Like most agencies, we here at The Ohlmann Group have mailing lists. Yes, even in the era of social media and increasing digital ad spend, we send emails and care packages to clients on occasion. Why?
Because in a world of siloed media, it’s more important than ever to be able to reach customers directly. Building an integrated marketing campaign today requires far more than just buying a TV ad or “being on Facebook.” The truth is that people are consuming messages in hundreds of different media, across social platforms, traditional TV channels, streaming music and television services, mobile applications, and much, much more. You need to be in the right mix of channels to reach those customers.
Email – as with direct mail – will never die because it remains the best way to ensure that a message reaches a customer. Billboards, radio ads, and television will give you broad and important reach, and digital platforms give you the ability to target new prospects and gather customer information, but having a customer list for upselling product and increasing brand awareness will always be an important part of your marketing mix.
Here are three reasons why email marketing matters more than ever:
- Social media posts can be pushed down, overwhelmed, or hidden to users by service providers. Facebook increasingly demands that brands pay to get posts to their own followers, and unless a Twitter or Pinterest user is actively viewing their feed when you post your message, it’s likely your content will be overlooked.
- Email allows for more sophisticated user tracking. With email you can not only track open rates, but also hard conversion rates. You can easily see who shared your email, and who clicked through from the email to fill out a form on your site or order a product.
- People may have several email addresses, but like phone numbers, they use them forever. Customers may use several addresses to sign up for newsletters or contests, but they generally check those email addresses regularly, and retain them for years or even decades – longer than many reside at a physical address.
So if you’re still holding on to that old mailing list, best keep it updated. It’s still a great way to reach your best customers.
