Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Does Email Marketing Really Work?

Email marketing is still a huge part of internet marketing, but more and more people are questioning whether it really works or not. Considering that most people really don't read email from users they don't know that well, most email marketing attempts simply fail because they don't get read. But, it does have an impact on some sites and businesses, and it is one tool that can compliment a more balanced and comprehensive plan of attack to get your site noticed and give people the chance to buy your product or service. 


Email marketing is not that cheap, and you should look at all of your internet marketing choices before you decide whether this is a good option for you or not. Taking with an online marketing consultant can help you find the answers to these and other questions while helping you discover which tools will work best for you and for your site. However, this isn't to say that email marketing will not be a good idea, and if you are interested in using this option, you should consider some things that will impact how people perceive your message. 


First, you do not want to sound spammy, too familiar or too loaded with sales pitches. Remember that the first thing people will see even before they open your message is who it is from and what the subject is. Having a legitimate sounding website is one of the most important things that you can do to legitimize your website or company. Next, the message line should be carefully written to reflect what you are offering without using sensational and attention grabbing sales phrases that will cause most people to instantly delete the message. 


This is a tricky and challenging feat for any marketer that is using email to generate traffic and business, and finding the right message can take time and a lot of effort. Unfortunately the only way you will know if your attempts are being successful is if you see an increase in traffic to your site. So, once traffic starts to improve, you can further tweak your subject line to make it more and more effective. This same rule applies to the message itself. You should be interesting, credible, honest and creative enough to spark the viewer's curiosity and persuade them to click to your site for more information. 


Cold calling email marketing is not as popular or effective as it used to be, but it still plays a big role in an overall online marketing plan that can work for you. Just remember that it can be expensive and it may also take a long time for you to see if your campaign is actually working or not. Don't sign any long term contracts with marketing companies either, otherwise you can be stuck paying for something that isn't helping you at all. You may also need to try out a few different ones before you find the one that works for you and actually gives you results.

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