The Enduring Power of Email
Digital communication in all forms—whether email, social, or mobile—is essential for reaching consumers at the optimal time with the right message through the channel they prefer. While social and mobile are increasing rapidly as important consumer channels, email remains an integral part of digital communication.
In this month’s American Marketing Association newsletter, Outsell’s Katy Lyman discusses why email is so important with “5 Reasons Why Email Isn’t Dead—and 5 Ways to Use It.”
Lyman explains how even social channels communicate with users via email when trying to get them to engage. Emails are often used to match user information for cross-channel communication and enables marketers to analyze consumer behaviors for future campaign targeting. Email is convenient and immediate, and it is often the channel consumers ask for and prefer when receiving business communications.
When a consumer isn’t ready to offer a phone number, email is their first choice as an alternative, and actually opens up several more possibilities for continued engagement.
Of course email needs to be utilized correctly to be beneficial. Behavioral targeting, which predicts where a consumer is in the buying cycle and what message would be best tailored to them at any given time, facilitates more positive engagement, rather than a consumer looking at a new email as spam. Email can also entice a consumer to interact in a way they might not have otherwise, and can be used alongside other channels for a well-rounded experience.
Mobile phones, for example, are one of the main devices used by consumers to check their email and receive communications. Mobile email campaigns, however, require optimization for the best user experience, as a mobile screen is unique from a computer, laptop, or tablet.
Email video campaigns have their own requirements. They must load quickly and accurately without trouble, with focused, short, compelling content that is actionable and encourages consumers to act. For more details on email video campaigns, see Craig Vore’s recent article in Dealer Marketing Magazine.
The death of email is a dangerous myth. Industry experts continue to see the importance of multi-channel communication to reach more consumers, and email remains one of the most important channels for ongoing engagement that leads to sales.