Email Marketing- Still Viable or a Thing of the Past?

When the first wave of the technological revolution hit the business world, marketing strategies were the first to become digitized. Instead of door to door marketing, the companies found E-mailing a group of people together, much easier. It was also very effective, since E-mails were guaranteed to capture the attention of a person or a consumer in this case, hence leading to increased revenue.

Soon enough, E-mail marketing became the single most important targeted marketing strategy. However, as technology progressed by leaps and bounds, new and innovative ideas in marketing were launched. With the rise of social media and mobile technology, marketing has branched out even further.

Nowadays, most business owners, big and small-scale, find social media and mobile marketing much more effective than E-mailing their targeted customers. Many people will say that all these recent developments have left email marketing far behind and it may be no longer the primary driving force in the marketing field. Analysts argue that people do not even pay that much attention to promotional emails anymore, and it is much more efficient to just market through a social media network or via SMS.

Well, current data proves otherwise. While Email marketing may not be as integral to marketing as it was before, it still holds value. According to statistics, this mode of marketing is responsible for the highest return on investment when compared to other marketing channels. Another survey has proven that almost 91 percent of the employees in the U.S business sector prefer getting promotional emails and subscriptions from the companies, therefore encouraging email marketing. They want to be updated regarding new products, services and developments. When the question was raised regarding the importance of email marketing, many customers went on record to say that they still were on board with this marketing strategy since it made they feel connected.

Apart from that, email marketing can still be employed as a way to make the consumer feel special. When the person feels that they are getting personal attention from the company, they will be more likely to respond positively. People who have been quick to dismiss this marketing method should rethink a few points. Emails are still considered important and almost every social media platform today needs to be integrated with an individual's email account.

User friendly interfaces and interactivity has changed the way emails are sent and received. One can send and receive large pictures, videos, voice messages and literally everything else possible. Other than this, mobile apps have also made it a lot easier for people to access their emails on the go. Hence, no matter where a person is or what they are doing, they will still be able to communicate effectively.

Yet, as time has passed, this method of marketing has been on the downslide. Companies do not pay that much attention to email marketing anymore and have turned towards the more modern methods of marketing such as via social media. You are almost guaranteed to catch the eye of a potential customer if you are advertising a product or service on Facebook.

In fact, reports that have come out recently show that Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the most effective marketing platforms today. However, experts continuously warn business owners to not underestimate the power of email marketing even when it may not seem that useful. There are still many people who prefer to communicate with the companies through emails. Old, loyal customers like to get emails promoting up and coming products or services. Some have even stated that email marketing provides them with a sense of unity.

Business owners have been downplaying the prospects of email marketing since quite a few years. According to recent statistics, only 50 percent of the companies are aware of their emailing interface and whether it has the features required to capture the consumers' attention.

Analysts have described these reports as worrying. Most of them are of the opinion that business owners should put in the effort in this mode of marketing. Email marketing still holds relevance and can lead to an increase in revenue and profits for a company if employed properly. Marketing experts should develop a strategy which boosts click-through rates and prompts consumers to open and read through these emails.

With continuous developments in the field, emails are becoming the 'it' thing again. Gmail, Microsoft and other providers have been working on introducing new features within emails which will offer more interactivity and accessibility. This means that companies can utilize this method to market their products and services effectively again. While social media networks may guarantee success and revenue, the email isn't that far behind. Those who dismiss it will be surprised to know that it is indeed back again.

In 2016, experts have predicted a positive future for email marketing. They say that it will make a turnaround and prove much more effective than it is thought to be. A number of people are using emails as their primary mode of communication and this almost makes it a certainty that emails from companies will not go amiss. Consumers will be more likely to see this as a personalized way of interaction and respond to these marketing emails.

The question here is whether email marketing is still viable or not. Well, the simple answer to that is, yes. It may have experienced a decline in importance but that does not mean that it has become a relic of the past. Email marketing is still very much there, and in the future prospects also seem bright. Experts have predicted that it is set to make waves again and considering all the innovative developments in this sector, it almost seems like a certainty. Business owners are also focusing on coming with new strategic ways to target their customers through email marketing again.