Is email marketing dead yet?

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the last rites have been read over email marketing. With a response rate of around five per cent, and an open-rate of around 18 per cent, email marketing is a pale shadow of its robust former self. In 2003, if you sent out an email ezine, you knew that your ezine would reach its recipients, and that you’d have an open-rate of 80 per cent. Glory days indeed.

But there’s life in email marketing yet. Let’s have another look at the mid-2006 numbers: a response rate of five per cent, and an open-rate of 18 per cent. If you compare that with direct mail, email marketing’s response is still more than double (sometimes triple) that of direct mail.

So, if you’ve been ignoring email marketing, take another look. Build a new list. Yes, BUILD it, don’t buy it. If you have lists which you haven’t contacted for over six months, trash them. Spam-wise, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Besides, if they haven’t heard from you for six months, you won’t be whitelisted, and there’s little chance your messages will get through.

Build a new list, and keep it fresh, by sending your subscribers regular (great) offers so they’ll look forward to hearing from you.

Technorati Tags: email marketing, marketing lists, subscribers, build list

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