For each of the 2 most important images in the email, the header and the body image, 4 different alternatives were created.

Header:	Translation: Help victims earthquake Haiti
Body Image:

The process

In total 16 different versions were sent out. Behind the scenes 8Seconds measured on the fly which version generated the highest conversion rates and automatically adapted the email so that the best version of the email was shown to the remaining readers.

The results

And the results were stunning!
These are the 2 images that increased Click Through by 100% !

Header:	Translation: Support the victims in Haiti
Body Image:

We have reported already in previous blog post that adding arrows on buttons always increases Click Trough. But also the call to action itself, focusing more on the victims then on the earthquake seems to work better.

And the additional button on the body image is of course a simple trick to increase the possibility for conversion. The higher the number of opportunities that you create to trigger your readers, the better.

The best call to action to raise money for Haiti written by Pieter Wuyts in: ShowCases

Tags: best content, call to action, charity, email marketing, email optimization, fundraising emailcampaign, ngo campaign, testing

A very strong, concise and even threatening “Do not even THINK of parking here” seems to touch the always-in-a-hurry-New-Yorkers, who indeed had to admit that they were thinking of parking their car there for a minute.

And one of the largest telecom operators in New Delhi suffered from people parking their cars where they shouldn’t.  A somewhat longer, but again a very precise message.

The reader of this message knows exactly what’s going to happen, and what he/she will get, and this is the most important feature of a call to action or a button in an emailcampaign.
So, dear email marketer, be creative in your calls–to-action, and continue testing. It’s the only way to learn what your recipients want to see in their inbox.

no parking written by Marketing in: Education

Tags: call to action

Yes indeed, this button contains all knowledge and experience over all the campaigns that have tested different buttons to increase CTR.

Now, what are the characteristics of this button?

• It mostly has a very strong or even ugly color such as orange or yellow
• 2 arrows (>>) are added at the beginning or the end, apparently the human mind needs help to find the button. As an alternative to the double arrows, this symbol also seems to work:
• The message is direct, concise and to the point, but not too pushy. A price reduction of 50% does not always work better.
• Your corporate department is in most cases against these colors, so we suggest to try this out first, and then show them the results. Corporate seems to be more forgiving if extra turnover is generated.
  

But watch out, this is the best button for the year 2009. This doesn’t mean that next year your customers will still like this button. A few years ago, green seemed to be the best color for buttons, so our advice is: keep on testing!

And the award of best converting button of the year 2009 goes to ... written by Pieter Wuyts in: Education

Tags: a b split test, button, call to action, email marketing, increase conversion, multivariate testing

Overtoom, a B2B distant seller of warehouse and office equipment, tested whether the recipients of their email campaign would be interested in saving money or if they would rather prefer to be invited, free of obligations, to have a look at the brochure.

Translation: leaf through the brochure and click here and save money online

 Apparently the recipients of this email campaign were more inclined to click through when they received an invitation to have a look at the brochure. The savings didn’t appeal to the recipients. Perhaps customers prefer to have a look at the products, without having the feeling that they need to buy something. This would explain the important increase of CTR:

 Sunparks, a Belgian holiday park, tested this as well. They wondered if the recipients would be tempted by an early booking reduction or if they would prefer an invitation to have a look at the brochure.
Also in this case the invitation to discover the new brochure was the winning header image:

Another company tested two different buttons, also in this case the winning button was the one that invited the recipient to have a look at the collection, instead of the button that offered a reduction of 35% of. The increase in click-through  was 72%.

An online shop tested two buttons: an "order now" button that was used in all previous campaigns and a button that invited the recipient to have a look at the products. Also in this case, the second button was the winning one, increasing conversion by even 420%.

All these optimization campaigns show that there is a trend in the current customer behavior. Apparently, the recipients of the email campaigns were mostly interested in having a look at the products. They don't want to have the feeling that they need to buy something. Referring to savings, does remind people of the fact that they will spend money anyway. Could this be the influence of the crisis?

What is the effect of the crisis on the customer behavior? written by Pieter Wuyts in: Education

Tags: crisis, customer behavior, email campaign, increase conversion, marketing, multivariate testing

You can also watch the comments of Pieter Wuyts, Account Strategy Director (Dutch):

or Frederik Van Duüren, VP - CTO (French):

Email Marketing Forum 2009 written by Maïté Maes in: Education

Tags: email campaign, email marketing forum, increase conversion, multivariate testing, optimization

Of course, if your email campaign announces something you don’t offer (false advertising), your click-through rate will boom, but you’re sales figures won’t follow. In a normal case, however, you’re just testing different images to attract more people to your offer or to improve the usability and make it easier to click-through. In those cases, an increase in clickers equals an increase in buyers.

