When's the best time to send an email?

After sending email campaigns for a long time I've tried loads of times and days. There are a few implied rules that seem to make sense but tend not to have any scientific backing.

For example a common thought is that sending an email campaign on a Monday is a bad idea. The thought is that after a weekend in boxes are full and most of its contents if not deemed immediately important are deleted.

Saturday is thought to be a good day if you have a high-powered list. The thought is that they will be checking their emails over the weekend without resorting to their secretary.

I'm about to send an email campaign to my newsletter list at Global Lingo. And I'm planning on Tuesday at around 11am. Seems like a good time to me.

Yesterday I had a thought though as I was walking in the park checking my Blackberry. And it dawned on me that there now is no perfect time. Virtually no one waits until they return to the office to check their emails. Almost every one has a way to check at any time of day or night.

So today I still plan to send my email at 11am, but next time I'll test the time of day and see what the results are. So to finish this off there is no perfect time for all emails just the perfect time for yours. And the only way you'll ever know is to test and test and test.

Good Luck

My Bettakultcha 5 minutes

As I was one of the founders of Bettakultcha I thought it only right that I put myself forward to present. So for better or worse here's my presentation.

Let me know what you think warts and all!

To book a place for Bettakultcha 2 click this link

Getting ready for Bettakultcha and more grey hairs!

Just before Christmas I met Ivor Tychak at a party at Temple Works in Leeds.

I got talking to Ivor about an idea I'd always wanted to do which was along the lines of Pecha Kucha short presentations 20 slides for 20 seconds each. Ivor had wanted to do the same but, at the time, there didn't seem anywhere doing this, at least in Leeds.

So I decided to do something I've not done before and just get on with it and organise something. As Ivor had been a catalyst for me I asked if he would like to do it with me (Ivor if you're reading this, forgive me if that's not quite right).

We arranged a meeting at Temple Works and they gave us their blessing to get on with it. That's where the scary bit came in. I'd not not only had an idea (with help) but I'd stuck my neck out and started something. People now knew something was happening we had a 60 person limit which we wanted to fill and speakers to find to. Oh and equipment, oh and insurance!

There was another issue, mainly that Pecha Kucha was already in Leeds and they don't allow more than one per city. So we came up with Bettakultcha. Hopefully catchy (and a little like Pecha Kucha, but not quite).

Next stop was the Bettakultcha Blog, Bettakultcha Twitter feed and a way of controlling tickets we used Event Bright.

Well just over one month later, Bettakultcha is tomorrow night at Temple Works. We've sold all 60 tickets and now have 10 presenters (after both numbers going up and down quite a few times). I also now have more grey hair than when I started.

But what I'm most pleased about is I've started something and as of about 9.00pm tomorrow will have finished it.

I guess what I getting at is that whatever you want to do, the only thing stopping you, is you.

Why we all use Google for everything

I can't sleep, so I thought I'd blog. In my tired but wide awake state, I suddenly realised why I use Google for pretty much everything, other than my Twittering. Yes it is because it has the best search results, but how much search do I do any more? Yes it's easy to use as well but that's not the reason either.

I use it because it's easy to get to. Simple as that.

Google is set as my home page on IE8. I have Google Toolbar so that means there are already three buttons directly on my browser so I can instantly get to all my Google applications. These simple facts have meant that as every new tool arrives from them I have instant access.

Not rocket science I grant you, but a nice marketing lesson. Make it easy to use if you want it to spread. If you want to reach a niche audience however, maybe making it difficult is the best way?

Buying locally is great for you

Not that I work from home I'm very lucky that I can go shopping locally at lunch time. Where I live in Roundhay in Leeds I'm very lucky. We have a great butchers R P Sethcfield which if you read the reviews is said to be one of the best in Leeds if not the whole of Yorkshire. The queue outside at Christmas is testament to the quality of the meat and the service they give.

I'm also lucky to have a great little grocers who sells lovely fresh local fruit and veg. They even have speciality stuff like wild mushrooms and fresh beetroot, sorry can't remember the name, but they're on Street Lane in Roundhay.

The great think is that all the food is top class as well as being great value for money and you get the feeling that you're giving something back to the local community at the same time.

Being snowed in

Being snowed in, which I'm technically not (but that car's not going anywhere til the snow's gone) makes you think a lot. I ventured out earlier for a walk in the snow to see just how deep it was.

I've not seen snow like this since I was a kid. Makes me think back to times I don't remember to clearly and wonder what happened to me to make me the way I am. None of my family are remotely interested in business and have no idea what I do.

