4 Best Practices for Nonprofit Event Planning

If you’re like many nonprofits, you probably host an annual fundraising event to help raise money and keep your organization up and running. But planning, organizing, and managing events can be tough, and all that effort can go to waste if not handled correctly. When you’re planning your upcoming event, keep these four tips in mind to ensure everything runs smoothly:

1. Get organized

Who are you inviting to the event? Is this going to be a general fundraiser that includes the community, or are you targeting a certain group or business type for your event? Are you going to need volunteers? Make sure you know who should be involved before you get to the planning process. This will make getting your invitee and volunteer lists together easier, and knowing the ‘who’ is a great way to start planning your event marketing strategy.

2. Get the word out

Email and social media marketing are simple and inexpensive ways to let people know about your event. You can even get them to sign up on the spot. Start by thinking about your overall marketing plan and the type of event you’re planning.

Email is a great way to follow up and remind guests that they’re attending or volunteering at your event. As a rule of thumb, send out one to two reminders to your attendees, including the date, time, and location for the event. Send your volunteers all the information they’ll need, such as where to meet, their assigned duties, and the date and time they should arrive. Encourage both your guests and volunteers to RSVP via email so you can manage non-responders and keep everything streamlined and organized.

3. Sell tickets

Word is out about your event — now what? Time to manage attendance and donations. Use your website to create an event page where you can manage sign-ups, take money for ticket purchases, and accept donations. Decide on contribution levels, group discounts, and early-bird pricing. Are you going to have a VIP level or charge extra for meals and t-shirts? Use an online management system to set up different pricing levels and keep track of sign-ups for you.

4. Follow up

After you’ve sent your invitations and information and finally wrapped up your event, it’s time to show your appreciation. Send a follow-up note to thank everyone who participated in the event, including attendees, donors, volunteers, and staff. If this is an event you host regularly or annually, sending out a thank you can help ensure a great turnout next year. It’s a simple gesture, but definitely not one that should be overlooked. Send out an email, post a thank you message on Facebook, and give a shout-out to everyone who made the event possible.

Follow these tips for your most successful event yet. For more info on planning events, check out the Nonprofit Technology Network or the Fundraising Authority. And if you’re looking for email marketing tips, we have some of the best tips here.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2012 and has been revamped and updated for accuracy and relevance.

© 2016, Jill Bastian. All rights reserved.

The post 4 Best Practices for Nonprofit Event Planning appeared first on Vertical Response Blog.

9 Ways to Grow Your Email List With Twitter

So your email list is starting to grow, but you really want to really get the ball rolling.

Have you considered Twitter as an opportunity to get even more email subscribers?

Today, forty-two percent of people learn about products and services via Twitter, and forty-one percent provide their opinions. According to Convince and Convert, Twitter is ubiquitous. You’re already using it but are you getting the most out of your efforts?

There’s no better way to make an impression on your followers than giving them a sneak peek at the engaging and relevant content you’re creating for them.

At least thirty-four percent of marketers use Twitter as a lead acquisition tool – which makes this the perfect channel for promoting your content, email list and business. With some practice, and a few choice tips from yours truly, growing your email list on Twitter will be easier than ever.

Here are the nine ways you can optimize your Twitter content:

1. Add images to your posts

With every tweet you send, make sure you’re optimizing them for engagement. What is one way to improve them? By including an image.

In fact, thirty-four percent of followers are more likely to retweet your content when there’s a visual to accompany the text.

Shareable images should be attention-grabbing, but make sure you keep it relevant to your branding. Check out this tweet we shared for our What to Write in Your Emails course:

We created an image that speaks to our audience with the intent of inspiring action. You can see in our tweet that the text is present but not the focus, it shows more than it tells. And there are stories being told: an amateur photographer sits down at the end of the day to write up a newsletter on the day’s shoot, or maybe a professional photographer works on the best way to present a course on what type of cameras to use in different shots.

As you craft your image, keep a few things in mind:

• Keep the text to a minimum (or include none at all).
• Make it bold. Strong composition and clean lines spur followers to take action.
• Size your images to be a minimum of 440 pixels long x 220 pixels wide. (According to Sprout Social, images should be a 2:1 ratio for optimization.)

You might also find that certain colors or elements resonate better with your audience. Feel free to test different variations to see what works best.

Pro Tip: To learn more about what makes an amazing sharable image, check out our step-by-step checklist!

2. Optimize your content for Twitter shares

Including a Click to Tweet option in your blog posts, ebooks or on a web page is a great way to get people to interact with your content. Plus, it allows your content to get in front of new audiences. (maybe include one of those quote tweet things here?) Not only will they be able to participate in the act of sharing, you can include a prominent form for their audience to sign up.

This works especially well for email-gated content. If you create an email course, for example, you can include a Click to Tweet on the Thank You page after someone signs up. This way, when they share it with their networks, others will have to subscribe to your email list to sign up for the course as well.

Here’s an example from one of our own Thank You pages, which the AWeber team created as part of our What to Write in Your Emails course:

Beneath the call-to-action button, you’ll notice a line of copy with the Twitter logo next to it – that’s our Click to Tweet. When someone clicks it, a new window will open up allowing the user to share the course as well:

While we added pre-selected text (which you can do, too), the user can adjust the copy as needed.

This allows your followers to ultimately help promote your list and help boost the overall engagement with your landing pages and lead magnets.

Pro Tip: Consider liking or retweeting these posts – it’s a great way to give them a shout out and say thank you!

3. Make your posts more noticeable with Twitter Cards

At first glance, a Twitter card is like an extra special, souped-up tweet. In addition to the standard 140-characters, cards include a multimedia element (image, video, content preview) and a link to a web page. And there are a ton of options for you to chose from.

For example, you can promote your blog posts with a summary card. It displays the title, description, image and a direct link to the content. This is a great way to show off your content to followers, and and it gives a little bit more information on what you have to offer on your blog. (And from your blog, you can set up sign up forms to join your email list!)

While different cards can be used for any number of campaigns, if you really want to drive list growth, you’ll want to check out the lead generation card.

