Do your research!!!

Social Media vs. email marketing:

There is nothing wrong with social media, heck we sell the product as well. However our customers use it as supplemental marketing and stick to the marketing models that are giving them the highest ROI. Here are a few reasons why email is still the king of the hill.

Did you know that email has nearly three times as many user accounts as Facebook and Twitter combined? That’s a whopping 2.9 billion. In fact, if you imagine a full cup of rice is the number of emails sent every day, then by comparison, all the daily posts on Facebook would make a miserable 10 grains—barely enough to pick up with a chopstick. And all the tweets sent every day would be a measly 4 grains. In fact, Facebook and Twitter combined make up just 0.2% of the number of emails sent each day. in the vast majority of cases, business-minded people do not go to Facebook for private, 1-on-1 conversations. (Maybe teenyboppers do, and if you’re in B2C and want to try marketing to them using Facebook’s private message feature, good luck with that.) But business people open Gmail or Outlook or whatever, and bang out an email.

Heck, you’ve probably experienced this yourself. You might start a private message on Facebook, and then you’re like, “Okay, email me.” Email is the first, best social media channel. And that is the power you want to tap. Yes, some businesses do use Facebook or Twitter or Google Plus for communicating with various people. But when it comes to building business relationships and communicating with partners and clients, the most “serious”, “grown-up” medium is email. Email allows you to make repeated contact, and that contact is “invasive”. It’s in their mailbox—their inner electronic sanctum. That’s very different from sending out a tweet or posting something on Facebook, where they may or may not see it, because it’s just part of a much larger timeline featuring hundreds of other people. Also customers already expect to get offers by email, and to buy things through email. So they not only have a high tolerance for offers, but they’re actually more likely to be in a buying frame of mind. They’re primed.

Compare this to Facebook, where your customers are really just there to chat with their friends, see the latest cute cat videos, and play Farmville. Even if they like you, that’s a lousy environment for marketing isn’t it? Or Twitter, where people are in the habit of finding interesting things to share, or catch up with the people they follow—but very seldom are looking to buy anything.

With email, you can “train” your customers to expect offers while simultaneously teaching them about your value, day in and day out.

Radio vs. email marketing:

Email marketing is more cost effective. Since we are putting the email in the inbox of those who requested information it is a push form of marketing rather than pull. The email will be there waiting for the recipient to read. Radio ads may play while there target market may not be listening. The level of targeting is much higher.

Print vs. email marketing:

Email marketing is more cost effective. Since we are putting the email in the inbox of those who requested information it is a push form of marketing rather than pull. The email will be there waiting for the recipient to read. Your target market may not open up to the page your ad is on. The level of targeting is higher.

Television vs. email marketing:

Email marketing is much more cost effective. Since we are putting the email in the inbox of those who requested information it is a push form of marketing rather than pull. The email will be there waiting for the recipient to read. Your target may not be watching tv while the commercial is playing. The level of targeting is higher.

Billboards vs. email marketing:

Again email marketing is much more cost effective. Since we are putting the email in the inbox of those who requested information it is a push form of marketing rather than pull. The email will be there waiting for the recipient to read. Your target may not be driving the route in which they will see the billboard. The level of targeting is higher.

Postal mailings vs. email marketing

1. Global reach: No matter where you are or whom you need to reach, targeted emails pave the way. Borders are no obstacles in email marketing.

2. Lower cost: Costs incurred in designing, executing, testing, sending and receiving an email is up to 78% less for a run of 5000 over paper-based direct mail version. When you add e-mail to your marketing mix, you spend less time, money and resources than with traditional marketing vehicles like direct mail or print advertising.

3. Interactive: You can innovatively initiate campaigns using graphics, videos, music, quiz, game or whatever that will be of interest to your prospect, to grab his attention and interest immediately.

4. Highly personalized: Email enables you to personalize and greet every person you target. This helps in creating a special bond with the prospects.

5. Round the clock marketing: With an email the audience can understand your offering even when you are out of office.

6. Measurable results: Special tools are available that accurately measure click-through rate, conversion rate, how a person one arrived at your website, and more, to enable you to assess the success of different email campaigns.

7. Targeted marketing: Since prepackaged and custom-built lists are available, you could reach only those who might require your services, solutions or products without bothering those who do not. You can select each one of your targets based on geography, age, income, spends, and many other parameters.

8. Opt-in or unsubscribe options: Emails contain opt-in and opt-out options which help you to shortlist your prospects and reach only the ones genuinely interested in your offerings.

9. Faster response: Time to receive responses through e-mail is one to three days, where you will get maximum responses on day one itself, while a direct mail campaign would take minimum 7 to 12 days to generate any responses. Further, responding to a direct mail is more cumbersome, while a person can respond to an email immediately.

10. Simplest: Fulfilling a successful email campaign is much simpler than completing postal marketing fulfillment.

Search engine vs. email marketing

Email marketing is much more cost effective. Since we are putting the email in the inbox of those who requested information it is a push form of marketing rather than pull. The email will be there waiting for the recipient to read. With optimization your target market must seek out the information that they want buy putting it in a search engine. With targeted email campaigns we put the information directly into the target markets inbox. This results in more sales. Reason being many of the recipients were not looking at the time and after they see the email they realize that it is a good offer for them. Also with email marketing you can click the back button to check out your competitions websites like you can do with search engine optimization.

