Lessons from Email Marketing: How Email Could Function Better in the Presidential Campaigns

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) April 7, 2008 -- Just another email to skip over. That's what comes to mind for many when emails from Presidential hopefuls fill their inboxes. And as the latest emails will likely not be read, they can't be doing any good for campaigners or voters.

After email savants like Brent Rosengren ('Why the Presidential Candidates Flunked the Email Test') denounced the candidates' email practices and after Obama suffered a hit from anti-spammers signing up fake email addresses, Presidential campaigners began to fix some problems.

While their efforts have succeeded in improving the effectiveness of the sign-up process and email diction, campaigners have not fully addressed the motivational factor that is crucial in effectively using email marketing software (http://www.email-marketing-options.com) - a problem easily solved by applying techniques from the business world when formatting emails.

What's in it for me? Obama and Hillary's most recent campaigns are unclear on this issue. The latest email campaign (http://www.email-marketing-options.com) from Bill Clinton includes subject line: 'Not big on quitting'. There is no subject performing an action in this subject line. Who is not big on quitting? Hillary? Bill? The email team? The supporters? Next, take the latest message from the Obama team: 'What's next.' Again there is no subject, nor is there an action in this line. Open the email and find the first calls to action; 'contribute by our midnight Monday deadline' and 'check out these resources' by Bill Clinton and Obama, respectively.

Compare Obama's and Clinton's email marketing campaigns to an email marketing campaign (http://www.email-marketing-options.com) from a market-leading retailer. Subject lines like 'Tee Time: Buy 2 Save 20%' and 'All The Dresses You Need For Spring' clearly state the advantage of clicking and reading the email before email users have read any content. The first line uses two key verbs, 'buy' and 'save,' while the second line directly addresses the consumer.

A simple rewrite of the subject lines with a seller-buyer framework could deliver: 'Deadline Ahead: Don't Quit, Act Now' and 'Everything You Should Know about Obama.' These subject lines create a sense of urgency and shift the locus of power from the sender to the recipients of the messages.

Still beating around the bush in their subject lines, Hillary's camp has made significant changes in the body of their emails. In an effort to create easy-to-read, visually stimulating content, they use bold font every few lines to underscore main ideas in the paragraphs. They also feature a bold-colored countdown clock with a yellow 'Contribute Now' button link. Similarly, Obama's email highlights information by categorizing it under 3 headings (The Basics, Organizing, and Fundraising).

Lamentably, emails from both camps lack visuals. Obama and Hillary rarely include photos in their emails, and McCain offers just a few small photos in his email banner. In contrast, retailers, internet providers and pizza joints alike have been utilizing large picture links to attract consumers. The picture link is standard practice today.

Democratic nominees recognize that they need to modify their marketing strategy, however, and have started using email marketing software to offer campaign contributors sweepstakes prizes, such as a private meeting with Obama or Clinton. Unfortunately, these offers can be difficult to find. For example, Obama sent an email with the subject 'Deadline, but the email included a drawing to win a dinner with Barack Obama himself, which was mentioned towards the bottom of the email.

Obama's use of contribution incentives in his email marketing campaigns could explain why his email program ranks third on Email Data Source's 2008 Email Brand Equity Ranking while McCain, who does not use similar incentives, is not among the top 5 of that list. Other factors may include the perceived lack of imperativeness in the emails or the news-like headlines in McCain's subject lines.

Four years ago, pundits, bloggers and the general public declared that the Presidential campaigns lagged far behind the business, technology, and entertainment sectors in internet marketing practices. In this election, Presidential hopefuls have succeeded in closing the gap in the email race, but have not yet achieved parity.

For more information about email marketing software (http://www.email-marketing-options.com) or for a sample copy of this article, contact Jen Udan or visit www.email-marketing-options.com.

About Zilker Ventures:

Zilker Ventures is a web publisher specializing in reviewing and consolidating information about business to business and financial products.

Jen Udan

Zilker Ventures, LLC

(512) 448-9031

pr@zilkerventures.com

www.zilkerventures.com

###