May 13, 2008
Sweet so is Google a Spammer Now?
Security flaw turns Gmail into open-relay server... so does this mean that they should be blacklisted? How does an issue like this when it comes from an ISP deserve to be treated by other ISPs? Do they give a courtesy to one another when this happens? I know that if it happens to a corporate mail server it gets slammed and blocked faster than me accepting and Irish Car Bomb drink on St. Pats. AND that is fast.
Security flaw turns Gmail into open-relay server A newfound flaw in Google's Gmail allows would-be spammers to treat the service as an open-relay server. Compounding the issue is the fact that services such as Hotmail and Yahoo "trust" Gmail. This may facilitate e-mail delivery, but it also makes it easier for spammers to reach their intended targets.
Comments (0) | Posted by dylan at 4:01 AM | Permalink
May 12, 2008
eec Does Good
I wanted to share this great one year wrap up of the latest project the eec has been working on. This is the second year of helping a non profit get an email marketing program together. Countless volunteer hours were put in by some great people in the email marketing industry to make this not only a success, but also a system that the Women's Bean Project can continue to leverage and use to help grow their donor base support.
This is just one of the great things that the eec is doing for the not only the non profits out there, but the email industry as a whole. Way to go guys.
How E-mail Impacts Society
This week I wanted to share something inspirational happening in the e-mail industry -- and some best practices! It's a recap of the Email Experience Council's (EEC's) Eality project. The Eality project originated as a way to enable peers and competitors in the e-mail marketing industry to put business aside and work as a team to create the best e-mail efforts for a good cause.
In 2007, the EEC selected the Women's Bean Project (WBP) as its Eality focus. Stephanie Miller from Return Path volunteered countless hours to lead this initiative and its team on behalf of the EEC. I spoke with Miller to get the inside scoop on the project.
Comments (0) | Posted by dylan at 9:00 AM | Permalink
Your Receipt is in the email
Shoppers who want to save some trees soon will find a new option for rejecting receipts at the checkout counters of major retailers.
A service that will enable consumers to receive digital receipts through big box stores, such as Best Buy and Target, is set to launch May 16.
I have always loved how Apple stores do this for me and it is about time others do as well. I don't need any more paper receipts crammed in my wallet or pocket. They get lost or thrown away. In the inbox is a great solution. Not sure the "green" factor as some studies I have been reading actually put data use in higher carbon/greenhouse gas levels than commercial airlines by 2010, but it makes sense none the less.
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937567-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5
My question is have they thought about making this a transaction email marketing opportunity instead of JUST a receipt. If they follow best practices of a 20% use of the email for cross marketing/promotion, they might just drive online or even back to store sales with an offer....
Comments (0) | Posted by dylan at 4:01 AM | Permalink
May 5, 2008
eROI Annual Party - U On The List?
So it is official and the first emails went out to save the date. Our annual throw down, drag out, party till the break of dawn event is going to be at the new eROI HDQs at 5th and Couch in Old Town Portland. We are going to christen the new offices with a very untraditional party. Not to leak to many of the details upfront, as the emails over the next 6 weeks will reveal more of what is going to happen.
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The team is hard at work procuring music, entertainment, booze and maybe the return of the now iconic ice luge. This year it is going to be a little more locked down as we can only hold 700 quests we assume and the fact that we are in Old Town, we need to have some security with all the bars and fun neighbors around.
So IF you did not get the email, you need to get on the list. And not just you, unless you are attending solo, but anyone you want to bring with you. It is going to be a blast and we are really excited to have you over from near and far. So email those that you might know at eROI and get on the list.
Here was the hold the date email that went out, with a little easter egg hidden in the FIVE logo that drives you to a peak of what may occur.
Comments (0) | Posted by dylan at 4:00 AM | Permalink
May 2, 2008
Happy Birthday Spam, Now Die
Really it is 30 years today that the first documented spam email was sent. And look where we are today, still fighting the battle that Gary Thuerk started. Interesting history on Wikipedia, but would be even more interesting if we could mark this the year that we killed it off.
Mashable has a good article around it as well.
What can we do this year as email marketers to make it die a painful death?
1. Stop sending to people that don't want your email. Sure they opted in in 2002, but they have not read it for the past 3 years and you keep them on your active email list. Time to purge them. They are of no value to you and you are of no value to them no matter what you think.
2. Start segmenting your lists and send relevant campaigns based on their profile, what they tell you, and past behaviors.
3. ESPs need to be more vigilante on the lists that their clients load into their systems. Although sometimes tricky when you are bringing a client onto your email platform that you have no history with, you need to set some guidelines, educate them, and keep your eyes on the feedback loops and bounce reports from an account by account level.
Help us all help each other. No one no matter who they are want spam emails. Really.
Comments (1) | Posted by dylan at 4:00 AM | Permalink
May 1, 2008
Designing Emails for Ecommerce
So many examples to show you, but this one really hits on the simplicity of ecommerce email marketing. What is so special about this? Well not special, but it just clearly communicates the levels of interaction and what you can get by clicking the links. Not over the top, not too much copy, and the value proposition is right there in every call to action bucket.
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Often times I see emails with so many things to do, too much copy, and not laid out in a format that is going to display right in the inbox. This layout rocks.
Now to have full disclosure this designer used to work for eROI. So he earned his chops at the school of hard knocks. And it just doesn't hurt as well that this designer is also my younger brother. Nice work Bryan, you make me proud that you stayed awake at eROI U.
Best part about this is his using Twitter as another communication vehicle in the footer. Not over the top, but right in link with his audience of young urban hipsters. Guess the tech addictive measures run in the family as well.
Still time to get your own shirt or limited run hoodie from his new line.
Comments (2) | Posted by dylan at 4:42 AM | Permalink
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