The email industry is still evolving so there are no firm standards. However, the following tips will help you improve the results from your email marketing.

Permission rules
Internet users are increasingly saturated and frustrated with junk email. This shouldn’t be a
problem for most credit unions, at least in dealing with their own members. Most members want to hear from their credit union, especially if you craft concise, well-written missives. But for credibility, you must seek permission to send messages, and always make it easy to opt out.

Open a dialogue
Don’t just talk AT your members; they get plenty of that through other media. Establish a dialogue with members and use the interaction to strengthen the relationship. Invite users to check out your Website, ask questions, give opinions, but be prepared to keep up your part of the dialogue with fast, well-crafted responses.

Short = sweet
There is no rule of thumb for email length, but most professional messages are short, sometimes no longer than one screen, with the details presented on Web pages linked to the message. Some of our favorite email lists rarely get read because there is just too much good info to absorb quickly, so the message is set aside and ultimately never read. Like a good speech, three topics are probably enough.

Seek professional help
Electronic messaging is not rocket science, but you can make your messaging efforts much smoother by enlisting the services of a specialized email service provider such as DigitalMailer. Service providers will automate much of the tedious maintenance efforts such as resends, bounce-back maintenance, and opt-out requests so you can concentrate on making the messages better.

Timing counts
Although every rule of thumb should be tested, the conventional wisdom is that Tuesdays through Thursdays are best for reaching members at work, reserve Saturday and Sunday emails for home users. Many experts recommend sending messages late in the workday so they needn’t compete with the morning clutter.

Ensure a good landing
An effective email marketing campaign includes a specialized Website landing page that supports the teaser email copy and converts prospects into buyers. You should NOT use your home page for the landing unless your offer is obvious AND you have tracking in place to distinguish regular visitors from those visiting due to your direct-marketing efforts.


Want to read more? Click here for your own copy of "31 Tips for e-Mail Success" from DigitalMailer.

Labels: e-mail, email, email marketing, smart marketing, Special Reports

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by Ron Daly

Yeah, I'm done with bad news. That doesn't mean it's not there to be found, I just don't want to bother with sharing it here. I want to share the good news with you, our customers, our friends, and our prospective clients.

First, that credit unions are still getting a favorable rating in the press. A great article from the Wall Street Journal just came out singing the praises of the industry and showing some impressive graphs about CUs' lending practices. It's nice to know there's still a little good press to be found for an industry that has been (somewhat) able to rest on its laurels. Click here to read their article.

You say that's not enough good news for you? Take advantage of the Good News Network, a website devoted to bringing uplifting stories and good news in general to people that are just tired of all the bad. Visit their website here.

Do you have any good news? We'd love to hear it...and so would Brian Williams at NBC news. He's asked people to share their good news with him at the Nightly News blog. If you have something truly spectacular going on near you, leave it for them to read through.

So you see? There's good news to be had. It all depends on where you look.

• Have good news about your credit union? Tell us about it in a comment or email us at blogs@digitalmailer.com
• We've got good news of our own...our newsletter has been updated! Click here to sign up!
  

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by Ron Daly

Yes, I know. It's a joke that's getting less funny, because it's slowly becoming reality. People are losing homes, jobs are disappearing, business is bad all around. And we, dear friends, are in an industry that is constantly under the microscope (read about the CU industry's recent scrutiny on our other blog, the CU Soapbox). We're on the tightrope, and we need to stand up straight and tall to get through.

Marketing suffers at a time like this. People and businesses trying to do more with less are often left with nothing at all. And while "no news is good news" applies in some aspects of life, it sure doesn't work for the CU industry. A diminished marketing budget only means you have to be smart about spending.

Multiple studies show that companies that keep their messages and brands in the public's eye during a recession often come through hard times much better than those that don't. One such study, by MarketSense, proved the point with the 1989-91 recession: Brands such as Jif Peanut Butter and Kraft Salad Dressing increased advertising, and saw sales grow 57 percent and 70 percent, respectively. Pizza Hut and Taco Bell stepped up promotion, increasing sales by 61 percent and 40 percent. But McDonald's, which took the opposite approach, had a 28 percent decline in sales over the same period.

Case Study: Innovative Recession e-Marketing

Solidarity Federal Credit Union is taking an innovative approach to recession marketing: YouTube-style videos. The Kokomo, Indiana-based credit union is emailing promotional clips to targeted members, using short videos created in-house. Members tell their own stories about why they like the credit union's services, such as electronic checking and at-home check deposit. And according to Vice President of Marketing Diana Tenbrook, members' recommendations go a long way to boost credibility.

Tenbrook says the credit union began its unique approach to differentiate SOLFCU from its banking competitors. But with tighter budgets in today's down cycle, the credit union has found email can extend its marketing efforts without draining resources.

SOLFCU uses DigitalMailer's email engines to distribute the information. Here's the latest SOLFCU latest video clip, where Jake and Kylie, a newlywed couple, discuss how they had to deal with enormous bank fees with no explanation!

"Emailing these clips has actually resulted in some viral marketing, with members spreading the word after viewing them," Tenbrook said. "One of our members, who has a home-based business, told us people come up to her in the grocery store and say they've seen her in a Solidarity video."

Using DigitalMailer's email marketing service, SOLFCU can ensure that the emailed videos get to the inboxes of members who want to receive them. And with a high open rate of nearly 30 percent, the strategy is clearly working.

Labels: Budget Stretching Ideas, economy, email marketing, Marketing, marketing on a budget, smart marketing, targeted marketing

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