Using Data to Determine Optimal Frequency
There isn’t a magic formula that you can use to tell you when and how often to send messages to your subscriber, but if you capture the right data, you won’t need one. As you can tell from the above example, the timing of the email is dependent on the action of the subscriber, not on an arbitrary date selected by the marketing department. It goes without saying that the more active subscribers are, the more interested they are in your products and services. Subscribers that are reading your emails, clicking on the links to gather additional information, and converting are the subscribers you can send emails to more frequently, as long as the emails contain relevant information that will be viewed favorably by the recipients.
To determine your optimal frequency, analyze your data and use common sense as your guide. While there are some risks to increasing the frequency of your email campaigns, the rewards are great. To mitigate the risks, you must carefully monitor the results of each send, not just the emails that your subscribers are opening and clicking on, but also the emails they are not reading as this could be a sign of fatigue. It is also important to monitor your open and click-through metrics along with the number of unsubscribes and complaints. While relevant emails have fewer unsubscribes and complaints, the increase in frequency could bump the numbers up somewhat if the emails aren’t directly targeted with new offers and specific information the recipients want. You must also monitor your bounce logs closely so you do not continue to mail to invalid email addresses as this will damage your reputation.
It’s important to remember that your subscribers, not your marketing department, are in charge of their own delivery schedule. The way they react and respond to each email lets you know what they like and dislike; so if you capture the right data, you will be able to send each of your subscribers the right information at the right time.
About Listrak
Listrak is a leading provider of hosted email marketing software, allowing permission-based marketers to manage, send, track and grow their email marketing investment. We deliver email marketing intelligence through our intuitive web-based application. Leading marketers have come to rely on this intelligence to better manage email in their multi-channel marketing mix.
Listrak software helps companies, agencies and associations better manage customer relations in their marketing campaigns. Its web-enabled interface helps marketers engage their customers using an advanced profiling and personalization engine. Listrak’s world-class support and professional services assist clients with enterprise integration. Its clients include L’Oreal, Motorola, Jeep, Pearle Vision, PR Newswire, The Islands of the Bahamas, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
To learn more about the many ways Listrak can strengthen your email marketing campaigns, or to sign up for a 20-minute web-based tour, visit www.listrak.com.
Don’t miss Listrak’s 2008 Email Marketing Days conference taking place September 7-9 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia. Listrak is bringing together experts in the email marketing industry to offer attendees the opportunity to meet with them in an exciting and fun atmosphere that truly encourages networking, sharing experiences, and discussing real-world strategies that have worked to increase the relevancy and response rate of email campaigns.
Listrak’s 2008 Email Marketing Days features three session tracks, two networking events, and one-to-one consultations. Participants are encouraged to bring samples of their campaigns for expert analysis.
To learn more, visit www.listrak.com/emailmarketingdays.
