Contrary to popular belief, email is not dead. It still works if you use it well. The problem, so few people use it well. I stumbled across an old post by Seth Godin in which he compares good vs bad email strategy. Read the article, then tell me which is closer to your email model?
Do you treat people as individuals, sending relevant content to small groups of people who have expressed an interest in hearing from you. Or are you still using a one-size-fits all appraoch where you send the same generic email to everyone you meet, and hope someone will buy from you?
For small business owners, especially in a slow economy, email is tempting. It is relatively simple to create and inexpensive to deliver. So what is the harm of sending one more email? The harm can be seen in the increases in your opt out rate, and the decreases in your open rate. I started using email, six years ago. At the time, my open rates were routinely around 50% – 65%, and sometimes as high as 70% . Today, my lists are larger, but I am reaching fewer and fewer people with my mass emails. Why? Over time people unsubscribe, opt-out, or simply stop opening the email I send.
While my general email’s are experiencing a falling open rate, there is an exceptoin. My 10 Week Biz plan emails typically run around 70% open rate? How is this possible? This group is much smaller, only 150 people, but each of them has specifically requested they be added to the list. The key is permission!! These subcribers have all joined the list as a result of a post on my blog. That is the second piece of the puzzle. Your email needs to be tied to your website, and your website to your email to create a perfect loop for prospects.
Social Media will not replace email, but it does challenge us to be more creative and more interesting in our communications. Are you looking to incorporate both email and social media into your strategy? Roundpeg, an Indianapolis marketing and social media firm, can help.