Email marketing has been declared dead countless times over the last 30 years. However, it remains one of the most effective tools in a business owner’s marketing strategy. Email marketing is often dismissed as outdated, time-consuming or ineffective, as people have shifted their focus to social media or digital advertising campaigns. But while algorithms change, social media companies overhaul their platforms and advertising costs rise, targeted email marketing campaigns continue to deliver reliable, long-term and measurable results.
Why Email Marketing Is Valuable
Email marketing is not only alive, it’s thriving. According to a recent Litmus report , email marketing delivers between $36 and $38 for every $1 invested. For large businesses, the return can be as high as 44:1. No other digital marketing channel approaches that kind of return, and when email marketing is done well, it can lead to a long-term, trusting customer base you can continue to nurture.
So, why is email so effective? Unlike social media platforms, where visibility largely depends on ever-evolving algorithms, email marketing offers direct access to your audience. You have earned the right — and trust — to provide them with information they care about on a consistent basis. No more relying on paid boosts or hoping the algorithm shows your content — you have a direct pipeline to the audience you care about most.
Plus, research says consumers still want to hear from businesses through email. In fact, 52% of consumers have made a purchase directly from an email they received. While it is true that our inboxes are inundated with email we don’t want or didn’t ask for, getting emails from a trusted company that provides real value and respects our time is always welcome.
Breaking Down the Value of Email Marketing
When small-business owners consider return on investment, they often assess the cost of advertising compared to immediate sales. However, email marketing offers more than short-term wins (though it offers those, too). It’s more about building relationships and trust with your customers that translate into consistent, long-term revenue.
Benefits of Email Marketing
- Low Cost: Most email marketing platforms are relatively affordable, with pricing often based on list size. Compared to print and digital advertising, the up-front cost is minimal.
- Ability to Scale: Whether you have 10 subscribers or 10,000, the increase in cost to mail to a larger audience is marginal compared to potential returns.
- Direct Sales: With the right visuals and calls to action, emails can drive immediate sales or engagement.
- Ongoing Engagement: Even subscribers who don’t immediately make a purchase remain in your audience and on your list, giving you additional opportunities to reach them.
When paired with content personalization and mailing list segmentation to ensure you send the right message to the right audience, the return on your investment is even greater.
Common Misconceptions About Email Marketing
Many small business owners avoid or dismiss email marketing due to longstanding myths and misunderstandings. Here are a few of the most common misconceptions.
“My customers don’t want more emails.”
Customers don’t want irrelevant emails. They do want special offers and useful content from businesses they value.
“Email is outdated compared to social media.”
Social media is valuable, and an ideal marketing strategy includes investment in social channels. However, social media platforms are a rented space, meaning you don’t control the platform. Email gives you ownership over your message and your list, as well as stability in reaching your audience. If a platform shuts down or changes, your audience may disappear. You own your email list.
“I don’t have time to send emails.”
Between automation tools and strategic partnerships, small businesses can set up relatively low-effort email campaigns that won’t require much ongoing maintenance. Investing resources and time upfront can save countless hours and dollars later.
“Email doesn’t give me quick results.”
While building a list takes time, many businesses see early wins within weeks of beginning their email marketing campaigns. A small promotion or release announcement to an engaged list can pay for the platform costs and more, turning casual customers into a loyal base.
Email Marketing: How to Get Started
For business owners who haven’t consistently used email marketing, you may need some help getting started. With the right resources, you will be up and running in no time. Here are a few key steps to guide your email marketing strategy.
1. Build and Manage Your List
Your list is the foundation of your email marketing strategy. Avoid unethical list-building shortcuts such as buying or renting lists as these strategies often fail to deliver results and can damage your reputation as a sender. Instead, focus on growth that builds organically and is permission-based.
- Put sign up forms on your website.
- Offer exclusive discounts or content for subscribers.
- Ask customers at checkout if they want to join your email list.
- Embed sign-up links on social media and on email or physical receipts.
2. Segment and Personalize Your List
Not all subscribers are the same. A one-size-fits-all approach often leads to low open rates and dissatisfaction with email communications. Instead, group subscribers by shared traits (location, product preferences, age, engagement level) and adjust your content for each segment. Segmentation allows you to tailor your content to increase relevance to each customer and boost conversions. Personalization and segmentation can make email marketing campaigns significantly more profitable.
3. Create Compelling Content
Email is more than a digitized flyer. Email marketing is a chance to connect with your customers, making them feel more like insiders than numbers on a page. Your emails should deliver value beyond just promotions. Use your emails to share news and updates, tips for using your products and share exclusive behind-the-scenes content. As you create these emails, here are some best practices.
- Keep subject lines short and engaging.
- Use visuals to break up written content.
- Write conversationally, like you’re speaking directly to the customer.
- Include a clear call to action with buttons.
4. Automate Where You Can
Automation saves time and enhances consistency. Some easy ways to automate emails include:
- Welcome series for new subscribers.
- Abandoned cart reminders for e-commerce.
- Birthday or anniversary offers.
- Incentives for previous purchases or other demonstrated loyalty.
Automation ensures that even when you’re busy running your business, your email marketing strategy continues benefiting your bottom line.
5. Track and Recalibrate
Email is highly measurable. With metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, conversions and unsubscribes, you can understand what does and doesn’t work. Experiment with different send times, subject lines, formats and visuals. By consistently tracking and adjusting, you ensure improvement to email performance over time.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
While the value of email marketing is clear, there are a few common mistakes that can derail your best intentions.
- Sending Too Frequently: Overloaded inboxes lead to unsubscribes. Find an email cadence that balances consistency with relevance and values your subscribers’ time.
- Neglecting Mobile Optimization: More than half of all emails are opened on mobile devices including smartphones, tablets and even smart watches. Make sure your templates are mobile-friendly and that mobile view provides the same readability and value as desktop.
- Ignoring Compliance Regulations: Laws like CAN_SPAM require businesses to honor opt-outs and include physical addresses in the masthead. Following these rules protects your reputation as a sender and respects your subscribers.
- Failing to Deliver Value: Subscribers shouldn’t feel like your emails waste their time. Always ask: What’s in it for them? If you don’t know the answer to that question, you need to readjust.
Trust the Experts
Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with your audience and grow your business. For the past 25 years, Fiore Communications has helped companies of all sizes develop a customized email marketing strategy that not only looks great but also delivers measurable results. From strategy and content creation to design and reporting, our team works with you every step of the way to ensure your message lands where it matters most — in front of the right people at the right time.
Ready to see how email marketing can help your business grow? Let’s start the conversation today.