I used to try and explain what I do as a marketer but because my mum thinks it's sales and I call people all day I give up and tell them I work in advertising, which I don't.

So just what did make me the way I am? Not really got any answers don't think I ever will, but if your family and upbringing shape your life then something must have kicked in and looking back now I'm grateful for whatever it was.

Time to give something back in 2010

I've been thinking that this year I should give something back. I've been working for just over 20 years now, and ever since that first day on my YTS scheme at a publishers in Sheffield (25 quid a week, slavery thanks Mrs Thatcher (little bit of politics)) I've been learning things.

Well now I've come to the conclusion that I should give something back. So I've decided that I'd like to mentor someone in their marketing career, that's if they'll have me. I've a long background in most aspects from Direct Marketing through to online and social media. I won't go into it all here, you can take a look at my Linkedin Profile for all the details.

I'd like to help just one person, I only have so much time. Ideally you'd be in Leeds as well. I don't want any pay for this, just the thought that I'm helping in a small way.

If you'd like me to help you out then please add a comment to this post on why you are the person I should help. You need to be willing to learn and willing to teach me too. I want to work with someone who's eager and ultimately a bit special.

If that's you let me know.

Roundhay Bandstand Photographs

Just nipped to Roundhay Park in Leeds and took some really quick pictures inside one of the lovely bandstands in there.

I remembered photo collages by David Hockney and thought I'd have a go. It's very rough I took less than 5 minutes to take all eight images with by small digital compact. I then chucked them together in Photoshop. Not the greatest shots but a lot of fun.

To take a closer look double click on the picture.

New year planning, stop spamming comments

I just popped on here to post about planning for the new year in your business. As I logged on I noticed I had a comment to moderate. I love getting comments because like most bloggers, I don't get many. So imagine my frustration, it won't be hard, when it was a huge spam comment full of links and targeted text, with no connection to the post it was commenting on.

I've been doing SEO for quite a while now and I understand the reason behind the tactics, but this is 2009, nearly 2010, and spamming comments is so 1999!

So if there's one thing I'd advise as planning for 2010, if this type of SEO work was in your plan ditch it and start again. I love comments on my blog, but this kind just get deleted. The spammer wasted their time and mine, a net loss of effort.

Sorry for the rant, Merry Christmas.

Sage Advice from Seth Godin

Yet again Seth Godin inspires me. His latest blog post extols you to just get on with it, if you've never done anything before using this internet thingy, then start now and catch up quickly!

All the tools are out there you just need to use them, most are even free, they just need you to put some work and energy in. I've used most of these in my previous jobs. Just started at Global Lingo as Director of Marketing, and they're dying to grow as much as they can, so I'll be using some of Seth's points to get things moving quickly.

You should too.

Focus on the goal of your website

When you're building or writing your website the first thing you should consider is:

What exactly do I want this site to do?

Now the fist thing to come in to your head will be - Sell, be read, make me famous etc (depending on who you are)

But once you've got that you need to delve deeper, who do you want to sell to? What type of people are you looking to read your site? What do you want to be famous for?

You need to delve down and focus on your core market, you can't possibly reach an entire population, country, world, universe so don't even try all you'll be is bland and no one buys bland.

Focus your site on what you want to deliver, what really burns in your soul (or your warehouse)

When even a closing down sale doesn't help

Today I visited Borders book store. I've never seen it so busy just goes to show that the British love nothing like a bargain. Odd thing is that though it was packed not many people where buying. I picked up a book but decided against buying it, not sure why just didn't feel right.

And that's the problem with Borders, it doesn't feel right. Sure there's a Starbucks but the whole shop just feel wrong. It has a huge mish mash of stuff in there, books, CD's, stationery, household items, toys and loads of other stuff.

Borders' never knew if it was coming or going and neither did the buying public. Though it didn't buy the book in borders I walked around to Waterstones and I bought a book there, I paid full price when I'm sure if Borders had felt right I could have bought there for a lot less. But in Waterstones it felt right, because it is just a book shop that's what they do.

Choosing a company name

There are several trains of thought on this.

1. Pick a name which describes the business
2. Pick a name which uses a made-up word
3. Use your own name

1. If you have a complex business, then giving a descriptive name which does it justice will be difficult

2. Made-up word can be a great way to create standout, it also makes finding you easier. Seth Godin started Squidoo for that very reason. If you heard of it you'd remember the name because it is so unusual.

3. Using your own name may sound a bit lazy, but think about it. People all ready know you you already have a reputation and therefore a story. If you give a 'brand' name to yourself, there's a dilution of the story as you have to start explaining your decision.

