One of your goals this year may be to clean up the contacts in your Voodoo account.  In our 3-part series on Deliverability we wrote about how you can use non-delivery email messages to clean your contact lists. There are many ways to clean up your databases and this QuickTip focuses on the best way to remove a contact.  You may wish to remove contacts because: 

• You've received a non-delivery (bounceback) message
• You no longer wish to send email to this contact (not a lead)
• The contact has informed you that you have the incorrect person at a company

Before you delete a Contact Record or remove a Contact from a Contact List, please learn about this important tip:

Voodoo QuickTip #488 - How to Delete a Contact Record without affecting Stats

Voodoo Reports and Statistics are compiled based on the Contact List a Campaign was sent to, compiling data for each individual Contact Record in that list.  If you remove a Contact Record from a Contact List, the statistics associated with that contact will be removed, permanently altering campaign stats.  In other words, the Reports and Statistics for the Campaign will not include that record in its counts anymore (sent, open, etc).  



For some users, having individual Contact Records drop out of Reports and Statistics for certain Email Campaigns doesn't much matter.  In those cases, they can delete the Contact if they wish to. But for other users, it may be important to maintain accurate statistics by keeping all Contacts in the Campaign Statistic counts.

One best practice that we recommend to Voodoo users is to create a separate Contact List for each and every Campaign and Funnel. For example, if you set up a campaign for January 2015 Promotions, it is best to create a Contact List specifically for that Campaign (and name it January 2015 Promotions Contacts). This will help keep your contacts and campaigns organized and allow for permanent and accurate stats.

Opt-out instead of Delete

Voodoo recommends that users opt-out individual Contact Records that they no longer wish to send email to. By opting-out instead of deleting, all Reports and Statistics will stay unaffected and the Contact will no longer receive email from you.

To opt-out a single Contact from your Voodoo system, follow these steps:

1.  Voodoo Business Builder users access My Contacts from the nav bar, eVideo Launcher users access Contact Lists from the Manage Contacts button.

2.  Search for the Contact's email address using the Search for A Contact button



3.  Click the Pencil icon to edit the Contact Record 

4.  On the Contact Info Tab select the box for Optout  

5.  Click Update to save your changes to the Contact.

Your Contact is now opted-out of receiving any further email from your Voodoo system.  

When a Contact is opted-out they will also appear in the automatically generated Opt-Out Contact List maintained by the Voodoo system.  You can view this list by accessing your Contact Lists.



To opt a Contact back into receiving email, simply access this Opt Out Contacts List, edit the Contact and uncheck the Optout box. 

Contact / Database Lists, eVideo Launcher, Tracking Statistics, Business Builder bounce, bouncebacks, cleaning email lists, contact, contact record, contacts, non-delivery notifications, tracking statistics, Undeliverables, delete contact, opt-out

Voodoo's Trackable Link feature allows you to create a link to anything online, then you can embed it in your email template, survey or post to social media or website.  Having the link be "trackable" allows you to track the clicks to it using Voodoos  Reports and Statistics. 

But did you know that Voodoo Business Builder users can also upload a file to create a Trackable Link in the Trackable Link details screen? This allows users to easily add linked files (that are trackable) to your email templates.  

Just follow these steps to Upload a File to a Trackable Link:

1.  Login to your Voodoo account and access Trackable Links by either going to Customize Emails then Trackable Links or using the QuickLinks drop down menu.

2.  Click Add Trackable Link 

3.  Enter the information for your Trackable Link 

Link Name:  Enter a name for your Trackable Link. This name is only used for your reference in the system.

Custom Tag Name:  Enter a custom identifier name that will show up in your custom fields drop down menu when creating an email template

Link URL:  Here you will click upload a file (instead of using a link).  Select Upload File and browse to find the file on your computer.

Description: This will display a description for your trackable link that is used for your reference only.

Link Display Text: This is the text that will be displayed for the link to your custom Trackable Link. This is the text that will show in your email template. 

4.  Save the Trackable Link. 

6.  Now, when you are in your email template you can easily insert this Trackable Link into the text.  Scroll down below the email text and find the option for Trackable Link under the Customization & Tracking Options:

7.  Using the drop down menu select your Trackable Link and click Insert. Be sure to save your Email Template. 

Once you launch your campaign, visit My Reports to view stats on your Trackable Links. 

New Feature, Tracking Statistics, Video Library & Trackable Links, Business Builder tracking statistics, trackable link

In our QuickTip Blog Post, Leverage Your Voodoo Campaigns for Maximum Results, we shared the importance of measuring your email campaign results.  Measuring campaign performance allows you to improve your response rates and ROI over time. This weeks QuickTip will take you a step further, with an overview of Voodoo's Reports and Statistics and other features. 

