The Sunday that Taught Me to Stop Whining

I was talking to a friend the other day and she was whining about her life. I tried telling her that there are people who would kill to have the life she does. But she didn’t seem to believe me. It made me think of the boys I had met on Sunday and what they wouldn’t do to be in her place.

My visit to the Government Home for Boys with Special Needs was an eye-opener in more ways than one. The joy that I felt from these kids is something we don’t normally get to experience in our adult lives. When they came up to me to shake my hand, they smiled and showed that they were happy to meet me. Not in the way you say ‘Nice meeting you’ to a new acquaintance but something more like ‘I’m so glad you’re here!’

These boys may look like pre-teens but some of them have a mental age of a 3-year-old and are still struggling with basic motor skills. The volunteers from U & I had organised special activities to help them interact better and learn the basics.

One group brought along coffee beans, a ball of cotton and an orange to demonstrate smell, touch and taste – a great exercise for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Another group had progressed to ABC’s and 123’s. Talking to the volunteers, I learnt that it takes a long time to see results with these boys and some of them have spent years building a good rapport with them so that they retain what they learn.

In the corridors, there was a cheerful bunch of boys performing nursery rhymes and repeating steps after their beloved akkas and annas as they fondly call the volunteers. One boy started playing claps with me – something I hadn’t done in years. It’s easy to smile around here, even easier to bring a smile to someone’s face. At one point, a little boy and I found ourselves laughing out loud without a care in the world. Some things that seem crazy to the outside world become a part of daily life here.

All in all, I found the experience truly enriching and inspiring. Everything we whine about every day is of least priority when you focus on making someone smile and helping them grow. I recently heard this quote that really captures what I experienced: Never get tired of doing the little things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.

5 Fragrances for a Fresh Start to Your Day

You know what’s so amazing about a fragrance? They haven’t figured out how to share it online yet! It’s the only part of you that cannot be captured or stored, except in the bottle you spray it from. A little spritz in the morning that lasts you all day. There are some fragrances that can alter your mood, make you feel more refreshed or more romantic or more relaxed. And it’s never easy to find the one that will come to define you. 

Email Marketing: Basics & Benefits

Of all the options available in the marketing world today, why choose email marketing? What benefits does it present and what are the fundamentals to keep in mind while creating a marketing plan for email? Here are some of the basics:

Objective
A clear objective will make an effective email campaign. Define your goal earlier on: is it drive traffic to your site, announce a new launch or build loyalty? Tailor your email content to your objective and give a clear call-to-action.

Open rate
Open rate refers to the number of emails that are opened as a percentage of the number of emails sent. A good subject line can lead to a higher open rate. Experiment with symbols to attract attention. Also make sure the first few words capture the essence of the email as only 4 or so words of the subject line are visible on mobile. 

Click-through rate
Click-through rate refers to the number of people who visit your website through links in your email. A good click through rate is the result of a clean database, relevant content and clear call-to-action buttons. Try out a combination of attractive images and attractive discounts to increase your click through rate. Emphasise the objective of your email and make it relevant to your audience.

Format
There are essentially two types of emails you can send out: HTML emails and text emails. HTML emails include graphics, colours and tables. Text emails are purely text based. You should experiment with both email formats to see which one gives you higher returns. Not all formats are compatible with mobile devices. So if you have a larger mobile user base, it’s safer to stick to text emails.

Deliverability
Email deliverability refers to the number of emails delivered to the inbox. Every batch of emails will have some junk IDs and unknown addresses. Make sure you have a good number of “clean” email IDs. Defunct email IDs are of no use and increase your potential to be flagged as spam. Also, your reports won’t be accurate. So make it a habit to regularly clean your email database. 

Keeping the basics in mind, let’s explore the benefits of email marketing over other more traditional forms of marketing:

       Personalization
Email marketing is a way of speaking directly to your consumer. Print campaigns, TV and radio advertising reach out to a mass audience and follow a "one-size-fits-all" format; whereas you can reach out a large number of people in a personalised manner through email. Use the readers’ first names, talk about trending products in their city and include recommendations based on the users’ past purchases. There are endless ways to make the email experience highly personalised.

Reduced Time & Effort

Email Marketing is not as time consuming as other forms of marketing. An email campaign from planning to execution takes less than a day. It can be accomplished by a single person with the right tools. Using email templates can save even more time, giving you the opportunity to reach out to a large number of readers in a short span of time.

               

      Real-Time Messaging

      Because of the reduced time and effort involved in email marketing, you can send timely messages, related to real-time events. For example, a flash sale can be announced through email rather than print or TV. There need not be a long gap between campaign development and implementation when it comes to email marketing. You can even send personalized messages to customers on their birthdays or anniversaries.

     

More Frequent Communication

       Emails are a great way to keep the conversation going. Since they don’t take long to execute, emails can be sent more frequently as compared to flyers or print catalogs. You can send them weekly offers and launch announcements. Mailing regularly reminds your readers of your presence but avoid sending more than one email with the same communication. At least once a month and at the most thrice a week is a good strategy to start with.

The benefits of Email Marketing are numerous and its relevance in today’s world of marketing is only increasing.