Email campaigns may seem like an antiquated, overused method for digital marketing these days. With newer channels to deliver messaging, such as social media, SMS, video content, and digital advertising, many clients wonder: Is email marketing effective enough to warrant the investment?
The short answer is: Very much YES.
Hear me out.
Questioning the validity of marketing methods is good. Please keep doing that because digital marketing changes and evolves steadily.
The creation, implementation, and execution of email campaigns, however, have had some timeless benefits that are worth a significant dent in your marketing strategy. I have known this method to morph into the cornerstone of many clients’ marketing masonry (and often after a hard pitch to include it to begin with).
So, here’s the pitch on why and how email remains a foundational element of your marketing plan.
Email Campaigns Work Well Within the Content Marketing Funnel
Our strategy is often not quantity but quality, and by using the marketing funnel in tandem with email campaigns, we have planted seeds for sturdy, effective marketing roots.
I am always impressed at the results when messages are delivered at the right time in the buyer’s journey. An experienced marketer knows that initial plans need to first consider where desired or repeat customers fall on the content marketing funnel.
Remember when I said the content marketing funnel helps determine where to begin driving website traffic, generating and nurturing leads, and increasing brand loyalty by targeting content in alignment with each stage of the buyer’s journey?
Using the funnel as a guide for developing email campaigns is vital, in that it allows targeted messaging to hit the inboxes of desired receivers at the right time.
People check their emails once a day, a cadence that allows digital marketers to develop campaigns that appeal to those in the consideration stage or Middle of the Funnel (MOFU).
At this stage, potential customers have moved beyond awareness and are actively evaluating their options.
Email marketing not only educates and demonstrates why your product or service is the best choice, it provides product comparisons that highlight your unique benefits, showcasing real-life success with testimonials, as well as utilizing visual content and tutorials will help drive audiences to the next stage.
How Are Email Campaigns (Still) Effective?
There are many reasons email marketing continues to get results. Our clients see a better ROI, and we see a growing brand awareness, versatility on the sales funnel, and behavior-based analytics. Good stuff.
Here are some of the strongest benefits:
- Personalization: Emails can be tailored to individual recipients based on their interests and behaviors, leading to higher engagement rates. Unlike social media, email lands directly in a recipient’s inbox, making it more personal.
- Audience segmentation: You can categorize your email list into different groups based on demographics or behavior to send targeted messages.
- Brand building: Consistent email communication helps build brand recognition and establish a unique voice.
- Higher ROI – Email marketing consistently delivers a high return on investment (ROI), often outperforming social media and paid ads.
- Owned Audience – Unlike social media platforms, where algorithms dictate reach, email lists are assets you own. Advanced tools allow for personalized messaging based on user behavior and preferences.
The advantage of email marketing is that the combined benefits outweigh the few that may come from other avenues. For example, social media may be effective when it comes to access, brand- and audience-building, but lacks audience segmentation, targeting, and above all: the use of subscriber lists as assets that can be segmented and analyzed with ease.
How Do Email Campaigns Work in Practice?
There is a lot of information I can share on how to run an email campaign, but the foundational practice of building subscriber lists is a good place to begin.
Here are just a few ways to build customized subscriber lists:
- Offer Value in Exchange – Provide lead magnets like free guides, discount codes, or exclusive content in return for sign-ups
- Optimize Website Sign-Up Forms – Use pop-ups, slide-ins, and embedded forms to make subscribing easy and accessible
- Leverage Social Media – Promote your newsletter or promotions on social platforms with teasers of what subscribers will get
In practice, the content of emails can be customized to fit subscriber lists (and where they fit in the funnel). Some ways we like to develop content include creating:
- Welcome Series (top of funnel) – A warm introduction email sequence that sets the tone and expectations for new subscribers
- Abandoned Cart Emails (middle of funnel) – Personalized reminders with incentives (like discounts) to bring customers back to complete purchases
- Re-Engagement Campaigns (bottom of funnel) – Target inactive subscribers with “We Miss You” emails or limited-time offers
The Pitch for Sticking with Email Marketing
Email marketing continues to be the most effective method for delivering targeted, personalized, and easily measurable communications that not only are proven to drive sales and conversions but to boost brand awareness and curate more evolved performance methods.
My pitch is simple: Email continues to be a reliable tool to move new, return, and prospective audiences through the sales funnel with better success than other channels, all while improving brand awareness and creating audience-specific analytics.
For a team that values clarity, focus, and results (our slogan), email marketing is a no-brainer.