So you think that e-mail marketing is ‘old hat’ eh?
With over 3.7 billion email users globally, email marketing is a huge business which has some serious potential, and it is the third most influential source of information among the B2B crowd.
Although social media marketing is the “in thing” right now, email marketing is still very much alive and coping well… but not as much as it used to be.
As new forms of digital marketing have become commonplace, email marketing has suffered something of a decline in use and, as a result, it is often underappreciated and underused, especially by smaller businesses and start-ups.
If you are a new start-up business and are having to decide focusing your time, energy and resources on either an email marketing strategy or another marketing tool such as social media, we would recommend focusing on the latter. If you have the means to use email marketing alongside other marketing channels however, we recommend this; email complements almost all other digital marketing methods well and there are many different ways you can mix two or more marketing channels together.
Email Marketing Is Not Dead
If email marketing does not form part of your overall digital marketing strategy, you are missing out. Although it may not be on the same level as newer digital marketing trends, email marketing is still a highly useful and valuable tool which has the potential to net you plenty of benefits. With that being said, it should not be your number one priority, however, it is a brilliant supplementary marketing channel.
Here are a few reasons you should be utilising email marketing within your overall marketing strategy, alongside other marketing channels –
1. It provides direct access to your audience
Email marketing gives you direct and immediate access to your previous customers and subscribers; it is not passive like social media marketing. How often do you check your phone? Rather frequently, probably, and your phone is also likely to be the main way you access your emails, too. When you send out an email, your subscribers are likely to know about and see it straight away.
2. You have complete control
Your email list is your own – it is something which you build, and, in most cases, it is something which consists of people who are interested in your brand, service or what you have to say. Email marketing gives you a great degree of creative control and your marketing can be done on a scale which is unaffected by the platform or your competitors; your email is there, and your subscribers will see it.
3. Email is used by billions
Billions of people around the world regularly use email, often daily, and it is a platform which is growing rapidly. Also, emails are very highly interacted with, with many consumers opening and glancing at all their emails on their smartphones within minutes of being received. Although the same can be said about social media, social media marketing does not give you the same level of direct and instantaneous access to the people who matter.
4. Email is more personal and emotive
Because email marketing goes right to the inbox of your subscribers, it is much more personal and emotive than other types of marketing. Given that consumers are constantly demanding more from the brands they follow, email marketing is an easy way to score some extra brownie points and build loyalty around you. Email marketing is highly targeted and can be used to send different pieces of marketing and promotional material to different demographics, and this is more likely to generate a positive response than generic emails sent en masse to the entirety of your email list.
5. Consumers regularly make use of email promotions
45% of consumers make use of promotional discount codes and offers when they receive them via email. Although social media marketing is also used for delivering coupons and special offers, email marketing, as mentioned already, is highly targeted; your emails are received by a niche group of individuals who have already shown that they are interested in your products or services by signing up to your email list.
Alternative Marketing Methods
Many small business and start-ups are put off email marketing because it is more difficult to plan and execute. Although email marketing is good to do, it is not your top priority and you should be looking at other ways to generate leads and re-engage existing customers before you consider looking at email marketing.
There are several different digital marketing methods which you can use, however, which work best for your business entirely depends on your industry, niche and services or products you offer. If you are a Birmingham-based small business, why waste your time targeting an audience outside of this area? There are plenty of SEO companies in Birmingham and digital agencies in Birmingham which can help you with your digital marketing.
Email Marketing as a Supplementary Channel
Email marketing complements other marketing methods such as social media marketing, and the very best marketing strategies incorporate both of these and more, and make them work with each other to generate leads and conversions.
If you are outsourcing your digital marketing, you want to choose an SEO company in Birmingham ran by specialists who know the local area and know what works well for email marketing in Birmingham.
Although it may not seem that important, the demographics between different parts of the country vary drastically, and if you are not familiar with Birmingham – or any other local area for that matter – you are best off seeking out some local expertise. With many SEO companies in Birmingham, you are sure to find the help you need to reach the local people who matter to your business and will be interested in it.
