Is e-mail marketing dead?

Is e-mail marketing dead?

by Tom Trush

If you knew there was an activity nearly all Internet users participate in when visiting websites, you'd be smart to offer that opportunity on your website, right?

According research released this week by eMarketer, a digital research and trend analysis company, this recurring activity is subscribing to e-mail lists.

More specifically, the data -- compiled from ExactTarget's report, Subscribers, Fans and Followers: The Social Break-Up -- shows 93% of U.S. Internet users subscribe to permission-based e-mail and get at least one e-mail a day as a result of their subscription activities.

When you combine this detail with ExactTarget's statement that 95% of U.S. online consumers use e-mail, you can understand why e-mail campaigns that complement your website content are so important.

The rapid rise of social media has led some to speculate e-mail is a dying medium. But this claim is far from accurate.

Sure, e-mail is like the old-fashioned grandfather of online marketing, while social media is the sexy supermodel.

But what permission-based e-mail marketing offers is personalized communication to consumers who want to hear from you. And, since e-mail use is so widespread, you know it's a comfortable communication medium for many people.

Furthermore, e-mail delivers an incredibly high return on investment -- as much as $43 for every $1 spent (as stated by the Direct Marketing Association).

Here are some quick tips for creating your next e-mail campaign:

Reward your subscribers by delivering quality content.
Establish a relationship and build trust before you pitch.
Trigger involvement by encouraging subscribers to reply back to you with questions.
Make sure your e-mails are formatted properly for mobile devices.
Encourage subscribers to share your e-mails with other people.
Automate some e-mails to save you time and deliver information based on your subscribers' interests.
Test headlines, copy and offers in your e-mails to improve open rates and click-throughs.

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