Maintaining RELEVANCE in E-mail Marketing – Tecstone Granite rocks!

One of the biggest challenges facing e-mail marketers is to deliver relevant content on a consistent basis. With In-boxes overflowing and only seconds available to win an “Open” decision, the e-mail sender can’t afford to disappoint. Irrelevant or stale content assures instant death – a “delete” or, even worse, an opt-out.

Perhaps the most important key to e-mail relevance – and to a long, healthy e-mail marketing life – is to really understand what’s important to the target audience. What information do they crave? What do they want to see? In other words, what floats their boat? TRIAD client Tecstone Granite, a provider of granite memorials and stone carving services, has mastered the art of knowing the customer. Tecstone serves granite monument dealers throughout the country and they have adapted their solid understanding of customers to a very successful weekly e-mail campaign.

Tecstone is a great company with a reputation for topnotch products and excellent service. They provide a breathtaking selection of granite quarried in countries throughout the world. Their stone carving, sandblasting and etching services demonstrate truly superior craftsmanship. In their e-mail program, Tecstone balances the beauty of their work with timely promotional offers in a way that resonates with their audience. Creative ideas and specific product promotions maintain interest and provide value week after week.

Each e-mail features a very special “Job of the Week”. A large photo provides a stunning example of granite color and shape coupled with exquisite stone carving. It is a creative demonstration of what’s possible, a beautiful celebration of stone. A short paragraph of copy highlights the project and viewers can link for more info or a quote. The “Job of the Week” is the focal point of the e-mail, serving as an idea generator for granite dealers and a lead-in to specific promotions.

The “Job of the Week” feature is always followed by four Weekly Specials, each with a photo, descriptive copy and sale pricing. All the information needed for a purchase decision. A separate link is provided for each special making it easy for a customer to request more information or place an order for a specific item.

Overall, the e-mail mimics the look, feel and brand image of the Tecstone web site. A separate call-out box highlights new web site pages and functionality with an invitation/link to “take a look!”

Campaign results have been strong from the start and show no sign of weakening. The average open rate is 43% and weekly click-through rates have been as high as 20%. Very good metrics by any standard.

So there it is. Creative ideas and special offers served up fresh every week. This campaign delivers timely, relevant content and inherent value throughout. When it comes to e-mail marketing, Tecstone Granite rocks!

Check here for a few more tips on keeping your e-mail campaign relevant and productive!