Preston

Author Archives: Preston

February 16, 2012

The Most-Read Part Of Every Email

Preston Fay, Chief Marketing Officer, Founder

What is the one line of your email that virtually everyone on the distribution list will read?

Here’s a clue: It’s not the personalized greeting. Not the elegant logo and tagline. Not the compelling offer. Not even the urgent “P.S.”

It’s the subject line.

Yes, a subject line is short (hopefully) and disposable (sadly), but it’s also an essential tipping point, determining whether the reader even opens your message. That’s a lot of responsibility in a few dozen characters.

According to Badin, maker of the email plugin Boomerang, the average email user receives 146 messages a day, of which 71 (nearly half!) are deleted. All the more reason, then, that your subject line should be the hardest-working part of your communication.

I see subject lines like the blurbs on magazine covers in the grocery store checkout line. Those blurbs aren’t written to summarize the article or tout the publisher’s mission statement or uphold the magazine’s brand. They’re written to be irresistible. They’re written to snag a shopper’s attention, prompt him or her to pick up the magazine, flip to a specific article, and quickly decide to make the purchase – all before the last bottle of shampoo slides across the scanner.

That’s why, instead of blurbs like “Our experienced and dedicated editorial staff has worked diligently to leverage expansive and innovative educational content regarding satisfying your stakeholders,” we see blurbs like, “Seven ways to drive your partner wild.”

There are, of course, guidelines to consider when drafting email subject lines. A subject line should be relevant, accurately reflecting the message of the email itself. A subject line should be concise. Study after study indicates that the shorter the subject line, the higher the open rate. We also know that even when a longer subject line is “clicked open,” the reader likely does not read the subject line in its entirety. The writer should also bear in mind that longer subject lines may be truncated. Depending upon the mail server, a subject line may be automatically “shortened” to fit. (AOL’s character limit, for example, is 60. Yahoo’s is 47.)

These constraints; however, should only make us work harder, giving subject lines the respect they deserve – and empowering them to do their singular, short-lived job – get your email opened.

Author Preston

November 22, 2011

One Mo’ Reason To Contribute.

Preston Fay, Chief Marketing Officer, Founder

Men have a 50-50 chance of developing cancer in their lifetime. I know two people diagnosed in the last six weeks. That’s why I need your help.

November is now know as “Movember,” and it is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world.

I and 15 of my brothers at Technekes are sporting a wide variety of Mo’s to raise much-needed funds and awareness for men’s health.

We’re on day 19, and so far our Mo’Rauders team has raised nearly $1,400!

I don’t often come a beggin’, but now I’m asking you to sponsor my scary handlebars and evil lower-lip thingy by making a contribution. I know it’s ugly, but Movember is a worthy cause.

Here’s how you can help:

Go to this page: DONATE NOW!
Enter a donation amount: $10, $25 or $10,000
Follow the simple steps to complete your transaction
Bask in the glow of your good deed and my nasty facial hair which is gone on 12/1!

Thanks so very much for your help!

Author Preston

October 24, 2011

Jack Ross, World Skeet Shooting “Champ of Champs”

Technekes’ clients have always known that Jack Ross, who founded Technekes with me in 1999, is one straight shooter. And they’ve always known that, when it comes to accurate and relevant marketing data, he blows away the competition.

Yep. Jack’s always on target –- both professionally and personally. Still, it might surprise folks to know that he just won a world title in skeet shooting. That’s right, my partner, no kidding, has earned the title “Champ of Champs,” winning the 2011 NSSA World Skeet Championships in San Antonio, Texas earlier this month.

Congrats to Jack on his precise performance – which, to be honest, is the kind of performance he provides to our clients every day.

Author Preston

October 22, 2010

The Best BBQ Ever.

Every now and then you stumble across a joint where the food conveys a sense of passion and pride that is, in a word, “inspirational.” And it was in Des Moines, of all places, in a little place called the Flying Mango that I recently sampled the best smoked brisket and ribs I’ve ever had the pleasure to know.

I hail from BBQ land. I’ve been in a lot of famous and not-so-famous places with stacks of wood out back and smoke a rollin’ from the stack. Memphis, KC, North Carolina, Texas… Shocking as it may seem, the crew at the Flying Mango are cooking something very, very special. And it ain’t easy for a Southern Man to admit that Mike Wedeking, a damn Yankee, has mastered the signature dish of Dixie!

Citizens of Des Moines, I wonder if you know that you’ve got a genuine, gold-plated, diamond-encrusted, world-class BBQ joint nestled in your back yard.

Enjoy! I know I will EVERY time I find myself in the vicinity.

Author Preston

August 4, 2010

MIC Increases Capacity By Over 30%

Our clients needed it, so we delivered. We’re pleased to announce that this month, we’re increasing the capacity at our Marketing Interaction Center (the MIC), by over 30%.

That kind of flexibility is essential to us. From the very beginning, we’d designed the MIC to be different. We’d worked with other call centers, on behalf of our clients, but none of them lived up to the high standards of Technekes. Sadly, we heard too many “robotic” callers. Too many disinterested callers. Too many improperly or incompletely trained callers. There’s a reason folks hate to be called by people like that. Who wouldn’t?

That’s when we knew we’d have to build our own Marketing Interaction Center – from scratch.

The great thing about starting from scratch is that we could make it whatever we wanted. We could make it exactly what our customers needed. And we can continue to evolve as our customer needs change.

Yes, the MIC is a structured call center, but it’s also a place where innovation thrives. At every level, associates are encouraged to share their ideas and best practices.

We hire top level talent. You wouldn’t believe how many of our folks have degrees and specific job experience in the industry. We’ve got ag folks who have their own farms. Financial services folks working on MBAs. And healthcare folks with years of experience. Since they already understand and appreciate the industry and because our training is so thorough, our callers can engage in dynamic and conversational interactions with our clients and prospects. A customer never feels that he or she is talking to someone who doesn’t know or doesn’t care.

We care. We coach, we connect and we celebrate with our employees.

So please, don’t refer to the MIC as a “call center.” Even with an increased capacity of over 30%, we’re surely not. And proud of it!

Author Preston