D-Mac's Blog » email marketing

Email Marketing Timing – Dick’s Sporting Goods Case Study

derekmcclain — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 03:37:20 +0000

I’ve been waiting awhile to do this blog post. Since 6:16 PM on January 24th, in fact. I bet many of you reading this in the Indianapolis, Indiana area do not even remember what happened on January 24th. I will give you a hint.

Do you remember that NFL team EVERYONE seemed to be talking about. Why did their coach throw the perfect season away? Is Peyton Manning the best quarterback ever? Yes, January 24th was the date the Indianapolis Colts won the AFC Championship and seemed like they were going to be a sure winner in the Super Bowl. But we all know how that turned out. My how quickly we forget!

It’s okay. Right now Indianapolis is focused on the Final Four & cheering on the Butler Bulldogs. I wonder how long it will take us to forget all about Butler should they lose?

Timing is so important; especially in Email Marketing. And on January 24th at 6:16 PM Dick’s Sporting Goods got their timing right. Like many others I was watching the Indianapolis Colts as they claimed the AFC Championship. And like many others I had my computer and mobile device within an arm’s reach that evening. Instantly I received the email below from Dick’s Sporting Goods will all of the AFC Champs apparel for the Indianapolis Colts. Not only was their message highly targeted – it was also PERFECTLY timed! Now I could instantly order the items the players were wearing on the field.

Check out the screen shot below and think about how you can plan ahead for your next email marketing campaign to be timed perfectly.

Filed under: case studies, email marketing Tagged: email marketing, indianapolis, indianapolis colts

Register To Win $1,000.00 In Landscaping Services From Jay-Crew Landscape, Inc.

derekmcclain — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:37:03 +0000

I love having the ability to work with our team at Fusework Studios to develop a creative ideas for our clients. But having the opportunity to execute these ideas to see the results is when the true reward comes in.

In a recent meeting with one of our long-time clients, Jay-Crew Landscape, Inc. the owner came to me looking for a new idea to create some buzz. He wanted something fresh and something he had never done before. He was tired of doing the same thing and getting the same results. My first thought was to do some type of landscaping makeover. We covered some of the basics. He liked the idea and gave us the chance to run with it. Here is what we came up with:

Green for Green Sweepstakes

Overview: You get “green” cash value in the amount of $1,000.00 to apply toward a “green” landscaping service that meets your particular needs. No purchase is necessary. You need only provide some basic contact information to enter and live within 60 miles of Muncie, IN. Short. Simple. Sweet.

I will be posting additional blogs taking a closer look at this case study combining social media marketing and email marketing, but the main point of this post is to encourage you to register for the Green for Green Sweepstakes and/or share with someone you think might be interested. This is a great opportunity for those that have been ignoring their landscaping all summer or those that just need a few final touches.

Visit GreenForGreenSweepstakes.com or just click on the graphic below to register now!

Posted in case studies, email marketing, fusework studios, internet marketing Tagged: case study, fusework studios, green for green, jay crew landscape inc

Qdoba Email Marketing Case Study

derekmcclain — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:42:50 +0000

A Few days ago, I added an email marketing case study featuring a McAlister’s Deli email piece I received. Overall, I considered this particular email campaign to be very good.

Today, I would like to share an email marketing case study on Qdoba that I consider to be very bad. This particular case study is a series of two emails that were directly connected- one being an apology for the other. Below are the screen shots from each email along with my analysis:

Qdoba Email Marketing

Distribution List- This was the ONLY good thing about this email. It was sent to people that subscribed, but then again it was sent to distribution lists at the wrong locations. Qdoba could not even get that right. Maybe this wasn’t good after all.

Email Subject Line- While this is attention-grabbing, I still have no idea what is behind the email or why I should open it.

Design- No design at all to this email. Simply text. Nothing stands out other than one link. It appears as if not much time was spent in planning this campaign. I am surprised I even read it.

Incentive- While this is a decent offer, it is still not enough to make me want to redeem any type of coupon. Then the follow-up email tells me this was accidentally sent to me and I cannot even use this special offer. HORRIBLE. Suck it up and honor the offer…it was Qdoba’s mistake, mine.

The Message- Probably THE most confusing email I have ever received. I am still not sure exactly what Qdoba’s intention behind this email was, but the whole email seems to be a mess.

Posted in email marketing Tagged: bad email marketing, email marketing, email marketing case study, qdoba, qdoba email marketing

McAlister’s Deli Email Marketing Case Study

derekmcclain — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 02:59:55 +0000

Occasionally I will get a piece of email marketing that breaks through the clutter. Sometimes it is just a matter of timing. Other times it is just an excellent concept. I received the below email marketing piece from McAlister’s Deli and wanted to share a few reasons why I think this particular piece works. Check it out and let me know if it works for you:

McAlisters Deli Email Marketing

The Distribution List- This email was sent to McAlister’s DeliGram subscribers which means we have voluntarily signed up to receive such communication.

The Email Subject Line- “We’d Like to Get to Know You.” Attention grabbing. Seems sincere. I think I will go ahead and open it.

Design- Not over the top, but functional. Matches the McAlister look and feel but doesn’t take it too far. Very clean and not distracting from the core message.

Incentive- In today’s economy am I willing to take just a few minutes for a chance to win $100 gift card to a deli I already frequent? Absolutely!

The Message- The content is straight to the point and makes me feel as though I am helping McAlister’s serve me better. I appreciate them taking the time to value my opinion and I just love the “sandwich in a quick survey.”

A Conversion Point You Cannot Miss- Let’s see here…do they want me to take a survey? It couldn’t be any clearer. Heck I bet Seth Godin even thinks a monkey could figure it out.

McAlister’s Makes Good On Its Promise- Go ahead. Click on the image and take the survey. Believe it or not it really is quick. So many times we are lured into “quick” surveys that end up taking FOREVER. Not this time. Thank goodness!

Posted in case studies, email marketing, internet marketing Tagged: deligrams, effective email marketing, email marketing case study, email marketing mcalisters, mcalisters, mcalisters deli