Email marketing, that is communicating to potential clients/customers using regular e-newsletters, is one of the oldest-established methods of online marketing.
While recipients often complain about receiving too many of them, they remain one of the most effective components of the marketing mix, with an open rate of 20-30% according to Campaign monitor, a UK and US-based email marketing company.
So why would any business not consider using this method of marketing communication when the Direct Marketing Association has calculated that it has a ROI of up to 4,300%?
It’s not about the numbers and there are rules
This is where the law comes in – and yes there are rules about marketing that are online here. Basically, you MUST check if customers want to be contacted and equally you MUST make it easy for them to opt out, either by sending a STOP text to a short number or by including an “unsubscribe” link clearly shown in the newsletter.
What are the advantages if it’s so easy for people to stop receiving them?
Effective email marketing is about quality, not quantity. It is a mistake to think in terms of large numbers and we advise clients to not buy contact lists. It may be more work but it is far more effective to build your own contact list of people with whom the business has had some dealings and who may be willing to find out more.
A well-crafted communication targeting the right audience prompting interaction and responses from just a few people is worth more than one that is sent out to thousands who don’t open or read it and who then unsubscribe.
In many cases, this will not be about sales but about building an awareness of your business’ brand and personality and establishing a relationship.
Done well, you can talk to recipients as individuals, give them something interesting and new to read and build a loyal “fan” base. Not only that but you can easily measure what has worked and what has not by how many recipients open the email, make comments and respond to any “call to action”.
But obviously it is important to define the purpose of your communication.
In the new and uncertain post-Brexit economic climate, it makes sense to revitalise your business marketing and to add e-newsletters to the mix, if you don’t already use them. It also makes sense to get professional help with the writing and design to ensure messages are both relevant and capture the readers’ imagination.