With this type of Twitter card, you get the benefit of a larger Tweet (which includes an image), plus a stand-out CTA button.

Just take a look at this card from Really Good Emails:

Not only is it fun and aligns with their brand, you as the reader are 100% sure of what action you should take. The card stands out, there is a clear CTA that inspires followers to take action, and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to make their Mama proud?

Pro Tip: Your CTA should be as direct and engaging as possible, you want this tweet to empower your followers to sign up. Just remember to let people know what they’re signing up for.

4. Pin important tweets

Twitter gives you the option to keep (or “pin”) a tweet at the top of your feed. This ensures that new and returning immediately see that post first when they go to your business page. While you can pin any tweet, like an upcoming event or content, this is a great opportunity to feature your email list or a lead magnet that requires an email address.

Think about pinning the lead magnet, or Twitter card you’ve created too. To keep your page fresh and up-to-date, be sure to change the tweet with a new one every once in awhile. This could be as simple as tweaking the content a tiny bit or switching out the whole tweet for a new one. Just keep track of the changes you’ve made to help see what converts better for your followers.

Pro Tip: If you plan on pinning a Tweet that leads to a piece of content, try optimizing email sign ups by including a more prominent form to help increase conversion, such as a banner sign up form that spans the top of your page or a lightbox form.

5. Make a strong profile

Your Twitter profile is an extension of yourself; whatever you choose to include speaks volumes about who you are and how your followers will see you. While this static profile element doesn’t need to be changed often, it can be used to drive followers to a landing page that includes an opportunity to sign up to your email list.

When asked about what link you’d like to include in your bio, why not direct people to your About Me page? If you run a regular email newsletter, you can include a sign up form on this page to allow people to get to know you and your brand better.

Check out this profile for Henneke Duistermaat, who’s a copywriter, coach, and contributor to Copyblogger:

You know everything you need to know about her and get a sense of her personality right off the bat. And  when you click on the link on her profile, it takes you to a page where you can sign up to her email list. Good move, Henneke!

6. Question everything

What do you think is a great way to entice your followers to sign up for a mailing list?

See what I did there? When you solicit direct feedback from your followers, they’ll be charged to engage with your content on a more personal level. Use this personal connection to direct your followers to a specific landing page based on their feedback. What better way to learn more about them and how they think about your brand?

Questions are a great way to open up a conversation with your followers and learn more about them. If you’re not sure how to collect this feedback, try a survey provider like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms. Frame your questions to out more about what your followers want to learn. You can even provide the answer in the same tweet, like this tweet from Movable Ink.

Ask who your followers go to for inspiration and what kind of content they like to read the most. Is it long or short, flashy or utilitarian whatever it is you can use this feedback to tailor your content and attract the right kind of audience.

When you speak directly to your follower’s needs you can create more actionable copy that drives them to sign up.

7. Keep yourself on schedule

We’re all busy, and growing your mailing list on top of everything else you need to do may sound overwhelming. But with a little help and planning, it’s easy to promote effectively on Twitter. Plus, when you using a service like Hootsuite or Buffer to help manage your social media activity, you can leverage automation to help you save valuable time.

By using a service to schedule and track your outgoing tweets in advance, you gain the benefit of letting your social posts operate on autopilot. This allows more time for crafting the content of your posts without worrying about when and how you’re going to send them.

You can also use their built in analytics to review the performance of every post, which can give you insight into what content resonates best with your audience. This can go a long way in creating content that encourages people to sign up for your email list.

8. Optimize your landing pages

As you direct your followers to landing pages that promote your email list, you’ll want to make sure they’re optimized for conversions.

We all know that landing page design is important, but optimizing for mobile is essential considering close to 80% of users access Twitter through their mobile device.

Additionally, pay close attention to your CTA. Actionable language like “Don’t miss out!” or “Let’s get started!” will increase clicks and help drive conversions from your followers. By keeping the page content clear and concise, your followers will know exactly what to do to move the process forward.

Any landing pages you have should be targeted to these followers, relevant content will always convert higher. Think about what your followers really need. If you’re not quite sure who they are Twitter has a great built-in tool that will help you identify what content resonates best with your audience.

9. Repurpose your newsletters

If you send a regular newsletter, try tweeting out a link to an archived version. By offering some exclusive content for free, you can give your followers a taste of what kind of emails they can receive upon signing up. We’ve recently given the AWeber Broadcast Archive a facelift, so it’s easier than ever to manage the content you want your followers to see.

For even better results, try a message that has performed really well in the past. And as always, include a sign up form so your followers can sign up to receive additional updates.

Ready to start sharing?

Twitter is a great channel for growing an engaged email list because it allows you to target an audience that already follows you, while still giving you the chance to get in front of new eyes.

Now that you’re ready to expand your list building strategy to Twitter, it’s time to get started. What do you plan on doing first? Tell us about it in the comments!

The post 9 Ways to Grow Your Email List With Twitter appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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[Podcast] Episode 37: Live from Podcast Movement Pt. 2

In early July, I had the pleasure of joining a few AWeber team members in Chicago for Podcast Movement 2016.

I wanted to know how the creative and passionate content creators at Podcast Movement 2016 were engaging their listeners with email marketing and beyond, so we took a couple of mics and built a makeshift studio right at our exhibitor’s booth.

We had a few amazing AWeber fans and users swing by to chat and record some brief interviews about how they’re serving their audience with email marketing.

This is part 2 of 2 of our interview series from Podcast Movement. Check out part 1 here.

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of Ask Me About Email Marketing, check out the second part of our live interview series, as we talk with Kristin Ingram of Small Biz Life, Ryan Gray of Medical School HQ, Yann Ilunga of 360 Entrepreneur Podcast, and Jeffery W. Ingram of Worldbuilder’s Anvil.

Listen above to get the latest email marketing tips and tactics from the pros.

Also, check out this post I wrote exploring the similarities between email marketing and podcasting.

Click here to download this episode directly. (MP3)

Ask Us Anything

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

The post [Podcast] Episode 37: Live from Podcast Movement Pt. 2 appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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Getting Into the Inbox: Why Email Engagement is More Important Than Ever for Email Deliverability

Email opens. Click-through rates. Traffic to your website. These are a number of different ways in which you can track email performance. And while each of these statistics tells a different story, overall you want these numbers to validate one assumption: that you have good subscriber engagement.

