (@ebongeka) October 23, 2014

It’s not just the info, is the emotion that connect us to people – @BrennerMichael #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 23, 2014

“The future of marketing is entertaining.” – @brennermichael #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 23, 2014

Great advice from @BrennerMichael #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 http://ift.tt/12S6p6e ? Heyo (@heyo) October 23, 2014

Speaker Sessions: Day 2

Fastening my seat belt for day two of #ascendsummit2014. http://ift.tt/12S6mr9 ? John Langan (@Gr8JohnL) October 24, 2014

How to Produce Content that Gets Results, More Leads, and Way More Customers

Speaker: Marcus Sheridan

“Stop telling the world you’re awesome! People will figure that out on your site.”

“Become the wikipedia of your industry.”

“Everything comes down to trust.” -@TheSalesLion #AscendSummit2014 http://ift.tt/12S6pmJ ? Jeremy Goldman (@jeremarketer) October 24, 2014

Five subjects that people look for on your site, but can rarely find: Cost, problems, versus, reviews, and best. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Justine Jordan (@meladorri) October 24, 2014

Every time someone has a question abt your biz, you should answer it, and add it to your website – @TheSalesLion #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 24, 2014

Stop trying to build links — write about things people care about! – @TheSalesLion #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Hunter Boyle (@hunterboyle) October 24, 2014

“What’s the golden rule? They ask. You answer.? – @TheSalesLion #ASCENDsummit2014 ? Heyo (@heyo) October 24, 2014

Preach. @TheSalesLion #truth #ASCENDsummit2014 http://ift.tt/1suDqKp ? Christina Love (@ChristnaRLove) October 24, 2014

Fat Fingers & Small Screens: Three Strategies for Mobile-Optimized Emails

Speaker: Justine Jordan

“80 percent of customers will delete your email if they can’t read it on a mobile device and 30 percent will unsubscribe.”

“Use actionable, useful terminology in your subject line.”

Blasts are weapons of mass destruction. Emails are personal things. The inbox is a private place @meladorri #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? angie hilem (@AngieHilem) October 24, 2014

“Mobile is a really big deal. One email made for desktop screens isn?t going to cut it anymore.” – @meladorri #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

“Email is the invitation to the party. The party’s your website.” Awwww yeaaaa @meladorri #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Elise Ramsay (@eliseramsay) October 24, 2014

A favorite piece of advice from Justine @meladorri at #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ?Give people the space they need interact with your email.? ? Theresa Radigan (@theresa_radigan) October 24, 2014

Conversion Optimization – Live and Uncut

Moderator: Hunter Boyle Panelists: Oli Gardner, Brian Massey

“Distracting landing page backgrounds are the enemy.”

“You MUST deliver the value proposition of whatever you’re offering.” – @BMassey #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

Headline shouldn’t be a tag line. It needs to keep your promise – @bmassey #ASCENDSummit2014 ? Stephanie Vermillion (@SMVermillion) October 24, 2014

“Forms are not user centric design they are conversion centric design” @oligardner #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Beth Brodovsky (@bethbrodovsky) October 24, 2014

“Your call to action should fill in the blank: ‘I want to _____.'” – @oligardner #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

More forms = lower conversion rate but higher quality leads. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 @southcoinc ? Cassandra Bailey (@cassapedia) October 24, 2014

Landing page optimization “@McGswagg: save share buttons for the confirmation/thank you page, instead of the landing page #ASCENDSUMMIT2014” ? Sushant Misra (@treptalks) October 24, 2014

Email Deliverability: Ask the Expert

Speaker: Mohammed Ahmed

“Make it easy to unsubscribe.”

MORE GREAT TIPS: Don’t get caught in a spam filter! Be consistent. Email your contacts on a regular basis. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Storitz (@Storitzdotcom) October 24, 2014

“Free link shorteners are not effective – use your own links!” – Mohammed Ahmed #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

2 Key Insights Learned From Processing Over 4 Million Opt-Ins Per Month

Speaker: Tim Paige

“Make your page a giving page, not a taking page.”

“Your job as a marketer is to get people to make a decision.” – @TimThePaige #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

Give something away with every blog post – and make customers opt-in again! – @TimThePaige #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 24, 2014

test replacing your side bar opt-in form with a two step button to the form, conversion rate may go up! @TimThePaige #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Amanda (@McGswagg) October 24, 2014

When you tell people its not what they expected it to be – that drives conversion rate through the roof @TimThePaige #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Beth Brodovsky (@bethbrodovsky) October 24, 2014

Agree 128% w @TimThePaige: your welcome email is so powerful, and fertile ground for optimization. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Hunter Boyle (@hunterboyle) October 24, 2014

Your #thankyou page might be the most important page. #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Carly Stunder (@CarlyStunder) October 24, 2014

How to create a great resource guide? Help audience achieve their goals. @TimThePaige #contentmarketing #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Laima Rastikis (@RastikisInk) October 24, 2014

Exploring the Fundamentals of User Experience

Speaker: Jessica Ivins

“To make products useful, we need to understand the needs of our audience.”

