Stop worrying about whether email is dead and start working on how you can tailor your message to reach people on the go.
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Does the name John Hall ring a bell? John Joseph Hall is an American musician and liberal environmental activist, and was the US Representative for New York’s 19th congressional district, serving from 2007 to 2011. Hall also co-founded the rock band Orleans in 1972, a musical collaboration that continues to this day, according to Wikipedia. He is also the co-writer of a song you may have heard of, called “Still the One.”
Elizabeth Mansfield
“Still the One” is how I feel about email as a marketing tool, particularly email newsletters. Every 6 month to 12 months I receive, ironically, email newsletters from marketing professionals claiming that email is dead. There are new or better or trendier tools that are “killing” email newsletters.
I get a little nervous and then, thanks to John Hall, I start humming a little tune.
We’ve been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again
But I want you to know, after all these years
You’re still the one I want whisperin’ in my ear
Convincing stats
I am not the only one humming that little tune. Here are some highlights from Search Engine People’s blog post on email marketing statistics:
• Last year, 57% of businesses planned to increase their investment in email marketing.
• Email has a higher clickthrough rate and better return on investment than other marketing channels like banner ads and rich media ads.
• In 2012, 44% of all email recipients made at least one purchase based on an email marketing campaign.
• 88% of women say promotions have motivated them to subscribe for more email marketing updates.
• There were 3.6 billion email addresses in 2013; by 2016, there will be 4.3 billion.
According to these statistics, email marketing is not dead. It is still the one we love the most. That doesn’t mean that change is avoidable. Change is inevitable. Email marketing, though beloved by so many, is changing. The biggest change you should be aware of is mobile email.
• 64% of the decision makers read their emails on mobile phones and 35% of all business professionals check emails on their mobile phones.
• 91% of American adults have a cell phone.
• 55% of American adults have a smartphone.
• 42% of American adults own a tablet computer.
• 52% of cell phone owners use the phone to send or receive email.
• In 2012, the average US consumer owned 1.57 mobile devices.
I know I have two iPads and a smartphone in addition to my laptop, desktop and my netbook. My advice? Stop worrying about whether email is dead and start working on how you can tailor your message to reach people on the go. If your email and website aren’t optimized for mobile viewing, “Going Mobile” is the song you should be singing.
