Know-How Exchange : Student Questions

Dear Gemma,

You're compiling a report for university on how you would go about implementing an email campaign for a fictitious company?

Wonderful!

So, how would YOU do this? How will YOU complete your report? What steps will YOU take to get into gear, what steps will YOU take to do your OWN homework, and earn YOUR OWN grade?

I could give you a hundred ways to implement an e-mail campaign. But you'd just copy them, paste them, hand in your paper, and look like the golden girl without having done any real work.

Marketing is a little bit like baseball. When it's your turn to bat you must get out there, look the pitcher in the eye, and swing for the fences. It is time to step up to the plate, it is time to swing that bat, and it is time to connect with the ball.

And when you hear that THWACK!, here's what you must do: run.

1) Take a look at the E-Mail campaigns of the Internet gurus who sell information products - mostly about how to make money on-line. Four (of dozens) are Brendon Buchard, Katie Freiling, Eben Pagan and Howie Schwartz.
Get on their lists and observe how they bombard you E-Mail offers. The Internet gurus are real pros at E-Mail campaigns and know exactly what they are dong when they hit you with those multiple, relentless E-Mails.

2) Google programs for copywriting. You may be able to find free content relevant to writing E-Mails campaigns.

3) You will write a much better report if you disobey the "fictious" instruction. Go to a small local company, and tell the key folk there you want to write a case study about a new E-Mail campaign for them -- which you will help create. Sooner or later a company will take you up on your offer.

4) The Internet gurus agree that website videos are the way to go. Therefor think about the E-Mails having video links.

5) "First, provide value," i.e. useful, free content, is especially applicable to E-Mail campaigns.

6) Consider conducting a survey or poll asking about E-Mail marketing - what worked and what did not. You will share the results with those who answered. A good free software for doing that is www.surveymonkey.com/

Find a trade group, or perhaps the local Chamber of Commerce, to use as a multiplier for the questionnaire.
Alternatively, visit a trade show and talk to people there when things are slow (perhaps early the second morning).

7) Lastly, an e-mail campaign is about getting someone's attention - and holding it. An excellent video about this subject is "How to Fascinate" by Sally Hogshead:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG0WiP5ux1Q

Regards,
JH

For such university projects and thesis the student is expected to study a lot and put them into use in preparing / implementing the project.

It would be good if you could do your homework and seek the clarifications and guidance from this forum wherever you need expert's opinion and guidance. That way, you will learn a lot and this forum also would be pleased to help you.