Think about your inbox for a minute. Remember back in the day, when we used to contemplate existential questions along the lines of “Who is Google?” Back then, an email could have been simply described as a virtual mailbox; instead of receiving actual letters and parcels, you received them online.
But, that implied simplicity in defining an email is not really accurate anymore. When you fill out any kind of form or application for job searches or online purchases, your email tab comes right after your name under personal info; you only need your name and email, that’s it! Your email address has become the key to your online existence in this dot com world we live in.
It was only natural that businesses would try and make use of such an opportunity, where hiring a salesperson to knock on customers’ doors and hand out a brochure could be replaced by a click of the mouse. Or, as explained by one of the market innovators in this mailerlite review, email marketing proves to be quite a lucrative tool in data analysis, as they get into further details of explaining how they help companies with efficient customer reach and personalizing promotional campaigns as needed.
One would think that with such an easy tool, companies would have the ultimate exposure at a relatively small cost. However, that is not entirely the case.
Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of email marketing:
Pros
-
Mass coverage
Back to the above example of the salesperson knocking on doors, now this visit might or might not end up in an actual sale, and that is only one customer per salesperson. With email marketing, you can reach thousands of customers in a blink of an eye with a unified/customized message and brand image.
-
Speed
In this day and age, it’s either you are the first, or simply, you are out of the game. Email marketing gives companies the chance to act fast in grabbing their customers’ attention. Like the case with receipt emails for example, once a purchase is made, your customer receives the receipt in an email that can include an upcoming sale promotion. Or, another customer’s raving review about your after sales service could be shared to reinforce your brand positioning.
Cons
-
Ending in the Spam Folder
Every email marketer’s nightmare is being sentenced to the black hole, which is the spam folder, once a customer deems an email unimportant. That is why emails should be captivating and alive with relevant information to avoid the “mark as spam” click.
-
Lack of Personalization
With mass communication, message customization runs the risk of being lost if not specifically targeted to the customer. Email blasts are a thing of the past. Companies should spare the time, effort, and money in segmenting their customer base and aiming to personalize the type of correspondence they direct towards them.
With an effective strategy is in place, email marketers can be an imperative marketing instrument that will yield results. Be it promotional or for customer acquisition purposes; the important thing is to keep the email relevant and to the point with the help of a dedicated team analyzing customers’ behavioral patterns and taking corrective actions accordingly.
________________________________
Interesting related article: “What is online marketing?”