Defining Insights - Featured Story

SEGMENTATION: DO WHAT THE DATA TELLS YOU
Excerpt from the book: Email Marketing by the Numbers

Scott Burkey, Definition 6, Business Development Executive

Both my printer and reading glasses get a good workout these days. I look at my lists and I analyze my lists. I look at zip codes. I look at the age of the recipients. I look at purchase history and I look at what links the users click on. I compare scores of email campaign metrics. Then I do what the data tells me to do, if I’m smart.

I know what the recipients want to receive in their inbox even before I send it to them. I’m far from psychic; I just use the tools that are readily available for email marketers, like me, to use. I also love the results I get when I do this right. I’ve got to segment or I do more harm than good by sending the wrong email to the wrong person at the wrong time.

Email marketing metrics are key in segmentation. Who’s clicking through? Who’s converting? Who’s a repeat buyer? These concepts will help with whom to send what emails to. These are very key metrics that you should be studying. Watch the opens and clickthroughs and conversions on emails that are sent to these recipients. They will prove that the segmentation efforts are worth the work.

Use dynamic content in the subject lines. My eye automatically picks up on my city, my first name or a brand I like in the subject line. This is another good example of segmentation as it relates to dynamic content. Subject lines are king.

For hospitality clients I do a lot of segmenting based on location, of course. However, one of the tactics that has worked well has been to watch a user that goes to a location away from home, perhaps during business travels. Then I can email them when a location is coming to their zip code, or one close by. Of course, you need to be able to tie into the sender’s reservation system to do this, but it’s a great tactic if you can pull it off.

Hotels present an enormous opportunity for segmentation when the email metrics are tied into the POS system and other internal applications that the client uses. This type of email sender can segment on a variety of different data points. Vacationers can often be enticed into going back to the same location in subsequent years if you catch them when they are making plans to go on vacation. You will want to customize the incentive that you offer depending on location, timing and purchase history, but a well-timed, relevant email from a name they are familiar with may be just the ticket to get them to book a return visit. Regular business travelers are easily retained with proper segmentation, timing and incentives. (Clean rooms don’t hurt either)

Again, relevance is the key. Lack of segmentation makes an email that the recipient requested look more like spam than a permission-based email. Active segmentation makes the email look more like an email from a good friend than a marketing effort. I like hearing from good friends. I open their emails.

The data tells me what I need to do with my next email, I just have to listen. You can do it too. Use the tools. Talk to your colleagues that are doing it right. Know your audience and remember that it’s an iterative process. You will have a lot of fun while you learn.

Scott Burkey
Interactive Marketing Advisor – Definition 6 - Atlanta