“Reduce barriers to entry – don’t make it hard for them to get what they want.”

Good design doesn’t hapen by accident; it happens when you ask the hard questions – @jessicaivins #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 #UX ? Hunter Boyle (@hunterboyle) October 24, 2014

#ASCENDSUMMIT2014 “it’s not what clients want it’s what they need. ” #usability ? samsonmedia (@samsonmedia) October 24, 2014

“Put yourself in the shoes of your user before any design begins.” – @jessicaivins #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

We love this quote from @jessicaivins #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 http://ift.tt/1suDrxP ? Heyo (@heyo) October 24, 2014

A Tactical Toolkit to Conquer the Digital Marketing Trifecta

Speaker: Lynette Young

“Pay attention to social, blog, and email. Where are you strongest? What needs help?”

“Give away your knowledge for free – help before the hype.”

“Make your interactions with your customer fun.”

The #awesome @LynetteRadio of @aweber. “Create, Connect, Consume, Contribute & Collaborate!” #ASCENDSummit2014 http://ift.tt/12S6tD5 ? Ebong Eka (@ebongeka) October 24, 2014

“Listen to your competitors on social.” – @LynetteRadio #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

“Want connections? Take the initiative. Subscribe. Comment. Follow.” @LynetteRadio at #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 You get what you give… ? Andy Crestodina (@crestodina) October 24, 2014

Email is a 1-to-1 communication channel: it’s u talking to 1 customer at a time. Give him something useful! @LynetteRadio #ASCENDSUMMIT2014 ? Natalia Morais (@NatMoraisBR) October 24, 2014

“Don’t try to sell them, try to educate them.” – @LynetteRadio #ascendsummit2014 ? AWeber (@aweber) October 24, 2014

ASCEND 2014 Sessions Available Now for Preorder

Don’t worry if you missed out on AWeber’s inaugural event. You can preorder videos of the best sessions so that you can get the best content from industry experts right to your own device. The one thing not included in the ASCEND session videos is content from the networking parties! No worries, our friends at Wistia put together a little taste of what went on after the talks were done!

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Google Inbox Could Make It Easier to Ignore Email

As content marketers anticipate the widespread adoption of Google Inbox, they must also prepare to personalize content so that it doesn't get pushed aside.

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Two Critical But Often Overlooked Email Marketing Metrics

Although they often don't get the attention they deserve, click reach and the ability to determine the value of an email address are valuable metrics to have in your email analytics strategy.

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How the Key Trends in Marketing Play Out in Practice

The consolidation of the email ecosystem mirrors the trends in digital marketing as a whole, as seen in these five examples.

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Marketing Mania: The North Face

American outdoor equipment company, The North Face, popular for their fleece jackets and backpacks, teamed up with South Korean ad agency Innored to create a virtual mountain climbing adventure for shoppers, with a free North Face jacket at stake to win.Related Articles

1. Marketing Mania: Marilyn Monroe


2. Marketing Mania: #BabyJonas


3. Marketing Mania: Smoking Kid

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Salesforce Integrating at the CRM Saloon

Try the Benchmark-Salesforce plugin and your business, and customers, will thank you.Related Articles

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2. Putting the "Great" in Integrations: WordPress Plugin


3. Benchmark PayPal Integration

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Google Inbox Moves Email Into a Mobile World

The new product hopes to make email more interactive by allowing users to group messages by subject and highlight important information while providing supplementary information based on message content.

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New in Email Designer v1.1: Mobile Stylings

Today, let’s take a look at the additional Mobile Stylings our new editor has added.Related Articles

1. Email Designer v1.1 Is Here!


2. New in Email Designer v1.1: Code Editor


3. New in Email Designer v1.1: Navigation Bar Block

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Public Speaking Myths Debunked with Lisa Braithwaite

The old joke goes that in a survey, people ranked public speaking ahead of dying as their biggest fears. They'd rather die than speak in public. Turns out, there's no truth to that joke. Lisa Braithwaite tells us that's false, but shares the truths of public speaking on this episode of the Heart of Business.Related Articles

1. Introducing the Heart of Business


2. Weekly Wrap: Heart of Business Has Arrived!


3. Heart of Business: Bantering with the Beer Expert

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New in Email Designer v1.1: Navigation Bar Block

The addition of the Navigation Bar Block to the new Email Designer from Benchmark Email is one we are most excited about. By simply dragging the Navigation Bar Block into your email template in the editor, you can replicate the look and feel of your website.Related Articles

1. Email Designer v1.1 Is Here!


2. New in Email Designer v1.1: Code Editor


3. Announcing the launch of new Benchmark Email!

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3 Cyber Monday Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to Cyber Monday, marketers need to find the sweet spot between sending out too many emails and not sending out enough.