Yes, engagement is important for a variety of reasons like increased return on investment and traffic to your website. But it could also have a big impact on your overall email deliverability, and whether or not your emails continue making it to the inbox.

How engagement and deliverability are linked

When you have an engaged email list, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and email providers like Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo will ensure your emails make it to your subscribers’ inboxes. Why? Because the more your subscribers are opening your emails and clicking links within them, the better your sending reputation IP and domain name will be – which means more emails in the inbox instead of the spam folder.

So how does this work exactly?

Well, ISPs or email providers always look at what a subscriber is doing with his or her inbox, such as opening an email, clicking a link, reporting a message as spam, etc. If the engagement is good, this tells the ISP or email provider to route future emails to their inbox instead of the spam folder. As a result, the more a subscriber is engaged, the more frequently ISPs will route mail to the inbox.

If a subscriber isn’t engaged with your emails, ISPs will route those emails to the spam folder. And if that happens to a lot of your subscribers, it can hurt your sending reputation in the long run. Not only does this impact subscribers who aren’t interested in your emails, but it could make it impossible for those who do want to receive emails from you to even see them in the first place.

Additionally, if you think that moving from one email service provider (ESP) to another will help, that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, doing so can actually hurt your deliverability because you’re moving to a new IP address and domain – which means you’re resetting your sender reputation each time you move.

The key to sending engaging emails

The team here at AWeber has written a lot about email deliverability and best practices for maintaining a kick-butt reputation so your emails make it to the inbox instead of the spam folder. Too often, we’re quick to assume that when we say “spam,” we’re talking about emails with lots of “$$$” in the subject lines, and demands for money for a lost and helpless cousin in a foreign country. In reality, spam is the label an email gets when it contains content that’s inconsistent with what a subscriber signed up for, or is completely irrelevant to that subscriber.

If you’re thinking that means it seems pretty subjective, it is. That’s why it’s imperative that everyone who sends email also sets clear expectations about what the emails will be about before a person subscribes to their list. And as part of that, it’s essential that the email sender delivers on that promise and doesn’t break it.

And that is the key to sending emails that subscribers will want to engage with.

For improved deliverability, content & design matter

To boost subscriber engagement, you’ll want to focus on ways to increase the number of people who open your emails, click links within them, and share your content with others. Here’s how you can tackle that:

Keep your subject line interesting.

To get people to open your emails, you need to get crafty with your subject lines. After all, this is the moment where subscriber engagement begins.

As you think about your subject line, there are a few best practices to keep in mind.

According to Litmus, your subject line shouldn’t be longer than 50 characters. Not only does this force you to get to the point, it also comes in handy on mobile. With 40 percent of people opening their emails on a mobile device first compared to a desktop web browser, there’s significantly less space to display your subject line.

As a result, you’ll want to be as clear and concise as possible with your message. Tell subscribers exactly what they’ll get when they open your email, whether it’s a 50 percent discount or the latest lesson in your email course.

Check out these subject lines from a copywriting course created by professional writer, Neville Medhora:

The subject lines short and get right to the point. Plus, they provide enough intrigue that urges subscribers to open and read these emails.

Another important tactic to keep in mind when crafting a subject line is creating a sense of urgency. This is perfect for your broadcast emails that announce a new sale or upcoming event, just like these examples below:

With this increased pressure, your subscribers will be more likely to open your message so they don’t miss the opportunity.

Share content that your audience cares about.

Check out how subscribers have interacted with previous emails you’ve sent. Were there any that had higher click-through rates than others? If so, what did you do differently in that email that may have caused that spike in engagement? This could have been a specific product or feature, or maybe a certain blog post that seemed to resonate with your audience.

Try sending more emails related to that content, that feature or that design element to see if you can mimic those engagement results.

You can also look at other places where you publish content to your audience, like social media or your blog, to see if there are certain content topics that seem to interest your audience.

Tweak or test the design.

As I mentioned earlier, 40 percent of people open their emails on a mobile device first. And if your email isn’t displaying properly across different devices and email clients, that could be preventing your subscribers from even reading your email content in the first place.

To ensure your subscribers are getting the full email experience, be sure to test your emails before sending them to your list. Tools such as Litmus allow users to view how their emails will appear on various devices and in different email clients. You can also create email addresses in the most common email clients used by your subscribers, and send yourself tests to see how they display.

If you need to optimize your email to be responsive on mobile, there are some best practices to keep in mind. Adding a strong call to action with an accent color and leveraging white space, for example, can help you achieve this.

Not sure what this would look like? Check out these before-and-after photos of a business that recently optimized their emails to be mobile-responsive:

Before:

After:

Not only does the large font, big buttons and white space make the email easier to read, it’s also easier to click the calls-to-action.

Improving engagement and deliverability

Email deliverability can be a confusing and intimidating topic for many. But at its core, making it to the inbox is really simple: just follow the tips above and aim to delight your subscribers through valuable email content.

If you do that, your deliverability will be golden

For more information on email deliverability and best practices, read all about it in this downloadable guide.

Have other thoughts on improving subscriber engagement? Tell us about it in the comments below!

The post Getting Into the Inbox: Why Email Engagement is More Important Than Ever for Email Deliverability appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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[Podcast] Episode 36: Live From Podcast Movement Pt. 1

In early July, I had the pleasure of joining a few AWeber team members in Chicago for Podcast Movement 2016.

I wanted to know how the creative and passionate content creators at Podcast Movement 2016 were engaging their listeners with email marketing and beyond, so we took a couple of mics and built a makeshift studio right at our exhibitor’s booth.

We had a few amazing AWeber users swing by to chat and record some brief interviews about how they’re serving their audience with email marketing.

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of Ask Me About Email Marketing, check out the first part of our live interview series, as we talk with Natalie Eckdahl of BizChix.com, Nick Loper of Side Hustle Nation, and Juan Sepulveda of The Gentlemen’s Brotherhood.

Listen above to get the latest tips and tactics from the pros.

