Digital communication channels are everywhere, but email—one of the oldest methods of digital outreach—remains a potent tool for businesses looking to connect with their audiences. Everyone claims to hate getting marketing emails, but when it comes to driving engagement and improving your brand’s impression among potential customers, email marketing continues to outperform other options, with at least one recent study pointing to an ROI of nearly $36 for every dollar spent on email marketing.
Despite the rise of social media marketing, the numbers still tip in email’s favor, with 4.7 billion email users expected by 2026. (We all know people who swear off social media. Most of them still have at least one email account.)
Email marketing also retains its effectiveness because of its unparalleled personalization capabilities, cost-efficiency, and high conversion rates, all of which especially benefit small businesses. Unlike social media’s public platforms and opaque algorithms, email enables direct and private communication with target audiences. If a social media post is shouting from the rooftops, an email can be a quiet conversation over a bottle of wine.
In this month’s installment of Rare Insights, Jim Cota argues that the enduring power of email to communicate your message effectively—whether it’s launching a special promotion, sharing your brand’s story, or simply engaging with your audience in a meaningful way—can lead to unexpected connections and conversations, reinforcing the idea that the value of your message far outweighs the specifics of its content.
