I’m going to stop with the three weekly Product Update mailing. A decision made by combining overall results with my gut feeling. Honestly, I have to do better. I can do better!
The first Product Updates
Six months ago, I started with a mailing to inform all private beta users about important product updates. Main goals: user feedback & engagement!
1st Campaign in Mailchimp
The first mailings felt good. And the results were ok-ish, with opening rates above 60% and 10-20% clicks. But I didn’t receive much feedback (replies) via the newsletters. Maybe that’s not what Newsletters are for?
The ‘ProductHunt Launch’ mailing has the best results: 72.3% opens and 21,7% clicks. Was it the launch? The screw-up? Or the funny gif? Probably the launch ?.
ProductHunt Launch mailing
Product Updates since the launch
It all changed after the launch in July. Of course, I expected overall engagement to drop. A lot of Product Hunters sign up to briefly check the product.
Some of them might be interested in our product updates and improvements. Most of them, well, not so much. At least, not at this moment. Plus, they didn’t subscribe to the mailing. That’s what I decided for them.
As a result, the opening rates dropped (far) below 40%, and the clicks rate to 3.5% – 8.1% ?.
Time to make some changes
First of all, no more Product Updates mailing. It stops here, after 10 updates.
I made a Product Updates page instead. One page with a list of most significant product updates available for all website visitors. Fun fact: while I created this page, it made me aware of the process thus far. What a progress we made, wow! I’m so proud ?
Preview Product Update page
Besides, all new Mindwave Users will auto-follow the ‘Build a sustainable Mindwave‘ journal anyway. So they will be updated about our progress, from a public journal perspective.
Note-to-self: inform new users about this in their welcome mail.
By the way, the pretty thing about keeping up a public journal: no marketing metrics here. No idea how many people are reading a story like this one. I don’t know how many subscribe or unsubscribe. It doesn’t, and it shouldn’t matter!
Then I thought about the original mailing goals: user feedback & engagement. I still love to get more user feedback and engagement, especially from new users. So I made an overview of all touchpoints to see where I can improve my communication.
For instance, new users get one automated welcome mail. But I’m not offering much help & support to help them get started, do I?
So I’m going to switch focus to improve the overall onboarding & communication. Helping new users will enhance engagement. Every interaction is an opportunity to receive feedback.
Maybe even a (Mailchimp) mailing. One that helps & supports new users in getting started.
