How to Improve Your Email Marketing Response Rate

In the case study, the company decides to study its process of improving e-mail marking response by evaluating the design of combinations. The design was composed of “two options of all the three factors: E-mail Heading (Detailed, Generic); Email Open (No, Yes); and E-Mail Body (Text, HTML)” (Case Study). The evaluation was repeated twice for each of the combinations, and the table below shows the results of the evaluations. The second table (Table 2) shows the design of experiment (DOE). DOE is a process of planning, designing, and analyzing data obtained from studies to help researchers or analysts draw valid conclusions from it (Antony, 2003). Usually, the study is expressed in the form of two matrices, which are variable matrix and a design matrix (Mathews, 2005). The DOE results are shown in Table 2. 

Table 1: Improving Email Response (Case Study). 

Result Analysis 

The body type, email opened, and heading type is the three factors affecting the response rate. The body type was composed of two options, which are plain text and HTML. The body was the main factor affecting the response rate. From the study, the response rate of plain text email body was higher than that of HTML. This shows that majority of the individuals receiving the e-mails had an easier experience in opening plain text email body than in opening HTML email body. The second factors that were evaluated are whether the recipient opened the mail or not. Individuals who open emails when they receive them are more likely to respond to them. The heading type was the least factor that affected the email response rate. From the study, it was established that generic headings had a higher response rate when compared to detailed headings. This is because generic headings are simple and clear and also appear less like advertising. Comparing the response rates, emails with plain text body, generic heading, and which was opened received more responses than the others. 

Graphical Display Tool to Present DOE Results 

The Interactions Effects Chart (IEC) is the most effective tool that can be used to present the DOE results. This tool is more appropriate in describing cause-effect relationships (Barrentine, 1999). This tool better in presenting DOE results compared to other graphical tools like the scatter diagram. This is because the tool is much easier to understand and clearly shows a cause-effect relationship between the factors (Barrentine, 1999). The graphs below show the IEC for the DOE results. 

Figure 1: Head Type x Email Open Interaction 

Figure 2: Head Type x Email Body Interaction 

Recommendation and Strategy for Developing Process Model 

The company should use plain body text and detailed heading to improve its email marketing response. This is because, from the evaluation, the combination of these two factors results in a higher response rate when compared to a combination of any of the other factors. The company should put measures in place or use effective strategies for developing a process model. The strategy should enable the company to increases the response rate for its email advertising. The proposed strategy is that the company should collect data on all three factors as well as evaluate the results regularly. In addition, the company should include a survey in the mailing. The survey should be aimed at collecting data on the thought as well as the feeling of the email recipients. By implementing this strategy, the company would be able to adjust its marketing campaigns. 

References 

Antony, J. (2003). Design of experiment for engineers and scientists. Burlington, BA: Elsevier. 

Barrentine, L. (1999). An introduction to the design of experiments: A simplified approach. Milwaukee: Wisconsin, American Society for Quality Press. 

Mathews, P. (2005). Design of experiments with MINITAB. Milwaukee: Wisconsin, American Society for Quality Press.