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New in Email Designer v1.1: Code Editor

Our code editor is a great option to select if you’re HTML savvy and want to build your own email from scratch or edit the HTML of an email template.Related Articles

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2. Pointers for Those Who Prefer to Write Their Own Html Code


3. HTML Tips & Tricks #1 - Resizing Headers

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7 Reasons Your Business Needs an Automated Welcome Email

When someone signs up for your email list, it’s important to roll out the email red carpet and welcome them. Statistics show these new subscribers are most engaged within the first 48 hours. An automated welcome email (which is a type of autoresponder) can help you reach out to your new subscribers within that crucial window of time. Luckily, at the end of this month, we’ll be launching automated welcome emails in our newest version of VerticalResponse.

Why is an automated welcome email so important to have in your email tool belt? We’ve identified seven reasons why your business should take advantage of a welcome email:

1. Save time

What small business owner isn’t looking for ways to save time? We know you’re busy. With an automated welcome email, every time a new name is added to your list, your pre-made welcome email is delivered straight to their inbox. It’s that simple.

You don’t have to create and send a welcome email every time a new contact signs up, which means you’ll spend less time creating individual emails and managing your list. You create the welcome email once and it’s automatically sent to new subscribers.

2. Provide immediate value

New subscribers have high expectations. When they sign up for your emails, they expect high quality content in return. A welcome email sets the tone, instantly showing customers what kind of communication and information they’ll receive as a member of your email list. A welcome email is your time to shine. A sleek, well thought out welcome email shows subscribers your company can be counted on to deliver valuable content.

3. Tailor your welcome email with ease

Like many small businesses, your email lists may be divided into different groups. As an option, you can customize a welcome email to meet the needs of each group. For example, if your lists are divided by location (San Francisco or New York) you can create welcome emails that are tailored to a particular city or area. Each group receives a targeted look and message.

4. Make a great first impression

One of the biggest reasons to send a welcome email is to make a good first impression. A welcome email is like a digital handshake between two new people. It’s the first step to forming a relationship.

A welcome email gives you the chance to knock your first meeting out of the park. You only get one shot at a first impression, and delivering a professional email that extends a friendly greeting as soon as they sign up for your list can make your new subscriber feel welcome.

Plus, a welcome email can provide information about your company or offer a new-subscriber discount. All of these aspects add to the subscriber’s overall impression of your business.

5. Generate some buzz

Who doesn’t want to create a positive buzz around their business or product? Well, a welcome email does just that. As part of a welcome email, you can get prospective customers excited about what’s to come. Tell new subscribers why your email list will rock their world. For example, in the welcome email below Crate and Barrel tells subscribers they’ll get special offers, a look at new items, design tips and access to store events. That quick list gets subscribers pumped up about their new email relationship.

6. Take advantage of a potential sales opportunity

When a new subscriber joins your list, it means they want to know more about your product or business. Since the welcome email lands in their inbox while their curiosity is still piqued, subscribers may be more likely to make a purchase from your business. To provide a little extra incentive, consider adding a promotional deal to your welcome email.

Take a look at the email below. It not only welcomes the subscriber, but it also offers 20% off. The customer sees it as a nice gesture, and it opens up a sale opportunity for your business.

7. Increase email response rates

Every small business wants to see impressive email response rates. When you send an email, you want subscribers to open it, read it and take action. Statistics show welcome emails have impressive response rates.

The Epsilon Email Marketing Research Center says triggered emails – which include welcome emails, shopping cart reminder emails and anniversary emails – have an open rate of 46-53% and clickthrough rates between 9-11%. Other non-automated emails have an open rate of 26-32% and clickthrough rates that hover around 4 percent.

Simply put, subscribers pay attention to welcome emails.

Welcome emails are just the first of many exciting new features that we’ll be rolling out in our newest version of VerticalResponse. Stay tuned for more features to help your small business send emails with ease. VerticalResponse Classic users, you can sign up for the new VerticalResponse with a different email address than your Classic account.

© 2014, VerticalResponse Blog. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

The post 7 Reasons Your Business Needs an Automated Welcome Email appeared first on VerticalResponse Blog.

A Little Incentive Goes a Long Way

Remember when you were younger, and your teachers would reward your class’s good behavior with no homework over a long weekend? Suddenly, nothing else mattered except that precious extra time you’d have on your hands – and nothing beat that feeling of freedom once you had it.

As adults, we still like to be rewarded for our actions, especially when it’s a reward we can use. That’s why incentives are incredibly valuable marketing tools for any business looking to grow their email list.

What is an incentive?

Some people call it a sign up bonus, others consider it a free gift. Regardless of its name, the purpose is the same: you’re giving people a reason to sign up for your list, and you’re getting a chance to showcase your expertise.

Why are incentives so effective?

Many people are protective over their personal information – email addresses are no exception. Incentives give people the nudge they need to share their email address with you. They’ll not only be rewarded for signing up for your list, they’ll also get a preview of the services you have to offer as well as the quality of your business. Incentives help you stand out from other businesses from the get-go, as well.

