We're always very excited to tell people about our business.  It's our second favorite thing to talk about after our favorite subject...ourselves!  This means we always have a lot to say, and we often think that our audience is anxious to hear it all.  We think that because our e-mail list is an "opt in," that people WANT to get our message, and will make note of everything.   Unfortunately, this is not a best-practice when it comes to e-mail marketing. 

 Just think about how you go through your e-mail box.  You zip through deleting the junk that comes everyday from Sears, Amazon, eBay, etc.  You might pause with notes from people that you know, but only long enough to see if what they have to say is of interest to you RIGHT NOW.

I received an e-mail yesterday from a networking partner in Michigan.  He's a great photographer, and he's tapped into a market where everyone with a camera also considers themselves to be a photographer.  We does a variety of workshops for people on different subjects to help them become better photographers.  This likely also helps them to better appreciate the skills that he's honed over the years, and hire him for a future project when they want to make sure it gets done right.

I've attached a copy of his e-mail below.  You'll notice there's a lot of great information included, and there are links to sign up for the different events he's hosting.   I might be a novice, and want to sign up for a beginner course, or I might be more advanced and want to sign up for a lighting course.  However, once I start to scroll down, I'd realize there is WAY too much content to think about in the few seconds I want to devote to a given e-mail.  I might hit "file" to put it somewhere to "look at later," but we all know what happens to that folder...

My recommendation would be to do one of the following:

1. Split the e-mail into multiple pieces.  Have one go out with courses designed for the beginner, and a separate one for advanced photographers.  These could go out on a weekly basis instead of once per month, and people could decide based on the subject line whether or not they want to read into the message further.   Rather than looking at the open rates for a once-per-month e-mail, simply compare the combined rates for the weekly e-mails.  This would likely show a higher percentage of open rates and clicks to content.
   
2. Offer shorter descriptions of the type of classes available, and then have a web page devoted to the classes to include more details, sample photos, sign-ups, etc.  One page could be devoted to beginners, intermediate, and advanced.  Since they used Constant Contact for their tool, then all of the clicks would be tracked, and he would know specifically who might be interested in a class.  If they don't sign up, he could call them later and ask what other types of classes that might be interested in.

The alternative of course is to hire a specialist like Golden Principle Marketing to do this for you!  This would allow you to focus YOUR time on the things that make you more money.  Simply press the Contact button above to send us an e-mail or give us a call.

In September of last year, I created a new company focused on helping small businesses with e-mail, text and social media marketing.  This presented an interesting challenge as we had moved from an area where I knew hundreds of people to a new area where I knew no one.  My family and I relocated from Detroit, Michigan to Fort Worth, Texas.  There's quite an interesting story behind WHY we moved, but you'll have to call me for that....  The main thing was that my wife, Gail, was hired by Power Service Products in Weatherford, Texas.  I knew that starting in a new community would be challenging, but I had acquired some important experience about marketing with the business I owned in Michigan. 

I knew that cold calling in a new community would be time consuming, difficult, and would bear little fruit.   In Michigan, I belonged to a robust chapter of Business Networking International (BNI), and knew that if I could find a similar one in Texas it would be great way to establish new relationships here.  The group in Michigan averaged about 35 members and included a doctor, chiropractor, 5 different attorneys, handyman, photographer, chocolatier and many more!  We met each week to learn about each others businesses and exchange leads.  This group accounted for about 5% of my annual sales, and was easily the best return on investment of any marketing dollars I spent.  

I believe that BNI is a good foundation because it has a formal structure to each meeting and a number of key elements that encourage each of its members to get to know the others.  These elements are:

1. Unique seat within each chapter - There is only one person from each specialty in a given chapter.  Only one tax attorney, one accountant, one promotional products person, etc.  You become the "go to" person for that specialty within the chapter, and competitors are barred from joining.  
2. Application Fee and Annual Dues - These go to support the BNI organization which includes oversight and mentorship of the chapter along with a robust website that better enables members to interact.  People understand that they've made an investment into the group, and that should you not take full advantage of it, you are wasting time and money.
   
3. Attendance Requirements - Everyone is expected to be there every week.  The only way to get to know people is to meet with them on a regular basis.  Missing a meeting is like missing a sales meeting at work, and when someone's not there it means missed opportunities.
   
4. Opportunity to teach your sales staff each week - Everyone has an opportunity to "ask" for new business, and they should attempt to make it as specific as possible.  This helps to guide others to think about people and places that might be good referrals that they haven't thought of in the past.
   
5. Encouragement to meet for 1to1 Meetings - Members are encouraged to meet with you to have a deeper exchange of what each company does and their philosophies.  These are treasured appointments, and would be very difficult to come by through cold calling.  The referral marketing process only works when people know each other better, so they are not only willing, but anxious to meet with you.
   

