Email marketing is, quite simply, using the tools of email to deliver advertising messages. The vast majority of Internet users have email accounts which allow them to receive an almost unlimited number of messages instantly. According to a survey, 82% of U.S. adults use the Internet, and email is one of the fastest, cheapest and easiest ways for marketers to connect with customers.
Email is a remarkably flexible tool that can accommodate a wide range of messages. Ads can be quite simple, or they can be flashy, multimedia packages. The aesthetic of the ad will depend on the company and the product for sale. Some ads are only text while others include images, video, and long lists of links.
Email can accommodate almost any message a marketer wants to send. For instance, our website ran a highly successful email marketing campaign by including large, eye catching images in the header of the email. The images were geared toward a young male demographic and gave the email context. They encouraged the reader to scroll down and engage with the sales messages contained in the body of the email.
One of the greatest advantages of email marketing is that it allows marketers to send targeted messages. Print, radio and television ads are broadcast indiscriminately and frequently reach consumers who have no interest in the product offered. But email marketing allows companies to tailor certain ads to certain customers. If a customer has shopped for a brand of shoes in the past, companies can email them coupons for that same brand knowing that they have already expressed an interest.
Companies can elect to manage their own email marketing campaigns or they can choose from over 100 different companies who offer email marketing services. These services provide easy software tools that allow companies to manage their email lists, design ads, and track how often they are accessed. Larger companies that send out dozens of daily emails to tens of thousands of different customers often use email marketing services to manage the process.