24 hours after you launch a campaign, visit your My Reports. Voodoo stats show you key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates and video view rates.    

Remember, stats are just percentages—what REALLY matters is the end-result.  On your own or with other colleagues, develop a plan to follow up with contacts who show interest in your campaigns. Voodoo clients have had tremendous results when they follow up directly—especially within an hour of the click-through! 

Voodoo offers multiple reports (and report formats).  This tip highlights one of them, so we encourage you to log into your account and surf around the Reports and Statistics area. 

Voodoo QuickTip: Overview of Reports and Statistics

NOTE: eVideo Launcher users access Tracking Statistics from the View Tracking Statistics button when they login. Please note:  not all features  mentioned below are available to eVideo Launcher, users but basic reports are available.

Voodoo Business Builder users access Reports and Statistics from the My Reports icon or the QuickLinks drop down menu on the Dashboard. 

Upon accessing Reports and Statistics, Business Builder users will see a Report Type filter. Here you will select which types of campaigns you are wanting to review  Campaigns, Quick Sends, Sales Funnels:



Select the report you want, then check the box for the particular campaign you wish to review.  Check more than one box to compare the stats of the selected campaigns:

If you select just one campaign, depending upon campaign content, there will be up to 6 different reports available:  

• Campaign Performance Report - key metrics in one chart and report
• Send Statistics Report - metrics in the report focus on the email broadcast
• Click-Through Summary Report - see how many people clicked-through any of the available links in your email
• Video Interactions - see how many people viewed your video (and who they are), then how many re-viewed it or passed it along
• Trackable Link Interactions - see what trackable links have been clicked and who clicked them. Campaign Manager users can create follow up contact lists from this window
• Survey Interactions - check on your survey response rates and review individual survey responses

Remember, only applicable reports will appear in the drop-down menu for each campaign. For example, if you don't have any Trackable Links in your campaign, you will not see the Trackable Link Interactions Report in the drop down menu. 

Both eVideo Launcher and Business Builder users have access to the Campaign Performance Report. This report gives you an overview of the key metrics used to determine the performance of your campaign.  

From this report screen you can easily toggle to other reports using the drop-down menu at the top.  All reports present your statistics in both graphical and list formats. You can click on each metric to get a more detailed view, and you can export that data in a different file format—great for making call sheets.  

Once you click one of the metrics in the list, the detail window will list all contacts who performed that action (opened, clicked, etc).  Here's a sample of the Video Views detail: 

All 6 reports have similar features but focus on different metrics.  

Login to your Voodoo account now to take a look at the other reports that are available: Send Statistics Report, Click-Through Summary Report, Video Interactions, Trackable Link Interactions, Survey Interactions and see how your campaigns are performing.

Check your statistics often, and make use of Voodoo's Automated Action Alerts to improve your campaign performance and most importantly to follow-up with your hot leads right away.  

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An important step with email marketing is measuring your results.  By knowing how your campaigns are performing, you can consistently improve your response rates and ROI. 

Generally, the first place to go after you launch a campaign is Tracking Statistics (accessed from the View/Edit section of your dashboard). Stats show you the most common key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates and video view rates.    

It's important to get some perspective on these numbers.  Open rates are an obvious example. Do you have a 3%, 10% or 25% Open Rate? Numbers can be drastically different depending on the audience of each campaign. The currency of your list, the topic of the email and the campaign content also have a marked effect on Open rates. For example, 3% might be a good response when sending to a large prospect list of cold leads, but it would be disappointing for a list of current customers.  FYI—15-16% is the open rate average across ALL Voodoo campaigns from all clients. 

When first starting out, it's a good idea to do some web research to find out the open and click-through benchmarks for your industry. But over time, you'll want to compare your own campaigns against your other campaigns.  Get an idea of what your campaign averages are, so you can work to improve your response rates over time.  

Ultimately, stats are just percentages, and what REALLY matters is results.  Make sure you have a plan to follow up with contacts who show interest in your campaigns.  With a well-crafted subject line, an email Open is and indicator of real interest.  And recipients who actually click-through to other content and/or view a video are where your efforts will produce results most quickly.  Voodoo clients have had tremendous results when they follow up (especially within an hour of the click-through). 

Voodoo Quick Tip: Leverage Your Campaigns for Maximum Results

Following up with your contacts is a critical component of a successful campaign.  This quick tip will show you some ways to utilize Voodoo features for easy follow up with recipients who have show interest in one or more of your campaigns.  

