Making a mistake with your email marketing program isn't a matter of "if" but "when." Even a sophisticated email marketer can commit an "oops": sending to the wrong list, forgetting to change the placeholder subject line, having a bad link or posting the wrong price on a hot-selling product in the email or on the website.
In this fun but practical Webinar, we explored 13 tips to minimize the fallout from the inevitable "oops," including:
> Identifying the mistake and its potential impact
> Determining whether and how to respond
> Deciding who should get the apology/correction email
> Correcting the mistake in other channels
> Choosing the right tone and personality
> Turning an "oops" into a positive outcome
> Reducing future mistakes
14. #1. Find the mistake
Use Twitter
Monitor other social channels
Educate call center, others
30% Off Sale!
Monitor unsubscribes &
abuse complaints
Reg. Price $100
Especially monitor reply-to
10% Off = $90
and comments email addresses
18. For you and your company…
Really
Just Potentially
concerned
embarrassed lost revenue
about it
19. Which leads to key questions?
• Do we need to respond?
– Typo or customer impact?
• To whom?
– All or just those affected?
• How?
– Which channels?
• And by when?
– ASAP or do we have time to catch our breath?
20. #3. Consider Responding Only to Those
Affected
Mistake:
• Wrong price on Web site for top 2 products in email
Analysis:
• 700 customers had clicked one or both links
• I estimated roughly 15 lost transactions due to wrong price
• Client agreed to just email clickers
Creative:
• Offered additional $10 off next purchase over $100
Results:
• (see next slide)
22. #4. Create an action plan
Estimate impact in $, conversions, etc
Agree on who to send apology to
Create quick creative brief
Know what you want from the correction
Forecast performance, revenue lift, etc
23. #5. Focus on your response
Later:
• Blame
• What caused it
• How to prevent it
25. #6. Keep mgmt/stakeholders in the loop
Did you say
the email said
50% off?
!@#%!@#%
Notification:
Don‟t run, walk
Have a sense of the impact
Move past the cause
Have a high-level
recommendation
Updates:
Final recommendations
Positive spin
Expected outcomes
Results
26. Sample conversation points
1. Wrong percentage in email
2. Added a note on the Web site
3. Estimated 5% clicked link
4. Correction email to just 5%
5. Expect 10% conversion rate and $ of X
6. OK?
27. #7. Act quickly
How much time do you
have?
> Very little…
- Wrong price, %
- People are talking
> A bit of time …
- No immediate impact
31. #9. Use a personal tone that matches
your recipients' expectations
1. Tell them you goofed
2. Say you are sorry
3. Explain what happened
4. Make good
33. Create strong subject lines
Use humor,
Acknowledge a personality
mistake has when
happened appropriate
Oops - Road Rash From RideGear – Wrong Price
on Phoenix Pants and Jackets
State the
impact
36. #10. Turn the error into a positive
Provide a gift when
appropriate
37. Retailer Case Study
Mistake:
• Sent $20 off of a $60 product email meant for Dallas-area
stores – to entire list of 5+ million
Correction:
• Sent mea culpa email to entire list
• Subject line: “WHOOPS! Texas Isn‟t That Big: $20 Off $60
Nationwide”
Results:
• Ended up being retailer‟s highest performing, non-holiday,
email ever
38. #11. Proof the correction email carefully
Have multiple eyes proof it
Send test messages
Avoid having to send a correction, of your correction
40. #12. Measure the impact
Additional:
• Opens, clicks
• Conversions, revenue
Did it generate significantly
more than normal:
• Abuse complaints
• Unsubscribes
• Complaints via email,
phone
42. #13. Learn from the mistake
Create a “Mistake Plan”
Can you get quick analysis?
Create an apology template
Learn what works
Improve processes to
minimize future errors
(it burns if you touch it)
44. The Fake Oops
Oops! You're invited to our exclusive *December* Friends & Family event.
45. Key Takeaways
Be prepared
Apologize to those affected
Move quickly
Keep it simple, but sincere
Turn the mistake into a positive – when
appropriate
Learn from it
Don’t fake it