Also, check out this post I wrote exploring the similarities between email marketing and podcasting.

Click here to download this episode directly. (MP3)

Ask Us Anything

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

The post [Podcast] Episode 36: Live From Podcast Movement Pt. 1 appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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8 Tips for Creating an Email Newsletter Your Subscribers Will Love

Running a successful business involves more than just promoting and selling a product. For your company to thrive, you must establish relationships with customers that continue after the sale.

Email newsletters can help you connect with your customers. To be effective, newsletters must be carefully crafted and offer something of value to your customers. Today’s consumers are highly selective about the emails they read, but crafting your newsletter around their needs will lead to more opens, more sales and happier customers.

To create a newsletter that delivers the results you want, follow these eight tips to craft one that delights your readers.

1. Spice up your subject line.

In 2014, the average business user sent and received an average of 121 e-mails each day. That number is expected to grow to 140 emails a day by 2018, which means you need to convince readers to open your newsletter in a matter of seconds. To cut through cluttered inboxes, you need a strong, catchy subject line that captures your reader’s attention.

The subject line is your chance to make a good first impression. Keep it short and sweet, but always be clear about the content of your emails. Misleading subject lines can damage your credibility, increasing the chances that future emails end up in the trash, or, worse yet, get marked as spam.

Before sending your newsletter, spend some extra time crafting a clear, concise subject line that hooks your reader. The best subject lines are succinct, direct and easy to scan in overcrowded inboxes, so we recommend keeping them around 50 characters or less.

If you need some inspiration, try asking a question. Consider this subject line from Strong Women, Strong Girls: ”Who was Wonder Woman’s Role Model?” Readers are inclined to open emails like these to find out the answer, so why not give it a shot? Your newsletter is competing for attention, but a well-crafted subject line will win your reader’s eyes again and again.

2. Get to the point.

When writing a newsletter, opt for brevity. With more than half of people reading emails on mobile devices, your subscribers don’t have time for long-winded emails. You must convey your message quickly.

To do this, write short sentences, use simple words, and avoid cliches and passive voice.

Words are like currency. Each one has value, so don’t spend them needlessly. Wasted words waste your reader’s time, serving no purpose but to dilute your message.

In fact, sales emails with 50-125 words have a response rate of more than 50 percent. So be brief. Use bullets, numbered lists and bold font to emphasize main ideas. Aim for clarity and skimmability.

3. Don’t be a robot. Show your personality.

No one likes receiving a dry marketing email that reads like an owner’s manual. If you want subscribers to actually read your newsletter, write a newsletter your subscribers want to read.

Your audience is craving authenticity, so don’t be afraid to sprinkle personality throughout your newsletter. An email with boring copy is all but guaranteed to end up in the trash and possibly even the junk folder, but a friendly, conversational tone invites readers in.

While writing, imagine speaking to a friend or co-worker, not a mass audience. Emails should connect with readers as individuals, not addresses on an email list. Being human keeps the line of communication open with your subscribers, which builds trust and credibility.

Not sure where to start? Check out our post on how to develop your tone and connect with email subscribers.

4. Use a single call to action.

Your newsletter should include one call to action that tells your readers what to do next, whether it’s signing up for a webinar, downloading an ebook, visiting your website or buying your product. Keep it short and concise. If the reader needs to scroll, place several CTAs throughout the copy so it’s easy for them to find.

Think of your call to action as a call to value. Clicking through is an investment in the reader’s time, so tell them exactly what to expect after clicking your CTA and why they’ll benefit.

CTAs consist of two parts: design and language. A well-designed CTA captures the reader’s attention, but your wording is what convinces them to click. When crafting your CTA, use action verbs to create a sense of urgency. Keep your language simple (see #2), and provide an incentive for clicking through.

A CTA can be formatted as text or a button, but either way, it should visibly stand out from the content in your newsletter. Bold fonts, vibrant colors, pictures and graphics are great tools for drawing a reader’s eye to your CTA.

You also need to consider the size and spacing of your CTAs. With more than half of all emails opened on mobile devices, CTAs should be big enough for a thumb to tap. Apple recommends making your touch target at least 44 pixels square. CTAs should also have white space around them to prevent readers from clicking one link when they meant to hit another. For more best practices, check out our Calls to Action Guide.

5. Don’t just sell. Educate.

Your subscribers should want to open your newsletter as soon as it appears in their inboxes. However, emails that only talk about your business can alienate subscribers, especially with consumers receiving between 3,000-20,000 brand messages per day.

To get readers excited about your emails, go beyond promoting your business and give readers information they find valuable. Consumers are inundated with traditional advertising messages, but using your newsletter to leverage educational content will help your brand stand out.

To start, take a look at your analytics account. Make note of the most successful content on your website and social media channels. Repurposing those topics for your newsletter is a great way to connect with readers and answer their questions about your business. It also opens a line of communication with your customers, increasing the chances that they’ll open your emails in the future.

You can also add links to blog posts, tutorials, ebooks and premium content to get readers onto your website. How-to articles, educational guides and infographics that answer your reader’s questions encourage them to learn more about your business, establishing credibility and trust.

6. Test your newsletter before hitting send.

Not all email clients are created equal. Depending on the service and device, the newsletter your subscribers receive could look different than the one you initially sent.

Before sending an email, test it to see how it looks from your subscriber’s perspective. Services like Hotmail, Gmail and Outlook display emails differently, which could result in misplaced text, color changes or cut-off images.

AWeber offers more than 700 email templates that have been tested across every email client, ensuring each message displays correctly. Our custom templates are also tested to help brands connect with their audiences seamlessly, regardless of the platform a message is opened on.

7. Slice and dice your email list with segmentation.

Segmenting lets you divide your email subscribers into smaller groups based on interest, location, activity and more. Once you’ve organized your subscribers, you can send relevant emails to specific groups. This keeps subscribers engaged, increasing the likelihood that they’ll read your newsletter regularly.

In fact, the Lyris Annual Email Optimizer Report found that 39 percent of marketers who used segmentation saw an increase in their open rate. Twenty-four percent experienced deliverability benefits and greater revenue, while another 28 percent saw a lower unsubscribe rate.