Different type of incentives

By now you might be wondering, ‘What could I give away that people would actually want?’ Let’s take a look at some of the common types of incentives to choose from:

• Free ebook or PDF


• Coupon


• One-time discount or offer code


• Video or webinar


• Another freebie that relates to your business

Which incentive is right for my business?

With all the different the different types of incentives you can use, it’s important to choose the right one.

Digital items, such as ebooks and PDFs, are the easiest things to turn into incentives, because you’ll never run out of inventory.

If you’re already producing content, it won’t take much time at all to flip what you already have into a PDF file. They’re easily deliverable too – you can attach files up to 1MB to an email. (For larger files, we recommend using Dropbox or Google Drive.)

Digital incentives work exceptionally well for those who provide consulting, training, coaching or any kind of internet marketing services. Think step-by-step guides, industry tips/best practices, checklists and worksheets.

Want to promote a product or service? Offer a one-time coupon code for new subscribers. Make sure your offer is valuable, because new subscribers are more likely to spread the word if they like your deal!

Here’s a great example of a coupon incentive.

There’s a good chance that if you’re on this website, you’re already interested in attending the event. Why wouldn’t you want to sign up for email updates and get $3 off your admission? It’s a no-brainer.

Here are some more ideas to help you get started:

• Are you an author? Give away a free chapter of your latest book.


• Foodie? Share a great recipe created exclusively for your email list.


• Designer or blogger? Create a unique printable, like stationery, wall art, or a design for an iron-on transfer.


• Dog-walker? Include a recipe for a homemade, dog-friendly treat.


• Photographer? Create a computer desktop image using your work.


• Restaurant or shop owner? Ask visitors to sign up for your list after they make a purchase in exchange for a discount on their next visit, like Fork Restaurant does.

The idea is to create an incentive that is available nowhere else! Once you know which incentive is right for your business, where do you place your incentive offer? State your incentive clearly on your web sign up form. Click here to learn more about what to write on your sign up form.

How do I follow up and keep my new subscribers engaged?

The best thing about the incentives we’ve mentioned so far? They’re easily deliverable via email. That leads us to the most important part of incentivizing your new subscribers: following through. A follow up series serves as a great tool for delivering digital incentives. Your very first follow up message to those new subscribers after they’ve confirmed into your list should contain their freebie. Don’t make them wait!

Remember, your work isn’t done once you’ve delivered the goods. You need to continue showing your company’s value to new subscribers if you want to keep them engaged. Great content, ongoing sales and newsletter exclusives will make them feel like they’re part of your club. You might also consider expanding on the content you used as your incentive in your follow up emails.

And if your incentive isn’t as effective as you’d like it to be? Don’t be afraid of refreshing your incentive to attract people who may not have been interested in your first one. It may take a little experimentation to figure out what what works best for your business.

Have you ever used an incentive offer to encourage people to sign up for your list? Share your experience with us in the comments!

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Here Comes CQ: Creative Intelligence Moves in on the IQ, EQ turf

We’ve delved into IQ and EQ over the last few months in which entrepreneurs and thought leaders began to realize the importance of emotional intelligence just as much as standard measures of intelligence. The newest intelligence marker is called CQ, and it stands for “creative intelligence.”Related Articles

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2. Why Creativity Is Dying, and Why You Need to Bring It Back to Life


3. The Social Intelligence Gathering Roundup

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5 Reasons Why Content Marketing Should Elevate Your Email Program

Email marketers have largely missed out on the opportunities presented by content marketing. Here are five ways to build a successful marriage between email and content.

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A Return to Brick and Mortar: Why Entrepreneurs Are Rethinking Storefronts

We’ve been rushing to e-commerce to sell our goods when really the time might be ripe to return to the brick and mortar.Related Articles

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20 Ways to Improve Your Small Business Writing Skills

If you’re serious about growing your business, you need amazing content. The great news about writing for your business? You’re already the expert! While writing engaging content isn’t easy (most business owners aren’t professional writers, after all), it’s one skill worth developing.

Here are 20 ways you can begin improving your writing skills today. Keep these tips handy for the next time you get a case of writer’s block.

1. Know your audience

• Speak their language, know their terms and don’t bog them down in lingo.


• Address their biggest problems and offer creative solutions.


• Take a look at your top 10 percent of customers. What can you write to attract more of them? Create a persona around the type of person (and business) you want to attract and write as if you were talking directly to them.

2. Tell stories

• Stories paint pictures and help people make connections with your business.


• When crafting your story, think about answering the question “why” and not “what” or “how.” Working your experience or opinion into your writing is a surefire way to produce unique content that helps you stand out from other businesses.


• Give examples of how customers could use your product or service to solve a problem, describe how a service/product is used or spotlight real customers who have used your services in the past.

3. Focus on quality, not quantity

• Producing mass quantities of poorly written content won’t help anyone and can hurt your business’s reputation.


• Focus on a few ideas that deliver real, actionable value to your readers. You are incorporating your call to action into your writing… right?

4. Write something you’d want to read

• What do you read every day? It’s no secret that great writers are also big readers!


