Creative Biz Note #16

Email Campaign Tactics

I pulled together some points I found in my notes:

- Each time you send out postcards or emails you are creating a brand for yourself. Keep it consistent and have a strong design. Just because you illustrate doesn't mean you can design well. If needed, find a friend to help out. Branding is more than your business cards or website--it can be as simple as the presentation of your project estimates to the greeting on your voicemail. Get feedback. Sorry--big tangent here.

- Make sure your email images and information are within the preview window. They need a sneak peek to lure them in. Most people don't enjoy scrolling down. A click-able link to your website should be available within the preview window too--it could be the image itself.



- Make accurate ALT tags too. ALT tags are sentences that describe your image in case the recipient's email program doesn't allow the image to come through.

- Subject lines on an email are mega-important! Keep the number of characters around 35 for a quick read. Maybe add a call-to-action line here. Statistics show that click-through rates are 75% higher if the subject line is less than 50 characters. Your name/company name should always be included and your specific style of art for easy folder filing. Art buyers are busy people and might not have the time to look at your email right away. I recall one art buyer saying that she had folders set to the side--tagged as "LineArt" or "Cartoons" or "3D"--dropping the email into the appropriate folder for a future look. Otherwise, she ignored the email. Who? What? and the bait.

- Write a subject line that grabs the recipient. Of course, your subject line should relate to your image.  e.g. "Joe Smoe Cartoon Illustration_Flying Pigs Hate Ham".  OR  "Smoe Cartoon Illo_See Why Pigs Hate Ham" (This one has more call-to-action)

- If not in the subject line, a "call to action" copy line should be within the designed email. Draw the prospect to your portfolio website.

- The CAN-SPAM regulations require that a visible and functioning opt-out link be available. It's the law! This will also help prevent you from sending unnecessary emails to dead-end prospects. Keeping your focus on the correct target. A physical address must be included too.

- Try testing out two email campaigns with a two small portions of your list. Discover which campaign generates the most traffic and then send the top performing email to the rest of your listing.

The Idea: Email marketing has to be thought out in order to be effective. Most of the tactics mentioned above are simple ideas and you might not agree with some of them. If you have any additional points please feel free to comment--I'll add them in!!

Sites to get started: http://www.adbase.com/   http://www.agencyaccess.com/   http://www.campaignmonitor.com/

Next Creative Biz Note #17---Pixelboy's Studio Set-Up