| Email marketing is an affordable and easy-to-manage means by which to communicate with recipients across the globe. Harnessing this powerful tool has allowed marketers to establish a close line of communication in order to better serve existing customers, and expand awareness of their brand in order to secure new customers. |  |
So, why email marketing—and what can it do for you?
- The simplicity and convenience of email communication has made it a part of the everyday lives of the general public. This round-the-clock availability is an ideal situation for marketers, who now have the ability to email thousands of customers/prospects anywhere in the world in less time than it would take to make a single phone call—without ever hearing a busy signal or being greeted by an answering machine.
- Email simply appears. It doesn't need to first speak with a secretary, or arrive in an envelope that is thrown away without being opened. At the very least, an email's subject line will usually be read before it is discarded, and that small window can be just the opportunity your message needs to make an impact and entice further engagement.
- Everything about email is streamlined: it costs less; it only needs to be produced one time (vs. print materials); it delivers fast, measurable data via email reporting tools; and it reaches all or a portion of your audience with high deliverability.
- Email offers many opportunities for personalization and targeting. Instantly send a "thank you" message to customers after a purchase. Ask customers for feedback, or offers they would like to see. As your email marketing efforts continue to grow, more and more data will become available for you to use in order to target specific segments of your audience with relevant messages.
- Email is also an easy way to put your brand in front of your customers. Even if it's only for a second, the tap on the shoulder is enough to remind recipients that your company is still out there providing whatever products or services attracted them in the first place. By subscribing to your emails, your audience has already expressed an interest; by communicating with them via email, you can help keep that interest alive.
- Using methods to automate your email marketing can save you valuable time. Set up campaigns to automatically be sent to recipients who meet a certain criteria or display a particular behavior. You can also use custom email list filters to segment subscribers into specific mailing lists the moment they opt-in.