email marketing
Email marketing
February 6, 2010 by admin · Leave a Comment
Email marketing is a form of direct marketing using email as a means of communicating to an audience; past & current clients and prospects. Every e-mail sent to a potential, current or past customer could be considered e-mail marketing.
However, the term is usually used to refer to:
- Sending e-mails with the purpose of enhancing the relationship of a merchant with its current or previous customers and to encourage customer loyalty and repeat business.
- Sending e-mails with the purpose of acquiring new customers or convincing current customers to purchase something immediately.
Researchers estimate that United States firms alone spent US$400 million on e-mail marketing in 2006.
Advantages of email marketing
Email marketing is popular with companies for several reasons:
- A mailing list provides the ability to distribute information to a wide range of specific, potential customers at a relatively low cost.
- Compared to other media investments such as direct mail or printed newsletters, e-mail is less expensive.
- An exact return on investment can be tracked and has proven to be high when done properly. E-mail marketing is often reported as second only to search marketing as the most effective online marketing tactic.
- Delivery time for an e-mail message is instant as compared to a mailed printed message which takes a few days.
- Advertisers can generate repeat business affordably and automatically using autoresponders.
- Online sales are increasing at a rapid pace and email marketing is popular and an effective online marketing tool for internet marketers.