Clearly, segmentation delivers results, so don’t be afraid to divide and conquer. For more information, check out our complimentary guide, Segmenting Your Subscribers.

8. Make it pretty.

You could have the best copy in the world, but the design of your email can make or break its overall performance. Your newsletter doesn’t have to look fancy, but it should be visually appealing and easy to read.

When it comes to your copy, use a font that’s clean, simple and easy to read. Ornate type can distract from your message, especially if your email uses images, so use decorative fonts sparingly.

While designing your email, choose colors that match your branding and elicit your desired emotional response. Every color triggers a distinct psychological reaction, so think about the mood you’re creating with your palate. Red, for example, is reported to increase hunger, and could be a great choice for restaurants or food companies.

You can also use graphics, pictures and videos to complement your design and get readers to click your call to action. However, overloading your email with pictures could make it look too busy, so we recommend using no more than one to two to break your content into digestible chunks.

Here’s an example of an email design from AWeber. This email, which we sent to our customers last December, features an animated GIF that draws your eye to the minimal, easy-to-read copy in the center for a clean, sophisticated finish that is aesthetically pleasing and very effective.

Send a newsletter that wows your subscribers.

Writing a compelling email newsletter might seem daunting, but with these tips and a little inspiration, it’s easier than you think. You have all the right tools, so now it’s time to put them to good use and create a newsletter that your readers get excited about as soon as it hits their inbox.

If you’re ready to craft a newsletter your subscribers will love, sign up for our free, 7-day email course, What to Write in Your Emails.

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What Does “Going Pro” Mean for Your Email Marketing?

Email marketing has become so widespread it’s probably starting to lose some of its punch, right?

Think again. Email consistently offers the best payback for digital marketers, producing a 122 percent return on every dollar spent. On top of that, email is getting a big boost as mobile use skyrockets. With people now checking their email on cell phones and tablets at least once a day, 91 percent of marketers, suppliers and agencies achieve the same or higher click-through rates on mobile devices as on desktop.

Email marketing is also thriving because it integrates easily with other digital mediums, it’s a powerful lead-nurturing tool, it’s relatively simple to implement, and it’s 40 times more effective than social media at generating conversions. Most importantly, though, email appeals to customers — people prefer to communicate with companies through email, and they embrace messaging that educates, engages, and/or features money-saving deals.

“With the use of data to drive efficient targeting and placement, and increased data science skills across the marketing ecosystem, these numbers will only continue to grow, saving marketers money on their marketing spend and driving efficiencies in the marketplace,” predicts Neil O’Keefe of the Direct Marketing Association.

That said, even the best intentions for effective emailing are wasted if the messages aren’t able to shine through the rubble. Recent statistics show the average person now gets 121 emails a day. Humanity as a whole gets 193.3 billion — and 108.7 billion of those are business emails.

The decision to “go pro” — that is, to seek professional assistance for your email campaign or to take the helm yourself — depends entirely on your goals, available time, money, and expertise, and whether you’re planning a basic or expansive campaign. Here are few facts to consider as you make your choice:

What benefits does full DIFM (“do it for me”) service bring?

When you contract for full-service Pro+ Email Marketing Service through VerticalResponse, we take everything off your plate including the design, launch, tracking, reporting, and social media promotion. Some specific advantages include:

• Your campaign will be created and implemented by a dedicated market expert who understands email strategy.
• All you need to bring to the table is your logo, your ideas for offers and/or messages, and your list of email subscribers. We consult with you about how to incorporate your overall marketing goals into your strategy.
• After that, we do all the work. That includes copywriting, selection of imagery, layout design, and the actual emailing in accordance with your address list. Of course, you review and approve each email before it goes out.
• Our standard package includes two strategically designed email campaigns per month and eight social media posts per month.
• We ensure your emails are mobile-friendly and maximized for any smartphone, tablet, or PC screen.
• We offer some of the highest delivery rates in the industry.
• We schedule and implement your social media posts, adding in curated posts from around the web targeted specifically toward your followers.
• We provide comprehensive reporting and analysis on your campaign.
• The cost for full-service Pro+ Email Marketing Service is a fraction of the expense commonly associated with hiring your own email specialist or marketing agency.

What if I decide to create my own campaign?

If you opt to DIY (“do it yourself”), VerticalResponse provides free online resources to help with your email strategy. If you prefer, we also offer campaign consulting services on an a la carte basis.

Some businesses invest in specialized email software that walks them through the creation process. However, an email campaign involves more than just crafting content and graphics. To maximize your campaign, someone on your staff will likely need familiarity with HTML coding, data administration, analysis of performance metrics, and A/B testing.

Your strategy depends on your goals, time, and resources, but here are some general suggestions for proceeding:

• When possible, segment your audiences for an up to 40 percent improvement in open rates.
• Decide what range of content you’ll offer. Study what competitors are doing, then strive for original content that’s hard for your readers to find elsewhere. Consider promotions, tutorials, recommendations, reports on industry trends or research, explanations of company functions, comments on current events, FAQs, profiles of clients or employees, surveys, contests, previews of upcoming events, descriptions/photos of new products, inspiring quotes, blogs, polls, news articles, or humor. Besides copy, you can include anything from photos to illustrations, infographics, or videos.
• Consider starting a monthly newsletter and soliciting audiences for subscriptions.
• Develop a consistent voice, adjusting your level of formality to your readership. In general, readers prefer a likable, conversational tone.
• Think in terms of “sticky” content — useful, fun, or humorous information in bite-sized pieces to capture readers’ attention and keep them coming back for more.
• When appropriate, tie your content into holidays, current events, and pop culture happenings.
• If you lack time or resources to create content yourself, source it from social media, business partners, trusted websites, or companies that produce it for you.
• Include links that send readers to your website, blogs, or YouTube videos.
• Install widgets allowing readers to instantly share your key content on their social media sites.
• Compelling subject lines have a high impact on your open rate. Think fun, punchy, and short. Subject lines should be no more than 50 characters long. When in doubt, subjectline.com scores subject lines for viability.
• Incorporate clear calls to action throughout the email with links or buttons through which readers can “Watch the Video,” “Learn More,” “Get More Info,” etc.
• The human brain processes visuals in about one-tenth of a second, so be sure the imagery you’ve chosen makes sense, is high-quality, and is easy to download. GIFs and videos can be especially powerful.
• Ensure all your content is mobile-friendly, since two-thirds of emails are now read via mobile devices.
• Incorporating an easy-to-find “unsubscribe” link can save you from accusations of spam, add to your credibility, and improve your open and click-through rates by eliminating the uninterested.
• Consider adding email opt-in forms to your social media sites.

