Though times have changed since George Washington took office in 1789, U.S. Presidents both past and present have championed communication strategies that are applicable to business today. In honor of President’s Day, email marketing company Campaigner has developed these five tips for better email marketing from our nation’s leaders.
1. Run a Crafty Campaign: Strategy and preparation are key elements of success to any campaign—whether presidential or email marketing. President George Washington once said, “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” Optimal testing and planning is the key to a successful email marketing campaign. Prepare your plan of attack at least one month (preferably two) in advance, with extensive details. The plan should include a calendar and map of how to get from “Point A” to “Point B” in a set period of time, as well as strategy notes that outline your tactics to win each battle.
2. Eliminate Swing Votes: Identify and Segment Your Constituents: Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “If you treat people right they will treat you right…90 percent of the time.” It’s important to understand your audiences and what messages they will welcome and identify with. By segmenting your lists, you will ensure the best possible content is going to the right people: A Democratic campaign is going to be vastly different than a Republican campaign because they are very different audiences. Web content and structure also require segmentation, as you don’t want to send a CEO to a landing page designed for marketing managers. If executed properly and strategically, segmentation will ensure your constituents remain in your camp and not turn into swing voters.
3. Kiss the Baby! Make Them Pledge Allegiance to Your Company: Both politicians and email marketers alike understand the value of “entertaining.” Abraham Lincoln knew it, as he said, “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.” Customers love to see (and feel) the love: Get to know your clients and test new ways to sell to them based on this understanding. Start small by changing your subject lines and button colors. Once you are comfortable with minor changes, start expanding your horizons: Try different A/B split testing with dynamic content or new pictures to see what resonates with customers. Get that loyalty secured so your customers pledge allegiance to you!
4. Stand at Attention: Incite Your Customers to Act: Bill Clinton said, “Being president is like running a cemetery: You’ve got a lot of people under you and nobody’s listening.” In this case silence is not golden – encourage your customers to stand up and take action alongside you. Provide solid, relevant content with a call-to-action in your email campaigns and in all of your social media interactions. If you have an outstanding newsletter but no call-to-action, the content may be ignored or worse, people may unsubscribe. Make it second nature for your audiences to cast their vote with “click” or “sign up here.”
5. Keep an Eye on Your Audience: Know What They Want to Hear: While appearing on the David Letterman Show, President Barack Obama responded to future election plans with a quick reference to, “Vice President Oprah.” Like the president, you’ve got to keep your eyes and ears open to understand your audience and communicate with them effectively and with a sense of humor. Identify what interests your audience and keep them engaged – feel free to elicit feedback from them so you can adjust your strategy in order to deliver news and deals that they want to receive.
Take these tips from the United State’s most prolific leaders, and you can be as successful in your role as they were in theirs.
