In this MarketingExperiments Web clinic, Flint McGlaughlin, Managing Director, MECLABS reveals a proven methodology for effective email copywriting. Flint also provides on-the-spot analysis you can use to improve your email campaigns To learn more about Web clinics, visit: http://www.marketingexperiments.com/about-web-clinics.html

1. Email Copywriting Clinic:
Live, on-the-spot analysis of how to
improve real-world email campaigns
Educational funding
provided by:
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3. Join us for the largest vendor-neutral,
research-based email marketing event.
Reserve your seat today:
MECLABS.com/emailsummit

4. Join the conversation on Twitter
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5. Today’s speaker
Dr. Flint McGlaughlin – Managing Director, MECLABS
Flint McGlaughlin is the Managing Director of MECLABS Group. The
organization has partnered with key market leaders including The
New York Times, Microsoft Corporation, and Reuters Group.
Dr. McGlaughlin also serves as the Director of Enterprise Research at
the Transforming Business Institute, University of Cambridge (UK), as
the Chairman of the Board of Governors for St. Stephen’s University,
and as a Trustee for Westminster Theological Centre. Dr. McGlaughlin
originally studied Philosophy and Theology at the University of
London’s Specialist Jesuit College.
Today, his primary research is focused on enterprise as transformative
agent. His work has won multiple awards and has been quoted in
more than 13,000 online and offline sources.
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6. Experiment: Background
Experiment ID: TP2083
Record Location: MECLABS Research Library
Research Partner: ActiveNetwork
Research Notes:
Background: ActiveNetwork is a large event management software provider.
Goal: To increase total lead inquiries (phone calls + form sign-ups) from
visitors who abandoned the free trial sign-up process.
Research Question: Which email tone will result in a higher rate of lead
inquiries?
Test Design: A/B single factor split.
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7. Experiment: Treatment #1
Treatment #1
Subject Line: Your Free RegOnline Access
Hypothesis:
Dear [Name],
You’re just one step away from getting FREE access to RegOnline, our award winning Event • Our analysts
Registration and Management Software. Quickly make an event website, try our event hypothesized that
marketing tools, build a registration form template or even generate custom name badges.
visitors are not
Click here to finish your profile and get started. Your personal profile is kept secure and we converting because
promise NEVER to sell or misuse your information.
the copy was not
Have questions? Call us direct at 1-800-XXX-XXXX -- we can even set up your free access over engaging enough.
the phone.
Sincerely,
Jon Powell
Customer Service Representative
RegOnline
Direct: 1-800-XXX-XXXX ext. XXXX
jon.powell@RegOnline.com
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8. Experiment: Treatment #2
Treatment #2
Subject Line: Your Free RegOnline Access
Hi [First], Hypothesis:
I noticed that you started the process of getting free access to RegOnline but weren’t able to
finish. Are you concerned about giving out your phone number? Are you worried about high • Our analysts
pressure sales tactics or mandatory contracts? hypothesized that
We believe our product sells itself, so we’re just here to provide you with whatever visitors are not
assistance you need in getting your event up and running - in whatever way works best for converting because
you. We promise NEVER to sell or misuse your information.
of high anxiety due
Call me direct at 1-800-XXX-XXXX and I can help get you rolling. If you’d rather just try again to phone spam and
online, use this link instead.
high-pressure
Thank you in advance for your trust! salesmen.
Sincerely,
[Name of Representative]
Customer Service Representative
RegOnline
Direct: 1-800-XXX-XXXX ext. XXXX
[name]@RegOnline.com
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9. Experiment: Side-by-Side
Treatment #2
Treatment #1
Customer Service
Direct Response Tone
Tone
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10. Experiment: Results
349% Increase in lead inquiry rate
The customer service email increased inquiry rate by 349.41%
Relative Statistical Level
Design Inquiry Rate of Confidence
Difference
Sales Tone 1.58% - -
Customer Service Tone 7.08% 349.41% 95%
 What youofneedemail copy, the marketers at ActiveNetwork saw a 349%
the tone the
to understand: By addressing the customer’s anxiety through
increase in total lead inquiries.
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11. What we can learn today
 Key Principles
1. The goal of effective email copy is not to convince the customer to buy, but
rather to serve the customer in a way that enables them to quickly make
the best decision.
2. To make the best decision, a customer must be able to understand and
accept a series of logical premises that lead to an ultimate conclusion – to
click.
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12. Live Optimization
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13. Live Optimization
Live Optimization: Youneverlose.com
Primary objective: To drive
traffic to the website
Target audience: People trying
to save money by bidding on
gift cards
Subject Line: “Capture those
summer memories!”
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14. Live Optimization
Live Optimization: Finance Factors
Primary objective: To show
prospects how we can help
with unconventional loans
Target audience: Real estate
professionals
Subject Line: “We will help you
fund your clients’ construction”
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15. Transferrable Principles
 1.
