Dear ***, Last month, BlueHornet hosted our Fall 2005 User Forum--the first in what we expect to be a bi-annual occurrence. A lot of learning took place out in the beautiful deserts of Scottsdale, Arizona, by every client, partner, and Hornet who attended our three-day event. Tips & Trends: What Attendees Learned To make sure User Forum attendees walked away from the event with plenty of actionable information, we tapped into the expertise of our clients, not to mention some important “in the trenches” knowledge provided by our own team. Here’s some of what attendees learned: In email marketing, the speed of change continues to increase. Need proof? Check out the very latest from eMarketer on the best days to send emails. (Open access until December 11, 2005.) Investing in customer loyalty pays big dividends. According to Michael Friedman of Darden Restaurants, integrated loyalty programs result in 39% higher consumer spending in the restaurant industry.

Not What You Might Expect: Best Day to Send Emails What’s the best day to send emails? This is one of the questions we’re asked most frequently, both here in San Diego and out in the deserts of Arizona. Here’s new information from eMarketer that makes some interesting connections between the size of your list and the best days to send. (Open access until December 11, 2005.) Read more. Email Optimization Making small adjustments to your email template and message can make a big difference in the ROI you get from each campaign. Learn more.

• The Hispanic online market continues to offer huge opportunities. Lee Vann, president of Captura Group, told an overflow crowd that the Hispanic online market has now been characterized as an upscale mass market. The first step Lee recommended was to begin capturing subscribers' language preferences on your survey or sign-up form. This is an easy, no-risk method of assessing your customers' desire for other language choices, either via email or on your website. Speak to your BlueHornet Customer Relationship Manager to answer any questions you have about this opportunity, or click here and we'll contact you.
  
  
• BlueHornet technology gives users a competitive edge. Danielle Mead shared ways Shoes.com leverages BlueHornet’s advanced data segmentation capabilities to turn the company’s email initiative into a program that generates 7-10% of total sales.
  
  
• There’s always room for improvement. Continue to test, measure and optimize your emails to maintain healthy response rates and drive sales.

We Learned a Lot, Too
After spending several days in close communication with our clients and partners, the team and I learned some exciting things about the industry and its future: Today’s leading online marketers are listening to BlueHornet’s messages about respecting customers, and they’re becoming as passionate as we are about building long-term, valuable relationships. Very cool.

Another important thing we learned is that while today’s eMarketer grows increasingly sophisticated, their need for an ESP focused squarely on email only increases. That’s why we’re committed to continuing our focus of offering the industry’s most powerful application coupled with expert knowledge to open up more possibilities for your online success.

Stay tuned for information about our next User Forum. You won’t want to miss it.

Sincerely,

Tim Marusich
Vice President, General Manager, and Chief Spam Cop
BlueHornet Networks, Inc.
Tim@bluehornet.com