Social media has its place among small and midsize businesses, but e-mail remains the king of online relationship marketing.
The rush to tap into social networks to find new customers has people talking, hearts pounding and heads spinning. For businesses that want to reach younger consumers, finding the right online marketing mix can seem even more urgent and daunting.
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A few misconceptions are floating around suggesting that e-mail marketing is being replaced by social media or becoming less effective. Let me tell you in the strongest terms: This is not the case. Business owners often ask us, "Is e-mail marketing still relevant?" The answer is, "Yes, now more than ever." Here are three reasons why e-mail marketing remains the most powerful tool in your relationship-building toolbox.
First Misconception: The Inbox Is Irrelevant
It's true that consumers are getting more e-mail now than ever before. That's exactly why permission-based e-mail marketing is so valuable in reaching customers overwhelmed by inbox overload. Consumers are pickier about which e-mail communications are worthy of their time and attention. So when someone signs up for your mailing list, they're giving you a vote of confidence that your e-mail content is valuable to them.
As business owner's we engage with businesses that connect with us. And we read their e-mail, we're just more selective. I'll read the class schedule that my yoga studio e-mails me and the e-mail newsletter case study from my favorite charity. But the HR firm I haven't done business with in 10 years -- I'm not going to read their e-mails because I don't care anymore. Tertiary relationships will drop off and readers will opt-out. That's not a bad thing for business or e-mail marketers.
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E-mail marketing allows you to build a solid mailing list that reflects quality over quantity. It empowers you to reach your most faithful and valuable customers and build stronger relationships with them over time. That powerful, relationship-building aspect of e-mail marketing hasn't changed. If anything, it's gotten stronger.
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