Archive for the ‘Analysis of Live Emails’ Category

Nice Preview Pane from eHarmony.com

July 15th, 2009

In some recent posts I’ve pointed out some good and bad design elements for subscribers using preview windows to view emails.

I just received a newsletter from eHarmony.com and wanted to quickly point out a nice approach they have with their layout. Notice in the screen grab below that on the left fold (what I see in my preview pane) they have imagery, article title, and an article preview. This gives me all the information I need to decide if I want to read further. It is also aesthetically sound. Some email marketers complain about having to sacrifice design elements to optimize for performance. eHarmony provides a nice example of a simple structure that accomplishes both goals.

In another post this week I will point out how they are dropping the ball with their segmentation…

Screen grab of eHarmony email in an Outlook preview window (click to enlarge)

eHarmony Preview Pane

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Wynn Drops the Ball with Email

June 23rd, 2009

Wynn Las Vegas LogoIn a previous post, I pointed out how jeweler Shane Co. was making a mistake by not having an email sign-up on their website. I even connected with their online chat representative and they were unable to add me to a list. (Update: I noticed today that they now have a quick sign-up on their home page in the upper right. Better late than never.)

My experience with the Wynn Las Vegas email list has been even more frustrating. To establish some context; I love the Wynn. It’s probably my favorite hotel in Vegas and I have stayed there on numerous occasions. Every time I have had exceptional service and a fantastic trip. I’m definitely a promoter. On the gaming side, I’m a fairly serious poker player. I have played in the Wynn Poker Classic, a WSOP event and the like.

In summary: I like the Wynn, have been a loyal customer, and WANT TO BE ON THEIR EMAIL LIST. I’m an absolutely perfect subscriber.

The only problem is I can’t sign up for their list. I was on a transactional list many years ago when I stayed there for the first time, but that address is long gone.

Here are the steps I’ve taken to opt-in

1. Website: My first action is to just visit the Wynn site and expect to see a quick sign-up on the home page. Nothing.

2. Reply-To Address: A friend of mine is on their list and forwarded me an email (that actually had several flaws). I emailed them and requested to join the list, but received an auto-reply explaining the address was not functioning.

My Next Steps

1. Phone: I will try calling guest services to get on the list. I shouldn’t have to do this.

This quest should have never started (they should already have me in there), but should have definitely stopped at the first step. I expect to see an email sign-up when I visit the website; combined with a nice preference center, well planned welcome letter, and integration with other channels.

Questions or thoughts? Leave a comment or feel free to shoot me an email.

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