Check out this excellent article from David Baker, vice president of Media solutions at Avenue a/Razorfish.  It highlights some how-tos for making email communications more compelling so that people A) open them and B) respond.What a great way to start a morning- with some food for thought!

Advertising is a key marketing function that needs to be reviewed frequently. If you haven't updated your print and online ad materials lately, you may want to make a point of taking a look.

Email seems so easy, flexible and "free" that we can get caught in the trap of not focusing on it enougth to ensure our message is heard and acted upon. The idea that print has more longevity really makes us stop and pause to proofread newspaper and magazine ads to determine if the message is spot on.

Some things to consider as you review your ad materials.

1. Is it time to hire a professional graphic designer to create your ads? I guarantee it is not as expensive as you think and the quality will elevate the presentation immensely.

2. Is your house ad looking a little tired? Even if you are only promoting your store and the basic items you sell, it's a good idea to refresh your ad materials. Not change them entirely... just refresh it just as you update your key store displays.

3. Are the fonts you are using updated? Type fonts also follow trends. Your ad could have a whole new look  just by updating the font.

4. When you send store emails do they have a compelling subject line. Or does it always say.... a message from Beth's Scrapbooks? If the body of the email holds news about a sale or new product, that should be teased in the headline.

5. Are you measuring the response rates to your emails? You should. That will help you identify what topics customers are most likely to respond to.

Email is a tremendously effective marketing tool. But just as you research and measure other advertising tools, you should approach your email campaign with objectives in mind. ---Beth