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Gmail deliverability is always a challenge for marketers.  The lack of standard tools such as a Feedback Loop makes the analysis of statistics a challenge.  This already difficult ISP was made much tougher about a month ago when Gmail changed the way their filters sorted mail.  We have seen an increase in bulking with many of our customers.  The missing complaints and feedback from the Gmail team means senders are forced to do more trial and error testing with Gmail than with other ISP's.

This has been a busy month on the Gmail side.  They have rolled out a new feature that explains the reason email was routed to the Spam folder.  This is from the Gmail newsletter outlining these changes:

Many of our users say the accuracy of our spam filter is one of the key reasons they love Gmail. And while we think you should never have to look in your spam folder, we know some of you may want to know why the messages there were marked as spam.

So starting today, we'll be showing a brief explanation at the top of each of your spam messages. Simply look at any message in your spam folder and now you can find out why it was put there and learn about any potentially harmful content within the message.

While we believe this is a step in the right direction, we don't think many of you will find this information very helpful.  In a check of Spam folders, the common message we see is this.
 
It's similar to messages that were detected by our spam filters

That's not exactly information that is game changing.  It is a start, and any little bit of information helps.  We like the fact that at least Gmail is beginning a dialogue with their users.

Return Path also discussed the Gmail issues today in their In the Know newsletter.  They believe the clients impacted have some weakness (complaints, low engagement, etc...) that caused the filter changes to have more effect.  We haven't always seen a direct correlation with our clients in respect, but it is a good starting point.  From Return Path:

On February 10th, it appears that Gmail has tightened its spam filters.  We heard numerous reports from marketers and email service providers (ESPs) about seeing increased spam folder delivery at Gmail, and we are still hearing complaints even a month later.  I looked into our numbers and verified that something did indeed happen on February 10th, but if you have a high sending reputation and go beyond best practices, your deliverability rates probably didn't move much.

Tomorrow, I will discuss things to look at to tighten up at Gmail and the successful strategies that some clients have implemented.

From: Banana Republic
Subject Line: Go mad for the new Mad Men(R) Collection, available online & in stores.
Date: Thursday, March 1, 2012

I had the pleasure of attending my third consecutive SXSW Interactive conference this past week. I attended sessions that were both educational and thought provoking. In this post I've included a few actionable tips and insights from my favorite presenters, who largely focus on living and contributing in world where it's so easy to get caught up in the technology loop.

• We are all makers: We create content. We consume content. We reference content and share content with others. We engage with content and we ultimately start back at the beginning and create and make again. We are makers (referred by Tiffani Jones Brown) or producers (as referenced by Kristina Halvorson). There are brilliant minds working within the discipline of Content Strategy to ensure that the interface is the publication and the publication is the interface. Content Strategists are not just content planners: a plan is nothing, but the planning is everything. This select team of individuals is testing what works and doesn't work and constantly going through an iterative process.
• Data visualized: As we continue to make and produce content, more and more data is becoming available. As a result, there's opportunity like never before for researchers, scientists and historians to dig into large and complex datasets. For example, research is being uncovered at Indiana University with Johan Bollen that correlates the emotions expressed within Twitter with the rise and fall of the stock market. And the research team at Microsoft has created Layerscape, a powerful and visual tool to study and analyze complex Earth and oceanic datasets.
• Back to basics: We all have the perception that we are indeed great multitaskers. We have many windows opened on our computer screens at a time. We participate in multiple conversations at once by either creating content or interpreting content delivered to us. We get stuck within the technology loop and crave to take in everything at once. Well, a fun fact is that multitasking isn't possible when you attempt two tasks that require the same side of the brain. Good news is that most of us can walk and chew gum. We can fold laundry and listen to music. However, we cannot respond to an IM while reading an email while participating in a conference call. Here are some tips from the amazing panel:
• Create environmental changes to change your behavior. Turn off the internet to write and do real work.
• Create a to-do list with six quadrants. Five of the quadrants will hold items to be achieved within the year. The sixth quadrant will hold your tasks to complete today. Notice the time and effort put into the sixth quadrant and begin to shift your behavior to begin to focus on the other five key tasks to complete in the year.
• Create a "to-don't" list. And stick to NOT doing those things that are time sucks.
• Set your watch to beep every hour on the hour. Take 1 min. during that alarm to evaluate the work you are doing. Is this valuable? Does this help me accomplish my tasks at hand? Realign and move forward for the next hour. 

