Email marketing seems simple, and for the most part it is. Yet, many companies and clients create their emails and fail to browser test or email client test to make sure their emails are rendering consistently across these platforms. This results in an oblivious and convoluted customer experience that leaves the customer asking “Why does this email look like this?” Delete. Mark as spam.

Email service providers are no cake walk either. Many of the most popular ones with large marketing budgets to acquire customers fail to meet best practices when it comes to delivery.

Sending a successful email marketing campaign relies on 3 things:
1. Clean HTML code that renders consistently across the major email clients
2. A reputable email service provider like Campaign Monitor, ExactTarget
3. A solid testing plan cross-browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) and email client (Outlook, Yahoo!, Gmail,Hotmail) Each has its own quirks to deal with.

To help create a successful email campaign, Campaign Monitor published a guide that allows email marketers to see the various elements that affect how emails are rendered across 24 email clients. They learned that support for even simple CSS varies considerably between clients, and even different versions of the same client.

Download your copy and view the comparison table here. It covers 24 different email clients and all the popular applications across desktop, web and mobile email.

Thank you Campaign Monitor!

Note: Outlook (27% of total market share) and iOS Devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch) (16% of total market share) are the most popular email clients.

Forrester just released their Email Service Provider report for Q4 (Forrester Wave™). The report is a comprehensive evaluation of 15 top-tier vendors, and analyzes products and services across over 70+ criteria and three dimensions, including “Current Offering,” “Strategy,” and “Market Presence.”

The leaders of the pack with robust and highly-integrated solutions were ExactTarget and Responsys. Liberty Interactive Marketing has been a long-time user and advocate for ExactTarget given a customers complex needs with regard to segmentation, dynamic content, and integrating with other marketing channels like social and mobile.

While clearly the 70+ points of criteria knocked out a lot of smaller solutions like Campaign Monitor and Blue Sky Factory, it doesn’t mean medium-sized businesses should discount these. Before selecting an appropriate email service provider, sit down and determine what your needs are, from customer database integration to segmentation. What assets are you working with and what shape are they in?

And if you thought email was a passe marketing tactic for 2010 and beyond, you’ll be surprised to know that 68% of those surveyed by Forrester said that they anticipate that email marketing’s effectiveness will increase in the next three years.

The main focus for marketers will be to understand who their customers are and how to market to them personally and with relevance.

To stay ahead of the pack or just catch up I highly recommend downloading this email marketing report from Forrester compliments of ExactTarget.

From 1992 to 2007, eCommerce has transformed from a $35.3 billion per year industry to nearly a $200 billion per year industry according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s more than a 500 percent increase total and an average of a 33 percent increase each year!

Email marketing ties in well with eCommerce, and is a popular online marketing channel used to drive sales. However, eCommerce companies need to be aware that gaining and retaining a loyal customer base is a key component to the bottom line, and if you’re customers aren’t happy, expect to see that bottom line plummet.

Here is my experience with one eCommerce company and their email marketing campaign. I was less than pleased with the over-all experience, and will share the pros and cons as they relate to both email marketing best practices and overall customer experience.

The Good

• This company did well in quickly shipping the item I purchased. I had the package in my hands in about two days.
• They were also helpful in recommending what size I should choose, the item of clothing fit just right.

Email Marketing: Room for Improvement

• A promotional email was sent to me for 20% off but never stated when the promotion expired. Tip: Always present the user with all offer details – from promo code to expiration date to any hidden terms.
• I received an error when I went to make my purchase saying the code was invalid. I had to contact the company in order for them to temporarily reactivate the code. Tip: Make sure that Marketing is communicating with Operations. Most customers don’t have the patience to pick up the phone. Online chat is an optional tool to handle these types of requests, but make sure they are trained appropriately.

Web site Usability: Room for Improvement

• Product information was incomplete on the site. They did not have photos showing the complete product I wanted to order. I had to contact them and ask them to add an additional picture to the website. Tip: Always ensure you have photos of every item you are selling on your website. Consumers don’t have the luxury of tangibility online so providing as much information about the product is imperative. Angles shots, videos, and customer reviews are all optimal content assets when selling a product online.
• Part of the fun of ordering online is the anticipation of the package being delivered. Tip: Tie your email marketing in with shipping/operations to create a lifecycle campaign that keeps the customer excited to receive their shipment and notifies them of tracking and delivery.
• Further disappointment came when my package arrived and I discovered I was sent the wrong piece of clothing. I sent it back to the company and received the correct order less than one week later. Tip: Always double-check that you are sending the specific product that the customer ordered. Include easy instructions on how to return the item. Tip: Don’t overlook the details of providing a simple thank you on receipts and shipping invoices. A coupon for their next purchase is also a great way to encourage repeat visits.

While I do love what I ordered, my over-all experience with the eCommerce site left me less-than impressed and I will not be making purchases from them in the future. I hope this first-hand customer experience has given useful insight to new eCommerce businesses looking to engage in email marketing and provide users with a great customer experience. Paying attention to all the details and making sure all departments are working together will ensure you a loyal customer base and an increase in your bottom line.