SmartBlast.com sends its email promotions in HTML, and text, but achieves a better response rate with HTML. Your promotional piece should be uncluttered and make good use of white space. It should also be inviting, easy-to-read and easy to click-through. Coordinated colors and attractive, professional graphics will help promote your featured products.
SmartBLAST is actually 2 emails in one. The SmartBLAST goes to distributors and they can, with a few clicks, add their own contact information and then send the SmartBLAST to their own clients.
Define your Goals
You are obviously trying to motivate purchases, but you need a clear understanding of how you will achieve that. Your goal will likely be one of the following by making an offer that the distributors "can´t refuse". This can include: introducing a new product, new pricing, new processes, building awareness ...The most common ways of doing this include:
- Free sample
- Spec sample offer
- Free catalogs
- Special pricing - i.e. EQP, Free goods - make your best offer
- use only coded pricing
- Closeouts (call them Overstocks)
- New product announcement
Define your Message
Your message includes graphics and text. Together they will deliver a message that will allow you to reach your goals.
The "Look"
Your promotional piece should be uncluttered and make good use of white space. It should also be inviting, easy-to-read and easy to click-through. Coordinated colors and attractive, professional graphics will help promote your featured products. Engage your audience and use what you know to determine how, and in what order, to describe the benefits of your offer
The Graphics
- The graphics should be appropriate, clean and simple
- Making good use of white space
- Click here for technical specifications
The Copy
- The offer is the carrot, or incentive, that you send to the audience. It must be compelling.
- The copy must include a clear call-to-action and a sense of urgency.
- Personalized with the recipient's name, if appropriate?
- Is your email copy clear and concise?
- Does it contain a strong call to action?
- Does it focus on benefits?
- Does it create a sense of urgency?
The "From" Line
Here we identify the sponsor of the message. The default line is "Your Company Identification".
The Subject Line
The subject line should meet the following parameters:
- 5 to 8 words (40 characters) will be visible
- Include a specific benefit
- The word "Free" can be a two edged sword. It will likely increase the response but some systems will ´screen´ the message into the "Junk mail" flyer, and therefore may not be seen
- Include brand or company name if not included in "From" line
- Create a sense of urgency
- Does it accurately reflect your offer?
- Personalize with the recipient's name, if appropriate?
Links
The following links are added:
- Call to action
- Contact company
- Request catalogs
- Optional links can include:
- Company logo and graphics to your website
- Graphic can be linked to the specific product page on your website featuring that product
- Ensure that these links do not "distract" from your offer
When to send the mail
The usual recommendation is that the mail be sent Monday to Friday, so that the distributor receives the mail while in the office. SmartBLAST is different from other email because distributors are waiting for email offers that they want.
Click here for distributor comments about the SmartBLAST service.
We have recently started mailings on weekends and advertisers are reporting very positive comments. We are now tracking specific response and opening rates. Feel free to call us for the latest details.
P.S. Distributors were even reading our messages on July 4th, and forwarding their personalized messages to their customers. That may sound like extreme dedication, but when they're waiting for our messages, why not share them right away.