When I first joined a BNI chapter in Michigan, I had never heard of it before.  I visited one chapter, but they accepted a competing company the week that I first visited, and they encouraged me to visit a different chapter.  I ended up joining the second one I visited, and it worked out great.  In Fort Worth, I approached it differently and visited 4 different chapters before deciding on which one I wanted to join.   Every chapter has its strengths and weaknesses, and it's important to understand how those can affect your membership.  

These are the strengths I found in the chapter I joined:

1. They followed the program.  When you attend a BNI meeting anywhere in the world, the steps you follow should be the same.  This is a proven model for success and if a chapter decides to skip certain aspects of the agenda, then you are not getting the full value of your investment.
2. The chapter had more than 30 members.  Many chapters in and around Fort Worth have 20 to 25 members, and if a few people are missing, then there can quickly be only 15 people at your meeting.  This decreases the amount of potential people you're reaching out to with your sales message.  A larger chapter generally indicates a strong base and commitment of the people that are there each week.
3. The chapter meets in a prestigious location.  The weekly meetings are held at Colonial Country Club.  The conference room has a much different feel to it then meeting in a side room of a fast-food place.  This will be far more impressive when attempting to recruit new members in the future.
4. The chapter has a history.  This is another area where I was spoiled in Michigan having belonged to a chapter that was formed 25 years ago.  There were a number of founding members still in the group, and they provided a strong base from which new people could learn how to maximize their return on investment.  The chapter I joined was formed over 4 years ago, and has matured well.  Other chapters in the area had recently re-formed after folding.  Being a part of a new chapter can be exciting, but I think this is more suited to established businesses in the community. 
5. The number of people absent when I visited was minimal.  Since attendance is so critical, it's important to note how many people are missing when visiting a chapter.  Even at 10%, the numbers can make a big impact.  If the chapter only has 20 members, and there are 4 people absent, then 20% of your potential sales force is unaccounted for.

While this article focuses on BNI, I think the concepts can be applied to any referral marketing group.  There are others that have a similar model of allowing only one person per specialty, but it's important to consider the other elements to gauge how committed people are to their success and to the success of the group.

If you'd like to find out more about my referral marketing experience, please feel free to contact me.

I recently picked up a Belly Card at the Koney Island Inn on West 7 Mile Road in Livonia, Michigan.  It’s a very different loyalty card system as it doesn’t require the cashier to take any action while the customer is accumulating points.  The program includes an iPad that the store puts on the counter, and the customer simply scans their card or their Smart Phone using the camera feature within the iPad.

The customer is rewarded with a predetermined number of points per visit, and is able to redeem them at various point levels. For example, every time I check in at the Koney Island Inn, I receive 5 points.  Once I accumulate 15 points, I can redeem them for a free soft drink, at 20 points, a free Koney Dog, at 30 a side Greek salad or cup of soup, and so on up to 150 points which would offer a “Date Night! Dinner for 2.”

I’m sure that the Belly Card rep must review the process with the proprietor, and there has to be a balance between encouraging the customer to return, and the cost to the business.  The biggest challenge I see to this program, is that the average sale made by that specific customer is not taken into account.  When my family of four eats dinner there, our typical bill would be about $30.  When an individual stops in for lunch, they might spend $7 per visit.  So here’s the resulting “value” each client receives for their loyalty:

In this model, the individual is receiving nearly 5 times the value for their loyalty.  I’m not privy to the analysis that took place, but I’m assuming that the restaurant owner was able to provide their average sale, and perhaps even a breakdown of the percentage of sales at various dollar points.  Perhaps this model serves the greatest number of clients, but I’m not going out of my way to accumulate points with such a minimal return.

There are additional advantages to the owner in having the ability to contact customers via e-mail, and additional social media integration at a higher tier of service.  Additionally, there are apps available through Apple and Google that make it easy for people to capture and display their Belly Card at multiple locations.  One card can serve a variety of purposes depending on the market penetration in a given area.  The more people that have the card, the more direct access to the consumer.  I’d be interested to see how the value equation works at other establishments to see how much incentive their is for people to join.

Franchisers Lauded for Email Marketing Success and Creativity in B2B, B2C, and Best Overall Categories

March 01, 2011 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

WALTHAM, Mass.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Constant Contact®, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTCT), the trusted marketing advisor to more than 400,000 small organizations worldwide, awarded The Original Basket Boutique with the best overall email campaign in Constant Contact’s 2nd Annual Franchise Excellence in Email Awards. EmbroidMe Birmingham and Baby Bootcamp were the winners in the B2B and B2C categories, respectively.

“Email marketing is a must-have for today’s small businesses, because it helps them connect with customers and build successful relationships easily and at an affordable price. These highly successful franchises chose our email marketing because of our track record of success, free personal coaching, support, and easy-to-use templates.”

“We were really impressed with the entries that we received; these franchises are clearly having great success with email marketing,” said Steve Johnson, vice president, Partners, Constant Contact. “Email marketing is a must-have for today’s small businesses, because it helps them connect with customers and build successful relationships easily and at an affordable price. These highly successful franchises chose our email marketing because of our track record of success, free personal coaching, support, and easy-to-use templates.”

