Messaging Mandatories

Presentation given by Heather Maloney at the Anderson‑Gray Networking Breakfast, 30 April 2008, St Kilda.

If you're not taking advantage of technology by sending regular electronic messages to your customer base, you're missing a big opportunity. Below are seven mandatory steps for achieving a great result from electronic messaging (SMS or email). Don't do these, and you're headed for trouble.

The preparation

1. Get consent — and then honour it

The Australian Spam Act requires (among other things) that you get consent before sending electronic messages — and no, you can't send a message to ask for consent! Note that the Australian Spam Act is not the same as the CAN‑SPAM Act of the USA. Obtaining consent first protects your reputation, avoids totally annoying people, and helps you steer clear of the hefty fines that can be imposed for breaching the Act.

2. Have strategies to build your list

So how do you earn the opportunity to email or SMS people? There are myriad ways — here are some examples:

• Invite people to join your list (give it a name unique to your business) from a prime position on your website — not buried in a footer or an inner page.
• Let visitors see examples of previous communications, so they get value right now and know what to expect.
• Have a bowl at your reception desk.
• Ask interested people you meet at networking events if they'd like to be added.
• Add a request to join your list to all your physical and transactional communications — e.g. the bottom of invoices.

3. Send a welcome email / SMS to new subscribers

A welcome message helps subscribers remember they subscribed when your next communication arrives. It's a great opportunity to build anticipation (helping ensure they open your message), and it reassures people that they did in fact subscribe.

4. Plan your communication strategy

I know — you're groaning. But planning your communications lets you know what topics you'll cover and when, ensures those topics have some logic (your audience will notice), and, most importantly, helps you get prepared ahead. Your strategy should also specify which segment of your list receives which communications, and your frequency.

The execution

5. Add value

Don't be just another sales message. Provide special offers or information that only subscribers receive, and make sure it's useful to your audience. Don't be afraid to mention complementary businesses and products.

6. Keep it fresh

You don't want readers getting bored and no longer bothering to read. Mix it up with different levels of personalisation and interactive options — linking to your blog, running a survey, or holding a competition.

7. Grab their attention

Especially for email, you need to stand out in the inbox. Keep something consistent about your subject line that people recognise, but add something to encourage the open. Once the email is open, make it easy to read on — use images (without overdoing it), an interesting introductory paragraph, and a table of contents that lets readers click through to the area most of interest to them.

At the breakfast I shared examples of amazingly effective emails where eNudge subscribers experienced minutes of money‑making mayhem through well‑crafted campaigns. They didn't take long to prepare, but they had some very important elements. Take care of the seven mandatories above and you'll be a long way down the track.

Heather Maloney
eNudge — the nudge they need!