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Dear Harry,
 With the vast amount of information that the average consumer receives every day, it is more important than ever to provide relevant content to the people on our email lists. This month's issue is focused on one of the most effective strategies marketers have for sending relevant email communications: list segmentation. You'll find everything you need to get started with segmentation, from a definition of what it is to ideas and real-life examples of how to make it work for you. If you have a list segmentation story to share or a question to ask, please visit the Hints & Tips forum. And when you are done reading, please let us know if you found this issue helpful. We always enjoy receiving your feedback.
All the best,
Amy Black
Editor, Hints & Tips e-Newsletters
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In This Issue of Hints & Tips
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 The Secret to Relevant Emails: Segment Your ListAn interview with John Arnold, Regional Development Director and Author of Email Marketing for Dummies
According to a 2006 study by Jupiter Research, engaging your audiences in more relevant communications could increase net profits by an average of 18 times*. That's why as email marketers, we need to do everything possible to make our emails relevant.
One of the best ways to create a relevant experience for your subscribers is to segment your email list and send content to each group based on their specific needs and interests. In this interview with Hints & Tips, John Arnold gives insight on how to get started with segmentation.
HT: What is the definition of email list segmentation? It sounds a little daunting.
JA: Don't let the word scare you. It's the task of breaking your list into groups with similar interests and needs so you can send highly relevant communications. You don't need a separate list for every customer detail. You can effectively target your emails with a few segmented lists.
HT: For someone who is just getting started with email marketing, is there an easy way to begin segmenting right out of the gate?
JA: Absolutely. The best time to collect information for segmenting purposes is right when your prospect or customer joins your email list. For starters, you can easily create lists by offering options with checkboxes on your sign-up form. For example, a music store might create a list for each type of instrument they sell so they can send information relevant to the musicians who play each instrument.
Read the full interview
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Finding Success with Targeted EmailsHow to reap the benefits of targeted emails with minimal effortby Amy Black
You know the challenge you have as an email marketer: to make your emails as relevant as possible to those receiving them. The first step is to segment your list into groups. The next step is to create relevant email campaigns for each targeted segment. This approach to email marketing allows you to focus on the specific needs or interests of each group.
Just how much of a difference can a targeted email campaign make? In his book, The Quiet Revolution in Email Marketing, Bill Nussey tells the story of the retailer eBags who sent targeted email campaigns to new subscribers. As a result, their click-through rates climbed by 20 percent and the average order size grew by 45 percent. Wow! These results show that there is great potential in taking this approach to your email marketing.
You may not have a marketing staff, but you can still market intelligently and efficiently by sending relevant content to specific target audiences. Here are two fictional scenarios, along with visual examples, of how to efficiently produce targeted promotional and newsletter campaigns. Use these examples as inspiration to create a plan of your own.
See the examples
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Use ListenUp!SM Survey to segment your email list
Looking for a quick and easy way to segment your email list? Our online survey tool makes it simple.
Here's how to do it.
Don't have ListenUp! Survey? Try it free for 60 days!
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New to Hints & Tips?
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Extend the life of your emails with Archive
When you add Email Campaign Archive to SpeakUp!SM Email Marketing, you can instantly turn the emails you've already sent into easy-to-view web pages.
If you are a Constant Contact customer, simply go to the Email Archive tab when you are logged in to your account.
Learn more about Archive.
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Segmentation in Action
Two email marketers share their success with segmentation
Girls Learn To Ride
www.girlslearntoride.com
Email marketing since: 2002 List size: 12,000  Tell us about your company. Girls Learn To Ride is an online resource for girls and women who want to get involved in action sports like skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motocross, wakeboarding, mountain biking, and BMX. We also produce and/or co-sponsor instructional clinics and camps throughout North America. How do you segment? By sport (surf, skate, snow, wake, motocross, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, skiing, mountain biking), and by what type of communications they would like to receive from us (newsletter, weekly report, product features).
How do you communicate differently with each group? We try to customize our emails to the audience they're addressed to. For example, if we are featuring an upcoming surfing clinic, we will direct it to that type of participant by featuring related products and helpful tips. Each sport email features photos and content related to that particular sport.
What positive results do you get from taking this approach to email marketing? It's more direct and becomes more useful to the participant. Girls who are into skateboarding may not necessarily want to read about mountain biking or BMX. If they choose to, we have links within the email for them to click on to read about the other sports and features. We try to remember that our readers are unique and have different tastes. Due to this approach, our open and click-through rates are better than average.
BEK Inc.
Email marketing since: 2007
List size: 300
 Tell us about your company. We are a full service IT company with strong roots in mid-coast Maine. We've provided professional service to Maine businesses and families for nearly 10 years. We deliver many IT solutions, covering everything from help desk support to complete network design and installation. Our customers benefit by having a single, local point of accountability for all their IT needs.
How do you segment? We divide our list into these categories: professional clients, residential clients, BNI (a networking organization), event guests, vendors and partners, and general interest.
How do you communicate differently with each group? I send more tech savvy emails to my professional and vendor lists. My residential clients receive more lighthearted emails with "top 10" lists. Event guests get updates of all open houses or seminars we hold with vendors and partners. The general interest group receives most of my emails.
What positive results do you get from taking this approach to email marketing? My commercial clients do not need the same information as my residential clients; they are looking for ways to save money on technology and how to use technology more effectively to increase their profits. Residential clients are looking to keep their home computers safe and effective. This is totally different information. Segmenting my list and developing different strategies for each customer has led to a stable list size and happy customers. |
Do you have an email marketing success story?
Has email marketing helped your business or organization to be successful?
We want to hear about it.
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What's New with Constant Contact
Recent updates, new resource center, and best customer service recognition
Updates to Our ToolsIf you didn't get to read about the recent updates we made to our email marketing and online survey tools, you can find out what's new here.
New Resource Center Our new resource center has the answers you want and the coaching you need. All in one convenient place. Visit the Resource Center
Award-Winning Customer Service At Constant Contact, we are dedicated to providing our customers with free, industry-leading customer support. This summer we were thrilled to receive a Stevie Award for "Best Customer Service Team" by the 2008 American Business Awards in recognition of our efforts. Here's what Constant Contact's senior vice president of customer operations, Tom Howd, had to say about the honor: This Stevie Award is a testament to our customer service organization and the entire Constant Contact team who continually deliver excellent support and education. We dedicate this award to our customers whose stories of success for their small businesses or organizations inspire us every day. It is our customers that make it easy for us to go above and beyond to provide them the support they need to be successful.Find out more about Constant Contact and the Stevie Awards | |
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