• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, February 23, 2009

Google may target ads to Gmail users, but Yahoo and a handful of Internet service providers have begun screening words that pop up in email accounts to test the link between buzz words and promotional newsletter campaigns, email strategist Jeanne Jennings told Online Media Daily.

Tying buzzwords to newsletter content has proven to be a successful strategy to attract consumers' attention and get them to act on offers and promotions, Jennings said. "An effective email newsletter should contain 20% promotional copy that sells products or services, and 80% editorial copy and engagement content such as polls and quizzes that encourage two-way communication," she said.

In a Webinar last week hosted by Real Magnet, Bethesda, Md., Jennings laid out the "10 Steps to an Effective Email Strategy." Determining the target audience and the most optimal time to schedule the newsletter when readers are at their desk, ready and willing to open the email, are two top steps that can either make or break a campaign.

Jennings's research shows that the best time to blast email industry newsletters to subscribers is around lunch because many people eat at their desk but want something that can make them look busy. Ideally, she said, marketers should stagger the send schedule based on the ZIP code, so the email arrives in the inbox just before lunch in the receiver's time zone.

Aside from scheduling, knowing the value and average amount spent for each name on the email list becomes more critical as addresses are added. It helps when the time comes to tie the email project into organic search or pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns because it puts a value on the price of additional names.

Marketers also should compile budgets and return on investment (ROI) projections to keep projects in check. Citing Direct Marketing Association (DMA) estimates, Jennings said an aggregate ROI from email campaigns, on average, should come in at $43 in 2009. "By knowing your costs and projecting delivery rates, open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates and dollars per sale, you can project your revenue and determine a ROI goal," she said.