Conversion. What's in a name? written by Maïté Maes in: Education

Tags: click-through rate, conversion, email campaign, email marketing, increase conversion, multi variate testing, optimization, response rate, testing

To promote the latest book of Dan Brown, Bol.com, the largest media store of The Netherlands, sent out an email campaign. The challenge was to maximize the sales of the book by adapting the content of the email to the recipient's preferences.

The optimization campaign

Bol.com created different header images with different calls to action and wondered which header would maximize the response rate of the campaign. Would this be an ordinary promotional offer (free shipping) or would future readers be triggered by a feeling of exclusivity (be the first one to read the book)?

Different headers were tested:

8Seconds Optimizer showed different header images to the recipients that first opened the email and measured statistically and in real time which header was most successful in terms of conversion. As soon as the image that generated the most click-through was found, 8Seconds Optimizer showed this optimal email to all next recipients.

Results

And the winner was (with an increase in conversion of +59%) .....

Conclusion

• Although the offer and the image were exactly the same, the fact that the highlighted text in the blue banner was different had a massive impact on the click-through rate of the recipients.
• Highlighting FREE SHIPPING appeared to be more powerful than giving the recipient a feeling of exclusivity (READ ON THE DAY OF PUBLICATION or BE THE FIRST TO HAVE THE BOOK AT HOME).
• Testing offers increases CTR (in this case by +59%).
• Real time multivariate testing of email campaigns allows adapting the content to the recipients' preferences and maximizes the response rate of email campaigns.

Bol.com tested how to sell the latest Dan Brown and shares the results written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: ShowCases

Tags: bol.com, button, case study, digital marketing, email campaigns, email marketing, email optimization, increase conversion, increase response rate, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, online marketing, optimization, testing

Personalization of email messages can be done in several ways:

First of all you can use the name of the recipient in the greeting or the subject line. This is an easy way to address your email directly to a specific recipient. Make sure that your database is up to date and that the necessary obvious checks have been done. I don't know anyone named “info”, “contact” or “noreply”…

Secondly, the content of email messages can be personalized in several ways. Geographical, behavioral, demographic and transactional targeting enable to speak to the interest of the recipient. The better the database is segmented, the more targeted and personal the email message can be.

Finally, a salutation of the sender (for instance a picture of the Head of Sales with a personal note) can also help to establish a personal relationship with the recipient. From our own experience, we can assure that personalization in email messages frequently has a positive influence on the key metrics. I say 'frequently' because this is not always the case. Optimization campaigns (multivariate testing and optimization) have shown that there is a difference between a B2C market and a B2B environment. In fact, adding a salutation of the sender is not affecting the click-through rate in B2C email messages. In some cases, the contrary is true.

To summarize: personalization leads to an increase in return-on-investment, but to be sure if this is valid for your target group: test it.

                                                                                                                                                                        maite maes

Personalization in email marketing written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: email marketing, email optimization, engagement marketing, increase conversion, multivariate testing, online marketing, optimization, personalization, segmentation

8Seconds Optimizer increases the return-on-investement of email campaigns by optimizing in real time the content and presentation of email campaigns based on the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds Email Optimizer shows different images to different recipients and measures statistically and in real time which image is the most successful in terms of conversion. 8Seconds Optimizer automatically shows this image to the next recipients.

8Seconds Email Optimizer is now integrated in the Silverpop Engage® platform allowing customers to build dynamic sections into email messages that render unique content at the time of open. The partnership between 8Seconds and Silverpop fits in with the launch of a new feature within the Silverpop Engage® platform, namely Real Time Content. Real Time Content enables marketers to incorporate personalized product recommendations and other optimized content into email messages, dramatically transforming the quality and relevance of the interaction. Additionally, marketers can leverage multivariate testing capabilities in their promotional and transactional messaging, monitoring performance in real time and automatically optimizing content. 

