First off, when developing an email campaign be sure to follow all CAN-SPAM laws. Secondly, when writing your subject line(s), be sure to follow the 10 rules below to avoid getting caught in SPAM filters and to increase your open rate.
Happy emailing!
The people you want to hire do not need motivating. They're mature adults and probably have the energy level they'll have for the rest of your relationship.So, it's not about motivating. It's about alignment of goals.Most of us have wondered many times; is this a job for the carrot or the stick? Let's see…the carrot or the stick?The fact is that smart people don't respond -- on a long-term basis -- to either the carrot or the stick.If the relationship is a simple, "You give me "x", and I'll give you "x" reward," it won't be long before someone is scamming your process.Conversely, if you threaten smart people with the stick, they'll find another place to work.The key is to find out what they want to do. Deep down, when they're honest with themselves – what do they really want to do? Once they determine that and communicate it, you can see if it's aligned with the company's needs. If you don't have common ground then just be honest with each other – life is too short to pretend otherwise.However, once you find their passion and know that helping them get to where they want to go will also work for the company, then you're on solid common ground.So, OK, Joe, you've changed the rhetoric from "motivation" to "alignment". Now what?Once you have goals, you build the process around those goals. At The Phelps Group, we have an annual process that starts with a 360 review by at least six of the associate's coworkers. The associate can then fold that feedback into her/his individual performance objectives (IPO), which state what they'll do in terms of the quality of client work, the generation of revenue for the agency and the agency's environment. Our associates are encouraged to meet with the coach in their discipline or their team leader once a month in a 1-2-1 and review their progress toward their goals. The coach or team leader is not there to judge, but rather to "hold a mirror up" for the person requesting the 1-2-1. A critical exercise in this meeting is to identify the obstacles preventing progress and then work on ways to eliminate them.This process, when followed diligently, help the individual create and hone their goals. It'll reveal and remind them of their progress. And it'll clear the path for more achievement. The result is higher self-esteem, raised confidence, greater productivity and a more transparent relationship between them and the company.The essence of the thinking here is, find out where an associate wants to go and then help them hold themselves accountable to their own goals.
During the last decade, the rush of excitement and empowerment that has come with blogging has led to an increase in choice fatigue. The challenge? Who to believe in all the clutter. But that’s changing.A recent post on Adweek.com entitled "The New Brand Ambassadors" discusses the trend in "hired consumers," aggregate groups who are passionate about a brand or product. These groups are empowered by company marketing organizations to help spread the word. Companies like Sony, Unilever, Microsoft, McDonald's and JetBlue are some examples.The individuals in these groups – let's call them online brand ambassadors – are credible sources, with a high online I.Q. They’re articulate and skilled in the art of editing, filtering, tagging, digg-ing and posting. They are likely working professionals, with relevant life experiences and certified chops to walk their talk.And, like it or not, they’re impacting your company's marketing efforts, for better or worse. As a matter of fact, the chances are high that an online dialogue is taking place right now about your industry, company, and/or your products and services.Want to find out? Take a deep breath and type your company name in the search box at Technorati.com or Google.com.The bottom line: Increasingly, you’ll have to surrender more branding control to online "experts."Are you ready for that?Source – AdWeek.com post by Joan Voight, Dec. 31, 2007, The New Brand Ambassadors
Call it a tag line, slogan or theme line, it’s the essence of your brand – distilled into (preferably) seven words or less. A theme line can:• Express your company’s vision or unique market position.• Define your brand’s character or extol a benefit.• Align your company’s values with that of your target.• Promise to fulfill an important need or desire.
What makes great theme line? The best ones tend to be short, powerful summations tied inextricably to the character or "gestalt" of the brand. Recently, Business Week interviewed branding expert Eric Swart, who surveyed 100 marketing professionals about their favorite theme lines. The results:
1. "Got milk?" (1993, California Milk Processor Board)2. "Don't leave home without it" (1975, American Express)3. "Just do it" (1988, Nike)4. "Where's the beef?" (1984, Wendy's)5. "You're in good hands with Allstate" (1956, Allstate Insurance)6. "Think different" (1998, Apple Computer)7. "We try harder" (1962, Avis)8. "Tastes great, less filling" (1974, Miller Light)9. "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands" (1954, M&M Candies)10. "Takes a licking and keeps on ticking" (1956, Timex)
Swartz noted that, since the mid-1990s, there has been an emphasis on community in theme lines. He believes this is because the Internet has made us aware that we are globally interdependent. Among the most popular modern slogans are those that reflect this type of thinking, such as "Solutions for a small planet" from IBM, "The world's online marketplace" from eBay and "Share a moment, share a life" from Kodak.Next time, we’ll look at the process of developing a great theme line.
What’s your favorite theme line?
When you market a new product or service, credibility is key. Potential buyers want to be assured that what they are buying lives up to the seller’s claims.
Think about getting someone other than the manufacturer or seller to say something great about your product. Such a third-party endorsement can be very persuasive, but you must consider it carefully. That actress promoting a new skincare product may be alluring, but does she have the same credibility as an unbiased newspaper or magazine writer or a national TV news show host? Does her testimonial still hold weight if she has received negative publicity?
Credibility value, especially when making major purchasing decisions for healthcare or financial services, automotive items, or other consumer products, can be much higher when it comes from an impartial journalist rather than a paid pitch person.
If a reporter likes a product and writes a positive review about it, immediate and long-lasting credibility can result. Consumers do not buy a particular product because the manufacturer or celebrity spokesperson says that it is the greatest thing since wireless HDTV. They may be more inclined to purchase it because credible third parties, such as The New York Times, Motor Trend or the "Today" show, give it high marks.