• Expand your own reading list to other industries and formats. PDFs and podcasts count – not all writing has to live on paper.

5. Research other writers

• Do a little Googling and find other people who cover similar topics. What do they do well? What can you do better?

6. Be mindful of spelling and grammar

• Resources like Grammarly and Thesaurus can be a writer’s best friend!


• Interested in becoming a grammar geek? Check out Mignon Fogarty’s Grammar Girl blog and podcast.

7. Determine what you want to be known for

• Complete this sentence: “I’m the expert in ____________.”


• Your writing should follow this theme.


• Ask your peers or customers what they feel you are the “go to” person for.

8. Use images

• Photos fill in the gaps where words fall short. If you’re struggling to explain a concept, images can help your readers understand.


• They also break up longer chunks of text and give the reader’s eyes a break.

9. Get a second set of eyes

• Everybody needs an editor. Everybody. This is especially true when you’re first starting out. Ask a friend or a trusted colleague for five minutes of their time. You’ll be glad you did.

10. Do your homework

• Never push out content just for the sake of pushing out content. Even when you’re writing about a topic you know inside and out, you need to do your research.


• Find out what others have already written on the topic and make sure your information is up to date.


• Attribute resources and links as necessary.

11. Always brainstorm

• Have you ever had a great idea in the shower? You’re not alone. Keep a running list of ideas, no matter how far-out they initially seem. You never know what you can use or iterate on in the future!


• Pick a way to capture ideas and be consistent with it. Great ideas are useless if you can’t find the sticky note you wrote it on.

12. Write a messy first draft

• Have you heard the Hemingway quote, ‘Write drunk, edit sober’? There’s actually some truth to that. Your first draft of anything won’t be perfect. That’s the point, it’s a first draft. Get your thoughts down first, then edit and refine.


• Check out what Ann Handley has to say about writing a messy first draft.

13. Stay tuned-in

• Populate your RSS feed with industry news. Find out where your customers hang out online and join the conversation. Check out new blogs that interest you. You never know what will spark an idea!


• Subscribe to newsletters from your clients, vendors and other interesting content providers.

14. Ask for feedback from your readers

• … and show that you’re listening – put that feedback to work!


• Ask for feedback via your blog and social media accounts. If you feel the feedback may be a bit more critical, ask for it in a form that isn’t public – like email!

15. Include a call to action

• For any content you create, define the expected outcome for your readers. In other words, what do you want the reader to have accomplished when done reading your article? Make your call to action obvious!

16. Make it shareable

• Ask yourself: Would I share this content with friends or colleagues? If the answer is no, rethink your message.


• Add Click To Tweets in place of short form quotes in your articles so readers can easily share your content.


• When adding images to your writing, think about how they would look on their own and not wrapped inside an article. Make the images uniquely shareable on sites like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

17. Get inspired by other experts

• Need direction on who to look up first? Check out content experts like Ann Handley and Joe Pulizzi.


• Read what other writers read!

18. Find out how your readers prefer their content

• Everyone is different. Executive-level professionals tend to like audio content because they can listen while traveling or working. Many small business owners gravitate to videos so they can watch and learn on their own schedule (which is very, very busy).

19. Be consistent

• Commit to producing a specific number of content items per week/month, but don’t overcommit. It’s better to produce slowly than burn out because you can’t keep the pace!

20. Have fun with it!

• Writing shouldn’t be a chore. You’re already passionate about your business, so let that shine through in your content.


• Think about adding humor to your writing. No one says business has to be boring!

Writing compelling content is the most important – and most difficult – aspect of marketing. Don’t give up! Try out some of our tips and share your own with us in the comments.

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Ask These Questions - Now - to Reshape Your Email Strategy in 2015

Asking and answering these six questions will help you create a framework for your 2015 strategic email marketing planning.

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Email Designer v1.1 Is Here!

We’re already rolling out new improvements to the email designer. We present to you, Email Designer v 1.1.Related Articles

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"To Do Is to Dare," but It Doesn’t All Have to Be About Risk

Marketing fails will inevitably happen every once in a while, but if you take care to improve your data and your strategy, you can succeed more often.

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11 Simple Changes That Would Improve This Email: Gentle Critique

This small business is attempting email marketing, but it has a lot of room for improvement. Can you apply any of these tips to your strategy?

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Marketing Mania: Prince

A symbol, which is apparently is a cross between the male and female symbol, was what best-selling pop artist, Prince, chose to change his name to back in 1993. This wasn’t just an artistic change in direction that musicians go occasionally go through. This is a bold rebellion made towards his record label, Warner Bros, over a contract dispute.Related Articles

1. Marketing Mania: Marilyn Monroe


2. Marketing Mania: #BabyJonas


3. Marketing Mania: Smoking Kid

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Putting the Life Back in Your Customer Lifecycle

If you take the time to establish a customer lifecycle blueprint, you will be able to understand your consumers better and more effectively market to them.

