far from mobile-optimized

Relay Foods.
I appreciate the attempt to jump into a graphics-centered email, but this one flops.
The header bar takes up too much of the preview window on a computer screen, then the (yummy) image sucks up everything else above the fold.  The copy tells us nothing action-oriented that will compel us to continue reading the message.  And there's not even a text link in the first two screens of my phone.  Bummer.

email for customer acquisition

Custora’s “E-Commerce Customer Acquisition Snapshot” reports that the email channel grew from 0.88% of customers acquired in 2009 to 6.84% in 2013.

Between 2011 and 2012, the acquisition numbers doubled from 2.64% to 5.34%, according to the report.  Email is "trickier" than direct mail when it comes to customer engagement: the customer must open the email and then another mechanism (the website) must lead them to purchase.  The addition of mobile device consumption of email has also affected conversion rates.  But the report indicates open rates continue to "exceed 35%."

Source: 

Why Email Marketing’s Significant Growth Continues by Daniela Forte

works for mobile

Carol's Daughter is really nailing the mobile-enabled emails.
Simple message, simple graphics, single call-to-action button that's large enough for a chubby finger to hit on a phone or tablet.

7/17/2013 example:

content is king

best practices

5 ways to segment your email marketing list

Industry or role: level in the company if it's B2B, category if it's B2C
Geography: regional promotional opportunities
General interests: based on user interaction, e.g. downloads or purchases
Behavior: use analytics of users' browse, click, forward, etc
Brand Advocates: nurture best customer relationships

Original piece at Business2Community.com
Thanks, Karen Frascese.

volvo viral

There's a lot of data to suggest that marketing email read rates, click rates and conversion are higher when companies use video.  Here's a great one from Volvo that earned more than 6M views in the first week.



scoop on video + email study by the Relevancy Group from DazeInfo and Warc

for the little guys too

Constant Contact's survey of small business customers indicates it's not only large businesses that benefit from email marketing programs.

57% of respondents said that are trying to expand their email subscriber lists "at all times." 

When pushed to describe why it was important for them to increase their email lists:

• 44% indicated the importance of encouraging repeat business

• 39% said that email marketing helps customer relationship building

• 12% reported that email marketing improves customers for referrals

92% small businesses capture opt-in email addresses is through sign-up forms on the company website, 64% through direct requests, 46% via Facebook sign-ups, and 35% use sign-up sheets at point-of-sale.