Pedlars is a true success story of an online company that got it right and now is moving into having an offline presence. By forming partnerships with established business that attract the same profile customers as its online base, it is likely the company is going to continue to grow. The email newsletter has several areas which make it one of the select few communications I have chosen to stay subscribed to for over four years.  

Why the communications work

• It is sent out weekly and on the same day. There are always moving discussions regarding what days and how often people should receive the communications. It works for newsletters to be sent out at the same time and regular intervals because not only do people know when they are going to receive it but it also helps with ensuring the email is delivered. The fact that the content of the website is always changing and the business is developing with news to share means that weekly is not overkill. For a company which has more static content a less frequent newsletter might be more appropriate.
  
  
• It always arrives in my inbox (so the spam filter never mistakes it for junk).
  
  
• It always comes from the same person, Marlene (who is a real person).  
  
  
• The subject line starts with the name of the company followed by an accurate description of what is included in the email. There is a trend for companies to play around with subject lines either to avoid words that might affect delivery or to optimise open rates. There is nothing wrong with this but it is debatable if the subject line has a big impact on delivery. There is no point getting lots of people to open an email if it turns out the content is not relevant to them (this is more likely to have a negative impact). This is a good example of how to do a subject line well; it says who it is from and what the email includes in a clear, uncluttered way.
  
  
• It is readable very clearly without the images.    
  
  
• The content is concise and to the point and it has clear call to actions that you can normally click on for further information. A good example is, where it invites you to visit a store, there is a clickable link which takes you to images and directions to the store.  Some of the emails have one call to action, some of them have more than one, but each one is relevant, makes sense and is easy to get more information about. This all makes the user journey simple, quick and relevant.  
  
  
• When the images are downloaded it is done quickly and actually adds to the content of the email.
  
  
• It is personalised not only in addressing me by name but also by including products which I have viewed in previous visits or similar things to which I have purchased. This significantly adds to the relevance.  One area it could be further personalised on is the location of the stores, when promoting stores it might be more beneficial just to tell the people who are within a certain distance.
  
  
• The online newsletter is complemented by an optional offline catalogue which you can also choose to receive. This, along with the fact that the email promotes online and offline shopping, shows that the email is an integrated part of the business strategy (as opposed to an add on) and that the success will not just be monitored by open and clicks but the impact the newsletter has on building a brand and driving sales both on and offline.
  
  
• The store manages to combine stylish quirky products with a green, eco-friendly base. This message is re-enforced on the communications without going over the top.

When I initially started to look for an example of a good email many exciting and quirky emails came to mind, the problem was, when I tried to remember who sent them I was stuck! I could remember the name or images but not what they were promoting. I then had to eliminate any clients of Data Media and Research (who of course all produce brilliant email campaigns) so not to shamelessly promote something we are involved in.

Sara Watts
Managing Director
Data Media and Research