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Measuring Social Media ROI: Still More Art Than Science

One of the most stunning results from this study is that when online brand marketers were asked whether the need to measure the impact and contribution of their social networking marketing efforts was a high or low priority for them, fully 45% answered that it was indeed a low priority! That’s nearly half of all the online brand marketers operating in social media who are spending their companies’ time, budgets, and resources in the world of social media and they don’t even think it’s important to measure what effect their efforts have on the bottom line! It is definitely a brave new world that has such people in it!Related Articles

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2. Emotional Marketing: Reaching the Consumer’s Motivation


3. Mastering the Art of UnMarketing for Social Media Success

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Creating Email-Opening Worthy Content

Creating content seems easy. But creating valuable content that’s worth a spot in your emails? Now that’s a different story… Yet it doesn’t have to be.

Writing content for email is vastly different than writing content for other publication channels, such as your blog or social networks — and it should be treated that way.

To ensure your emails are filled to the brim with content that produces results, here are some tips to help you get started:

Exclusive Content

When the first customer-facing email was created, its purpose wasn’t to send content that people had previously heard or read. Instead, the intent was to open a new line of communication to keep prospects regularly engaged and prevent them from turning into stale leads. Although email today is often used by brands as a promotional tool peppered with “marketing-ese,” breaking this habit is crucial to creating emails that your subscribers actually find interesting.

While your content should accurately reflect your brand, it should be something your audience looks forward to when checking their inbox. Consider offering “insider” tips, ideas, and curated news that are relevant to your business. Keep it casual, concise, and as selfless as possible.

And unless you’re teasing content to encourage email subscriptions, keep the content off of your website and social media. By presenting content your readers can’t get anywhere else, they’ll be more likely to open your emails.

For example, if you run a dog grooming business, exclusive content might include a list of preferred dog shampoos and why you recommend them, tips for getting an anxious pet to calm down during bathtime, how-to guides for preventing hair mats, etc. Curated content might feature the latest releases of your favorite products, sales on grooming equipment at local pet stores, and more.

TIP: By making your business a must-have resource, your value will be irreplaceable. The goal is to attract new customers by providing valuable content, not just stuffing a newsletter with things YOU want to say.

Images

Visuals are a pretty big deal, and they can be extremely effective in capturing your audience’s attention and sparking interest in ways that text alone cannot. Why? People only remember 20 percent of what they read, but they remember 80 percent of what they see. We also process images 60,000 times faster than text.

If you’re a power-mom who loves blogging about recipes and children’s fashion, colorful imagery can help bring your ideas to life and inspire your readers to take action. A recipe for butternut squash and goat cheese pasta may sound okay, but it’s the delicious photo that’s going to cause stomachs to grumble and influence your readers to make it later for dinner — and then snap a pic of it to spark envy among friends.

TIP: Whether you use a graphic designer to create high quality visuals or you take advantage of AWeber’s free stock image gallery,including those elements can help nurture subscriber loyalty.

Great Subject Lines

There are a number of things we do to present ourselves in the best way possible when making a first impression, whether it’s combing our hair or choosing the right words to say. Well, your email subject lines should be getting the same treatment, too.

As the first piece of content readers see from you, your subject lines should be carefully constructed to make a good impression. Keep them short but relevant to the content in your email. They should also be inviting so your readers will be encouraged to interact with your message. Some of the best subject lines include how-to statements, numbers, direct statements, and/or personalization, such as these:

Asking a question is a great way to approach your subject line. This one in particular works so well because it addresses a strong concern of every subscriber to this email list: How should we prepare for the future of B2B marketing? By sparking curiosity and supplying an answer in your email, readers will be sure to click through.

This subject line works well because it’s actionable (“quench”) and concisely tells the reader exactly what the email is all about.

Bad headlines on the other hand, look a lot like this (so avoid these!):

Refinery29 may create good email content, but this subject line tells subscribers little about why they should open this email. So the company’s own shopping addiction got worse? That means nothing to the readers. Instead of focusing on your own brand, tell your audience why they should become addicted to your products/services.

Pumpkin spice and concerts go together like…Well, nobody is really sure, to be honest. Sure, the seasonal topic is timely, but we don’t need to pumpkin spice all the things. If you want to jump on the now-trending bandwagon, make sure it’s also relevant to the content in your email.

TIP: Subject line split tests can be a great way to see what messaging works best with your subscriber list. Even if your email message is valuable, the content can’t do its job if no one gets past the subject line.

User-Generated Content

Sometimes, the best content isn’t anything you’ve created on your own. Rather, it’s the type of content created by your customers — a.k.a. user-generated content (UGC). From Facebook to Yelp!, there are a number of places where consumers come together to share their experiences with businesses all over the world. So why not make use of these powerful communities to unearth helpful content for your emails?

An owner of a local bakery, for example, might want to feature their most shared items on Pinterest or even reviews from Facebook followers who raved about a new cake flavor.

When prospective consumers can identify with the real people interacting with and benefiting from your business, they’ll be more encouraged to do so as well.

