Email Marketing: Alive and Well? or DOA?

With shinier, newer technology coming out every day, email seems perpetually poised to be replaced by something, right?

We didn't have to search too hard to find a PC Magazine article from 2004, titled “The Death of Email.” It started by asking the reader, “Has email peaked and become useless as a communication vehicle?”

We want our communications to be as effective and efficient as possible, so it’s only fair that we ask, “is email really worth it? Can it deliver the goods (and the numbers)?” Our answer is, yes and yes!

First, let us clear up some common misconceptions people have about email:

• Many people believe that Email marketing means SPAM. Now, to be fair, 70% of all emails sent are categorized as spam. And some of that is sent by marketers, who purchase lists and send endless blasts to people who have no idea who they are.
• People also believe that email marketing is old school. Email has been around forever, and people have started to wonder if email is still valuable. Isn’t email like banner ads? Haven’t people learned to tune email out?
• Email has lost its effectiveness

1) There are more than 4.3 billion email accounts today – that’s a LOT of people using email. No other marketing channel has been adopted as universally.

2) 95% of online consumers use email, and 91% report that they check their email at least once a day. If people are checking their email every day, it’s probably still a viable marketing channel, right? And since emails stay in your inbox unless you delete them, it has a longer lifespan than other marketing channels like social media.

3) Email is a channel that you own. While Google and Facebook can change the way they index search results and display content, you’ll always have a 1:1 relationship with the people that open your emails.

4) 77% of consumers prefer email for marketing communications. Take advantage of that by connecting with people where they want to be reached.

5) Email lets you be highly personal. You can create a highly targeted, contextual message that’s unique to each person who receives it.

6) And lastly, we still use email because it has an ROI of 4300%. For every $1 you spend, you get $43 of returns. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

 *SOURCE: RADICATI and VERO

In fact, email is growing. According to the Direct Marketing Association, 76% of marketers say they use email more than they did three years ago.

Want to learn how to use email to grab attention and get more prospects to hear about you. Let us help you.

Screaming Garlic is a NJ marketing, branding, design agency with specialties in market research, inbound lead generation, website design and strategic go-to-market plans.