‘Tips’ Articles

Did you notice? We launched the final two features of our new Interest Groups page! While they’re much more subtle than the sweeping revisions we made earlier, these updates will please all of our power users. Without further ado, let me introduce them to you:

Segmentation

Ever wanted to mail a portion of your list before a final launch? The idea of sending a sample mailing to a portion of your list comes from Direct Mail and it can be useful in the world of email marketing. Now you can create a random segment of any of your Interest Groups at any time.

You create a segment just like you create a regular Interest Group: click the Create Interest Group link in the yellow action box and provide a name. Now, click advanced options then select the checkbox labeled “From a segment of another Interest Group.” You should now see something like this–

Select the Interest Group you want a segment of and what percentage the segment should consist of. Click ok and you’re done.

Segments will always be displayed below their ‘parent’ Interest Group, but they do take up one of your available Interest Groups. You can create multiple segments of one Interest Group, and there will be no overlap of list members. You can delete segments individually, but when you delete a parent, all segments will also be deleted. You can keep creating more until you run out of members in the group, or available Interest Groups! (more…)

Don’t be intimidated by Search Engine Optimization (SEO); there are a lot of tools to guide you through the process.

Search engines organize and prioritize over 5.5 billion web pages that compete for the internet users’ attention. The focus is certainly on providing a much richer end searcher experience. The site with unique content, that’s easy to use, with good navigational elements will get high quality links. If users can complete the desired task; add to cart, enroll in class, subscribe to newsletter, etc., they will be satisfied and come back.

Companies need a website that is rich in keywords and phrases. These keywords and phrases get people to your site, by means of search engines that find your keywords. SEO leverages Search Engines’ desire to display most relevant pages that match users’ target keywords. Research also shows 26% of searchers use two word searches, followed by 23% using one word and 21% three word search. The following sites can help you determine your industries keywords and phrases, with up to date research. (more…)

We’ve upgraded our Interest Group feature! If you have an Advantage plan, or an XP plan that includes Interest Groups, check it now!

The new interface isn’t all just flash and good looks–we’ve included a number of new features to make your life easier. Best of all, it all runs on one page so that all of your information is right at hand. (more…)

Do you utilize Admail.net’s sign-up form? If not, you’re losing a great opportunity! Our sign-up form will automatically add list members to your database, while gathering pertinent information about your list members’ wants, needs and preferences.

How do you create a sign-up form that you can put on your website? Visit Sign-up Form under List Builder. This page will present you with a few things to consider before you add the sign-up form to your site.

The List Member Profile allows you to define the information you need about your list members. Check the Display box and that field shows up on your sign-up form. Check the Required box and your sign-up form will force the list member to complete that field.

Interest Groups give every list member the opportunity to select their own interests. Any Interest Group that is not flagged as ‘hidden’ will show up on your sign-up form.

Sidenote: Use profile information and interests in subsequent mailings and you’ll get better campaign results. Personalized information is great for list segmentation and targeted mailings. Targeted mailings don’t cost any more to send than a blast; a little preparation and you’re guaranteed better response rates and you’ll reduce recipient burnout.

If you have an Advantage plan or have purchased the Custom Sign-up Form feature, you can make your sign-up form look like your website. Be sure to preview your sign-up form before you go live.

Lastly, add the form to your website. Do this by following the link to “Add Sign-Up Form to Your Site” and answering a few questions. Copy the code into your site and you’re on your way to using a valuable tool to help build your business.

What happens after a new user signs up can set the tone for good customer relations. Since your key communications will be sent to your list members exclusively through email, it is very important to create a good initial experience. To help with this, Admail.net has an automated Welcome email. Visit List Builder, Sign-Up Form and scroll down to “Set up your Welcome email.”

It’s good business sense to acknowledge when someone signs up by sending a welcome email. It confirms your presence by telling the customer “Yes, we’re out here and we appreciate your interest in our company, product or service.” It is simple to set up automated emails that say, “Thanks for signing up; we look forward to sending you great stuff”. Then, send something of value immediately, like your latest newsletter or your current promotional offer.

When you send a welcome message you have another opportunity to ask the recipient to add you to their address book or contact list. When recipients add you to their approved senders list it increases your in-box deliverability rates. Here’s a good example of a welcome message:

Subject: Sign-up Confirmation

Thank you for your interest. To ensure future delivery of this email please add us to your address book.

*Windows users right click on the From address, then select “Add to Address Book.”

*Mac users hold down the control key, click on the From address, then select “Open in Address Book.”

*Yahoo users click on the “Add” icon

*Hotmail users click on “Save Address”

Thanks again,

Using Admail.net’s sign-up form, along with an email welcome message, is an effective marketing technique you can implement with very little effort. Over time, it will drive significant repeat traffic and create substantial sales potential.

Benefits of using Admail.net’s Sign-up Form

• Automatically adds each person who signed up to your list member data base.
• Better campaign results and list hygiene. We check every email address for all the things that can make for an invalid email address.
• Gather pertinent information about your list members’ wants, needs and preferences.
• Send segmented and targeted campaigns using the information you gather. How effective is sending the same email to everyone?
• Mirror the look and feel of your web site. You can customize Admail.net’s sign-up form to look like your website.
• Guarantee continued delivery to your list members. At the bottom of the sign-up survey form we ask your members to add you to their safe senders list, along with instructions.

Benefits of Using a Welcome Email

• Build good customer relations
• Thank the list member for their interest
• Opportunity to remind your list member to add you to their address book or approved contact list

How to instruct your list members to add your Admail.net sending address to their known sender list.

Want more info to ensure delivery to your members’ inbox?

Why not open your web site to customer involvement? The best results come from making customer interaction part of your overall marketing strategy.

What word of mouth does for selling a product or service, online interaction is doing … just on a larger platform. The online environment is part of the consumer’s life now and we want to enhance this social connectivity. Increasing customer engagement will cultivate a community that is passionate about your product, service or company.

Here are a few of the interaction benefits…

• Improves your company’s image
• You gleam consumer feedback
• Your web site will be more customer friendly
• Shoppers pay attention to reviews and comments to guide their purchasing decisions
• Customer clickthrough rates will rise
• The amount of time a customer is on your site will increase

These benefits lead to increased sales
Reviews and comments are the most common forms of customer involvement. Other methods includes polls, contests that invite participation, blogs, pictures and video.

What about negative reviews…
These reviews can be a gift. Think of them as an early warning system to spot problems with your product or service. They add credibility to all the reviews on the site. If every review is a glowing testimonial the consumer will suspect that the feedback is fake or only favorable comments are posted.

You will need software or human filters that block inappropriate, profane or untrue posts. It is just part of doing online commerce. Another useful control is to require site visitors to register before they post. With these defenses in place, you’ll see the benefits of customer interaction.

Customers are talking about companies online, so you might as well be part of the dialogue.

Use a Free Offer to Engage Your Customer

When you give something away for free on your web site like coupons, whitepapers, case studies, a PDF, a free download or something printable, why not ask for their email address and permission to send to them?

To do this… include an opt-in form on a page where visitors have to go first, before they get to the “free offer” page. Try to get them to double-opt in if you can. Be sure to communicate the benefits of what you’ll be sending them and tell them how often you’ll be emailing them.

It’s a great way to build your email list.