Everyone is on the hunt for the next big thing in marketing. That new magic bullet that costs next to nothing and rakes in the revenue. Ah, but what if it’s been in front of you all along? Email marketing doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It offers a slew of benefits no other marketing channel can provide. Not convinced yet that you should add email marketing to your strategy in 2019? Here’s why it’s essential for any company.

1. Direct Delivery

With most marketing channels, you can’t control who gets what. For instance, not all of your social media followers will see your posts. You can put a billboard up but you don’t know how many people will see it. But email marketing is more direct. Your messages land smack dab in the middle of customers’ inboxes. You might be saying, “What if my emails get sent to the spam folder?” You have more control over that than you think. All you have to do is follow the right rules and that can keep your emails out of the spam filter.

2. Instant Communication

Sometimes you have a message you want your customers to get right away. With most marketing channels, there’s a long waiting period while you write, design, fulfill, and deliver your message. Email marketing, on the other hand, is far quicker. Less is more when it comes to written content, and a simple design can get the job done nicely. When you hit “send,” your entire email list gets the message in seconds. This makes email marketing a more flexible medium and you can use it to communicate last-minute information like flash sales, reminders, retractions, and more.

3. Customization Galore

In most marketing channels, you’re broadcasting the same message to a wide audience. You might cater it to your target demographics, but that’s as far as the customization goes. Email marketing is a whole new world of options. Each email goes to a specific customer’s inbox. That means you can customize their messages based on their history, interests, and actions. One way companies do this is by offering recommendations. By tracking the types of products email customers view, for instance, you can recommend products that will catch their eye.

You can also set up specific actions to trigger certain emails. For example, your system can send an email to a customer when they abandon their shopping cart.

4. Earning Potential

If you’re a numbers person, you’re gonna love this. Email marketing has one of the highest averages around for return on investment. The average is around 4400% ROI! There are a few reasons why this is the case. On top of how successfully email marketing drives sales, it’s a low-cost investment. As with anything, you can spend a range of amounts on your email marketing depending on the quality you want. Still, email marketing software costs next to nothing in the grand scheme of things, and it may take less of your designers’ time than you expect.

5. Mobile-Friendliness

All you have to do is look around you at the grocery store or walking down the street to see that phones are the new arms. People are attached to their phones on a constant basis, giving them priority over almost anything. And guess what? Most people get their emails on their phone. Not earth-shattering news I know. But…this means your messages get right to that screen your customers are already looking at. This also means your emails are available to customers at their convenience. They can pop in and purchase their shopping cart while they wait in the carpool line because their phone is always there.

6. Trackability

Tracking is one of the most important parts of any marketing campaign. It’s also one of the most neglected tasks. For every marketing endeavor, you need to gather data on its success. Which messages drove the best results? Which channels brought in the most customers? Email marketing makes that easy because software programs track this data for you. You can see which emails get opened most often, what links received the most clicks, and more. The key, though, is that while this gives you information, you have to use it. Take the time to look up that data and use it to inform your future email marketing campaigns.

7. Prioritization

There are some communication channels we pay more attention to than others and email is up there toward the top of that list. 98% of people check their email on a daily basis. 34% keep a constant eye on their inboxes throughout the day. With so many people getting notifications on their phone every time an email comes in, this makes it easy. Compare this to the number of times you check your social media. Chances are that you only go to your mailbox a few times per week.

8. Quick Action

Think about what happens with direct mail. A customer gets your postcard or letter. If it doesn’t get tossed, they have to head to their phone or computer to take action. Then they have to open a browser window and enter a web address. Or maybe they have to get their phone and dial your number instead. With email, one click and they’re there. It takes minimal effort for customers, which means it takes less convincing to get them to take that step. But not all emails are equally effective at encouraging that next step. Your call-to-action is an essential part of any email. So make that design stand out and make the wording enticing.

Adding Email Marketing to Your Marketing Strategy

You’ve heard the warning time and time again not to put all your eggs in one basket. It might be a cliche but it’s never been truer than it is in the marketing world. Marketing is all about making an impression on customers and building familiarity with your brand. The only way to do that is with a varied, well-orchestrated marketing plan. With all the benefits above in mind, it’s clear that email marketing needs to be part of your strategy. The key word in that sentence is “part,” though. Pair it with your other marketing channels and keep your brand and messaging consistent across the board.

If you’re not a marketing pro and you prefer to bring in a professional, contact our marketing team today.