TIP: Testimonials can be an important part of user-generated content that adds credibility and value to your emails. Think about using quotes and ideas from customers that can help your subscribers, not just flaunt how amazing you are!

Irresistible Offers

According to a study from Blue Kangaroo, seven out of ten people say they made use of a coupon or discount from a marketing email in the prior week. In addition to using coupons as a way to incentivize people to sign up for your emails, they can be leveraged for encouraging them to open emails on a regular basis.

Just make sure the offer is valuable to them. Exclusive discount codes or coupons are always a win, but consider offering something they wouldn’t be able to get from a competitor in the Sunday paper, such as a helpful how-to guide or a top secret ‘never been shared before’ recipe.

TIP: In addition to coupons and discounts, offer your subscribers sneak peeks to new products or services, exclusive chances to pre-order sure-to-sell-out items, or have a “last call” clearance sale available only to them!

Still Not Sure? Just Ask

If you don’t know what kind of content is valuable to your audience, why not ask them? All it takes is a brief email survey that invites feedback on information they’d like to receive from you in the future. Once you have that information, you’ll be ready to create amazing email-opening worthy content.

Want to learn more tricks of the trade? Sign up below to receive helpful blog posts (like this one) right in your inbox!

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The Top 7 Re-Engagement Email Strategies

If you manage to give your lapsed customers a real reason to return, they will reward you with lasting loyalty!Related Articles

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2. Email Marketing from Your International Kitchen


3. 5 Things I Learned from Declaring Email Bankruptcy

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The Keys to the Cloud

Email marketing companies need to embrace the marketing cloud, or risk being left behind in the industry.

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Tumblr: For a Spin on the Blog

No need to reiterate how important content marketing is for your business, but it’s now time to refine your content and start posting things that people will actually enjoy reading!Related Articles

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Ginny Soskey: Hubspot's Call To Action Ninja

Calls To Action are an imperative part of any marketing campaign on any marketing channel. We invited the Section Editor for Hubspot's Marketing Blog, Ginny Soskey, to teach us all about them.Related Articles

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Membership Site Software and Plugins: 4 Tools to Grow Your Business

Whether you’re selling content products, training courses or exclusive services, launching a membership website is now easier than ever before.

Caveat: You still need the right tools for the job.

Since email plays such a vital role in growing a membership site, knowing which membership services will plug right into your email marketing gives you a big headstart.

That’s why we asked four of the top membership site software providers to describe their product, and extend a special offer to our readers. So if you’re looking to launch a new membership site, or exploring new options for an existing site, you can find a platform that works for you.

1. WishList Member

Tracy Childers, Co-Founder of WishList Products, Inc. Twitter: @wishlistproduct

Who is WishList Member best suited for?

Anyone that wants to protect their online content on their WordPress-powered website.

What sets WishList Member apart from other, similar apps?

It’s a premium WordPress plugin with no monthly fees, currently trusted by over 53,145 online communities and membership sites worldwide.

What benefits/results can marketers expect from using this integration?

With the WishList Member-AWeber integration, you can add anyone from a membership level to a specific list within your AWeber account. If the status of a member changes in WishList Member (such as a cancel) they will also be removed from your AWeber list.

This effectively lets you communicate with your members using the power of AWeber’s email tools.

Why should AWeber customers connect to WishList Member right now?

To take advantage of the custom communication and deliverability of AWeber, within each specific membership level inside of WishList Member. Automatically updating AWeber lists keeps you in synch with your membership audiences.

What’s the pricing model? Is there a special offer for AWeber clients?

WishList Member is offered in two different license formats: 1) Single Site Licenses are $97 one-time fee, and 2) Multi-Site Licenses are $297 one-time fee. The Multi-Site License allows for an unlimited number of membership sites owned by a single person, but is not intended for webmasters building client sites.

Special bonus offer for AWeber customers: First-time WishList Member users will receive a special plugin called WishList Scheduler ($40 value).

WishList Scheduler lets you set up membership content that will appear to members on a scheduled basis. For instance, you can schedule content to show up on the same days that your autoresponder messages are delivered for maximum impact. This creates an automated delivery system for protected members-only content.

Create your account with WishList Member here (plus bonus offer)

Get step-by-step help integrating AWeber with WishList Member here

2. MemberMouse

Dan Caron, Chief Marketing Officer of MemberMouse. Twitter: @membermouse

Who is MemberMouse best suited for?

MemberMouse is an easy-to-use WordPress membership plugin that helps you sell products, subscriptions and memberships.

With it, you can setup a password-protected member’s area, offer one-click upsells and downsells, manage customers, automate customer service, track critical retention metrics and more.

MemberMouse was designed to be easy-to-use, but has a powerful feature set that allows you to maximize your revenue and lifetime customer value. It also includes an extensive API and Push Notification System to allow for custom business automation rules and 3rd party integrations.

What sets MemberMouse apart from other, similar apps?

MemberMouse is more than just a script to provide a password protected member’s area. It’s a business platform that tracks all the critical metrics associated with a subscription business.

