Email Marketing is Alive and Well
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David
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September 16th, 2014
A few years ago, some commenters in the marketing field were proclaiming that email no longer mattered. It was being replaced by Facebook messaging, Twitter, SnapChat, or some other service. But that just hasn't been the case, particularly in the business world.
For starters, email continues to appear front and center on mobile devices. What's the first thing you checked for the last time you set up a new smartphone? It's a good bet that it wasn't your Facebook page or even your Twitter stream. You probably wanted to make sure your email was coming through. Or what's the first thing you check in the morning? Probably your email although HuffPost and many other publishers say to not check your email first thing in the morning.
Think you're the only person who still checks email? Think again.
Email and Search are the Top Two Internet Functions
The Internet is dominated by email and search activities above all others, according to Business2Community.com. There are 3.2 billion active email accounts, and 92% are accessed every day. That's a lot of people checking in. That's very good news for businesses that have a solid email marketing strategy in place.
Spam is no longer such a problem, at least not in the US, thanks to federal anti-spam legislation that spurred email blast providers to incorporate tools to ensure that no one is getting emails who don't want them. It may seem counter-intuitive, but this move probably did more to boost email marketing messaging than anything else. Business2Community reports that 77% of customers prefer to get permission-based marketing messages through email.
While Twitter is trying mightily to compete, it also recognizes that it's a smart bet to allow email blast services to incorporate Twitter in their plans. Twitter also needs to clean up its own spamming problem, too, before it can effectively compete against email marketing.
Email is an Effective Way to Market at the Right Time to the Right Customers
Email continues to offer a lot of value for small and medium size businesses that don't have huge marketing budgets. It can be sent at any time you schedule, to customers targeted by different campaigns according to demographic data you may have collected or purchased. Customize the message, and use original content--avoid anything canned, or that sounds canned. Give your recipients information that's useful to them and that they can use.
How useful are these efforts? The Email Stat Center says ROI (return on investment) for email marketing was reported to be 2500%, according to data collected by the Direct Marketing Association. Seventy-seven percent of this ROI result from well-targeted, segmented campaigns.
As you'll see below, it's important to optimize your email campaigns for mobile as the open rate on mobile devices continues to steadily increase.
Source: Litmus
What to Look for in an Email Marketing Package
Small businesses don't have a lot of time to learn a complicated packages. So the first thing most marketing staff want is simplicity, and email blast services understand that. Here are a few other things to ask about when you're looking for an email marketing provider:
- Is it easy for email recipients to opt out? Again, it seems counter-intuitive but making this less of a hassle for those who want out at least leaves a favorable impression.
- What social networks does the service connect to? If your email messaging is really good, your recipients will want to share it as well as forward to colleagues and friends.
- Look at the templates offered and see if any work for you. If you already have a template, ask to see how it interacts with the service. Make sure your uploaded photos resize properly.
- Take the time to look at the statistics and reports the service generates for each email campaign. You want to collect data that will help you sharpen your message and improve your targeting. How many emails were opened, forwarded, and shared on social media? What was the click-through rate for different links? Were coupons redeemed, and did landing pages or microsites have good bounce rates?
- What does the email look like on a smartphone?
WebsiteSpot offers affordable email marketing packages with in-depth reporting to help you make the most of your email marketing efforts. Contact us today to discuss your email plans and let us show you how you, too, can get amazing email ROIs.