More Fields, Fewer Subscribers

Companies spend a lot of time and money optimizing their online checkout pages because they know that checkout abandonment is money lost. The same is true of email subscription forms—higher abandonment means slower list growth and therefore less money generated by the email program. Yet, brands don’t appear to be giving these…

The Fundamental Imperatives of ‘Email Marketing Rules’

Back in November of 2010, I wrote an Email Insider column titled ‘Best Practices’ Are Dead, in which I argued that the term “best practices” has been much abused and was too broad to cover what I called the never-break “Ethical Imperatives” and the okay-but-unwise-to-break “Recommended Practices.” I didn’t know it at…

The Higher Bar for Browse Abandonment Emails

Because of their high ROI, cart abandonment emails are growing in popularity, although only 20% of retailers are using them, according to recent research. Adoption is even lower for browse abandonment emails, which are emails that are triggered in response to a subscriber browsing your website but not purchasing anything. However, that…

1 in 10 B2C Marketers Using Lightboxes for Email Signups

More prominent email signup forms and links perform better. In-your-face lightboxes take this logic to the far end of spectrum and are enjoying growing popularity, particularly among retailers. Unlikely the justly vilified pop-up and pop-under, lightboxes or popovers don’t launch a new window. They are a part of the page you’re already…

Quarter of B2C Marketers Send a Welcome Email Series

Not only are more B2C marketers sending welcome emails, more are sending welcome email series. The first weeks of an email marketing relationship are the most critical, so they deserve the extra attention that a welcome email series can provide. Twenty-five percent of marketers send a welcome email series, according to ExactTarget…

More Brands Sending Welcome Emails, But Opportunities Remain

Welcome emails are among the top-performing emails that a marketer can send, so I was happy when my latest research found that more brands than ever are sending them. However, a closer look uncovered that there are still big opportunities for marketers to get better performance from their welcome emails. Nearly 81%…

The Introduction to ‘Email Marketing Rules’

I’m very pleased to share with you the introduction to my new book, Email Marketing Rules: How to Wear a White Hat, Shoot Straight, and Win Hearts, which is about the best practices that lead to spectacular results, while steering you clear of trouble. I feel that too many people don’t understand…

The Email Marketing Rules Book Is Now Available!

I’m happy to announce the release of Email Marketing Rules: How to Wear a White Hat, Shoot Straight, and Win Hearts. It’s available now around the world exclusively on Amazon.com in the Kindle Store. (Download free Kindle Reader app for your smartphone, tablet or computer.) Through 108 easy-to-understand rules, Email Marketing Rules…

The Last Word on February 2013

A roundup of articles, posts, tweets and emails you might have missed last month… Must-read articles, posts & whitepapers Email Engagement: Often Talked About, Rarely Defined Mini posts cans of spam in apology for email blunder Ignore Droid at Your Own Risk (infographic) Winter Storm Nemo: Newsjacking & Ad-Hoc Email Templates In…