Is email marketing still relevant?

In a word, Yes!

Email marketing is still a key connection point with your customers and prospects. With the influence and immediacy of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks, email marketing is how you can provide valuable information to your prospects and customers. Email’s can include information that they’ve opted in, and asked you to share with them.
Social media is still incredibly important, but in this post, I’m just talking about email.

Sure, inboxes are bombarded with email messages, and people are more cautious about those lists they do opt into. This is why your messages MUST be relevant and valuable to your subscribers.

Email can be more personal than broadcast messages via social media. Which is why it’s critical to share valuable information and insights into how your products or services HELP your customers/prospects, and even special offers tied into that valuable information are key in keeping subscribers engaged.

For example, if you’re a retail clothing store looking to promote an upcoming special on a certain name brand or line of clothing. Your email could be about the latest trends, what to wear, how to wear it with existing pieces in your wardrobe, and THEN include an offer for a discount on that brand or particular line. The special offer would mean a lot more to your customers than just a discount.

So how do you build a good email list? We can get into more details, but some of the basics are:

  • Commit to your subscribers and invite them to subscribe for insider information, special how to information or how to articles.
  • Send them information only when you have something of value to say or offer.
  • Subscribers don’t set a calendar to when you promise to send email newsletters.

How do you get started with subscribers and customers you already have? Your basic email strategy should include your main objectives – whether it’s to increase customer retention, increase new trials, etc. Get started with your email marketing strategy by outlining of some of your most frequently asked questions or concerns that are common to your prospects. Create a list of topics or content calendar; organize your lists for current customers, by product, by brand, by service, etc. and send them the messages that are most relevant to them at that time.

Feel free to share any questions or comments you have about getting started with email marketing with me. I’m happy to help you get started.

Rebecca Dutcher is a business development partner and internet marketing expert for Mindscape at Hanon McKendry