How to get a free copy of Forrester's Email Marketing Scorecard

I just got a copy of Forrester's Email Marketing Scorecard, courtesy of Exact Target, which is now owned by Saleseforce.com. It is a useful platform for benchmarketing, evaluating, and improving your email marketing progam.

I agreed with almost all the criteria used by Forrester, but here are a few that echo what I've been telling email marketers about best practices:

• Use email strategically based on advanced analytics--By strategy, Forrester means evaluating how well email programs engender engagement, incorporate email-specific customer research, deepen customer relationships rather than just driving email conversions, and integrate into a larger multichannel customer-communications strategy. Strategy also involves quantifying the long-term or lifetime value of email subscribers rather than just evaluating ROI on the immediate purchases triggered by a campaign. Forrester recommends a defined and documented email marketing strategy outlining program goals, metrics, and measurement methods across divisions;

• Include social media--Forrester research indicates that personalized, engaging, interactive content (including user-generated testimonials, images, and videos) resonates with users. 26% of US online adults have found websites through an email from a friend or family member. Therefore, Forrester scores incorporation of user-generated content and ease of social sharing;

• Use segmentation--Forrester recommends using preference based data combined with behavioral data;

• Test--Forrester recommends monitoring delivery issues, managing frequency, and testing various creative approaches and what they call the user experience (UX);

• Optimize UX--This includes the keys to email success. The subscription process should capture relevant data to drive segmentation concisely. Email content should be engaging and customized. A clear call to action should be placed "above the fold". Emails should be easily shareable. from lines should engender trust. Subject lines should compel the recipient to open the email by using descriptive, evocative, and benefit-focused copy. Layouts must be quickly scannable, including benefit-focused headlines and subheads, with concise copy. "Alt tags" should be used so that the message is clear even when images are suppressed. An option to view in a mobile-friendly format must be included--better yet, the message should be designed for mobile first.

Forrester also recommends quarterly campaign benchmarking and competitor analysis.

To get the Scorecard free, go here.