Email marketing is the distribution of information about a product or service via email. Various methods may be used, including newsletters or the mailing of information and offers related to the company’s product or services. Email marketing is the online equivalent of direct mail marketing. Businesses engage in email marketing because it works, and it works well:
Over 70% of respondents to an Econsultancy survey in early 2011 described email’s ROI as excellent or good. Only organic SEO scored better.- The ForeSee Results 2010 report on the effectiveness of social media found that promotional emails were the second biggest influence on retail website visits. The biggest influence was familiarity with the brand.
- A MerchantCircle survey of over 8,000 local business owners in the US found email marketing cited by 35.8% as a Top 3 most effective marketing or advertising method. Only social network profiles and search engine marketing scored higher.
- In Datran Media’s 2010 Annual Marketing & Media Survey, 39.4% of industry executives said the advertising channel that performed strongest for them was email. This was the top result.
- An Ad Effectiveness Survey commissioned by Forbes Media revealed that email and e-newsletter marketing are considered the second-most effective tool for generating conversions, just behind SEO.
Email marketing works well for a variety of reasons:
- It can be targeted.
- It is data driven.
- It drives direct sales.
- It builds relationships, loyalty and trust.
- It supports sales through other channels.
Email promotions and offers can generate immediate action in the form of sales, downloads, inquiries, registrations, etc. Informative email newsletters can send people to offline stores and events, or pave the way for catalogues, strengthen awareness, build relationships and help develop trust.
BUT! Just as a garden will produce only if it is managed properly, so it is with email marketing. You have to get the basics right. What are the three basics? They are the building of a list of people who want to hear from you, the careful and skilful crafting of a message, and ensuring that the emails get through to those on that list.
At Nicholas Nixon Internet Marketing we use only opt-in email address lists. We do NOT engage in and we do NOT support spamming practices.
