When thinking of the oldest and most basic functions of the internet, email inevitably comes to mind. Everyone uses it – from young children and grandparents to billionaires, politicians, and celebrities. Its simplicity and ubiquity have become foundational in our society. Yet the sophistication and potential impact of email as a marketing tool eludes so many businesses.
Email marketing often devolves into any number of ineffective and even risky behaviors, including:
- Tiny opt-in lists of people who are already dedicated customers
- Lists of suspicious origin that can get you caught in spam filters and even induce legal action
- Highly graphical messages that are never seen because email clients block the images
- Messages that are overly familiar or bend the truth to establish a relationship
- Lengthy content that very few recipients will ever read
- Content that includes words and phrases often blocked by spam filters
These are just a few of the many pitfalls that can render email marketing a wasted opportunity for an organization. But doing it right can provide substantial benefits. Following best practices to avoid these pitfalls can result in campaigns that:
- Drive high-quality website traffic
- Increase brand awareness
- Improve conversion rate
- Build your customer base
- Help to define or redefine your prospects and market segment
- Reduce or eliminate the need for more expensive or wasteful forms of marketing such as environmentally disastrous physical mail, TV and radio commercials that reach a limited audience, costly paid advertising/promotion on popular websites, time-consuming in-person meetings, and more.
Email marketing can prove a strong and flexible tool regardless of the product or service you offer. As with many tools, the key is how you use it. Want to learn more? We’re email marketing experts. Ask us about building a program tailored to your needs!