The importance of Email Marketing for your business
Email marketing is a popular strategy, utilised by organisations across the globe. It is used by small and large businesses alike, and considered a vital tool in marketing. Here are ten reasons why:
1. Cost
With no advertising, printing or postage fees, one of the most obvious benefits is the low cost. Email marketing is considerably cheaper than many other marketing channels.
2. Target brand fans
The beauty of email marketing is that consumers have usually opted in to receive it. This allows for a significantly higher rate of conversion, as potential customers are already interested in the brand and the products and/or services it offers.
3. Segmentation
It is possible to email only those consumers who meet specific criteria. For example, if an organisation is running a promotion in just one area of the country, emails can go out just to potential customers in that area. Segmentation and subsequent high levels of customer engagement work brilliantly with email marketing, especially for those brands who have detailed information about their individual subscribers.
4. Calls to action
With email marketing, you can allow impulse buyers to move from witnessing a product to buying it, in just a few clicks. Calls to action within email newsletters can work very efficiently to drive sales.
5. Easy
Email marketing is probably one of the easiest forms of marketing, as it requires little in the way of technical knowledge. While creative templates, logos, images and videos can make an email more interesting, some of the most successful campaigns use emails in plain text but with excellent content.
6. Tracking
Email marketing allows the user to see what works and what doesn’t. Most marketing software will allow marketers to track progress through conversion and click through rates. Once you can see where you are doing well (or going wrong), changes can be made quickly and simply.
7. Ease of sharing
With a share widget at the bottom of the email, recipients can share news and interesting new products with their friends and families, in one easy click. Before long, subscribers will be introducing others to your business with no extra effort from you.
8. Global reach
Email marketing allows the user to reach out to hundreds or even thousands of people, globally. While social media can work in a similar way, there is no more targeted and measurable approach than via email.
9. Immediacy
Within seconds or minutes of an email being sent, you might begin to see results. Try holding a 12 or 24 hour sale and use an email campaign to create a sense of urgency. Subscribers will be compelled to act immediately.
10. Return on investment (ROI)
Results are the endgame in the world of business. Luckily, email campaigns offer excellent ROI and that is why they continue to be used. The Direct Marketing Association estimated that in 2011, average email marketing returns are a huge £40 per £1 of investment. This is a better return than can be seen in any other channel.