The Constant Contact Franchise Excellence Award attracted many creative franchisors that designed innovative and functional programs that helped generate business. The winners were standouts in the B2B, B2C, and Best Overall categories. They are:

• Best B2B - EmbroidMe Birmingham
• Best B2C - Baby Bootcamp
• Best Overall - The Original Basket Boutique

About Constant Contact, Inc.

Constant Contact is revolutionizing the success formula for small organizations through affordable, easy-to-use Engagement Marketing™ tools that help create and grow customer relationships. More than 400,000 small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and member associations worldwide rely on Constant Contact as their engagement hub for starting and driving ongoing customer dialogs through email marketing, social media marketing, event marketing, and online surveys. All Constant Contact products come with unrivaled know how, education and free coaching with a personal touch, including award-winning customer support.

Constant Contact and the Constant Contact Logo are registered trademarks of Constant Contact, Inc. All Constant Contact product names and other brand names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Constant Contact, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.




Contacts
Media Contact:
Constant Contact
Erika Dornaus, 781-482-7039
edornaus@constantcontact.com
or
Investor Contact:
Constant Contact
Jeremiah Sisitsky, 339-222-5740
jsisitsky@constantcontact.com

Leader in email marketing recognizes outstanding achievements in email marketing by Abrakadoodle, Geeks On Call and EmbroidMe

Public Company Information:NASDAQ:
CTCT

Constant Contact®, Inc. (Nasdaq: CTCT), a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing and online survey tools for small organizations, today announced the winners of its first ever Franchise Excellence in Email Awards. Abrakadoodle®, Geeks On Call®, and EmbroidMe® were recognized for their outstanding achievements in email marketing as judged by Constant Contact's Franchise team and guest judge Joel Libava, The Franchise King® and president of Franchise Selection Specialists Inc.

"One of the many great characteristics of a successful franchise is their creative use of technology," said Kevin O'Brien, director, National Accounts, Constant Contact. "This was very apparent as we reviewed the entries for the Franchise Excellence in Email Awards. From creative design to compelling content, franchise businesses not only understand email marketing, they use it to help build strong customer relationships. We are so pleased to recognize our three winning franchises for outstanding email marketing success."

The Franchise Excellence in Email Awards attracted submissions from franchisors and franchisees across the country and spanned multiple industries. The winning entries were selected in the following three categories:

Best in Show 2009: Abrakadoodle

This award-winning franchise impressed the judges with its high open rates and significant subscriber growth by using best practices and continually incorporating reader feedback into future campaigns.

Best Overall B2C Email Campaign: Geeks On Call

High open and click-through rates caught the judges' attention, but it was the creative use of templates and content designed to meet the needs of their audience, that helped Geeks On Call win in this category.

Best Overall B2B Email Campaign: EmbroidMe

In the challenging B2B category, EmbroidMe set the bar high with diverse, yet relevant content that met the needs of its audience and led to a significant increase in sales directly attributed to its email campaigns.

Honorable Mentions:

Constant Contact also would like to recognize the following franchises for receiving an honorable mention for their creativity and success in email marketing: BlackJack Pizza®, Great Clips®, SignARama®, and WSI.

In addition to national recognition, the winner in each category will receive a customized Constant Contact email marketing template for their franchise and twelve months free use of Constant Contact Email Marketing for one franchisee*.

"Among the many excellent entries I reviewed, those that stood out to me were from the franchises that clearly understood their customer bases and used email marketing to communicate about their specific needs," said Libava. "I, myself, learned a lot about email marketing during the review process, and believe that franchises of all sizes can learn valuable marketing tips from these three winning organizations."

Franchise businesses interested in learning more about the Constant Contact franchise program and how email marketing can benefit their business should visit: http://www.constantcontact.com/industry/franchises.jsp.

* One free template and account awarded to ultimate winner per category. Free Constant Contact account starting 3/1/2010 to 3/1/2011. Free account includes Email Marketing for up to a total of 5,000 email addresses, Online Survey for up to a total of 5000 responses per month, Event Management for up to a total of 10 published events per month, Image Hosting and Archive. Use of this account is subject to Constant Contact's standard terms and conditions. Winner will be responsible for all fees for use of the accounts above the noted levels. Free custom template will be created by Constant Contact's custom services team and will be created on a timetable set by that team.

About Constant Contact, Inc.

With more than 300,000 customers, Constant Contact, Inc. is a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing, and online surveys for small businesses, non-profits, and member associations. Founded in 1995, Constant Contact helps small organizations grow stronger customer relationships by delivering professional, low cost, easy-to-use online tools backed with award-winning support, education and personal coaching. Constant Contact is a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: CTCT) with offices located in Waltham, Mass., Loveland, Colo., and Delray, Fla. To learn more, please visitwww.ConstantContact.com or call 781-472-8100.

Please direct all press inquiries to Media Relations