• Become a citizen first, consumer second: And the last take away from listening to very motivating presentations from Biz Stone, Al Gore and Sean Parker ultimately resulted in, do something for good. As we continue to create, make and produce, we need to be sure we weave cause into everything, daily. Stone states that opportunities can be manufactured and creativity is a renewable resource. We must learn to fail spectacularly to begin to succeed spectacularly. And look to leverage the power of social media and other technologies to give power to the people.

 

Additional links:
Your Brain on Multitasking
Rude Awakening: Content Strategy is Super Hard
Copy Matters: Content Strategy for the Interface
Data Visualization and the Future of Research
Content As a Means for Social Change
Sean Parker Presentation 

Ogilvy notes
Biz Stone  
Al Gore & Sean Parker

From: Winn-Dixie
Subject Line: Be prepared all season long.
Date: Wednesday, June 1, 2011

If you've ever met me, I'm sure it would come as no surprise to you that I was pretty involved in the Girl Scouts all throughout my pre-teen years. In fact, as an enthusiastic little scout, I earned so many badges that I ran out of space on my vest. And I suppose all that experience in scouting had a hand in shaping me into who I am today: a worrier, a planner, and a worst-case-scenario preparer. Yep, if we're on a plane together and there's an emergency, just follow me - I'm the one who counted how many rows of seats I need to crawl past to get to an exit aisle. But what's worrying got to do with Girl Scouts, you ask? Everything. As a bright-eyed and impressionable ten-year-old, I was totally ingrained with the Girl Scout motto: "Be prepared." ...And I suppose you could say it stuck.

So as a self-proclaimed worrywart, today's email from Winn-Dixie really resonated with me. Even though I don't actually live anywhere near a hurricane zone, all of Winn-Dixie's grocery stores are located in the Gulf area, so the messaging is definitely appropriate for the vast majority of their subscribers. As a reminder to stock up on essentials for the season, this email does a great job of providing relevant information about natural disasters in general, as well as food-safety tips for making sure you and your family keep a safe food supply, should a power outage occur. What I love most is that the main call to action takes you to a landing page with a checklist to build your own Hurricane Preparedness Kit, driving subscribers in-store with their lists to pick up the items on their next grocery shopping trip. For timeliness and relevance to their subscriber base, this Winn-Dixie email deserves a badge.

Annual events and seasonal situations differ across the country, how can you use geographical information about your subscribers to speak to them about these kinds of top of mind issues? It's as easy as knowing what's important to different regions, and being prepared.

From: Bliss
Subject Line: Thank You Oprah!
Date: Friday, May 27, 2011

From: Ralph Lauren
Subject Line: Ralph Lauren: The Oprah Interview
Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2011

From: Lands' End
Subject Line: Tune in to The Oprah Winfrey Show on Thursday to see our legendary Tote.
Date: Tuesday, April 12, 2011

From: Michael Kors
Subject Line: Watch Michael Kors on "Oprah" Tomorow
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2011

From: Michael Kors
Subject Line: Michael's Makeover Extravaganza Look on "Oprah" + Free Online Shipping
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011


She's the biggest name in television, and probably the biggest name in my inbox this week as Oprah bid farewell to her fans and aired her final show. To mark the occasion, retailers have been jumping aboard the Oprah bandwagon all month for the big countdown. She may be off the air, but she'll always be in my inbox - here's a roundup of some "Omails" I've received over the past few weeks:

The first email below (Bliss) is a touching letter from Bliss president, Mike Indursky, expressing their gratitude to Oprah for including them in her final show, and even includes a recap clip for readers who may have missed the moment. The subject line was short and sweet - simply "Thank You Oprah."

At center, Ralph Lauren directs subscribers to tune in (and set their DVRs) for a special interview episode airing during Oprah's final week.

Lands' End (right) sent not one, but three very similar emails to promote their legendary Lands' End Tote featured on at the end of April. Though, it's unclear how the tote is being featured - I would have liked to have seen a teaser that gave me some context for the promotion, like if it was being featured in "Oprah's favorite summer essentials," or "summer makeover special," or something like that.

Lastly, in the second row below, Michael Kors gives us two emails to promote the May 12th makeover special. The first email is a simple text announcement instructing readers to set their DVRs for the episode, while the second email (sent the day of the show) is a recap including an image and quote from Michael about his experience with the show.

From: OshKosh B'gosh
Subject Line: Make a crane. Help Japan.
Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

This campaign by OshKosh B'gosh gave me the "warm fuzzies." Like my most recent post, this email does not feature a direct promotion, but does, however, offer a very unique show of support for the people of Japan.

