What is Email Marketing?
The term “email” has been around since the early days of computer technology. In fact, it was first used in 1957 at AT&T Labs. Since then, it has become ubiquitous, being used just about anywhere and everywhere. Today, e-mail is not only a convenient way to share information and make connections via computers, smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, but it is a powerful marketing tool.
Email marketing involves sending out unsolicited emails to people who have opted in for your company’s newsletter or list. There are three basic types of e-mails.
Optin/optout – Optin e-mails offer people the chance to sign up for something (e.g., a newsletter). These are generally sent out after the recipient visits your website or takes some sort of action on your site (e.g., makes a purchase). A good optin e-mail gives prospects a choice to either accept or reject your invitation. If they decline, you’ll know right away without having to send them any other mails.
Newsletter – Newsletter e-mails are promotional messages that you send to people who already subscribe to your mailing list. You might use these to promote special offers, products, events, etc.
Transactional – Transactional e-mails are similar to newsletters in terms of their purpose, but they are much briefer and less frequent. Instead of promoting an event, product, or service, transactional e-mails are meant to help you manage customer relationships. Examples could include order confirmation e-mails and receipts.
Why Email Marketing is still important
Email marketing is a great way to promote products and increase sales. Many marketers use emails to send special promotions or discounts on their products. In addition to this, many people use email marketing to inform customers about upcoming events or changes to services. An effective email campaign involves building trust with subscribers and encouraging them to purchase your product. According to HubSpot, a company that provides tools for website management, “Email marketing is still an underused tool by businesses.” When compared to direct mail methods, email marketing has a higher conversion rate. As well as this, email campaigns reach 100% of recipients, while direct mail only reaches approximately 15%.
Email Marketing Drives Customer Engagement
When consumers receive promotional information via email, they are more likely to remember it and consider buying something similar. A study performed by the Direct Marketing Association showed that 93% of respondents said that they were more likely to buy a product after receiving an email promoting it. Therefore, if you want to drive engagement with your customers, then email marketing is a great option.
Email Marketing Builds Trust
People love being informed of special deals and promotions. By sending out an email announcing a sale or new feature, you build trust with customers. Your audience feels appreciated and valued. Once they feel trusted, they are more likely going to share your message with friends and family members.
Email Marketing Helps Generate Leads
Many companies struggle to generate leads and make sales. One way to do this is by using email marketing. When someone receives an email from your company, they are more likely interested in what you have to say. If you send out emails that include useful content, relevant images, or educational articles, people are more prone to click on links in your emails. This means that you’re increasing the chances of generating leads.
Email Marketing Is Easy To Set Up And Manage
The best thing about email marketing is how simple it is to set up. All you need is a computer, an internet connection, and a list of contacts. You don’t need any additional software; instead, you just create the message, put it out there, and wait for responses. If you’re not tech-savvy, you may find it difficult to manage your entire database. However, most companies that offer email marketing solutions provide customer service representatives who help users with daily tasks, such as adding contact lists, deleting inactive accounts, and changing templates. These dedicated staff members are always ready to assist you 24/7.
Email Marketing Delivers More Value Than Traditional Media
Traditional advertising techniques involve spending money, time, and effort. Instead of spending these resources, you could be reaching hundreds of thousands of potential clients with a single email. Moreover, when consumers read an article online about your business, they often forget about it. On the other hand, if you have a blog post on your site, you can keep delivering value to your target market and encourage readers to take action.
Email Marketing Allows You To Reach Customers Anywhere
One of the biggest challenges with traditional marketing is reaching customers where they are. However, email marketing makes it possible to connect with anyone at any time. Through email marketing, you can communicate with customers regardless of whether they are home or traveling. In fact, even if they block you or unsubscribe from your messages, you’ll still be able to reach them.
EdgeMedia offers a range of Email Marketing Services, should your business want to increase your leads and potentially increase sales visit our Email Marketing Services or contact us today.