What is email marketing?
Email marketing is one of the oldest and most effective digital marketing channels. Find out how it works.
Introduction
As a business owner, you’re always on a search for something that will help you increase your sales, save time or make your life a bit easier. A new tool, new platform, new hack some marketing guru is teaching at the moment.
What if we tell you, you can achieve your marketing goals with what you already have? No hacks, no tricks and no wasting time on chasing yet another shiny object. Want to know how?
The answer is… email marketing.
What is email marketing?
Email marketing is a type of direct marketing that uses email to promote products or services. It’s also a great way to inform, develop relationships with potential customers and build brand loyalty.
Email marketing is one of the oldest and most effective digital marketing channels. It generates $42 for every dollar spent, which is a staggering 4200% return on investment (ROI). (Litmus)
How does email marketing work?
In a nutshell, you write a marketing message and send it to your email list with the help of an email service provider. Let’s take a look at each element.
An email list
You can’t do email marketing without an email list. This list contains the email addresses of people who have given you their permission to send them marketing communications.
Usually, you get their email addresses in exchange for some incentive, also called a lead magnet. It can be a coupon, discount code, free ebook, webinar, etc.
An email service provider (ESP)
An email service provider is software that helps manage your email list, sends and manages email campaigns, and tracks results. Using an ESP allows you to:
- automate your email campaigns
- ensure the deliverability of your emails,
which means your emails land in the recipients’ inboxes, not in spam folders.
A marketing message
A marketing message can be promotional or informational. If you want your email campaign to be effective, your message must have a clearly defined goal. For example, it can be to:
- drive sales
- boost brand awareness
- generate and nurture leads
- engage your customers
- increase brand loyalty
- get feedback.
It’s also important to send the right message to the right person at the right time.
Conclusion
As one of the oldest and most effective digital marketing channels, email marketing stood the test of time. It survived the rise of different social media platforms and is growing stronger by the day.