“We are pleased to partner with 8Seconds to assist our customers in delivering the most effective marketing messages possible in real time, ” said Loren McDonald, vice president of industry relations for Silverpop.  “Silverpop is focused on offering innovative products that engage customers and drive revenue while being easy to use, and Real Time Content is a perfect example of this commitment.”

8Seconds announces partnership with Silverpop written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: api, digital marketing, email campaigns, email marketing, email optimization, increase conversion, multivariate testing, partnership, real time content, silverpop, silverpop engage platform

8Seconds Optimizer increases the return-on-investement of email campaigns by optimizing in real time the content and presentation of email campaigns based on the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds Email Optimizer shows different images to different recipients and measures statistically and in real time which image is the most successful in terms of conversion. 8Seconds Optimizer automatically shows this image to the next recipients. 

ACTITO Relationship Marketing Suite, from Citobi, goes beyond the sending of email campaigns. The tool translates mass direct marketing into advanced one-to-one marketing. The integration of 8Seconds Optimizer via an API allows marketers to create, send, optimize and track the results of email campaigns by using one tool, Actito. The partnership enables to facilitate the process of sending and optimizing email campaigns, as only one interface offers both functionalities.

“8Seconds Optimizer fits perfectly into the Actito strategy. The Citobi email broadcasting platform converts mass email marketing into a personal one to one communication. By integrating the 8Seconds technology, we can offer our customers email optimization that adapts the content and presentation of the email to the recipeints' preferences enabling them to increase the ROI of their email campaigns,” says Denis Auquier, Actito Product Manager.

Citobi and 8Seconds announce partnership written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: actito, api, citobi, email optimization, email service provider, integration, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, optimization, partnership

The challenge

To generate traffic to the aquarium a promotional offer was sent to 275 000 (new) addresses. The header image of the email campaign was tested and optimized by 8Seconds Optimizer (Multivariate Testing and Optimization) in order to increase the ROI of the campaign.

The optimization campaign

8Seconds Optimizer showed different offers and pictures to the recipients that first opened the email and measured statistically and in real time which combination was the most successful in terms of conversion. As soon as the combination that generates the most conversion was found, 8Seconds Optimizer automatically showed this optimal email to all next recipients that opened the email.

Two different offers (“kids go free” and “2 for 1”) and two different pictures (dolphins and a seal) were tested to see which combination appealed most to the recipients. 

Results

Analyzing the clicking behavior of the first recipients that opened the email enabled to identify the header image that generated the most click-throughs. After 11 325 views of the email, 8Seconds optimizer defined the best header image. This version of the header image was shown to all next recipients that opened the email (95 633 recipients). The increase of CTR was 48% (between the winning and losing combination). The “kids go free” offer did a lot better than the “2 for 1” offer. Whereas the difference between the two pictures (seal and dolphin) was very small.

Winning combination:

Conclusion

• The offer is crucial. Kids go free, 2 for 1, 50%, free gift, … ? Let your recipients decide what the best offer is. Only in this way you will get the maximum out of your email campaigns.
• In this case, the picture (seal and dolphins) didn't make a huge difference in CTR. Apparently both images appealed to the recipients. It might be interesting to see if this was the case with totally different pictures (for instance: a happy family, a map of the aquarium showing how many different areas it has, etc).
• Real time multivariate testing of email campaigns allows to adapt the content to the recipients' preferences and maximizes the response rate of email campaigns.

Testing offer increased ROI of email campaign theme park by 48% written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: ShowCases

Tags: digital marketing, email campaign, email campaigns, email marketing, email optimization, increase conversion, increase response rate, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test

After the launch of the light API, 8Seconds launched the full API. This API enables to integrate 8Seconds Optimizer into an email broadcast application, allowing an ESP to offer image optimization and subject line optimization as an additional service to its clients.

8Seconds Optimizer optimizes the images and subject lines of email campaigns based on the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds Optimizer shows different images and/or subject lines to different recipients and measures statistically and in real time which options are the most successful in terms of conversion. 8Seconds Optimizer automatically shows the best options to the next recipients.

The API pricing model is based on a fixed monthly licence fee, including a number of optimization campaigns.

For more information please contact Pieter Wuyts, via the contact form.

