Email marketing offers results at a fraction of the cost to other marketing/advertising tools. It is fast, measurable, easy to track and can reach a limitless audience with just one click. It is also easy to integrate with other forms of marketing, whether it's acting as a reminder for a print campaign, or as a product awareness tool prior to a launch. It is flexible in nature and can be changed according to the needs of a campaign.
Email marketing also plays a key role in the development of long-term relationships, through tools such as e-newsletters, which serve as a fast and targeted channel for disseminating news and information to the relevant audience.
Despite the numerous benefits, a number of factors have limited the success of email marketing, with the biggest culprit undoubtedly coming in the form of spam. Due to its ease of use, email marketing has been abused over the years and until this problem is curbed, its reputation will continue to suffer.
This. combined with increasingly strict filters, means that a large portion of targeted campaigns never reach the intended audience.
To overcome this, campaigns should always be permission-based and geared towards the subscribers' specific preferences. Sending out emails too often will only annoy the receiver and could result in your email being filtered as spam. It might be easy to send out to an entire mailing list because you own it, but unless it is relevant, don't do it.
Poor content should also be avoided; make sure you have something worthwhile to say otherwise you probably should not be sending anything out.
If you are having problems getting users details, start building a subscriber list through your website or blog, offer incentives; newsletters, e-books, coupons, anything that can create value in the eye of the user.
In order to come out stronger from the recession, the key will be to shift spending, looking at measurable cost effective solutions that can ensure results. Email marketing should be the last place, where your company cuts its budget and the first place where it increases it.
