Marketers have begun to use e-mail to replace more expensive human touches in the sales cycle. For example, it's pretty straightforward to trigger messages based on Web site behavior (e.g., download) or time (e.g., contract renewal date). While it's hard to trace business buying behavior to a specific e-mail or single touch point, these messages earn higher click-throughs than generic newsletters or product announcements. They can also help qualify leads.

The welcome e-mail has been getting more attention lately as a way to build customer engagement beginning immediately after opt-in. However, it also helps you build your segmentation program because it requires you to market differently to a specific subscriber segment: the newbie.

If you're looking for inspiration for your welcome emails, this is an amazing resource pulled together by Ed Henrich

There are probably thousands of articles on the Web about how to test marketing campaigns effectively. You have a hypothesis, you have test variables, you have test segments, and you have some view of statistical probabilities associated with the outcome. That's a perfect world. Let's first assume you actually have the time to build a proper test and the resources to create the many versions -- and you can actually deliver on the test program and keep the program sterile. What do you do when the tests don't tell you what you want to hear?

Many of you are still in the “back to school” mindset, but it’s time to mark your calendars and start preparing for the holiday season! Part of your strategy for the 2009 season should be to start planning early. Sit down and map out your plans for the entire holiday season today - don’t wait! To help as you are planning, Bronto's Kelly Lorenz pulled together a checklist, or roadmap, of what you should be looking to accomplish this year...

Are your emails hitting a Junk Folder even though you're a reputable whitelisted sender? Optimizing email creatives for inbox delivery can be frustrating and time consuming; use this Optimization Checklist as a guide to pinpoint strategies to turn your delivery around.

On a recent ESPC call, a major ISP (who owns one of the top 3 email services) reported that they were moving away from using feedback loops as their primary method of determining the “spaminess” of a sender. Before the FBL pundits rejoice, wait till you hear what they’re measuring instead.