Is Email Marketing Dead? With new techniques in online marketing popping up all the time and the ever growing presence and persuasions of social media, many seem to believe that email marketing has lost its edge.
But has it? According to the Radicati Group, in 2013 there were 3.
6 billion email accounts registered worldwide.
On top of that, a study by ExactTarget noted that 77% of consumers prefer to receive permission-based marketing communications through email.
So, in a nutshell, half the world are using email and ¾ of them are wanting and waiting to receive your marketing campaigns via email.
Maybe the question is not if email marketing is dead, but if you are truly maximizing results through trusted, knowledgeable and efficient techniques? It may seem easy - build up your email list, come up with some relevant campaigns, find a good automated email marketing service and get sending!...
But, as we all know, nothing in life is ever that easy.
If we want to increase our click through rates and turn our new clients into long term clients, or our long term clients into reliable and lifelong customers, we have to put our business heart and soul into our efforts.
As with all our marketing content, we have to be to the point, direct and touch on our customers wants and needs.
Turn Your Emails Into Revenue The problem here is that most people do not have time to read all their emails.
Throughout the day, thousands of emails are sent to thousands of inboxes, piling up on top of each other and competing for the 'inbox owners' attention.
The few that will succeed in their endeavours, will be those that have managed to avoid creating boring, 'samey' and 'spammy' emails and have actually draw in the attention of the user.
The question here is, how do they do that?

• Create a catchy and simple subject line

We are all guilty of being too lazy when checking our emails to pay attention to the complicated, long, boring subject lines.
The more direct and interesting the subject line is, the more chance you have of ensuring your email gets opened.
Your subject line must relate to the product or service you are providing or contain an offer and, above all, be relevant to the target audience.
Make it catchy and simple.
It is also important here to ensure you do not include too many words that could be picked up as spam.
If you are not careful here, the amazing offer or deal you have just sent out, could be doomed to a lifetime in the spam box!

• Quality content

Most people open an email in order to gain something, therefore, it is important that your email offers the user something in return for reading.
This may be an offer or freebie, or simply just information.
Whatever it may be, it must be relevant.

• Use the right email format and design

When it comes to the formatting and design of your email, always bear in mind that most email providers do not automatically show images.
Therefore, be aware that the reader may only see the text and not the images you have selected.
Be careful and check that your message will be clear, even without the images.
Make sure your message comes across just as enticing and creative as it would in full blown CSS layout.

• Keep in mind the mobile users

Do not isolate users who access their email via their phone or tablet.
Nowadays, near enough all email users are also 'on the go' mobile users.
Don't let your efforts go to waste, bear these types of users in mind and guarantee that your message is received by all.
Did you know that 64% of decision- makers read their email by phone?

• Don't let time steal your thunder

Time can be the 'be all and end all' of all email campaigns.
If you send out your emails too early or too late, it may get lost in the users inbox, never to be opened or seen.
Know your demographics and do you research.
Put the effort and time into finding out when is the best time to reach your target audience.
Contrary to popular belief, email marketing is still the most trusted and effective form of online marketing.
If done properly, the end result of your email marketing campaigns can be second to none, to be beaten by no other form of online marketing strategy or technique.
By just taking a little more time and putting in a little more effort, we can easily turn our emails into profit.
Don't let your efforts go to waste!