Email – Keeps Marching On

The death of email has been called for again and again, yet here we are in 2014 and 75.8% of marketers say they are using more email than they were three years ago (according to the DMA). To give you some perspective, email spend is forecasted to reach $2 billion in 2014, up from $1.3 billion in 2010. Email keeps marching on.

Naturally, if you’re not using email as your primary communication tool, you need to reconsider your overall marketing and communication strategy.

Given that you’re following my lead here, it stands to reason that you will need to consider a number of issues associated with email. The first is to know that email marketing is only as good as your list. As such, list development should be job one. Marketers also need to be aware that on average, a list will lose approximately 25% of its members over the period of a year. As such, list-building programs are a necessary function of your ongoing marketing activity.

Email Keeps Marching On

There are effective and ineffective ways to develop lists. However, noting this issue, your primary opportunity is to continue with list development in a variety of ways.

Here are a few ways to increase your email list:

1)   Email purchase and cleanse

2)   Email opt-in via your website & landing pages

3)   Sponsored ads in partnership lists

4)   Contest marketing programs

5)   Conventional opt-ins via ballots

Other ways to continue to have a email list keep marching on:

1)   Partner with “liked minded” partners

2)   Frequency, start out slow, the top reason for unsubscribes is too many emails

3)   Content, keep true to your brand and your messaging

4)   Process, present subscribers with opportunities to manage the feed

5)   Study, ask your list what they want, what they expect to see, find out their desired frequency

Email is powerful, yet can be most powerful if integrated with the rest of your marketing. Ensure your messages are channeled and are integrated with your search, social media, web and mobile strategy. Integration will ensure your list continues to build and develop and will ensure your communication is strong. Nothing can stop your marketing message if you use all the tools available and keep the saints marching on, and on, and on.

Want more info on Email marketing? Check out “Email Marketing in Ten Steps“.

Michael Bickerton, Raven5 Ltd, Oakville, ON, March 2014

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