You may already be doing email marketing, or you’re at least aware of its existence. Most businesses of any size will have some sort of online or digital marketing plan, and often this involves email marketing. You may even be receiving emails from companies that you’ve never heard of, encouraging you to buy their products or visit their websites.
If you’re not using email marketing to grow your business, then you’re probably wondering what it is and why you should be doing it. In this blog post, we will discuss what is email marketing and how it can benefit your business.
First Off, Let’s Talk About Email
To begin, let’s discuss what email is and isn’t. Email is actually a sub-category of internet marketing, which encompasses all of the growing methods of marketing and advertising through digital channels. Essentially, email is a method of communication via email messages sent to a list of subscribers. Typically, these emails will promote a product or service, but they can also be used to share inspirational quotes or informative articles about the topic of the email.
This form of communication was originally developed for businesses, and today it’s one of the most popular and effective digital marketing and sales tools. Studies have shown that sending out regular emails can build a relationship with a subscriber, increasing the chance of making a sale.
The Growing Popularity Of Email Marketing
You may wonder why email marketing is becoming so popular, as there are plenty of other digital marketing methods available. Well, consider the fact that it’s pretty easy to understand, it’s quite effective, and it requires little to no investment. Once you’ve built a list of email subscribers, you can spend a few hundred bucks a month on a marketing email program and start to see results.
If you own a restaurant, for example, you could send out an email every week with a $10 gift certificate for $1,000 in value. Not only does this cost you nothing, but it may potentially generate some sales. By engaging with your audience and demonstrating that you understand their needs and wants, you stand a good chance of convincing them to enter into a dialog with you, and ultimately leading them to make a purchase.
Marketing emails needn’t be expensive or terribly innovative; in fact, they can often be quite basic and contain text similar to an infomercial or television ad. The important thing is that they are sent out regularly and consistently.
Why Should You Try Email Marketing?
Now that you know what email is and isn’t, it’s time to discuss the reason why you should try email marketing. Email marketing can be a powerful tool for your business, especially if you plan on using it correctly. To begin, let’s discuss the basics; what is the purpose of the email? The answer is simple: to communicate with potential customers.
In 2017, consumers spent 4.7 billion hours on social media. If you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you have a social media account, and that you use it frequently. Imagine what that figure would be if we replaced social media with email. That’s a lot of potential customers you could communicate with.
With email marketing, you have the ability to reach consumers where they are, and you can do so at little to no cost. The upside is that you can engage with individuals on a one-to-one basis, which builds credibility and makes a personal connection with the customer. This could lead to greater trust and ultimately a higher conversion rate.
In a nutshell, email marketing is an extremely effective tool for businesses of all sizes because it’s both free and allows for direct communication with consumers. This is why it’s so popular today. If you’re unfamiliar with email marketing, then it may be a good idea to look into it.