Why long is better than short

In a world of sound bites where everything needs to be in short easily remembered sound bites, there's a common thought that everything needs to be short. Weather that's copy on a website, a TV series, a song, book, film, take your pick.

But all this flies in the face of the facts. Long things when engaging, interesting, artistic, of merit and relevant are pretty much always more appreciated over time, where as sound bites are just that and are quickly forgotten, there are notable exceptions, but most of those actually re-enforce the rule of long because they are made to entice you into the main long element.

I'm listening to The Stone Roses re-mastered on Spotify at the moment and one of my favourite tracks is Fools Gold, it's also a firm favourite of most Stone Roses fans. At 9.52 minutes for some people it's over long, but for a fan who's head starts bobbing from the opening notes it's just not long enough! In a similar vein Stairway to Heaven and Bohemian Rhapsody are stupidly long but and untouchable to their fans. Can you say that about 3 minutes of Lady GaGa?

Same applies to loads of other things which delight and amaze people, you try telling a fan of Lord of the Rings the films and books are too long and difficult. Try saying that watching 24 takes too much time!

In sport even. The World Snooker Championships takes two weeks to complete with some sessions going on into the middle of the next morning. The Ashes and test cricket take 5 days to play one game which may then end in a draw. American Football takes forever to finish as does baseball.

In art, is the Sistine Chapel ceiling too big and detailed? Jackson Pollock paintings too long?

In advertising, why do you think some infomercials are a whole 3 minutes long? And that long engaging copy in direct mail letters works better than short copy? Because it tells a story which is interesting and captivating to the customers who are disposed to buy the products. It's not trying to convince every viewer to buy, how could it? No it works hard on the relevant people and converts them.

What all these have in common is a craftsmanship which takes a long time to perfect, it's then perfectly articulated which makes it enduring, relevant and in a way addictive.

So when some one says that things need to be short because people don't have the attention span then they're clearly looking at the population in general. Fine if you want a quick hit and disappear.

But if you want to stay around for a long time better make things well crafted, interesting, relevant and if its needed long.

Using relevant targeted TV ads

It's Friday and I'm watching crap TV, that's why the ads seem a little more interesting. Lately they haven't been.

I spotted an ad just now that will never win any awards, the direction is functional, the script direct. It has no superstars in it and no whispering back and white film noir camera work. But this is a great TV ad, why is is great. Well because it speaks directly to the audience its targeted at. The ad is for Match.com the biggest dating website.

Don't click away

The ad for was so great because it was timely and relevant. The script is along the lines of "Last month we said we didn't have enough men on Match.com. Well we now have loads more new men". It then signed off with it's 6 month guarantee.

There was no need to fill in the blanks of "So ladies that means there are loads of new men to date" because the ad had achieved that easily and the interested single ladies knew exactly what to do.

The best bit for Match.com is that they will be able to measure success. The equation is simple Cost of Ad/Number of new signups and returning users equals ROI. Simples! (as another measurable clever ad keeps saying)

Get rich quick schemes on Twitter

The web is like any other medium it soon gets filled by spammers and get rich quick artists who sell on thier idea to poor unsuspecting suckers in the hope of creaming off a few quid.

Twitter has been caught up in that in the only way it could - incredibly fast!

The number of tweets promising ways of getting 1000's of followers is incredible, even twitterers who have good long standing reputation get caught up in the volume game (I question on such and didn't get an answer). The question is why? What the point of having millions of followers if:

1. They don't know who you are
2. They have no relationship with you or your knowledge

If there two things at least aren't met then there is no connect with your message and therefore no point having millions of followers because you can't influence their behaviour. It all comes down to permission to speak to people. Twiterers are far better off having and handful of followers who will listen act and respond than millions who don't care.

Quality over Quantity every time

The Internet as a social history or people sticking old pictures on FaceBook

The Internet now makes saving peoples personal history easier than ever. That's a pretty obvious statement to people who's been using the web for a long time, but for some it's nothing short of a miracle.

Recently my sister died, very suddenly and unexpected. She'd just joined FaceBook and hadn't added must stuff but what she did add is still there and it's nice to look back and see her writing and pictures, I can hear her reading them as I read them. When she died I created a group for people to leave their memories of her and also as a way to let people who she knew but had lost touch with what had happened. The response was amazing with over 100 people joining and many leaving memories of her as well as their own pictures with her in.