Want to know your customer lifetime value? Want to know your retention rate? Without these numbers, it’s impossible to make decisions, improve weaknesses, and intelligently scale your business. If you’re not using data to drive your marketing decisions, or paying attention to the numbers, you’re wandering in the dark. Many other membership plug-ins don’t provide you with this depth of direct-response analytics.

What benefits/results can marketers expect from using this integration?

MemberMouse only integrates with best-in-class service providers such as AWeber. The MemberMouse and AWeber integration makes it easy to assign members to an AWeber mailing list, no matter if they’re joining a membership level or subscription, or purchasing a one-off product. Members are also automatically switched to the appropriate mailing list when they change membership levels.

Why should AWeber customers connect to MemberMouse right now?

Whether you sell digital products, subscription content, software as a service, or ship physical goods, MemberMouse provides a flexible platform that you can quickly shape to your business, with no programming required. The software gets you up and running quickly, and handles many of the common tasks in your business, freeing you to focus on your value proposition. Simply put, MemberMouse is one of the easiest ways to start your own online business.

What’s the pricing model? Is there a special offer for AWeber clients?

MemberMouse pricing is designed to be affordable for businesses of all sizes. If you’re just getting started, the Starter Plan will get you off the ground quickly from $19.95 per month. For more powerful features, you can upgrade to Advanced ($99 per month) or Premium plans ($299 per month). All MemberMouse plans come with a 14-day free trial.

Create your account with MemberMouse here

Get step-by-step help integrating AWeber with MemberMouse

3. MemberSonic

Andrew Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of Plugin Results. Twitter: @pluginresults

Who is MemberSonic best suited for?

Internet marketers, coaches and personal trainers, looking for an easy way to deliver secure online content and products to their customers. Built on WordPress, this rapid content delivery plugin will allow anyone to create a complete membership site in less than 5 minutes using our wizard setup tool.

What sets MemberSonic apart from other, similar apps?

MemberSonic boasts all the core must-have features of a premium membership site software, with numerous integrations to extend the functionality. The intuitively designed user interface allows for any function to be performed in four clicks or less, making for fast deployment of any membership site.

What benefits/results can marketers expect from using this integration?

With this integration, new members will be automatically added to any AWeber mailing list specified. Membership site owners can better communicate with and engage members, thus increasing member retention and residual revenue.

Why should AWeber customers connect to MemberSonic right now?

Integrating through the AWeber API means a more secure and consistent method of adding new members to your mailing list. Direct integration means fewer steps for your customers and a better overall purchasing experience.

What’s the pricing model? Is there a special offer for AWeber clients?

MemberSonic is a one time purchase of $97 (includes lifetime customer support and product updates) for a personal use unlimited domain license. AWeber customers can save 50% with code AWEBER50 through October 31, 2014.

Create your account with MemberSonic here (use AWEBER50 to save 50%)

Get step-by-step help integrating AWeber with MemberSonic

4. aMember

Alex Scott, Owner of CGI-Central. Twitter: @cgicentral

Who is aMember best suited for?

Website owners who want to sell subscriptions or other digital products. A typical e-commerce setup with us includes WordPress (not necessary but recommended), aMember Pro and AWeber for email messages.

What sets aMember apart from other, similar apps?

If you need something complex, such as integration with forums, third-party systems, or selling software via subscriptions or group access (courses, for example), aMember is for you. We love complex tasks and working with clients to implement all their needs.

Another important benefit for customers is full control. aMember software is open source and installed to the customer web site, with no monthly fees.

What benefits/results can marketers expect from using this integration?

aMember Pro is a comprehensive ecommerce system that includes membership management, customer profile management, help desk, payments and subscription handling for over 100 payment systems, even an affiliate management module. Optional modules also include public members directory and software license handling, plus more than 60 integrations with popular website software titles like vBulletin, XenForo, phpBB, Joomla and other scripts. Of course full-featured WordPress integration is also available.

Why should AWeber customers connect to aMember right now?

To start selling e-commerce content or subscriptions, protect content and communicate with customers.

What’s the pricing model? Is there a special offer for AWeber clients?

Pricing is simple and flat. aMember costs $179.95 (one-time fee) for a lifetime license, including free installation and configuration by our professionals. We are happy to provide a $20 discount for AWeber customers: Use coupon code AWEBER2014, through October 15, 2014.

Create your account with aMember here (save $20 with AWEBER2014)

Get step-by-step help integrating AWeber with aMember

What’s next?

Check out these awesome services and send us your feedback in the comments. If you’re building a new membership site, let us know your results or questions. Or if you’re already using AWeber with one of these services, tell us what’s working and what challenges you’re facing.

Also, if you missed our recent apps roundups (September, August, July, June), check out the AWeber App Showcase to see more of our third-party integrations.

Olivia Dello Buono contributed to this post.

via Email Marketing Tips http://blog.aweber.com/email-marketing/membership-site-software-apps-roundup-october-2014.htm