Technology has vastly changed the way we do business. The changes that have come as a result of innovation have largely been great. In the digital marketing world, an entirely new industry has not only been born but it has thrived. Digital marketing today accounts for a huge percentage of the entire marketing world. Within the digital marketing realm, industries like email marketing have evolved as independent sectors.
The email marketing world has been around for a long time and it has outlived the emergence of new marketing avenues like social media. According to PEW Research Center, over 90% of adults still use emails but over the past few years, the new forms of marketing have made the digital marketing realm very competitive. Some of the new marketing avenues have even made some people reconsider the worth of the email marketing realm. There has thus been a huge debate as to whether email marketing is worth it anymore.
We will seek to understand the relevance of email marketing in the current year and hopefully in years to come. Let us address some of the key issues in the following points.
How relevant is email marketing?
In order to understand how relevant email marketing is, it is important to consider some key facts. To start with, the industry still accounts for a huge part of the entire digital marketing realm. Both in the B2B and B2C worlds, email marketing has remained to be a key channel for getting new subscribers, spreading relevant information and building customer loyalty. The opportunities in the industry have thus been too good for marketers to ignore. As recent reports have shown, even more opportunities can be expected in the coming years as the new technologies help marketers optimize the traditional forms of marketing. This will translate into more relevance to the industry.
In terms of effectiveness, there is no other form of marketing that has been able to match email marketing yet. The new innovative tools and processes that have been developed in recent years have made it possible for more effective marketing strategies, it is effective as content marketing funnel. Marketers are now able to specifically target customers with personalized messages. In addition, the returns that come from email marketing as still among the highest. With the returns still being there, it will become difficult to ignore the industry regardless of new and innovative marketing tools.
Email building tools are at the center of it all
Pertaining to the kind of tools that have allowed email marketing to be relevant for such a long time, you will find that the most basic of technologies are responsible for it all. The email template builder is one key tool that has been used in various ways in the modern day to help marketers craft irresistible emails. With tools like Designmodo Postcards continuing to come up with new methods of customization, it has become hard for marketers to move from email marketing. Other kinds of innovations have also ultimately prevailed for the industry.
How you can refine your marketing strategy
While email marketing is still very relevant, it is rather obvious that only those marketers that have evolved with the industry are able to benefit. As a marketer, you have to quickly adapt to the changes that come with the industry. Not long ago, simple text messages were the main forms of sending marketing messages. In many ways, the simplicity of the text is still what makes it an effective form of marketing. So what exactly are modern email marketers doing so as to stay relevant? They are simply following the rules of email marketing success, which are:
- Making customers feel special
- Utilizing the power of text
- Taking the professional approach
Appreciating Customers: Making customers feel special means giving them the kind of messages they look forward to. For most customers, having a brand that cares about them is important. It is easy to let customers know that you care about them by making messages more personal. You do not need to send generic messages that will simply seem like they are crafted for the masses. Most customers end up relegating such messages as spam. Today, it is possible to use the data available in the market to know your customers’ names, what they like and their problems. You should use this data to ensure that the messages sent to customers address their needs.
The Power of Text: Text content is still very powerful and you should leverage this power. Most email marketers today tend to focus on adding too many objects inside a single email. This usually ends up making the email too complicated and irrelevant to customers. You should simplify your emails such that they are bare when they need to be. You can aim at sending emails that are text-only during occasions when this is necessary. Simplicity is always appreciated as most people have little time for marketing messaging.
Professionalism: In terms of professionalism, you should always ensure that you use all the help you can get to ensure your email marketing is up to par. Today, there are many kinds of tools, tricks, and innovations that are coming up in the marketing world. You do not need to learn them all if you do not have the time. You can simply make use of the services of specialized professionals who have dedicated their time and resources in becoming experts. Ultimately, when you choose the right professional, you will save time and end up with powerful marketing strategies.
Summary
There have been many changes that have defined the evolution of the email marketing industry. Today, it still continues to change rapidly. Even with all the changes, the industry has still remained to be vibrant and a source of success for many marketers. As reported by McKinsey & Company, the average value of an email is 3 times higher than that of social media. In 2019, this marketing is getting a new boost with new tools revitalizing it. The future of email marketing thus looks quite good for the foreseeable future. In order to harness the opportunities though, an email marketer needs to equipped with the right ideas; some of which are detailed above.