Email marketing is a digital marketing tool that facilitates marketing online in a powerful way. The channel; is used to promote goods and services via email. This type of marketing is direct and enables customers to get pertinent information about your product and service offers. The platform can inform customers of upcoming items in your brand and fosters relationships between businesses and you. Email Marketing is a good way for generating leads enhancing brand awareness while having conversations with customers interested in purchasing.
So, What is An email?
With the invention of the internet, communication has launched a “formula 1” speed option for people to stay connected. The first email; was sent by Mr. Ray Tomlinson even before the internet, via a medium called the ARPANET System. The email contained numbers and letters and was sent; in 1971. Ray Tomlinson was also the man to establish the use of the @ symbol in email addresses.
The year 1978 became the birth date for email marketing. Using the ARPANET System; was achieved by Gary Thuerk of Digital Equipment Corp. He sent emails to a list of 400 addresses informing them of a new product. The method of direct communication to these 400 persons; generated a whopping $13,000,000.00 in sales. Which translated into the first email marketing transaction.
The 1990s was the era of the internet, and it opened this form of communication to everyone. People discovered this new way to communicate was practical and less time-consuming. And companies realized how effective and beneficial this tool could be for effective advertising. Reported by MailChimp, Quote: “The emergence of marketing emails also ushered in the need for regulatory updates; the U.K.’s Data Protection Act, for example, was adjusted to require an “opt-out” option for all marketing emails. End Quote.
What Are The Advantages of Email Marketing
Marketing for any business is; to generate sales and inform the public of new products and services; available to them. With email marketing, the direct communication option and its relative cost-effectiveness; are reasons companies opt for using this method. They can send hundreds if not thousands of emails in a listing and are confident the recipients will open the email and read it. Some may delete them; however, the majority will take the time to browse the offering in the content. However long the email remains unopened does not matter.
It is statistically proven; by a study done in 2015 at the U.K.-based Direct Marketing Association (DMA); For every $1 spent, there is an ROI of $38 earned. Most companies, opting to use MailChimp for email marketing, consider these numbers in returns on their investment to be significant.
Not only do businesses use email marketing for generating sales; but, they also can determine which demographic to focus their email promotion on. They can generate leads to their social media platforms and engage customers to comment on content posted on websites. The possibilities are endless when it concerns having a relationship with consumers that you know will generate sales. The one thing people need is trust from brands they prefer. With this trust, the relationships are for the long term.
How To Build Your Email Marketing List
Because MailChimp is the leading email marketing brand, they have a reputation to protect. Their policy for companies wanting to utilize their services needs to ensure the list for marketing is not bought. Every email a business needs to send information to customers should be legitimately earned.
How do you do this? Many businesses whether an online store or walk-in; engages their customers to do a survey. These forms contain survey questions that ask for your email address. The thousands of legal email addresses contained in the surveys are the permission businesses get for generating their list.
The email informing customers of products can also offer discount coupons, discounts on being a first-time online customer, or they can win a prize for agreeing to be part of the mailing list.
Some laws govern legal email marketing uses, and, as such, penalties can be leveraged, on businesses who go contrary to them. Companies that engage in SPAMMING and PHISHING, can be a bad thing. For companies buying and using emails without permission, if they want to stay within the law, can research the policies that govern the region they operate in.
Trust Generation With Email Marketing
Any marketing option is to build lasting relationships with customers; generate leads and sales for brands. It is good customer service to not only use the email marketing tool to get consumers to open their wallets. It is a great relationship builder for thanking them for their support.
Consider factoring in some time, within your busy marketing calendar to send thank you emails, and comment on your appreciation for them. Remember, without your loyal customers, you may not have such a thriving business. The fact that consumers’ can use social media to fast track your promotional email way beyond your permission list; is a consideration.
It is a good thing to ask questions of the customers that may browse and add to the cart and opt-out on a purchase. Monitoring online store purchases can give you insight into why the decision to not buy, is. This gives you loads of information about what customers want and how to make changes; to your marketing strategy. Another thing, DO NOT BOMBARD CUSTOMERS with lots of emails. This can be overwhelming and will cause customers to unsubscribe. So, be strategic in your email marketing, yet appreciate the customer’s space.
Conclusion
Email marketing as an option within the digital marketing sphere has many benefits. It is for the discerning company to realize the benefits, and work to utilize the possibilities it offers. Considering the internet is globally connected to over 7 billion users, your being able to engage even a third of this market is certainly what you want to ensure your brand stays viable.
Never underestimate the power of good morning, please, and thank you when engaging customers. These are the pillars of good conversation, and an email opened with these salutations can work wonders.
Source:
1. https://mailchimp.com/marketing-glossary/email-marketing/