My parents aren't on the Internet and probably never will be so they'll never get to see the group. I printed out everything which had been posted and gave it to them and her husband. They were overwhelmed with the response and amazed that this could have happened. The great thing is that that group, which is still active is a social history of my sister in a way that could never have happened before the Internet and FaceBook in particular.

I was just browsing FaceBook again a few minutes ago and found a group all about memories and pictures of Sheffield, my home city. Normally the images here, well over 500, would have been in dusty boxes in a back room or in a museum collection. But know they're there for people to look through, comment and add your own to whenever you want.

If I needed to find out about my past I needed to talk to the older generation who would take their stories and images with them when they died. My children will have an amazing record of nearly everything I ever did and everything everyone else ever did too. I still find that truly amazing.

Banksy vs Bristol Museum and why it's important

On Tuesday I visited Banksy vs Bristol Museum. It was my first time in Bristol and firstly I've got to day that Bristol while obviously spending loads of money on the city centre couldn't organises a piss up in a brewery. There were loads of signs for parking but then the signs disappeared, there were no signs for the city centre, I asked a man cleaning a lamp post. And there were absolutely no signs for the Banksy exhibition.

I gave me the feeling that Bristol is ashamed of itself and a bit embarrassed by Banksy and what he's achieved. I'm sure lots of Bristol people love what he does and how he does it, but you get the feeling that whoever is running Bristol Council can't get their heads around promoting someone who they see as essentially a criminal.

Having said all that all this just plays into Banksy's hands. He loves the fact that he's so underground no one knows who he is or what he'll do next. Guess that why I love the work so much too. No fanfare, no marketing (at least overtly) just turn up and see his work for free. He's the ultimate Guerrilla Marketer.

The two hour wait in the rain was well worth it though. Three rooms full of Banksy paintings, sculptures, animatronics and audio. For me the best bits were off-piste. He'd been give free reign around the museum, so lots of time was spent hunting through dusty cabinets no one had looked at in years in search of hidden dildos in Stalagmite displays and for sale signs on the back of ancient pottery. Most of the exhibits can't ever have been looked at quite as much as while this exhibition is on.

The great thing was that photography was allowed, here's my Bansky Photo collection.

If you get a chance must must go, it's free to get in there's just the small issue of a two hour queue.

Social Networking, Twitter, Linkedin, FaceBook and all that

When is it too soon to begin a social networking marketing campaign? Twitter, Linkedin, FaceBook et all are all the rage at the moment and lots and lots of companies are using them to great effect. But there are a lot of companies who fail to understand the strength of the opportunity and are waiting for the best time to add it to their armoury.

What they aren't grasping is that there is never a right time to enter this now. The time to enter was about 2 years ago. Yes Twitter may not last very much longer, but there'll be something else around the corner and when that comes on you should move over to it.

Social Networking is just the same as word of mouth which is proven to be the strongest form of marketing, what scares people is the technology and time involved.

Yes it can be a time vampire but it means that you're spending time speak to your customers, asking them about your products and services and listening when they tell you something is crap, taking it on the chin and fixing it. When you get down to brass tacks and speak to customers fixing their real problems that's when magical things start to happen.

All Twitter, Linkedin and FaceBook do is make the process so much quicker and direct.

So if your company or organisation hasn't started using Social Networking yet then don't hang around start it now!

Jarvis did win over Bruce at Glastonbury

This is my first post, post Glastonbury. It was a great festival this year, despite a lot of people being very apprehensive about the line up. I must admit I was one of them.

To my mind there were too many old acts who were past it by quite a way. Most of them were a lot better than I expected except Crosby, Stills and Nash who were dull and droning and went on far too long.

When it came to the big headline act on Saturday I did just as I thought I might and ducked out of seeing Bruce Springsteen on the Pyramid stage and popped over to see Jarvis Cocker on John Peel.

Sounds like this was a great move, the John Peel stage is really good because you can get pretty close to the stage plus it's covered so no chance of getting wet. The added bonus was that I got there early enough to see White Lies before Jarvis came on. Had no idea what they were like before but I'm quite a fan now.

Jarvis was his usual erudite self with quite long periods of chatting to the audience. The expected Michael Jackson mentions never appeared though and neither did the covers of Pulp tracks which I'm sure some people would have liked. He started the set with Pilchard which is defiantly one of the best tracks on the new album and then rattled through most of his solo tracks. Some nutter came on half way through and gave him a bottle of Champagne and called him a "great working class hero" he seemed really surprised at this especially as he's never really worked!

The people who did see Bruce Springsteen said that it was pretty dull and even people who were fans were pretty disappointed.

All in all an amazing festival, can't wait for next year.