Bulk emailing

[wallypott]

My first mail chimp mailing goes out tonight (in 20 mins). I had two marketing "experts" staying so hopefully it ticks all the boxes! Neither of them had used it before either, but it is pretty self explanatory....

As for excel I just copied the names and email address etc out of my rental management system (pims) into excel, then removed all the columns with info that I didn't need - checked through for anything dodgy or anyone I never wanted to hear from again, then did the requisite upload thingy. Mailchimp weeded out anything it thought was not ok.

I am looking forward to/dreading my report - and will be comparing the results with yours!

[Rocket Rab]

Nice idea - thanks for the Mailchimp tip, peeps, and that's a cool-looking template, Windy. I've just had a closer look, and realised those are sparring hares (?), not deer. Truly massive beasties - what's in the grass up there?

So, is this the sort of thing you can set up and whack out from scratch in a couple of hours' work? Or are we talking locked doors and freezer food for a week? And how often are you thinking of sending out newsletters? One a quarter?

Waiting for further results with bated breath...almost worth setting up just for the excitement of seeing what happens to my emails. (Yep, I know how to have fun )

[e-richard]

Nice job, Windy.

To any others considering this, I used the Chimp some time ago myself and remember it being very easy, provided you use one of their standard templates. Silly me tried to tinker with the HTML in the templates and I soon regretted that. That part just took too long.

Concentrate on content and you'll be there in a jiffy.

I'd be interested in click through rates from those who are doing it. (and sorry, Windy, you'll have to subtract at least 2 click throughs.... I just couldn't resist trying it !)

[la vache!]

Can I ask what you put in your mailchimps? Offers for accommodation, new year wishes, updates on things that have been done, that sort of thing?

[Nemo]

An afternoon for me Mouse, can't remember exactly how many hours. I used a template and didn't change too much - insert text, appropriate photos etc, set up the address list and that was pretty much it. Well worth the effort if it does bring results.

[Windy]

Took me most of an afternoon and a pot of strong coffee

I think the important thing is touching the customer every now and then without being irritating. It's relationship building and part of the social media bundle.

I will certainly use it for special offers. In fact one thing I want to do is to create a schedule that is pre-planned with appropriate offers, info and imagery. Does that sound a bit regimented? I know in the past I've been guilty of doing this stuff in a very reactive way. I like the way this software is going to make planning something professional looking so much easier.

For a free product it looks pretty damned good to me. (and if you know me you'll know that I can be critical when I want to be )

16% opened after 3 hours with15% clck through. The stats are bl**dy addictive too

[Holiday Ray]

That's one FAB Newsletter you put together there Windy

For the one I sent out, the stats are still showing opened = 50% click-thru = Nil

Think my Newsletter might have been a bit too factual and not enticing enough. I think you got the balance spot on Windy

As for excel I just copied the names and email address etc out of my rental management system (pims) into excel, then removed all the columns with info that I didn't need - checked through for anything dodgy or anyone I never wanted to hear from again, then did the requisite upload thingy. Mailchimp weeded out anything it thought was not ok !

Thanks Wallypott I'll try again with excel when I send the next one out.
The first was to 'previous guests' - the next will be to 'previous enquirers' so the list I need to upload will be a lot bigger.

[la vache!]

That's one FAB Newsletter you put together there Windy

Yes it is!
I didn't see your link earlier. I think you have inspired me for the weekend.
Are you allowed to send the mail to people who have only enquired before and not booked?

[Windy]

Good question LV

There seems to be a bit of a grey area between permission based opt in marketing and contacting those who have contacted you previously about your property. UK law seems to suggest that the latter is OK if I understand it properly. Somebody may of course correct me any minute.

I made a point of making the unsubscribe link quite prominent so that anyone who doesn't want to be contacted can let us know straight away. Mailchimp automatically removes unsubscribers.

[Wendy@NorthIdaho]

Wow, very nice Windy! You've inspired me to think even harder about giving it a try

May have to see if my husband can write up a little article for it, I liked how you had the local activites posted and a nice little reminder to treat mom right!

Thanks for sharing that,
Wendy

[Windy]

Thanks for the positive comments

I can only reiterate the advice Mailchimp give about testing and checking though.

I spent about an hour spellchecking, sending test emails, rereading and checking links.

I still have at least one typo and one of my facebook links (the autogenerated one top right) goes to my personal FB account not the lodge FB page.

Fortunately nobody seems to have clicked on it as I can see from the awesome reporting they provide.

[Windy]

Well after 24 hours I have 32.7% of 901 sent opened and of these 20.9% clicked through. That's about 60 clicks.

I think that's quite a good result given that about 40% of the recipients were enquirers that failed to convert (although I can't yet attribute any bookings to it.)

I am not sure about their maths though

Wowzers, your open rate was 11.7% higher than your industry average

That's based on my opening rate of 32.7% compared to 21.1% that it's showing for The Travel and Transportation industry average.

When I was at school that would have been 55% higher not 11.7%

And they are not very consistent as they quote an opening rate of just 14.5% to Travel and Transportation on their Email Marketing Benchmarks by Industry page but 21.1% on my report.

So - I wouldn't put to much faith in their numbers if I were you

[Halcyon]

My first post here - hello!

Thank you so much for this, my other half was trying to send out an email newsletter for his business and has managed it thanks to this thread and the mail chimp recommendation. He has started obsessively checking his stats too.

Now I shall return to lurkdom until the property purchase goes through.

[Maurmc]

Wowzers, your open rate was 11.7% higher than your industry average

Wowzers

[wallypott]

34.9% opened, but only 5.1% click through. 3 spammed and 4 unsubscribed, 4.8% bounced.

The stats are fun, and I can see we could have done a better email. I think I might do them periodically for unbooked periods or special offers.