There has been some speculation about whether or not social media is sounding the death knell for e-mail marketing. But according to recent conversations I've had, and the new E-mail Marketing Census 2012 from Econsultancy, the answer appears to be no. To the contrary, Econsultancy reports, "there is a growing belief that the two channels can actually work together."
I'm currently working with my colleague Alan Fulmer on content for an upcoming webinar about how brand marketers can prioritize the myriad digital touch points now available. We had a conversation earlier this week about whether or not e-mail is still a viable touch point. We agree that it is. Because despite the buzz about social media, the penetration still isn't enough to reach ALL your customers.
Long before we dialed into our AOL accounts over a 28.8 modem, I worked in the newspaper industry. And prior to that I was in broadcasting. In both businesses, we talked about how important it was for advertisers to have the proper "media mix." It was never realistic for an advertiser to commit the entire ad budget to print, because not everyone read the newspaper.
Back then (and by "back then" I mean in the '90s), you needed a mix of print, broadcast, direct mail, and maybe even outdoor if you really wanted to project your message to the largest audience. And what did advertisers get in return for all the money they spent across those channels?
No one really ever knew.
There was no meaningful way to track results. We didn't have measurable click-streams, visits and conversions. There was no such thing as targeting or re-targeting without a lot of human intervention, handwritten postcards and follow-up phone calls.
Current where-to-buy technology changes that because you can track activity from all digital touch points and have a clear picture of when and how leads convert to sales. But the concept of needing a media mix hasn't changed. You need to reach customers through Facebook, Twitter, display ads, blogs ... and yes, even through e-mail. And thanks to QR codes, it's possible to track activity from magazines, direct-mail, or anywhere else you can print one of those funny looking little squares.
E-mail marketing isn't going away any time soon. It's actually more viable than ever with the addition of trackable where-to-buy links.