Pro+ full-service email marketing See what the package includes and how the service saves you time, money, and gets you the right results. Pro+ Services

© 2016, Tori Tsu. All rights reserved.

The post What Does “Going Pro” Mean for Your Email Marketing? appeared first on Vertical Response Blog.

Determining the Right Loan for Your Business

Line of credit. Revolving credit. Unsecured loan. Installment Loan. For the small business owner looking to scale a business with a financial boost, the different types of funding can feel overwhelming. Making the right choice for your business depends on understanding those differences.

 

Fortunately, our friends at Kabbage have broken it down in their recent blog post. It answers common questions about business loans including:

 

• What types of funding are available?
  
• What are the differences between traditional and alternative lenders?
  
• What are prepayment penalties?
  
• Which funding options are best for your business?
  

Read more here.

© 2016, John Habib. All rights reserved.

The post Determining the Right Loan for Your Business appeared first on Vertical Response Blog.

How Author Paula Rizzo Grew Her Email List to 5K+ Subscribers with Email Courses + Free Media Attention

Five years ago, Paula Rizzo was apartment hunting in New York City. She knew what she wanted in her new space, but she kept getting distracted by non-essential amenities like wine refrigerators. (Although the term “non-essential” is up for debate.)

To make her life easier, she made a comprehensive list of everything she needed in an apartment. Her list helped her score the perfect place. It also sparked the idea for Paula’s business, List Producer, and her book, Listful Thinking.

Paula doesn’t exactly have all the time in the world to run her business, though. By day, she’s a senior television producer. That’s why she relies on email marketing to grow her business and maintain relationships with her followers.

“It’s tough when you have a full time and a side gig that you love, because you want to work on that side gig all the time,” she said. “It’s really fun, but it’s also a struggle to balance and manage them both. Email has been amazingly helpful to grow List Producer. It’s quick and you can do it on the go. I’ve done campaigns on vacation.”

Paula not only uses email marketing for time management, she also uses it to deliver paid email courses, stay in touch people who bought her book and keep her followers updated on her media appearances.

We’ll take a look at how Paula uses email marketing to nurture leads at every stage of her funnel, plus how anyone can get free media attention for their business.

Driving traffic to your blog + growing your subscriber list

Paula started her blog before she wrote her book to gauge interest in the topic of list-making. Her first task? Making a list, naturally.

 

“I wrote a list of 50 blog ideas I could write about,” she said. “From there, I started putting them together and putting blog posts up. I learned how to use social media. I wasn’t using email in the beginning, and a friend said, ‘You’re crazy, you need to start getting email addresses.’”

But Paula still needed a way to drive traffic to her blog so she could collect those email addresses. That’s where guest blogging comes in.

 

“I took all these courses about growing your email list, but I didn’t get a big boost until I started writing guest blog posts,” she said. “I started writing guest posts for sites like Entrepreneur that have more traffic, so I was able to get more subscribers. I set up campaigns just for subscribers from the websites where I guest posted to welcome them to my website.”

Not to worry – you don’t have to write for Entrepreneur to get traffic to your blog and grow your list. Instead, research popular industry blogs that are accepting guest bloggers and reach out to them with a pitch. Here are more ways to drive traffic to your blog.

Creating paid email courses (that are worth the money!)

When Paula creates content that her audience will have to pay for, she does her homework to make sure she’s creating content they actually want. That means doing extensive research via surveys to ensure she’s addressing her audience’s biggest needs with her courses.

 

“We sent out a lot of surveys to find out what they really want so we could create a product that they actually need,” she said. “We want to know what they think is valuable. Those surveys are helpful because we get to see exactly what the pain points are from their perspective.”

For Paula’s Take Back Your Inbox course, she helps address a common organizational issue her audience has: managing an overstuffed inbox.

“A lot of people said they weren’t using email the right way,” Paula said. “It wasn’t an inbox anymore, it was an everything box. People wait so long for the perfect response, and then they never write back. Just quick things like respond back as quickly as possible, mindfully and in a nice way. You don’t have to write a novel; just use two sentences to respond.”

The Take Back Your Inbox course has not only boosted Paula’s subscriber list, she’s been able to expand her reach to more people, too.

“I’ve noticed an uptick in subscribers since I launched the program,” she said. “That’s great because these aren’t just people who are interested in lists. These are people who are interested in email productivity and time management.”

Once her subscribers are done with her course, she follows up with a few more emails and gives them the option to opt into her blog list to receive Paula’s latest blog posts.

“I send out a couple more emails because I realize that it’s a work at your own pace course and sometimes people are not always as disciplined to do the course as soon as they buy it,” she said. “So I have a few follow ups for people who haven’t done the course, encouraging them to do it. From there, I’ll ask if they want to opt into my blog posts or if they want more info about my book.”

If you’re thinking about launching an email course, always follow up with your subscribers after they’ve completed your course. This allows them to continue their relationship with you and encourages them to purchase from you again down the road.

Managing multiple subscriber lists

Paula’s list-making talents come in handy when it comes to managing her subscriber lists. She has several subscriber lists, including a blog list that she uses to send her blog visitors her latest blog posts, her email course list with the people who purchased her Take Back Your Inbox course and a list just for people who have bought her book.

Because her subscribers on these lists have all had different interactions with List Producer, Paula makes sure to send them content that makes sense to them. For example, Paula sends people who bought her book content that builds on what they learned in the book.

 

“In the book, I have a specific URL where people can sign up for my list,” she said. “They can access special templates I’ve mentioned in the book. I’m able to target them in a different way than people who have read the blog or signed up for the email course list.”