1.  Most Interested Contacts and New Opportunities from Your Dashboard (Campaign Manager Users Only)

Don't have a lot of time for follow up? Business Builder users can log into Voodoo daily and immediately see their Most Interested Contacts on the Dashboard.  It's easy to see which contacts have been most engaged with your Voodoo outreach over time.  This box shows you your top 20 responders with the most responsive contact at the top of the list. Just click any name to go directly to that contact's information. 

Above Most Interested Contacts you will find New Opportunities.  In this box, you see instantly updated responses from your Campaigns and Sales Funnels. This box always shows your 20 most recent prospect and customer responses from newest to oldest.  Click any name to go directly to that contact's info. 

2.  Automated Action Alerts

One of the most powerful features of Voodoo is our Automated Action Alerts.  These alerts, available to both eVideo Launcher and Business Builder users, enable you to follow up with your hot leads fast. How fast you respond to interested leads is one key to your success.  In fact, the Lead Response Management Study shows that responding to web-generated leads within 5 minutes increases contact rates by 900%!  

This Voodoo feature gives you a fully automated way to know which leads are engaged with your campaign right NOW. Voodoo can notify you in real-time when a recipient:

1. opens your email 
2. views a video 
3. clicks a trackable link  

When any or all of these options are enabled, you'll receive a real-time "Action Alert" (an email notification sent to the address in your personal settings) telling you which contact took action and what action they took.

Get step by step instructions on setting these up on our Automated Action Alerts Blog post. 

3.  Automated 3-Day Stats 

All Voodoo users can choose to have a daily statistics report sent via email for the first 3 days of a campaign—the most critical days.  Automating this task allows you to check the results of your campaign and follow up immediately with contacts that interact with your emails and linked content.

Learn more about Voodoo's Automated 3 Day Statitics. 

4.  Creating Contact Lists for Following Up

We recommend created separate contact lists for those contacts that have interacted with your campaign.  Segmenting out these contacts allows you to follow up with them easily, either by email or a phone call.  

5)  Click the Copy to Contact List button at the bottom.


6)  Select Existing Contact List or New Contact List.  When naming your new list be descriptive (i.e. Campaign Name - Clickers or Campaign Name - Round 1 Clickers)
5)  Click OK and your contacts are now in the list.

Business Builder, Contact / Database Lists, eVideo Launcher, Quick Tip, Tracking Statistics automated action alerts, benchmarks, kpi, remarketing, results

To be successful with email marketing, you need to know how well your campaigns are performing. 

Marketers often put so much effort into building a campaign, getting it launched, then have to quickly move on to the next project that they sometimes forget to go back in and check the results of their current campaigns.

Voodoo offers a variety of options to track your campaign results. Generally, the first place to go after you launch a campaign is Tracking Statistics (accessed from the View/Edit section of the dashboard). Today's New Feature automatically helps you to stay on top of the results of your campaigns...

In Voodoo, both eVideo Launcher and Campaign Manager users can easily choose to have a daily statistics report sent via email for the first 3 days (the most critical days) of a campaign.  Automating this task allows you to check the results of your campaign and follow up immediately with your contacts that have interacted with your emails and linked content.

Voodoo Feature - Automated 3-Day Daily Statistics Reports

Here's what you do:

eVideo Launcher Users:

1) Go through the normal steps of setting up your campaign.

2) When you get to the Send section, check the box labeled Send me a Daily Statistics Report email for the next 3 days.

3) Send your campaign.

4) You will receive your first statistics report in approximately 24 hours.

Campaign Manager Users:

1) After you have created your email template, then you go to Build/Send Campaign.

2) Select the email template you want to use in your campaign.

3) In the Auto Response options, select the check box for Send Daily Statistics Report for the first 3 days of campaign.

4) Ensure the To: email address is the correct email you would like the statistics sent to.

5) Continue on with the rest of the options to send your campaign.

6) You will receive your first statistics report in approximately 24 hours.

You will receive valuable information in the Campaign Statistics Report such as:

• Total Sent
• Cumulative Optouts
• Opened
• Video Views
• And more...

Campaign Manager and eVideo Launcher users can benefit from this feature right now by logging into your Voodoo account.

Business Builder, eVideo Launcher, New Feature, Tracking Statistics daily statistics, notifications

One of the most powerful features of Voodoo is fast follow up with your hot leads. How fast you connect with interested leads is one key to your success.  In fact, the Lead Response Management Study shows that responding to web-generated leads within 5 minutes increases contact rates by 900%!  