For every paper crane (made by your own two hands) OshKosh B'gosh receives, they will donate an article of clothing to a child affected by the Tsunami. To see a store filled with paper cranes, showing support for those affected (specifically children) would be simply magnificent!

The landing page allows you to download instructions to make your crane, find a store to deliver it to, and even provides a link to their Facebook page to upload photos of your crane(s) (which is also magnificent as their wall is covered in photos of people of all ages with their cranes).

From: west elm
Subject Line: Wherever you go, WE are with you
Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2010

In addition to redesigning their website to feel friendlier with the introduction of both paper texture and handwritten font, west elm has also launched city guides in Philadelphia, Portland and Chicago. I'm curious about how y'all think about this. Does it make sense for west elm? How does it help the brand? The customer?

Also, I am interested in your reaction to the WE element. Please comment!

How many of you have received emails from retailers in the past month or so promoting their Fashion Night Out?? Fashion Night Out kicks off New York's fashion week - and is now spanning the globe with events from Brooklyn to Brazil to Bombay.

September 10th will spur a night full of events for different retailers across various locations. Most will have promotions, serve beverages/food and even have manicures and makeovers!

You can visit www.fashionsnightout.com for event listings and a list of retailers near you that are sponsoring the event. (You can even map out your own itinerary of stores to visit)

From an email stand point, numerous retailers are sending out one-off campaigns promoting the event. Some of the recent examples I have received are shown below.

This event is a great way to promote your brand, and give customers an opportunity to interact with your team, brand and products. Events like this can help customer retention, and make a consumer feel more of a part of the brand to a retailer, as opposed to just a dollar sign.

So who is going??

From: Banana Republic Subject Line: Enjoy 25% off at Fashion's Night Out.	From: Forever21 Subject Line: Fashion's NIght Out - Visit Us In Stores
From: BCBG Subject Line: Fashion's Night Out - Visit Us In Stores	From: Michael Kors Subject Line: JOIN US FOR FASHION'S NIGHT OUT 2010 - NEW YORK CITY

From: The Container Store
Subject Line: Have a summer camper? Send them packing in organized style
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2010

When you think about summer shopping, The Container Store probably isn't the first destination that jumps to mind. This email is an awesome example of a brand finding ways to stay relevant to the summer season without offering bathing suits or vacation packages. Their tips for campers add value for the subscriber beyond the products and carve out a place for The Container Store in a parent's mental catalog of summer resources. In addition, summer is the perfect time to try out fun and risky layouts like this one - people are looking for fresh stuff and more open to your brand's playful side.

Did you know that more and more retailers are simply clicking the Spam button to unsubscribe from email lists? Not a good trend for the health of our email programs, by any means. So what's a retailer to do? Read the latest report from Chad White. Highlighting examples of the good, the bad and the downright ugly, this in-depth study will help you whip your opt-out process into shape. It examines the unsubscribe experiences at 100 top online retailers - covering everything from unsubscribe instructions in emails, to opt-out page components and confirmations, to the honoring of unsubscribe requests.

Get the whole scoop. Download the free report now

From: CB2
Subject Line: Spring ahead of the times with CB2
Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2010

I love how CB2 takes advantage of daylight savings to market their clocks. Not only are the clocks fun, but CB2's use of books to provide the background color is both visually appealing and appropriate for the product.

The simple copy makes the message seem almost like a public service announcement (which I like - it's so timely...). All the elements come together for a unified, relevant message.

Even with this email, however, I totally forgot about daylight savings until 11, which turned out to be noon. Oh well. They tried.

From: Chase
Subject Line: Your Communities. Your Vote. Our $5 Million.
Date: Friday, December 11, 2009

As we're all rushing to buy and wrap presents, decorate our homes and offices, snap that all-important family picture and figure out what to do with Great-Aunt Esther's annual fruitcake [insert your choice of atrocious holiday tradition], I'm reminded to take a breath and appreciate the small things that bring us holiday cheer. I was jolted back into a true appreciation of the season with an email forward from a coworker on a viral email that was making the rounds. Many of you have already seen this email or read about it on the blogosphere, but if you haven't - I urge you take a look at video.warmup.com.