Because her subscribers on those lists are all different, her open rates vary as well.

“I have about a 30 percent open rate,” she said. “I notice that the people who have read my book are a lot more eager to open my emails. On that list, my open rate is 50-60 percent. “

One obvious reason for that incredibly high open rate is that her book audience is already engaged. If Paula wasn’t collecting email addresses from people who bought her book, she’d be missing out on a huge built-in audience.

Have a paid product or service? Always ask your customers to sign up for your email list. Chances are, those people will be your most engaged – and profitable – subscribers.

Get free media attention for your business

Since Paula is a senior television producer, she knows what media outlets are looking for when they’re booking guests. She has an upcoming 4-week paid online video course, Lights Camera Expert, designed around helping people scale their brand and get some much-desired media attention. By the time her new 4-week course goes live, Paula will be gearing up to give away a free 3-part video course.

We couldn’t resist asking Paula about her most effective tips for boosting your brand in the media – tips that she uses to grow her List Producer following.

 

“Getting media for your own brand is super important because that’s gonna give you some credibility,” she said. “If you don’t have a book and you just have a blog or business and you want to get more media for it, check out HARO. I’ve gotten so many opportunities that way for my business and for my day job.”

Remember how Paula used guest blogging to grow her email list? This is also one of Paula’s top strategies for gaining media attention for small businesses. The good news is that if you already have blog content, you can start pitching your expertise today.

“Be specific about your pitch,” she said. “Don’t say, ‘I can help you out with anything!’ Instead say, ‘I’m a nutritionist and I help moms get their pre-baby bodies back.’”

Another way to score free media attention is featuring other experts on your blog. One way to do this is to propose a guest blog post exchange: That means you write a guest blog post for another website, and in return they’ll write one for you.

Featuring other experts could also be as simple as reaching out to others in your industry, asking them a few questions via email and incorporating their answers into a blog post.

“Featuring other people is a great way to pull in more eyeballs,” Paula said. “That way you get to feature them and they share it with their followers. I’ve done that a lot and people are always flattered to be featured.”

Let’s Recap!

• Thinking of writing a book? Start a blog first to test the waters.
• Seek out guest blog posting opportunities to drive more traffic to your blog. Make sure your blog has a sign up form so your new visitors can sign up for your email list!
• Email courses are perfect for educating your subscribers and monetizing your email list. But before you get started, survey your audience to find out exactly what they want to learn about.
• If you have multiple email lists, be sure to send your subscribers content based their experience with your brand. So if they purchased a product, send them content based on that that particular product.
• Use HARO to be discovered by journalists and feature other experts on your blog to score media attention.

Growing your following, monetizing your business and getting media attention may sound like daunting tasks, but they don’t have to be. Focus on one thing at a time, and use email marketing to save the time and hassle of keeping your audience engaged.

Not an AWeber customer yet? Sign up for your 30 day free trial today!

The post How Author Paula Rizzo Grew Her Email List to 5K+ Subscribers with Email Courses + Free Media Attention appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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How to Create a Winning CTA on Your Sign Up Form

You’ve poured your heart into creating the perfect incentive to attract subscribers and build your email list. Now the only thing between you and greatness is your sign up form.

While there are several key components that go into creating an effective sign up form, one of the most critical is that little button that screams, “Click me!”

I’m talking about your call to action (CTA) button. It’s the last step that stands in the way of having a thriving email audience.

When building an email audience, your call to action (CTA) on your sign up form can make or break your chances of converting website visitors into email subscribers.

Your CTA carries a lot of weight in the decision to subscribe, so it’s important to avoid taking shortcuts and apply the following best practices when creating your CTA button.

What makes a good sign up form CTA?

Creating an effective sign up form is easier than you think. Here are some best practices to consider when creating the CTA for your sign up form.

Button Size

The size of your CTA button has an impact on its ability to convert visitors into subscribers. Does it get noticed right away? Make it big and easy to see or click. Remember, many people will see your sign up form on a mobile device, which means a lot of people will be clicking your CTA with their fingers instead of a small cursor.

Button Color

Color can have a potentially big impact on whether someone subscribes. Red buttons tend to convert best, followed by green. But regardless of what works for others, make sure you stay consistent with your brand. Don’t use a color that clashes with the other colors of your website.

Also be sure to use a color that contrasts with what surrounds it. You want it to be clear that it’s your CTA button.

Copy Length

Keep the copy on your CTA button brief and easy to read. If your potential subscriber can’t quickly read it and decide to take action, you’re likely going to lose them. Try to keep your CTA copy to less than 40 characters in length.

Voice & Tone

Your CTA button should align with your overall brand voice and tone. Consider your ideal audience: How would they respond? How would your CTA make them feel?

The key here is to write in a way that feels human and authentic. The usual “Submit” or “Sign up” copy feels dry and – dare I say – robotic. To bring some personality into your CTA copy, try using informal, humorous, or more common language like “Count me in” or “Let’s do this.”

Descriptive Language

The way you phrase your CTA copy can have a significant impact on its ability to convert your visitors into subscribers.

The text on your CTA button should take one of two approaches: relate to what your new subscribers are about to receive, or what action you want them to take.

Let’s talk about the first approach: making the copy relevant to what they’re about to receive. If you’re giving away a free ebook for subscribing, for example, your CTA button could say, “Send me my ebook!”

It’s tempting to try to entice people with offers of “free” stuff. But sometimes using the word “free” isn’t always better. Be sure to test this against something that doesn’t use the word “free.” (More on split testing later in this post.)

Now let’s look at the second approach: making the copy relevant to what action you want your would-be subscriber to take. There seems to be a negative stigma around using the phrase “Click Here” or something similar. However, in many instances, the phrase continues to outperform its counterpart.

In fact, CopyBlogger tested this approach and found that using “Click to continue” produces a click-through rate of 8.53 percent while “Continue to article” only produced a click-through rate of 3.3 percent.

First-Person Language

Using first-person language, such as “me” and “my,” can help your subscribers feel a sense of ownership of your offer. Since it makes it seem as though the incentive you created was made specifically for them, it can increase the chance that they will sign up.

