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Email Marketing Insights
Kara Trivunovic
Sr. Director of Strategic Services
Kristin Hersant
Director of Corporate Marketing
October 6, 2009
Who needs Subject Lines...?
I've been working in the email marketing space for many years. Periodically I see email promotions, or components of messages that trigger the, "why didn't I think of that?" reflex. On the rare occasion that I have those moments, I am compelled to write about them - and give kudos when they're due. So today, I pay homage to Southwest Airlines for providing me with a "why didn't I think of that" moment and for that I thank you.
This promotion almost completely makes a subject line strategy completely moot in driving open metrics for the Southwest Click 'n Save email program entirely, and in its place? Good 'ol fashioned bribery. It's genius! I mean, really, why didn't I think of that? It starts with a very direct subject line, "Winter fares on sale, plus a chance to win*!" I'll admit, you do have to open this message to see why this is so smart - but if you do, here's the treat: "Keep opening our e-mails and you could win free travel!" There it is, the bribe to continue opening their email. I love it! (check it out for yourself)
Now, as I scrutinize it more closely there are some opportunities to take a great program and make it outstanding. For example:
Southwest has done a terrific job at incorporating content that is viral, engaging and fun in their email campaigns but unfortunately are not actively asking their subscriber base to share it or pass it along. The assumption is that the recipient may share with others, but if you don't ask you can't really expect it.
The other question that looms (which triggers a series of other questions based on the response), albeit a terrific promotion, what's the objective? I assume it is either to drive more opens or drive more subscribers. If it is the former, there must be a direct and compelling correlation between open and conversions. If so, is that correlation minimized because the open behavior is less genuine? If is the latter - then why is there no direct call to share with friends?
Or maybe, just maybe - it is just a fun way to gain entry in to a sweepstakes and I am making it way too complicated - which is ALWAYS a possibility. What do you think? Like it, love it, indifferent?
This promotion almost completely makes a subject line strategy completely moot in driving open metrics for the Southwest Click 'n Save email program entirely, and in its place? Good 'ol fashioned bribery. It's genius! I mean, really, why didn't I think of that? It starts with a very direct subject line, "Winter fares on sale, plus a chance to win*!" I'll admit, you do have to open this message to see why this is so smart - but if you do, here's the treat: "Keep opening our e-mails and you could win free travel!" There it is, the bribe to continue opening their email. I love it! (check it out for yourself)
Now, as I scrutinize it more closely there are some opportunities to take a great program and make it outstanding. For example:
- - Socialize this heck out of this email and ask subscribers to share this great promotion with their social networks
- - Leverage sites like Twitter, Facebook and even TripAdvisor to tell the masses - further minimizing the need for a subject line
- - Put it right in the subject line, "Open our email and you could win free roundtrip tickets*"
Southwest has done a terrific job at incorporating content that is viral, engaging and fun in their email campaigns but unfortunately are not actively asking their subscriber base to share it or pass it along. The assumption is that the recipient may share with others, but if you don't ask you can't really expect it.
The other question that looms (which triggers a series of other questions based on the response), albeit a terrific promotion, what's the objective? I assume it is either to drive more opens or drive more subscribers. If it is the former, there must be a direct and compelling correlation between open and conversions. If so, is that correlation minimized because the open behavior is less genuine? If is the latter - then why is there no direct call to share with friends?
Or maybe, just maybe - it is just a fun way to gain entry in to a sweepstakes and I am making it way too complicated - which is ALWAYS a possibility. What do you think? Like it, love it, indifferent?
Posted by: Kara Trivunovic at 8:00 AM
Categories: Email Marketing , Trends
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I'm intrigued. Seems like a simple and effective way to get people to activate images and get into the habit of opening your emails. Questions for you Kara:
1. Will people understand that opening means displaying images (the connection is only made in the official rules). If you don't have images enabled, do you even see the competition banner?
2. Is there are any likely "big brother" privacy backlash at the implication that the sender "knows" when you open your emails?
Comment by Mark Brownlow – October 7, 2009 1:35 AM
Mark - excellent comments. To point #1 - I see this as a potential missed opportunity. The possibility does exist that a consumer doesn't *know* they need to render images to actually be considered an "open." I had tossed around two situations in my head (since I don't manage this program I am only pontificating) either SWA did some analysis on their database and determined that an overwhelming percent of their database receives email at domains that don't suppress images by default -or- SWA considered image suppression a minimal risk given the motivation of the subject line. And yes, you would need to render images to see the promotional opportunity to win. To point #2 - that possibility always exists as we begin building more relevance in to email campaigns. But on the flip side, I also believe consumers are growing more savvy about online tracking and are aware it is a possibility.
Thanks for the feedback again - keep it coming!
Comment by Kara Trivunovic – October 7, 2009 8:04 AM
I think you bring up a great point! Integrating social and email marketing is a great way to double/triple/etc. your promotion's exposure. With today's technology, there's really no reason not to do so.
Comment by Maggie – October 15, 2009 12:10 PM
Getting customers behavior established like this is an excellent idea - I'm just concerned, and wondering, how many emails were rejected by the ESP.
"Winter fares on sale, plus a chance to win*!" seems like it would get shut down before even reaching the inbox. Since punctuations can cause problems when delivering a message is that likely that this message had a problem with deliver-ability? Do you think that may have been the case?
Comment by Carlos Barbour – October 16, 2009 9:32 AM
Good point Carlos-punctuation in the subject line could possibly cause some issues - but I am seeing more and more email hit my inbox with puncuation in the subject line. I am a true believer that deliverability is increasingly driven by reputation and not the inclusion of punctuation in the subject line - but it is certainly a component that could effect inbox success.
Comment by Kara Trivunovic – October 16, 2009 10:36 AM
I wonder if this might be a way for SWA to see how many 'opens' they really have, vs the metrics they receive (which cannot count the one where the images were not enabled). Or maybe just to get people to turn on the images?
As someone that helps people start, optimize and maintain e-newsletters, I am always curious how many 'true' opens my clients are really getting - maybe SWA was wondering as well!
Can you reach out the the team at SWA for their feedback? They are on twitter @SouthwestAir
Comment by LisaMarie Dias – October 19, 2009 12:52 PM