Two myths about email marketing debunked

We live in an increasingly virtual world and making meaningful connections with potential and even current customers can be challenging. Communication with your customer is key to gaining trust and building a relationship. Email has long been the primary means of communication with customers, but is it still the communication vehicle of choice? Let’s take a look at what some of the critics are saying. Below two powerful myths about email marketing are debunked.

The medium is the message
--Marshall Mcluhan

Myth #1: Email marketing is dead

This myth likely rises from the mistaken belief that newer forms of technology must surely have replaced email by now and therefore email marketing won’t work. It’s true that technology is evolving at a record-breaking pace and social media seems to reign supreme and yet email remains the primary means of communication both in and out of the workplace. Far from being dead, email remains the communication vehicle of choice. While it may be true that some segments of the population prefer other online platforms like Instagram and Facebook, email is still going strong as the preferred method of communication.

According to a 2018 Pew Research, only two-thirds of American adults (68%) report that they use Facebook compared to three-quarters of Americans (248.7 million) email users. Forbes says email is still the best way to generate leads and most sources agree that about 75 percent of all technology users prefer email to other forms of communication.

So email is very much alive and a strong business choice for connecting with your customer base. What is it that keeps people attached to email and how can your business leverage that attachment? Below are some of the advantages that email offers consumers—and business.

• Users can sort, file, organize and easily share emails with friends and family, so they’re likely to retain valuable information or special offers.
• Email gives consumers control over with whom, how and when they interact with businesses.
• Email can provide a very targeted and specific contact to leads. For the customer, that feels like curated information designed especially for them. For your business, that means you can drive customized messaging directly to your ideal customer’s inbox.

Myth #2: Millennials don’t use email

While it’s true that the Boomer and Gen X consumers rely more heavily on email as a means of communication, you may be surprised to learn that Millennials also cite email as their preferred medium of communication. Millennials are the first truly digital generation and they embrace technology fully—and that includes email.

According to an Adestra report, when it comes to email from businesses compared to other forms of communication, nearly as many Millennials (73.1%) prefer email as do Boomers (75.3%). And according to Twitter, 98% of Millennials check their email multiple times a day. So Millennials certainly are using email—they’re just using it from their unique perspective.

Email is still alive, thriving and the primary choice for making direct contact with customers. Email marketing also gets the best Return on Investment (ROI) according to the Direct Marketing Association. The challenge is rethinking how we use email marketing to connect with the modern consumer. Old email tactics may not work and it’s important to update your email strategies to resonate with distinct customer groups. Boomers and Millennials may have different values from one another and will benefit from email campaigns that are crafted to appeal to their unique preferences. In addition, every customer is unique from the next customer. Consider these techniques to increase engagement with all your customers—and Millennials in particular.

• Personalize emails to standout in a sea of other more generic emails.
• Customize emails to convey a sense of understanding your customers.
• Leverage technology to give customers control over what and how they receive online content.
• Optimize for mobile users 55.6% of emails are opened on mobile devices.
• Be clear and concise; most readers of any age have increasingly short attention spans. Get to the point quickly—in the opening sentence if you can.
• Offer a variety of special value offers; discounts, member sales and promo codes are enticing.
• Use valuable content and tell stories to engage your audience instead of using traditional marketing.
• Automate some of your email strategy to improve customer experience.

Email is alive and thriving among consumers of every age and population group. Your business is missing out if you’re not leveraging this powerful platform to deliver communication directly to your ideal customers via email. Use Keap to take the next step toward powerful client communication.