Our own tests at AWeber have found that using first-person possessive words like “my” and “me” is an effective way to increase conversions. In one case, using possessive language on a CTA button increased clicks by 90 percent!

Oli Gardner from Unbounce also found this to be the case in a test he ran: “Get my free ebook” versus “Get your free ebook.” The CTA with the word “my” resulted in a 12.76 percent click-through rate, and the one with “your” produced a 8.85 percent click-through rate.

Urgency

There are several ways to create urgency with your potential subscribers. Offering something for a short amount of time or creating scarcity with a limited supply can be a great motivator for action. Yes, FOMO (or fear of missing out) is real, and it’s powerful.

So if you’re offering a webinar or a course, stress that there are limited seats in your CTA button to increase the feeling of urgency. Or if you’re offering a discount or special pricing on a product, emphasize the limited-time nature of your offer.

Exclusivity

You know that feeling you get when you go somewhere for the first time and everyone treats you like royalty? Feels pretty good, huh? First-timer offers or deals are a great way to motivate potential subscribers to sign up – and get a taste of what your business is all about.

To add exclusivity in your CTA, try including a special offer for new subscribers.

Examples of effective sign up form CTAs.

With those critical elements of an effective sign up form CTA in mind, let’s have some fun by dissecting a handful of sign up from CTAs to see these principles in action.

TOMS

The first example of an effective sign up form CTA comes from TOMS. Most people know TOMS for their philanthropic, giving nature: for every product you buy, they help a person in need (which they refer to as their One for One program).

When you first visit their website, you’re presented with this pop up form, offering you 10 percent off your next purchase when you subscribe to their email list:

What makes this sign up form CTA so effective?

There’s a lot to like about this sign up form, but we’ll specifically look at the CTA button, since that’s what this blog post is all about. Let’s run through our checklist to see what stands out about this CTA button:

Size: The button itself is very large and the text is done in all caps giving it an even larger appearance. There’s no way you can miss it.

Length: They kept the text to 17 characters, well below the 40 character goal.

Voice/Tone: The voice and tone TOMS is going for here is inspirational, which aligns very well with their brand and philanthropic efforts.

Color: Green FTW!

Descriptive language: While the CTA copy doesn’t specifically reflect the 10 percent discount you’re getting by subscribing, I think by focusing on the TOMS cause, they’re encouraging their subscribers to become part of something bigger. Being part of a cause while saving on some TOMS shoes gives you a pretty nice feeling, doesn’t it?

Exclusivity: Notice how the discount is given to those who make their first purchase. This is a great way to entice visitors who might be on the fence about buying to just go for it.

Marie Forleo

The next CTA example comes from entrepreneur and author Marie Forleo, whose website is dedicated to helping people become who they most want to be.

Marie offers her website visitors a free audio training to help you learn some simple ways to accomplish your dreams. Let’s check out the CTA:

What makes this sign up form CTA so effective?

Marie’s doing a lot of things right with her CTA, so let’s break it down:

Size: Even though the size of the CTA isn’t as large as other CTAs I’ve seen, it is still easy to spot and click (or touch on a mobile device).

Length: She kept her CTA length nice and short at 10 characters.

Color: While she’s not using one of the better-performing colors (according to industry best practices), her CTA does have good contrast against the lighter background and aligns well to the branding on her website.

Urgency: Although there’s no limited time or availability with what Marie is offering, she creates a sense of urgency by using the word “now” in her CTA.

Nerd Fitness

Next up is Steve at Nerd Fitness, a website dedicated to helping “desk jockeys, nerds and Average Joes” (sounds a little like me :)) get healthier and fitter and feel better about themselves.

One of the many resources Steve offers his website visitors is a free ebook called 15 Mistakes Newbies Make When Trying to Get Healthy.

What makes this sign up form CTA so effective?

I really love how well his sign up form matches his website design and brand. Let’s take a look at his sign up form CTA and see what’s working:

Size: The button itself is small, but on mobile it is actually easy to touch on the screen.

Length: At only seven characters, this is by far one of the shortest CTAs I’ve ever seen.

Voice/Tone: Although it’s short, the CTA copy reflects his voice and tone, and speaks to his ideal audience.

Color: While it aligns well with the branding of his website, there’s not enough contrast between the button and the background, making it hard to see for the website visitor.

First-person: Great use of first-person language.

Exclusivity: Using the phrase “I’m in!” creates a sense of belonging, like you’re now part of an exclusive VIP group.

Not Your Average Runner

And finally let’s look at Jill from Not Your Average Runner, a website that provides women with training and resources to start or improve their running so they can feel good and stay in shape. (By the way, you can see more of Jill’s story and how she grows her business here.)

Jill offers her website visitors a free 6-week training plan to help them get started with running:

What makes this sign up form CTA so effective?

Let’s have a look at what makes Jill’s sign up form CTA so good:

Size: First off, the CTA is large and noticeable. You can’t miss it!

Length: She stays within the ideal length with 30 characters.

Voice/Tone: The voice and tone she uses reflects her own personality, and is perfect for her ideal audience.

Color: This CTA certainly pops, and that’s because she the pink button against the white background adds good contrast. Plus, it matches the overall branding of her website.

Descriptive language: You know exactly what’s going to happen when you click the CTA button.

First-person: She incorporates “my” into her CTA copy to help her subscribers feel ownership of the training plan they’ll receive.

Split testing for greatness.

With any of these elements I’ve covered, it’s important to test them. After all, what works for one marketer may not work for another. You never know if you’re using the most effective approach unless you’re testing it.

To help you do so, here are 10 case studies of split tests marketers ran, as well as our guide to split testing your sign up forms.

Start creating effective sign up forms.

Don’t take shortcuts when it comes to your sign up form CTA. Be sure to apply the principles outlined above and you’ll start seeing your email list grow in no time.

Also, be sure to check out our eight ways to improve your call-to-action copy to get more subscribers.

What have you done with your sign up form CTA that have worked for you? Share in the comments below!

The post How to Create a Winning CTA on Your Sign Up Form appeared first on Email Marketing Tips.

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