We business people are a fickle bunch. We tend to run from one business trend to the next in search of the “magic button” that will bring us success. But just because something is new, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. Conversely, just because something has been around for a while doesn’t mean it’s ineffective.
Integrating email into your marketing efforts is one of those “been-there-done-that” technologies that many people have assigned to the marketing scrap heap. That could be a big mistake.
In a recent interview, Seth Godin, one of the most respected marketing gurus around, said, “I just looked at the stats for my [new] course. 22% of the traffic came from my blog. 74% came from email and RSS. 4% came from social media.”
What’s up with that? How can email—the media that we all love to hate—be so powerful? Shouldn’t Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat be at the top of Seth’s list of preferred marketing methods?
First of all, we should clarify that people don’t necessarily hate email. They hate email that’s useless and inappropriate, and wastes their time. If Seth Godin were sending emails to The Women’s Auxiliary Flower-Arranging Society he probably wouldn’t be getting great results. Instead, he’s sending emails to people who know, respect, and trust him. They want to hear from him.
You probably have clients (or even prospects) like that. They know you. They respect your opinion. They trust you not to sell them something they don’t want or need. There are people out there who actually want to hear what you have to say.
Integrating email into your marketing mix is a great way to let them hear from you. You don’t need to send lengthy emails. Send them intriguing notes along the lines of: “I’ve been thinking about [topic] lately and I know it’s something you’re concerned about. Here’s something new I’ve learned.” Then give them a summary statement and ask them if they want more information.
Don’t get me wrong: email isn’t going to solve all of your marketing problems, but it can be a part of the solution—another way to link you to your audience. If you use it with the right people and in the right way, it’s helpful rather than intrusive.
If you ignore email you can be missing out on a huge opportunity to engage with people who should be hearing from you on a regular basis. It’s not the “magic marketing button” that will turn everything around, but it can be a crucial cog in your marketing wheel.