I was reminded of this effective strategy today. My bank teller at Chase wished me a happy holiday, but instead of her usual reminder of other Chase products and services, she asked me if I supported any local charities and if so, to check out Chase's effort on Facebook to give away $5 million dollars this year to customers' favorite charities. When I signed into my bank account, I saw the following banner ad. Chase has set up an ingenious effort to generate "fans" and spread this goodwill and holiday cheer by asking users to "vote" for their favorite local charity and put them in the running for a $25,000 grant. I voted for my favorite local organizations as well as spread the word throughout my network by posting my "vote" on my wall.

I was grateful for Chase's effort to help me slow down and think about these other acts of giving. I won't ever receive the much-needed gift of time from an email or an online marketing campaign, but they can cement my brand loyalty and loosen my purse strings. Now, if only a company could figure out how to email me idiot-proof instructions to assemble my kids' dollhouse ...

For those of you who missed this year's Email Insider Summit, we've brought our "Email Top Chef Masters" presentation to you:
Download the PowerPoint here >

Plus, read what people are saying about the preso:
Arti Parikh from Orbitz mastered the art of creative testing >
Meg Reynolds from REI taught us a thing or two about incremental lift >
Chrstine Scott from General Mills shared engagement secrets >
Carolyn Ude from ESPN saw positive results with lifecycle messaging >

And, perhaps most importantly, we wore costumes >

Special thanks to Arti, Meg, Christine and Carolyn for both wearing aprons AND bringing us their marketing smarts. I feel so lucky to be working in an industry with such amazing individuals :)!

From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: Turn your iPhone˙ into your Starbucks Card
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2009

OK. I saw this and was like, "Is this not the moment we've all been waiting for?" It's basically the holy grail. To be able to pay for your Americano with your iPhone is every aspiring upper-middle class marketing manager's dream, right? Right?

Major letdown: "Find out more about which stores are accepting mobile payment here" leads to a store location page with no information whatsoever about which stores in particular accept mobile payment. Hel-LO!? How totally annoying. Considering the integrated email-to-landing-experience path is becoming more and more of a focus here at Smith-Harmon, and clickthrough moments like these are just one of the reasons why it needs to be more of a focus industry-wide.

From: The Container Store
Subject Line: Know a teacher? Don't miss this offer!
Date: August 20, 2009

How refreshing to see a back-to-school email that's all about teachers! Since I live in a state where they've slashed, yet again, the funding for schools, I would imagine that a lot of teachers are having to dig into their own wallets to buy the "extras" they want for their classroom. Bravo to The Container Store for giving these hard-working superstars a special savings discount of their own.

Fantastic offer aside, there are a few things from an execution standpoint that I think they could have done better. Let's start with the copy. It's written as though I'm not a teacher, which is fine because I'm not. But what if I were? Also, it doesn't tell me whether I can shop online and in-store. The landing page did go into more detail, but I think telling people WHERE they can shop is a pretty important fact to get across up front. The fulfillment part of this is also interesting because they will email you a discount code once you've registered. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking a simple 1-2-3 approach to the copy would have educated the subscriber quickly on the logistics of the program and made them feel like this is super-easy to do and not a time suck. Plus, at first scroll, I missed the fact the teacher needs to register for the discount... so maybe that call to action should have been above the fold. And lastly, the subject line might have been a little more powerful if the percentage was included: Back to School Special: 15% Off for Teachers!

On the design front, I think it would have been great to show some products to inspire teachers to consider The Container Store as a resource center. Plus, for those of us who aren't teachers, we might get excited about some really cool storage ideas that could corral the clutter and make our lives just that much more organized. Because, you know, piles only work for so long. Eventually, you really do have to file.

From: Goop
Subject Line: It's Goop - DO
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2009

Okay, okay, I admit it. I signed up for GOOP newsletters. Never heard of GOOP? It's Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website. At first, I didn't get it. As a matter of fact, I initially mocked it, jumping on the bandwagon with other folks who, quite frankly, were excited to have something negative to say about Princess Gywneth.

But, I've noticed an inner shift in my inner aspect. (Gwyneth would get that reference.) Secretly, I look forward to her emails, and I realized today when I received the latest that I needed to come clean. In some weird way, it feels like Gwyneth is literally pulling my email address out and saying, "Oh, I think I'll email Darrah today." It's kind of like Twitter on Botox. It's all plumped up and I love it.

While at times her tone comes across a bit condescending, like she's dispelling her glorious wisdom to us simple folk who are never going to be as fabulous as her, I do believe that her intentions are genuine. And actually, she's featured some pretty impressive interviews and tips in her newsletters. Now, if she could just break loose and make it feel more like a casual conversation between the two of us...now, that'd be seriously cool.