8Seconds launched API written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: api, email optimization, multi variate testing, multivariate testing

Ross Andrew - Director of Sales - North America
Phone 647.722.4118

20 Stewart Suite 508
Toronto Ontario
M5V1H6
Canada

8Seconds opened US sales office written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: increase conversion, multivariate testing, us sales office

 A survey on email testing (by eROI) showed that 37% of email marketers do not test campaigns. Knowing that there is not a single marketer out there, that is not interested in improving ROI, eROI uncovered some of the main reasons for not testing:

• I don't know how to test (32.84%)
• My campaign timeline is too short (27.36%)
• Platform doesn't have testing capabilities (13.43%)

As I was reading these main reasons for not testing email campaigns, it was obvious to me that many email marketers are not informed on the existing testing possibilities.

It is true that A/B testing and multivariate testing can be time consuming and not compatible with all email broadcasting platforms, but that's the reason why there is a third option: Multivariate Testing & Optimization.

Multivariate Testing & Optimization allows you to test multiple variables at once, it's easy, real time and compatible with all platforms.

How does it work?

• You define what you want to test (banners, calls to action, images, etc) and create the different variables.
• You enter a link for each creative in a web based tool.
• The tool compiles a small piece of code that you need to include in your email.
• Once you sent out the email through your usual email service provider, it will serve different variations of your email until statistical validity is reached.
• From that point forward it will only serve the most optimal variation of the email - all in real time.  

More information on Multivariate Testing & Optimization: www.8seconds.net

eROI survey on 'Use of testing in email marketing': http://www2.eroi.com/l/264/2009-07-09/EAM12

Maïté

No more excuses for not increasing ROI written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: a b split test, a b split testing, a b testing, ab testing, email campaign, email optimization, increase conversion, increase response rate, innovation, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, online marketing, optimization, testing

The challenge

To promote the DVD service, an email campaign was sent to 75000 addresses. The promotion included a welcome offer of 6 free rentals. The challenge was to increase the online subscriptions to the DVD rental service by adapting the content of the email to the recipient's preferences.

The optimization campaign

DVDPost created different header images and calls to action and wondered which combination of images would maximize the response rate of the campaign.

Headers

Calls to action

8Seconds Optimizer showed different header images and calls to action to the recipients that first opened the email and measured statistically and in real time which combination of images was most successful in terms of conversion. As soon as the images that generate the most click-through was found, 8Seconds Optimizer showed this optimal email to all next recipients.

Results

And the winner was (increase of conversion: 62%) ...

 Conclusion

• As we've also seen in previous optimization campaigns, showing images of the products worked best.
• Adding some key information upfront (in the header image), increases click-through.
• Recipients are more likely to click on a button that includes an arrow (to make it obvious were to click) and the magic word 'free' . Also see our blog regarding calls to action.
• Real time multivariate testing of email campaigns allows to adapt the content to the recipients' preferences and maximizes the response rate of email campaigns.

Success for DVDPost: email optimization increased conversion by 62% written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: ShowCases

Tags: case study, email campaigns, email optimization, increase conversion, increase response rate, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, online marketing

Nowadays, consumers receive innumerable promotional messages via a wide range of channels (such as email, social media and mobile marketing). To avoid customer apathy, email marketing needs to be reinvented in order to create value and engage recipients. Email campaigns used to be sent to as many recipients as possible, screaming out how great the company and the products are. To face the new reality, email marketing needs to evolve to: a personalized 1:1 communication, part of a multichannel marketing strategy, focusing on the recipients' preferences.

Personalized 1:1 communication

To build a personal relationship with your recipient, you need to capture and use customer data, create preference centers where recipients can choose what they would like to receive, and how often they would like to hear from you. Segment your list, using all data you have (name, products bought, interests etc.).

Integrated channel

Upcoming new channels are snatching away an important share of online communication and will probably grow in the future as well. Email marketing is therefore part of a wider multi channel reality. Use the different media and use them correctly.

Focus on recipient's preferences.

Focusing on the recipients' preferences is not only taking into consideration the captured customer data. It also refers to the way recipients want to be approached. This is not only an imperative to engage your customers, it is also a quick win. Knowing the best way of approaching your recipients will directly influence the click-through rate. The question is:  how exactly do we identify how our customers want to be approached? After all… We have no crystal ball. So we'd better start testing!

Testing

A new innovative way of testing which content and presentation generates most conversion is MVT&O (multivariate testing and optimization). This method allows to optimize in real time the content and presentation of email campaigns based on the recipient's preferences. Find out more.

These are just some thoughts on the future of email marketing, feel free to add your ideas and opinions to it!

