| Best Practices In Strategic Email Marketing | February 2006 |
Technique
What Readers Want
The best content is always reader directed. Successful publications are those that listen to readers and stay in constant communication. This doesn’t mean appointing the reader editor and pandering. Experts (like you) lead. They do this by having an intimate awareness of the needs of their readers today, and a sense of what they may be tomorrow.
Fortunately, it is easy to build feedback loops into your email program that can keep these instincts sharp and your content relevant. As a minimum, include a reader preference link in your emails as well as a way for readers to make suggestions. The example below goes to Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) members, and includes two links in the top left of the template. They lead to personalized web pages where readers can update their email addresses, change preferences and suggest changes.
Our same client also does an excellent job of surveying its audience. The email below is a triggered message timed to go out a day after a service call. It asks them to take a moment and complete a quick questionnaire rating the satisfaction with the service and asks for any recommendations on ways to improve it.
Reader feedback loops provide a way to develop a deeper understanding of what your readers really want and what is relevant to them. You may be surprised by what your readers have to say, and the response you get by listening.