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	The Benefits of Email Marketing Posted 30 July 2009

When done right, email marketing it is a highly targeted and cost effective way of marketing products and services. It's not just for getting new customers either, it allows you to keep your current clients in the loop, with the opportunity of reselling or even up-selling.

Generally, for someone to purchase from you they won't convert to a sale the first time they visit your website. Emails allow you to reinforce your message with repetition or follow ups.

Popularity

Despite spam issues, people still love email. Research* shows that  53% of business users check their email six or more times during the working day. 42% of business users are so obsessed with email that they check their business email while on holiday!

With good timing, such as on Christmas or Valentines Day, linking an email marketing campaign to an online shop can prove very successful, because its the most convenient option for the user.

Personalisation

Some would say an email is an impersonal form of communication, but it needn't be. Emails can be easily tailored to individuals using database technology. This can be from the basics, such as adding a recipient name, to customised paragraphs based on the individual. You can also change a design for a different market without expensive re-design costs.

Easy Set Up

When it comes to advertising, it can be a long, drawn out project. Email marketing on the other hand, can be set up very quickly as a design is similar to a web page. Amendments can be made in minutes. Sending out is easy too, saving the time and cost of sending hard copy material out instead.

Increased Sales

Typical response rates for an email marketing campaign is 5%. It can be as high as 15%  when the email is highly targeted and with a clear call-to-action.

As a comparison, an opt-in e-mail's response rate is a massive 50 times greater than banner ads and 5 times greater than direct mail!

Subscribers provide the opportunity to send regular e-newsletters, increasing the chances of repeat sales with minimum time and cost implications. Some clients may not be aware of the broad range of products/services you actually offer, e-newsletters provide this fantastic chance to cross-sell.

Maintaining a relationship with existing clients is also important. E-newsletters allow you to do this with a large client base whilst allowing you to have free time to go after new clients.

Tracking Success

How many forms of marketing can you track real time? Email marketing is one of them. You can see how many people open your emails and click onto your website, online shop or survey.

Although no one likes to see people unsubscribe, at least you are gaining feedback on whether a) the email was well designed or b) if the mailing list was targeted enough.

By reviewing statistics on delivery failures, the quality of your mailing list can be checked as well.

Viral Marketing

Being easy to share, emails are often forwarded to colleagues and friends which boosts brand awareness and increases chance of sale.  With the advent of social media, any exciting products or services spread like wild fire on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Best of all, it costs you nothing!

Perhaps surprisingly, emails can drive offline sales too. Often voucher style emails are sent to promote special offers used in shops. These are much easier to share with friends and colleagues than a hard copy voucher that can only be used once.

Gaining Feedback

Contrary to popular belief, not everybody ignores email marketing! The key is to have a targeted mailing list to contact, or ideally a list of current subscribers. These people are interested in what you do, which makes them more likely to provide feedback. Getting feedback online provides honest results too, thanks to the fact it isn't face-to-face.

Email marketing integrates well with online surveys, especially if there is a incentive to join in. A well designed email may negate the need (and cost) for a supporting website when it provides all the information that is needed.

*(Source: Forrester Research, and Jupiter Communications)

You may also be interested in reading....
 

	Segmenting email marketing campaigns
	Dos and Don'ts of Email Marketing
	Getting people to subscribe

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