Accelerating Digital Transformation with Email
Acquisition Email is a critical channel in AAA Northeast’s path to a digital-first member strategy.
Rahul Chand,
VP Marketing, AAA Northeast
Email By The Numbers
Acquisition Email has been a major part of the marketing mix for AAA Northeast for the past 10 years. With help from Blue Duck Agency (formerly Direct Associates), AAA Northeast has built various Acquisition Email strategies and campaigns that have met and exceeded growth goals over the years.
10 Years
AAA Northeast's first email campaign deployed in 2014. Acquisition Email has been used as a successful digital touch point for over a decade. To date, over 5 different list partners are being used, and upwards of 8 different models, to reach various audience segments with customized creative and messaging.
200% Increase
Between 2018 and 2024 we've had over a 200% increase in email volume. Even with a finite territory, email has scaled significantly becoming more targeted and maintaining effectiveness. The expansion in volume helped eliminate higher cost channels and hone a digital-first strategy.
Over 1 Million Joins
In under 6 years, our Acquisition Email programs have driven well over a million new member joins. Using match-back reporting, each membership join is directly attributed to the email channel on a 1:1 basis. These email-driven joins have played a crucial role in achieving overall membership goals with numbers consistently scaling year over year as targets have increased.
34% More Efficient
The CPM for direct mail grew by 8% between 2020 to 2024, while the CPM for email has dropped by 34% over the same period. This shift highlights the growing cost-efficiency of digital marketing channels, prompting us to strategically prioritize these platforms to maximize ROI and drive more impactful results.
A Peek into the Email Playbook
Through audience segmentation, niche targeting methods and cohesive messages across various channels, Blue Duck Agency has been able to help AAA Northeast consistently meet and exceed growth goals utilizing Acquisition Email.
Creative TESTING
Performance improves when creative designs and messaging are tailored to resonate with diverse audiences. We've crafted custom creative for groups like Hispanic communities, insurance prospects, and discount seekers. We continually run A/B tests on creative elements and subject lines to refine what drives the best engagement, ensuring continuous optimization for better results.
1:1 Variability
Using variability, we create personalized engagement, speaking directly to prospects in a 1:1 conversation that feels tailor-made just for them. By smartly segmenting your audience by geography, interests, and more, our emails can zero in on the most ideal prospects who are ready and eager to join AAA.
Design Best Practice
Staying current with evolving industry best practices and technologies is essential for standing out in today’s competitive landscape. By consistently testing new formats and email strategies, we can recommend what will work best for your club. For instance, we prioritize a mobile-first approach to email design, ensuring layouts and design elements are optimized for a seamless mobile experience. Additionally, tactics like incorporating a "remind me later" button create extra touchpoints, helping to boost engagement and response rates.
Double Opt-in
All prospects are double opted in to receive promotional email materials, ensuring a higher likelihood of ending up in the inbox instead of the spam folder. This also helps increase open and click rates for the campaign, and drive more traffic to the join funnel.
Modeled Lists
Custom audience models are developed based on common attributes of the existing customer base as well as any niche qualities specific to a campaign or goal. We narrow down the prospect pool and prioritize those more likely to respond, maximizing your budget and ROI.
High Deliverability
All prospect data is cleaned and CAN-SPAM compliant, which is key to maintaining high deliverability rates. Blue Duck Agency has implemented a strict hygiene process for all prospect data, working closely with certified ESP partners to ensure all that all email regulations are followed.
EMAIL UNIVERSITY
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