Email marketing gets a very bad rep. Rumour has it that it’s ineffective, unprofitable and worst of all irritating to customers – but there are a lot of fairy tales told about email. In this blog post, we’ll be debunking 5 email marketing myths to shine a light on the strategy’s continued importance.
1. Email marketing is dead
Email marketing is NOT (I repeat, NOT) dead. 60% of customers say they’ve made a purchase after receiving a marketing email. That’s more effective than social media marketing! Don’t be fooled into thinking that the oldest is always the clunkiest. Some things just never get old.
2. There’s a ‘prime time’ to send emails
Ah, the mythical marketing happy hour. Some say it’s Tuesday, some say Thursday, but the truth is there’s no such thing. To be sure, there are times during the day when more people are online than usual. But the fact that 85% of people open their emails 2 days after receiving them throws a spanner in the works. Scheduling when your emails go out is important. What’s more important, however, is simply hitting that send button!
3. Too many emails p*** people off
Sending a marketing email can sometimes feel like kicking a hornet’s nest. We instinctively think that more emails = more unsubscribers. It doesn’t. Contrary to common belief, email-users aren’t as trigger happy with the spam button as you might expect. In fact, increasing the amount of emails you send increases your rate of customer engagement.
4. The word ‘free’ will be marked as spam
Many email marketers shy away from using the word ‘free’ in their emails on the off-chance it’ll be flagged as spam. The likelihood of this happening, however, is tiny. In the grand scheme of words you can’t say in an email, ‘free’ should be the least of your worries. So if you have something to send your customer’s for free, send it!
5. Plain text emails aren’t good enough
One of the biggest email marketing myths out there is that design is everything. With the rise of email marketing programs like Mailchimp, having a flashy email template is now all the rage. But looks aren’t everything. Instead of sending an unoriginal ready-made template, prioritise the power of your words. They are your greatest weapon – not fonts or colours!
Email Marketing at Universal Web Design
Email marketing is a powerful instrument that when wielded correctly can produce incredible results. With staggering return on investments and room for a personalised flair, email marketing lives on as one of the dominant digital marketing strategies of our times.
To find out how we can help you and your business, visit our website at www.universalwebdesign.co.uk, email us at sales@universalwebdesign.co.uk, or give us a call on 01206 588 000.