From: JCPenny
Subject Line: A Special Message to You from the CEO of JCPenney
Date: Sunday, March 22, 2009

From: The Limited
Subject Line: Affordably Chic. Get The Fashion You Love For Less!
Date: Monday, March 23, 2009









Relevancy is an important part of email. Relate to your audience, anticipate their needs, and you will find astonishing results. In tough economic times such as these, why not emphasize what you can do to help your subscribers? Like JC Penny & The Limited: sending out a friendly reminder that you can still get quality products without emptying your wallet.

There are many more emails out there similar to these examples. This type of messaging could also be a good opportunity to provide a discount.

From: Sephora
Subject Line: Do It Yourself - and save!
Date: March 3, 2009

Just like a lot of folks out there, I'm making calculated choices about where I spend my cash these days. So how can marketers reach a gal like me who's holding tight to her credit card? Give me a reason to spend money so that I save money. Case in point, this super fun email from Sephora. I scrolled the whole way down and purchased a couple of things off this DIY list. They even highlight the salon price for each service and compare it to the Sephora DIY price. Very clever, very timely, very creative. IMHO, this is the perfect example of how marketing to the masses via recession-minded tactics can come off smart, not sneaky.

From: Starbucks.com
Subject Line: New Starbucks VIA˙ Ready Brew - We Found A Way!
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009

They did send a product announcement several weeks before the official retail store launch to help build anticipation and educate consumers. In a break with Starbucks email tradition, the message had a clear call-to-action, taking recipients to a rich landing page experience where the product is described in more detail. Even more exciting (from my perspective as an email nerd!), and something else new for Starbucks emails, they included secondary messaging with a link to purchase directly from their online store. Go Starbucks!

It looks like Starbucks is conducting some segmentation in their email program now - I received the message, but Lisa did not. That leaves me wondering if it's because I'm the one who spends more money at my local Starbucks, or if the folks at Starbucks top-secret R&D labs were able to determine Lisa wouldn't need an email to help compel her to try VIA :)

From: Nordstrom
Subject Line: 9-to-5 Looks at Nice Prices
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2009

From: Nordstrom
Subject Line: Just In: Fresh, Affordable Dresses
Date: Friday, March 6, 2009












With the economic downturn raising stress levels throughout society, it's interesting to see how retailers are marketing to a belt-tightening subscriber base. The last couple emails I've received from Nordstrom have come with subject lines touting affordable prices.

Nordstrom is traditionally a high-end brand, selling sophisticated fashion to the consumers that can afford it. While they're famous for stellar sales, their regular messaging is not about price--it's about high-end style.

With the landscape changing for marketers, I wonder if the introduction of "affordability" messaging in Nordstrom's full-price email campaigns signifies an attempt to shift their brand perception slightly, to be thought of not only as the place to find the best service and best fashion pieces available, but also a destination for high style with low prices. I also wonder whether their price tags will be able to match their messaging, especially as subscribers change their ideas of what "affordable" means.

From: Lisa Harmon
Subject Line: Starbucks VIA™ Ready Brew
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009

If you didn't stop at Starbucks yet this morning, you may not have seen the window and in-store promotions for the new VIA™ Ready Brew. First of all, I can say that I've tried it and it's actually drinkable, and particularly useful in those moments when (a) you're up either earlier or later than your barista or (b) you've somehow magically found yourself in a place where there is no Starbucks within walking distance. Does that happen!? Anyway, consumer confidence being where it is, seems to me that Howard has made a super-smart move with VIA™. Go, Howard!

Only...where is the email announcement, Starbucks!? An email would have been the perfect marketing channel by which to announce the VIA launch, driving folks to the homepage - not to mention the stores - to check out the new single-serve "microground coffee" first-hand. Maybe we'll get one later today... I'll be checking ;)!

From: InStyle.com
Subject Line: Look of the Day: Michelle Obama
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

From: Barneys New York
Subject Line: Mrs. Obama and Barneys LOVE...
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Yesterday, the world wasn't only inspired by President Obama's inaugural address. We were also wowed by the beautiful colors that Hilary, Jill, Michelle and other leading ladies - and babies - paraded onstage. I admit it: I was absolutely waiting to see which brands would get major points for inbox relevancy and react to the inaugural opportunity via email. Kudos to two of my fab five favorites - Barneys New York and InStyle - for pulling together these messages lickedy-split.

P.S. J.Crew threw an error when I attempted to browse their "gloves" category today. Could it be that everyone's trying to pick up a pair of Mrs. Obama's moss greens?