According to research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing generated an ROI of $48.34 for every dollar spent on it in 2007 and still holding strong today.
Marketing service Epsilon determined that clients were getting $0.14 revenue for each email delivered in Q3,
A retailer survey by shop.org revealed that email marketing has the second lowest cost per order (CPO) of any online marketing tactic. The CPO of $6.85 compares favorably with, for example, paid search's CPO of $19.33.
A survey by Newsweaver and B2B Marketing Magazine of 175 UK B2B marketers revealed 78% considered email "critical" or "very important" to their B2B marketing strategy (see the press release.) Newsweaver also surveyed Irish marketers, and 78.1% said that email is either "important" or "very important" to their overall marketing strategy (see article.)
In December a survey of over 2000 marketers by Datran Media (note: an email marketing service), 80% of respondents "indicated email was the strongest performing media buy ahead of search and display." 55% expected "ROI from email to be higher than any other channel" (see press release.)
Marketers responding to a global survey by McKinsey put email second only to paid keywords in terms of online marketing efficiency (see article.)
A survey of over 3,000 marketers involved in search marketing(!) by MarketingSherpa saw "email marketing to a house list" garner the most votes as the strongest marketing tactic. And it gained more votes than any other tactic for "good ROI" (see the report.)
Research conducted by Shop.org revealed email generates sales at an average cost per order of under $7, comparing favorably to $71.89 (banner ads), $26.75 (paid search) and $17.47 (affiliate programs.) (See reference.)
In a survey of hotel marketers by Hospitality eBusiness Strategies, 58.7% cited email marketing as one of the Internet marketing formats that generate the best results and highest ROI (see the survey results.)
In a column, usability guru Jakob Nielsen listed an email newsletter as "probably the single-highest ROI action you can take to improve your Internet presence." (See 10 High-Profit Redesign Priorities.)
A report from JupiterResearch stated that..."when done right, $1 spent on e-mail can generate a $9 return."

The money is following the results...

The CMO Council's Marketing Outlook Report reviewed the plans and opinions of 650 marketers. Email marketing was the top target area for investment (see press release).
A survey of B2B marketers in noted that 68.3% intended increasing spending on email marketing (reference).
The DMA estimate spending on email marketing (in the USA) will increase from $600 million to $700 million (reference).
A survey by Forrester Research revealed that 95% of surveyed marketers use email marketing, with another 4% planning to do so by year end (see reference).
In a survey of 200 corporate markters, 74% said they would increase spending on email campaings over the next three years (see article).
In a survey of over 2000 marketers by Datran Media (note: an email marketing service), 82% of respondents "indicated that they plan to increase their use of email marketing in the future" (see press release.)
A survey of B2B marketers and their spending intentions noted that over 70% expected to increase their email marketing budget in the future (see report.)
An end-of-year 2007 survey of marketing and sales execs by PoliteMail found over 80% "have plans to increase use of email for sales and marketing." (see survey results.)
In a September 2007 article, eMarketer predict spending on email advertising to rise 82% to $616 million in 2011. And spending on email marketing to rise 11% to $1,650 million over the same period (see article.)
In McKinsey's July 2007 global survey of marketers, more respondents used email than any other form of digital advertising vehicle. 51% said their spending on email would increase over the next three years, while 11% said it would decrease (see article.)
In a 2007 survey of large retailers, 88% of respondents noted that email marketing had "...increased as a priority in 2007." (see article.)

Why it works

Email marketing works for a variety of reasons...

It allows targeting
It is data driven
It drives direct sales
It builds relationships, loyalty and trust
It supports sales through other channels

Email marketing is currently the most commonly used online marketing tool. The reasons are plentiful. Nothing can beat it when it comes to marketing success. Many marketers have attained success using this powerful marketing tool.

The email, though simple as it may appear to be, is potent, especially when it is used as a marketing weapon. Email marketing

when used effectively brings results. Listed below are the numerous advantages of email marketing that you should be aware of, if you are thinking of using it as your marketing tool.

(1) Great golden opportunity to build strong relationships

Through the email, we are able to develop a good relationship with customers. Email marketing provides this golden strategy in enlarging your list. You will be able to sieve vital information regarding your customers, and next using such information to fine-tune your current plans.

(2) The email has the unbeatable speed

It is a well known fact that the email beats all forms of communication transmission in terms of speed. Everything is perfect with the emailing technology. It enables provision of instant information, immediate resolution of complaints, and ability to service immediately requests from customers that are extremely special. One of the important advantages of email marketing is that the speed of email helps you to establish relationships with your customers very easily.

(3) Easy conveyance of information

In email marketing, it is important to be able to let your customers know in advance what you have in store for them with regards to your latest products and services. It would be great to inform them about your special offers, bonuses and discounts too! With email marketing, you are able to provide fast information by making use of your email links leading to your marketing copy.

(4) Strategic positioning of links is enabled

Another of the vital advantages of email marketing is in its ability to provide you with strategic positioning of your links. If you want your marketing copy to bring in sales, the links must be strategically located to help retain the interest of customers. This will help you to remind them about what you are offering in terms of real benefits.

(5) Updating of list is enabled

For your email marketing to be successful, what is essentially vital is the updating of your list. All emails have to be closely monitored. Even comments, enquiries, feedback and requests must all be updated. You have to make your mailbox neat and up-to-date through regular monitoring.