Transferrable Principles
The goal of a subject line is to capture the attention of the prospect with
an appealing idea or offer, but it must also convert their attention into
interest.
2. The area in a prospect’s inbox that displays the subject line usually has
limited space, therefore subject lines tend to perform better when they
are point-first.
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16. Experiment: Control
Subject Line #1
[Company Name]: A New Way To Order
• This email is being sent to
previous customers.
• This subject line emphasizes a
“New Way To Order,” but says
nothing about why or how it is
better.
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17. Experiment: Treatment
Subject Line #2
[Company Name]: Now only 2-meal minimum order
• This subject line explains the
benefit of the new order
option.
• It effectively builds the
interest of the offer.
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18. Experiment: Results
25.3% Increase in Open Rate
Resulting in greater subscriptions and revenue
Email Subject line Open Rate (%)
Control: A New Way to Order 35.2%
Treatment 1: 2-meal minimum order 44.1%
Relative Difference 25.3%
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19. Live Optimization
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20. Live Optimization
Live Optimization:
Armstrong World Industries
Primary objective: To get
people to enroll in classes
Target audience: Architects
and designers
Email URL:
http://bit.ly/12qokha
…continued at link.
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21. Live Optimization
Live Optimization: Part B News
Primary objective: To drive
subscriptions
Target audience: Physician
practices
Subject Line:
Special Issue: How HIPAA's
"mega-rule" will impact your
practice
Email URL:
http://bit.ly/14CpEwa
…continued at link.
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22. Transferrable Principles
 1.
Transferrable Principles
People don’t buy from emails, people buy from people. The body of your
email should read like a letter. It should guide the customer in a
conversation.
2. Your email copy must be long enough to sell the click, but no longer. Too
little or too much copy damages clickthrough rate.
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23. Experiment: Control
Not this…
Sells the 30-minute demo in
the first paragraph without
explaining the value
Starts selling “online tools”
before explaining the benefits
Asks the reader to get started
when they may not be ready to
start
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24. Experiment: Treatment
But this…
Value is clearly
communicated in the
headline and the first
paragraph
Each thought carefully leads
into the next, all the way
through the email to the
call-to-action
Call-to-action and email
copy effectively sell “the
click”
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25. Experiment: Results
104% Increase in clickthrough rate
The treatment generated a 104% higher clickthrough rate.
Versions Clickthrough Rate Relative difference
Control 1.55% -
Treatment 3.16% 104%
 communicate enough value for a click, we were able to generate aemail to
What you need to understand: By changing the messaging of the
104% lift
in clickthrough rate.
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26. Live Optimization
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27. Live Optimization
Live Optimization: Intuit Canada
Primary objective: Upgrade
customers to QuickBooks 2013
Target audience: Small
Business Owners and existing
customers who need to
upgrade
Email URL:
http://bit.ly/XKmv96
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28. Live Optimization
Live Optimization: Wild at Work
Primary objective: Lead
generation
Target audience: Homeowners
seeking to reduce their energy
bill
Email URL:
http://bit.ly/WsX8sV
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29. Transferrable Principles
 1.
Transferrable Principles
The placement of the call-to-action is dependent upon the incremental
decision level of the recipient. It should occur at the proper moment in
the series of premises the email presents.
2. Our calls-to-action are often too generic and do not demonstrate the
specific value of the click. Every call-to-action should clearly communicate
enough value for the recipient to make the decision to click (or say “yes”
to your email).
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30. Experiment Control
Not this…
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31. Experiment: Treatment
But this…
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32. Experiment: Treatment
But this…
The call-to-action is only seen
after the value has been
clearly communicated
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33. Experiment: Results
14.66% Increase in average donation size
The new email’s donation rate increased by 14.66%
Average Donation Relative Statistical Level
Design ($) Difference of Confidence
Control $36.48 - -
Treatment $41.82 14.66% 95%
 organization accomplished and only then asking forvalueclick, the the
What you need to understand: By focusing on the
the
of what
treatment increased clickthrough rate by 20%, and average donation
size by 14.66%.
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34. Summary: Putting it all together
 Transferrable Principles
1. The goal of a subject line is to capture the attention of the prospect with an appealing idea or
offer, but it must also convert their attention into interest.
2. The area in a prospect’s inbox that displays the subject line usually has limited space, therefore
subject lines tend to perform better when they are point-first.
3. People don’t buy from emails, people buy from people. The body of your email should read
like a letter. It should guide the customer in a conversation.
4. Your email copy must be long enough to sell the click, but no longer. Too little or too much copy
damages clickthrough rate.
5. The placement of the call-to-action is dependent upon the incremental decision level of the
recipient. It should occur at the proper moment in the series of premises the email presents.
6. Our calls-to-action are often too generic and do not demonstrate the specific value of the click.
Every call-to-action should clearly communicate enough value for the recipient to make the
decision to click (or say “yes” to your email).
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