Meeting Notes
Effective emails and actions:
- Very important to feedback about how an action has performed, even if it didn't do well.
- Segmentation - don't ask people what they want. It is much more effective to segment according to what they've done previously.
- Actions which people like can create a bit of noise, but can undermine the creditability of you list.
Using Email addresses
MOVE ON:
- Letters to the editor - tens of thousands sent.
- Always hand-deliver petitions to the target never send directly.
Greenpeace:
- Using the skills of people on lists.
- i.e. recruited a cyberactivist to go on a trip on the Amazon. Had 500 applications, 25 were qualified. Sent a Swedish arctic ranger.
OXFAM GB:
- Recruited writers via email list for blogs for Generation Why.
- Viral chart - getting video placed on other sites.
PODCASTS:
- Appetite for content, not that much out there.
GREENPEACE:
- Sending "you're going to get an important message" a few days in advance lifts 5%
- Need to integrate as part of a larger campaign.
- Effluent going into rivers in India
- Detailed scientific report.
- Direct action
- Phone call warning if email deluge effective before it even happened.
- Confirmed
opt in
- Use a double opt-in - confirmation message (+ 2 reminders) 80% completion, estimated 20% mis-type anyway, so worth it. (They have a problem with US service people signing one another up as a joke)
- 30% open rate to established list - tired.
- 60% for new ocean defenders list.
- 80-90 % of people who get the action complete it.
OXFAM GB:
- 23-33% open rate
- 25% action rate for last Conflict campaign action - corresponding with external media linked with times coverage.
OXFAM US:
- Segmentation dramatically improves open rates.
- 20% for e-zine
- 50% for advocacy messages.
- Weekday daytimes - morning, or to arrive overnight Sunday.
MOVE ON:
- Downward trend for open rates generally - unsure of reasons why.
- Get rid of anyone who hasn't opened 3 in a row? 6 months? Send a specific call to inactives.
- What proportion of campaigns list overlaps?
Interested Participants
| Name | Organisation | Country | Specific Interests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel | ActionAid? | United Kingdom | Effective Campaigning Emails |
| Chris | Campaign Strategy | United Kingdom | Motivating supporters |
| Nick | Christian Aid | United Kingdom | How to improve conversion rates of actions. |
| Andrew | WWF-UK | United Kingdom | Increasing effectivness. |
| Karen | Amnesty International | United Kingdom | What makes an email/action effective? How do we measure effectiveness? |
... -- Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:56:22 -0600 reply
Richard English and Karina - interested in attending
What's an open rate? -- Fri, 21 Apr 2006 05:32:48 -0500 reply
What's an open rate? --duane, Sat, 22 Apr 2006 10:17:36 -0500 reply
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_marketing#E-mail_marketing_terms
