Email as social networking tool? Absolutely.

by Curt Mercadante

The following post is taken from our new, free booklet, The Press Release is Dead: Using New Communications Tools to Build your Business, Non-Profit or Campaign.

When we use the terms “social media” or “social networking” most people immediately think of Facebook or Twitter or MySpace.

They rarely think of email.

But the truth is that email is a social networking tool. It is the largest such tool — and the oldest.

As noted Web strategiest Jeremiah Owyang explains on his blog:

Well if you agree that Facebook, a private community of your friends is a social network, then so is email. They both have the same requirements 1) profiles (emails have signatures), 2) Ability to connect to each other (the act of emailing, and often responding, 3) Do something useful (email users share information, and sometimes collaborate). Next email still an important mode of communication, while we often complain about email overload, trust research indicates people still trust emails from friends — this will only continue.

Some our clients are focused on Facebook and Twitter because they’re the “hot” new tools. While we also utilize those tools (and address them later in this booklet), we always make email the bread-and-butter of any communications program we manage.

The sheer size of the email universe makes it so important. In that same blog post above, Owyang writes that Hotmail has an estimated “375 million active accounts worldwide” — and “Yahoo mail is reported at 280 million” active accounts. Combine those numbers with Gmail and countless other email providers, and the amount of active email users dwarfs that of any other online communications tool.

There are a number of free or almost-free email software tools on the market. These tools are great in that they allow any business (large or small) to utilize ready-to-go email templates to send nicely-design messaging to customers, fans and supporters at the click of a button.

To be sure, there are some drawbacks to these tools. For one thing, some of the templates they provide are limited (and some are downright ugly.) They also have limitations on the numbers of email contacts you can load into their system — limitations being either cost or actual amount of email addresses.

But the biggest drawback I’ve seen is that it puts a lethal weapon in the hands of business owners who may not be the best communicators.

What do I mean?

Well, as we stated earlier, the key to your successful online communications program is content. That includes well-written marketing materials that are proofread and in keeping with your company’s message.

I’ve seen plenty of emails come from businesses in which the author is obviously challenged by the English language.

Another problem is that of inexperienced marketers who are unable to resist the temptation to over-send to their email lists.

Which leads me to this important principle: please kill the “e-newsletter” — and do it quickly.

If you’re somebody who thinks a weekly e-newsletter (a compendium/rundown of organizational updates from the prior week) is the key to winning new customers, voters or supporters … please keep reading.

Let’s get something straight: we’re defining the word “e-newsletter” as a compendium of news. It is not the same thing as an direct email piece. (Just as a newsletter or brochure is not the same as a letter to a client, a friend, etc.)

An “e-newsletter” may have its place: namely to a core audience of people who specifically have opted-in to receive an e-newsletter from your organization.

But too many people use this weekly (usually on Friday) email as the cornerstone of their marketing efforts. They are usually way too long, stacked with photos and updates from the prior week and too heavy on graphics.

So — how should you run your email campaign?

The key to an effective email campaign (and any communications campaign, for that matter) is delivering unique, compelling content. Providing timely news of value that a new or existing customer can use.

Let’s say you’re a wine shop. A new customer comes in and buys a bottle of wine, and signs up for your email list.

Why is that customer signing up for your email list? To receive updates on a new wines, new specials, and upcoming events.

Make sure your first email to that new customer is a “thank you” that includes a very brief description of the kind of news they’ll be receiving in the future — and then a quick list of upcoming specials or events.

A new customer isn’t signing up for your email list to receive photos of of last week’s event, or a listing of company news.

How often should you send these emails? My rule of thumb is: whenever you have something compelling or valuable to say.

Don’t feel chained to the notion that you have to send out a weekly email on Friday afternoons. So, if you get a new shipment of Pinot Noir in on Tuesday morning and decide to run a 10% off special — send a short email with that update.

If, two days later, you decide to run a storewide discount on Chardonnay — send out a quick email.

Try not to abuse your email list, of course. But if your emails are providing value, your list will remain strong and your unsubscribes light.

Your customers (especially new ones) want value. Give them value.

After a customer has been on the email list for a while, you can provide them the option of signing up for your weekly “e-newsletter.” Let them know what will be included in that e-newsletter. Once they’ve been part of the “family” for a while, they may be more apt to receive photos of events, “insider” news, etc. But this should only go to a small segment.

Truth be told, we like to use Facebook to replace the e-newsletter. We use email for short, value-added updates. People can opt-in to Facebook and receive those photos, insider news pieces, etc. without having their email inboxes cluttered.

We’d like to reiterate: Emails should be short, with minimal graphics, a clear call to action, and timely, compelling content that is relevant to the lives of your recipients.

You should also be taking steps to learn more about your list. Who is opening your emails on a regular basis? Who is clicking on your emails? Where do these openers and “activists” reside? What types of emails are they opening?

Most credible email software programs allow you find out the answers to all of these questions. This isn’t just interesting information, it can allow you to segment your lists by location, demographics, issue area. This further allows you to target your lists to deliver content of maximum value to each person.

To sum this all up, we like to use the example of the 2008 Presidential campaign as a simple, high-profile case study. For much of the campaign, John McCain sent out a Friday afternoon “e-newsletter” compendium.

The newsletter (heavy on graphics) contained key speeches or announcements for the week, the candidate’s schedule and other news the campaign thought was important.

Obama? They focused on deploying short, timely action alerts with clear calls to action — whether it’s watching a video, emailing a friend, signing a petition or, yes, making a contribution. Every Obama that hit the email inbox had a clear goal. Minimal graphics (if any). No wasted news compendiums from the week. That’s what Web sites are for …

Needless to say, the McCain campaign killed their e-newsletters during the summer or fall of 2008. They realized it was worthless. It was a waste of resources and took up bandwidth that could be better spent on timely action emails.

A high profile case study, yes. But a good example of why you your organization should give your e-newsletters a quick death. Save your email recipients the energy used in hitting the delete button.

Concise. Short. Minimal graphics. Clear call-to-action.