To many, email marketing campaigns seem to be a gray area. After all, it’s the brand reaching out to the potential customer with offers, so it is outbound marketing, right? Actually, it is a very important part of the inbound marketing process. For this reason, we want to clarify any confusion by outlining five common misconceptions about email marketing campaigns:
Your Email Is Not Wanted. Are people really paying attention to emails sent by companies? Yes! A research firm, MarketingSherpa, recently went directly to 2,000 adults in the US and asked them about how they like to hear from their favorite brands. An overwhelming majority (91 percent!) said they do like to receive promotional emails from companies they do business with. 86 percent say they like to receive promotional emails at least monthly and 61 percent at least weekly.
It Is Not Cost-Effective. This is entirely untrue. Email marketing is a highly profitable solution that gives you the power to reach customers in a place most people visit every single day- their inbox. It is much less expensive than traditional print mail outs. Also, some marketing studies say that email is almost 40 times more effective than Facebook and Twitter combined in helping your business acquire new customers. That helps prove it is a fantastic way to reach a lot of people, without breaking your budget.
If Someone Doesn’t Convert Right Away, It Did Not Work. HubSpot’s blog has a great infographic dispelling this rumor. The truth is that most emails are opened about two days after they are sent by the business, but less than a quarter of purchases happen at that time. A full 32% of purchases take place two weeks afterward. Don’t be impatient; give your emails time to convert!
Your Email Will Be Lost in the Crowd. More than half of people surveyed said they received six emails or less a day from their trusted brands, according to HubSpot. Many receive less than three. That leaves plenty of your potential or returning customer’s attention for you and your message.
And perhaps the most damaging myth:
There Is No Proof Email Campaigns Work. Inbound marketing may be the new kid on the block, but its success has been proven. Hundreds of case studies have been done showing its achievements. Inbound marketing techniques, like email campaigns, is more affordable than traditional marketing tactics done is the past. In fact, according to HubSpot, inbound leads cost 61% less on average than leads from outbound marketing methods like radio ads, direct mail, or billboards.
Email marketing is one of the most effective inbound marketing methods, providing you do your research and develop a strong strategy. Need tips and advice on how to develop your inbound marketing strategy? Download our free ebook now!