Case Studies

Cabedge, on marketing and Campaign Monitor

We got in touch with Chris Blanz to find out how Campaign Monitor fits into their agency's service offering.

First of all, what were the decisive reasons for Cabedge choosing us as their email service provider?

"I can't discount the importance of how well you guys present yourselves as real people and not some mammoth machine."

We had used other providers and although they each had their strengths, Campaign Monitor seemed to have a strong combination of the key things we were looking for. Designer and developer friendly usability, reporting, and price were probably the top three for me. But I can't discount the importance of how well you guys present yourselves as real people and not some mammoth machine.

Cabedge's offering goes beyond simply designing websites – you also extend services like content development, social media marketing and even PR to your clients. What function does email marketing provide in this mix?

We're in the business of helping our clients clearly communicate with their audience(s). Whether a service or a product, it is important for them to get the word out. One of the best ways for a company to increase sales is to keep an open dialogue with people who bought from them before. Email marketing gives them a quick and inexpensive option of doing just that.

Considering the marketing channels available to clients today, do you see email marketing as having growing, or diminishing importance alongside tactics such as social media, or word of mouth? Does email marketing compliment other tactics?

"The one thing you can count on being the same is the need for companies to reach out and stay connected with their customers."

Growing and complementing for sure. Nowadays "word of mouth" doesn't necessarily mean someone has to actually "say" something. I don't know that email marketing will be the same in 5 years. Heck, email as we know it may be completely different (if Google Wave has anything to say about it). Technology changes so fast and opinions change even faster. What is cool now, will likely be passe not too long from now. The one thing you can count on being the same is the need for companies to reach out and stay connected with their customers.

A lot of designers would love to know how you bill your clients for email marketing. Do you charge for individual deliverables like templates, a fixed fee per project, or something different?

We don't mark-up the actual campaign sends that go out. That may change someday when we have someone who wants to send out a million emails at once, but for now, we think of the emails almost like one page mini-sites. We charge for the time it takes to conceptualize, design and code the template, then get it ready for a send.

Finally, what tips or advice can you give to other designers and agencies who are planning to offer email marketing to their clients?

1. Simplify.
2. Make sure you strive to enhance and not overpower the central message that you or your client needs to convey.
3. Keep it beautiful.

Many thanks to Chris Blanz for contributing. Visit Cabedge to view their full portfolio and learn about the exceptional services they provide.

Sample campaigns sent by Cabedge

Cabedge are no strangers to the Campaign Monitor team. After having one of their simple, yet thoroughly engaging email designs feature in our gallery, they had the audacity to jump head-long into our 2009 holiday email competition and spirit away the runner-up prize.

Season's Greenings

A New Number