How does your company approach email marketing?
Traditionally, companies have used email marketing for a few key reasons:
- Direct Selling
- Fresh Content
- Updates
These are all related to marketing in some way and the ultimate goal of each is to increase sales. The sales may come in the form of direct marketing by showcasing a product or service or through indirect forms like adding fresh content to your website that keeps customers interested in your brand. Whatever the reason is there is little doubt that email remains an important part of any successful marketing mix.
But today the trend in the online world is mobile or in a different form it’s local.
Mobile Marketing Trend
Here are some mobile statistics (Source):
- 38% of smartphone users represent 28% of the US population
- Smartphone ownership has tripled in the last two years
- 44% of all Americans over age 12 own a smartphone
Other than folks over 50 years old and kids under 12 years old it’s pretty common for everyone to have a smartphone. If your target customer falls into this group of folks then it’s best to at least pay attention to how the mobile world could be beneficial to your business.
As you start reading articles about mobile marketing and the mobile opportunity in general I want to make sure you’re still thinking about email marketing and how important it remains for your target customer even in the mobile world.
Email Marketing + Mobile Marketing = Results
Now, I don’t want to sound like the old guy that always tries to stick with what has been the bread and butter in the past. People struggle with change and like to keep things the same, but in the case of email marketing I’m still on board because it still works.
Even in the mobile world email marketing remains important.
Consider a few additional stats (Source):
- 82% of smartphone users check and send email with their mobile device
- 90 million Americans access email through a mobile device with 64% doing so on a near-daily basis
- 43% of mobile email users check email four or more times per day compared to 29% of those who do not use mobile email
If email marketing has worked for you in the past there is every reason to believe it will continue working in the future. I’m not sure if the younger generation (18 years and younger) will be into email as much in the future as young adults (18 to 40 years old) are today, but if your customers are in the latter group then email will likely remain their preferred method of communication for life.
What’s changing is the mobile aspect and it appears that email is even more useful for mobile users. People are constantly connected to others in the mobile world. We send text messages. We send emails. We’re constantly on our phones checking news and updates. We’re connected to the point that information can overtake our world and we respond by deleting messages that aren’t relevant. This is important for companies that market.
Here are a few action items for mobile email marketing.
1. Understand Your Target Customer
The biggest thing with email and mobile is understanding your target customer. Make sure your target customer uses these two items before investing in them. Age is likely a big consideration. If your customers are over 55 they likely still prefer TV and catalogs. If your customer is under 45 and over 18 they probably use email and smartphones all the time. There are exceptions, but focus on the general rules here for the best success.
If your customer uses a mobile device to check email then you have an opportunity to succeed with email marketing in the future.
2. Continue to Focus on Email Marketing
Much attention is being put on social media and other online tactics, but email marketing remains perhaps the most effective form of online marketing. Use your knowledge of email marketing to get response from your campaigns. Remember that your customers will increasingly view emails on their smartphones. They’ll be clicking items with their fingers. Design is going to be important and it will change from traditionally email marketing.
3. Email Design Is Even More Important in the Mobile World
People are pickier in the mobile world. There are more distractions when people are using their phones to check email. No longer is a person sitting at their laptop checking email. They’re in line at the store or at dinner with friends. These folks are more willing to delete an email that doesn’t seem interesting.
This is why email design and concept is more important than ever. If you feel your customer is using mobile to access email then make the switch to design email specifically for the mobile experience. Work hard to understand what kind of email will be interesting to them. Test different approaches and make sure you’re always getting their attention.
It’s a mobile world out there and if your customers are of a certain age they’re likely using smartphones. But don’t forget about the old friend email marketing. It could be even more important in the future mobile world.
Image Credit: Christiano Betta