Maïté

The future of email marketing. written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: behavioral targetting, digital marketing, email, email campaign, email campaigns, email marketing, email optimization, engagement marketing, increase conversion, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, online marketing, personalized marketing, segmentation, social media

The API Light enables to integrate 8Seconds Optimizer into an email broadcast application, allowing an ESP to offer image optimization as an additional service to its clients.

8Seconds Optimizer optimizes the images of email campaigns based on the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds Optimizer shows different images to different recipients and measures statistically and in real time which options are the most successful in terms of conversion. 8Seconds Optimizer automatically shows the best options to the next recipients.

The API light pricing model is based on a fixed monthly licence fee, including a number of optimization campaigns.

For more information please contact Pieter Wuyts, via the contact form.

8Seconds launched API Light written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: api, email, email marketing, email optimization, increase conversion, innovation, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, online marketing

• Many 'new' media are still centralized in the inbox. A new follower on Twitter, comments on your Facebook posts, rss feeds: they all end up via email in the inbox.

• How many times a day are we checking our inbox? Not only via our computer, but also on the go via our Blackberry, iPhone or other pda.

• Rss, social media, instant messaging, etc. are complementary to email. The new media don't replace email, they communicate in a very different way. Email still is an effective way to communicate a message to an individual and has characteristics that are unique.

So, I think the truth is somewhere in between. On the one hand, the upcoming new channels are snatching away an important share of online communication and will probably grow in the future as well. On the other hand, email is strongly embedded in our day to day life and complementary to the other channels, so that it won't disappear in the near future. Taking into consideration this multi channel reality, a marketing strategy needs to reflect this, using the different media correctly.

Maïté

Email is dead. Long live email. written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: conference, email marketing, inbox/outbox, online marketing, seminar, social media

8Seconds seminar: Increase conversion through real time monitoring of your recipients

Nowadays, consumers receive innumerable messages via different channels. To avoid customer apathy, email marketing needs to evolve to a personalized 1:1 communication focusing on the recipients' preferences. Different methods for testing and new optimization technology will be explained and evaluated by means of different case studies.

When?

16 & 17 June 2009

Where?

New Connaught Rooms, London

Register here for free.

Visit us at Inbox/Outbox 09 written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: conference, email, email campaigns, inbox/outbox, online marketing, seminar

The Cuckoo Awards, organized by the Belgian Direct Marketing Association (BDMA) reward campaigns that excel in creativity and efficiency. The Sunparks Winter email Campaign, optimized by 8Seconds ,was nominated for two categories: Digital DM and Innovation. 8Seconds won the Cuckoo Award for Innovation gloriously from Axion and Broederlijk Delen.

Sunparks, holiday parks, sent out an email campaign to launch the new winter brochure. The goal of the campaign was double: announce the new brochure and invite people to make a reservation. To increase the return on investment of the campaign, Sunparks used 8Seconds Email Optimizer to align the content and presentation of the email to the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds shows different options (call to actions, banners, prices, etc.) to different recipients, analyzes the clicking behavior of the recipients and defines automatically the statistical best email. As soon as the most successful combination is found, this optimal email is shown to all next recipients who open the email.

“We won this award in the first place thanks to the innovative character of the product. The new technology, developed by 8Seconds, enables to align a campaign in real time to the preferences of the customers”, says Ellen Joncheere, CEO of 8Seconds. The Sunparks Winter Email Campaign proves that the message can easily be adapted to the wishes of the target group. The statistical analysis of the interaction between user and e-advertising influenced the message in real time and maximized the effectiveness of the campaign.

8Seconds won Cuckoo Award for Innovation written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: award, cuckoo awards, digital marketing, email campaign, email optimization, increase conversion, innovation, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, sunparks

Sunparks, holiday parks, sent out an email campaign to launch the new winter brochure. The goal of the campaign was double: announce the new brochure and invite people to make a reservation. To increase the return on investment of the campaign, Sunparks used 8Seconds Email Optimizer to align the content and presentation of the email to the recipients' preferences. 8Seconds shows different options (call to actions, banners, prices, etc.) to different recipients, analyzes the clicking behavior of the recipients and defines automatically the statistical best email. As soon as the most successful combination is found, this optimal email is shown to all next recipients who open the email.