This Voodoo feature gives you an automated way to know which leads are showing interest in your campaign right NOW. When you get a campaign ready, simply check the designated boxes for Voodoo to notify you in real-time when a recipient:

1. opens your email 
2. views the video 
3. clicks a trackable link  

When any or all of these boxes are checked, you'll receive a real-time "Action Alert" (an email notification sent to the address in your personal settings) telling you which contact took action and what action they took.

Imagine the power of that...  You know immediately when someone opens, watches or clicks and is ripe for a follow up email or phone call.  You know exactly who they are, including their email address and contact info.  You can reach out within minutes of them interacting with your campaign - the exact moment when your company and offer are on their mind.

Here's how easy it is...

Voodoo Feature #521 - Automated Action Alerts

Both eVideo Launcher and Business Builder users have access to Action Alerts.  The alert notifications Voodoo sends you by email will contain all the information you need for follow up, based on the specific data you've imported for each contact.

Word of advice: If you're sending to a large list, we recommend NOT choosing to be notified about Open Emails to prevent a flood into your in-box!

3)  Click to select the notification options you would like enabled. 

4)  Send your email

5)  Action Alerts are real-time, so you will receive emails immediately after the action has taken place 

So when you are setting up your next campaign, remember Automated Action Alerts. They are part of Voodoo's magic, and can have an extraordinary impact on your results.

Business Builder, eVideo Launcher, New Feature, Tracking Statistics automated action alerts, notifications, hot lead

Voodoo has performed numerous strategic A/B/C tests to determine what Email Styles, and what type of embedded links produce the best results.

Even experienced marketers assume “text-only” emails will be perceived as boring and, therefore, less likely to generate click-throughs.  Voodoo statistics from hundreds of campaigns confirm the opposite is true.  The key is keeping text-based emails brief and authentically personal, so they don’t feel like a form email.  

We tested the following three Email Styles:

Personal Email—similar to a note you’d receive from a friend.  It contains a personal-sounding subject line, merged recipient first name, text-only content, with an overall casual tone.

Semi-Personal Email—like a note you’d receive from a friend, but with a bit more “professional” graphic content.  It contains a personal-sounding subject line, merged recipient first name, text with some HTML graphic content, with an overall casual tone.

Commercial Email—like most commercial emails you receive from established companies, with some added personalization.  It contains a promotional subject line, merged recipient first name, all HTML graphic content, with an overall promotional tone.

Are text links, video play buttons or product photos more likely to encourage click-throughs?  

Statistics: Click-Throughs by Email Type and Link Type

Personal Email

43%     Text link (within body copy)
31%     Video Play Button (showing frame from video)
26%     Product Photo only

Semi-Personal Email
39%     Text link
34%     Video Play Button
27%     Product Photo

Commercial Email
37%     Video Play Button
36%     Text link
27%     Product Photo

Comment: This appears to indicate that people respond most readily when the Style and type of link are consistent.  Text-based Personal Emails would normally and naturally include a text link, while HTML-heavy Commercial Emails are expected contain a video play graphic.  

Which type of email gets the best Deliverability and Response rates

(i.e., Opens and Click-throughs to watch related videos)?

Average Deliverability Rates* (as a percentage of total sends):
97%     Personal Email
93%     Semi-Personal Email
86%     Commercial Email

*This drop in deliverability is caused by the inclusion of additional “active” HTML content/links and promotional keywords.  ISP algorithms identify this content as typically “commercial,” and therefore likely to be spam or junk.

Comment: Personal Email is the clear winner here, as “lighter” HTML content is more ISP-friendly and likely to make it all the way to the in-box of the recipient.

Average Open Rates (as a percentage of total sends):
27%     Personal Email
23%     Semi-Personal Email*
8%       Commercial Email**

*The drop for Semi-Personal Email is directly attributable to the drop in deliverability rates, as the tested subject lines were identical to their Personal Email counterparts
**The Commercial Email drop is much larger than the drop in deliverability rates and therefore indicates a greater skepticism and lack of response to email which is perceived as promotional, even when coming from an approved sender

Average Click-Through Rates (as a percentage of total opens):
11%     Personal Email
9%       Semi-Personal Email
2%       Commercial Email

Voodoo’s Conclusion:  Keep it Personal!

Our statistics make it clear that the most effective way to communicate is the one that feels the most personal, i.e., a Personal Email with a Text Link to your video.  The Personal Email produces the highest Deliverability, Open and Click-Through rates.  What’s more, using this style of email, using a simple Text Link to your video is likely to produce 12% higher click-through than the next-best option. 

Business Builder, Email Templates & Image Library, eVideo Launcher, Tracking Statistics email statistics, benchmarks, kpi, testing, results