Email has a history
Ray Tomlinson is credited with inventing email in 1972. That means some form of email has been around for over 40 years. In its early days, email was used to simply leave notes for others from computer to computer. The @ symbol emerged to denote what computer board the message was going to.
Today, email is used for a number of reasons. Personal use of email includes traditional letters, threads, invitations, and more. For businesses in 2017, email has been noted as one of the top tools in generating a loyal following. In fact, a report on a 2016 CMI/MarketingProf B@B study, stated, “While some believe email is dead, the media is telling us that email is a growth area.” The study revealed that email was the number one success-metric for measuring content marketing among b2b marketers, with a 91% importance rating.
What does that mean for you as a business owner?
(1) It is important to have a current and clean email list.
First, keep your email list updated. You may receive false statistics when reviewing email click-through rates if you have several email addresses that are no longer in service. Next, classify or segment your email list. Some content is only relevant for a segment of your email list and will mean nothing to the others in your list. By classifying your email list, you can ensure the content sent out relates to the recipient and their needs.
(2) Create engaging email campaigns.
Bottom line, your customer is not going to read a boring email. It’s all about the power of personalized email. Newsletters and other email campaigns should create an experience for the consumer that is positive. They want relevant content that’s easy to scan, visually appealing and full of useful information about upcoming products/services, specials, and events. Think about what matters to your customer.
Engaging email newsletters have been found to be a KEY method in growing your audience. If you already have newsletters going out monthly or bi-weekly, go back to the drawing board when creating the content. It’s important to transition from a focus of email being information-driven, to a focus that concentrates on delivering a truly amazing and relevant customer experience. Utilize Email Marketing That Works.
For more information on the importance of email marketing, contact our 17blue digital team.