“We received this nomination thanks to the excellent results of the campaign. The conversion of the optimal email was increased by 830%”, says Ellen Joncheere, CEO of 8Seconds. The Sunparks Winter Email Campaign proves that the message can easily be adapted to the wishes of the target group. The statistical analysis of the interaction between user and e-advertising influenced the message in real time and maximized the effectiveness of the campaign.

Maïté Maes

8Seconds is nominated for Cuckoo Awards written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: award, cuckoo awards, email optimization, increase conversion, increase response rate, innovation, multivariate testing, online marketing

Statistical analysis of the recipients click-behavior and advanced optimization techniques can adapt the message in real time to the customer's wishes. Such optimization campaigns can give us valuable insights on the customer's preferences.

By comparing some results of recent optimization campaigns, we were able to define the elements that are able to increase the call to action response.

Make your call-to-action stand out.

Whether you want your prospect to book, to buy or to subscribe, you need to make it as clear as possible where they need to click.

Even adding a little arrow increases the response rate.

Use the magic words.

If it's for free: say it! Make it clear why your prospect should click through (book now for a limited offer, subscribe and get these benefits, buy now and get something for free, etc.)

Less is more.

Say what you need to say. And nothing more.

A call to action is… a call to action.

Use an imperative: buy, book, subscribe, sign up, etc.

Background colors.

Colors matter! We've seen significant increases of conversion, only by alternating the background color. Test it and see what works for your target group.

Copy is key

Remember: writing is rewriting. Even if the content is the same, the way you put it, is very important. Test different copy and see what works best.

Maïté Maes

Increase your call to action response written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: call to action, email, email campaigns, increase conversion, increase response rate, multi variate testing, multivariate testing, mvt test, optimization

Visit us at Internet World written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: News

Tags: digital marketing, ecommerce, email, event, online marketing, social media

When creating a campaign, we anticipate on what our customers may need. This is a condition sine qua non for a successful campaign. By aligning our campaigns to what our customers want to see, we create more value for them and can therefore easily increase conversion.
Statistical analysis makes it possible to adapt the campaign to the customer's wishes. Segmentation and classification are most commonly used to adapt the message to the target group. But these are not the best methods. Although the message is created for a specific target group, the content is still defined by the sender and not by the customers. Besides, these procedures can only be applied for relatively large databases.
The most effective way of optimization is to use statistical analysis to optimize the message from the customer's perspective. In the online world everything is measurable and can be adapted in real time. Nowadays real time optimization based on the customer's behavior is made accessible and easy to implement.

Start optimizing your campaigns and you might even increase business despite the supposed crisis.

Maïté Maes

Optimization, the best strategy in recession. written by Maite Maes - Marketing Manager in: Education

Tags: customer behavior, email campaign, increase conversion, multi variate testing, optimization

The reason for this is obvious: content is key. The content needs to translate the business objectives (such as increase sales, promote subscriptions, improve customer relations…), while coming up to the expectations of the recipients. The marketer's knowledge, gut-feel and experience are an excellent starting point. But are you sure this the content that your recipients would like to get?

This might be the reason why recipients get emails in their inbox which are optimized from the senders point of view, and not from the recipients point of view.

About time we start listening to our customers. Let your customer decide what adds value and what does not. Watch his clicking behaviour.
Each click reveals the expectations of the recipients. The only thing we need to do is listen.

We have 2 eyes, and 2 ears, but only 1 mouth. Let's use them in this proportion.

As I also want to listen to my readers, kindly let me know what you think of this blogpost.

Pieter Wuyts

http://www.8seconds.net/email-optimizer-how-it-works.html

Listen to your customers. Watch your customers. written by Pieter Wuyts - Account Director in: Education

Tags: content is key, email campaigns, marketeers, optimization

When you start your first optimization, your main goal should be to win over fans! You want to achieve a mindset shift.

The best way to accomplish this is to run your first optimization that originated from the minds of your Marketers/Designers/Colleagues/BOSS.
The great results will be that they get involved in your first testing because it is their own ideas, and win or lose you have shown them the truly power of our optimizer.

Your goal should always be to have the mindset shift before doing complicated big tests. In the early stages of your optimization, test the ideas of your colleagues, no matter how small or big.

Bottom line: Start Simple, Achieve Mindset Shift, Gain Fans & Then Scale Up

How to Gain Fans on Your First Campaign written by Frederik Van Duuren - VP CTO in: Education

Tags: a b split testing, gain fans, mindset shift