For many small business owners, email marketing can feel like a luxury that falls outside the budget. There never seems to be enough time, money, or know how to make it happen. And with everything else that has to be managed, it often gets left by the wayside.
This is unfortunate considering the many benefits that a business owner can derive from implementing an effective email marketing strategy and the low costs to start.
Not convinced it matters? Consider your own habits and how frequently you check your inbox.
But beyond your own personal habits, what the current COVID-19 challenges have proven is that business owners need to find innovative ways to connect with their customers in the face of quarantines and stay at home orders. And while email marketing is not new, it’s definitely a solution that is worth considering as you seek to maintain or improve your business’ cash flow throughout the crisis.
1. Email Marketing Pays
When done right, email marketing can be very profitable. According to Campaign Monitor, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the return on investment is $44. Those are some very solid statistics — statistics that social media and other forms of advertising can’t boast about.
2. You Don’t Own Your Social Media Accounts
While 25,000 followers on Instagram and 10,000 on Twitter may feel impressive, if you’re not being intentional with that traffic and directing those followers onto your email list, you’re playing a very risky game.
Your Instagram account belongs to Instagram. Likewise, your Twitter account belongs to Twitter.
But an email list? That’s yours. When people sign up for your list you have access to their inbox with their approval. And no one can take that access away from you.
3. Email is Personal
One of the many advantages of email is how personal you can get. When people sign up for your email list, you can collect their names so you can personalize your emails. This, in turn, makes them feel like you’re only talking to them, and the power of that experience is huge.
Plus, the more you learn about your subscribers, the more you’re able to customize your emails to their needs and give them value, which makes them more likely to buy from you when you have an actual offer.
4. When Done Right, Emails Don’t Feel Invasive
We all know how annoying ads can be, especially when you’re in the middle of something online and they get in the way. While they have their place, email marketing will always be a better way to promote your offer than ads or social media.
When people sign up for your list, it’s because they’re interested in your business. So when it comes time for you to send them emails, they’re already expecting to hear from you, and if you do a great job writing those messages, your subscribers will actually start looking out for them.
5. Email is Affordable
If you’re convinced and are ready to get started now, you could sign up for a free MailChimp account and begin collecting your audience’s email addresses for your list. Or if you already have a list of email addresses, now is the perfect time to dust it off and start sending regular emails to your leads. The key to doing this well is to provide value before you try to sell or solve a problem with your product or service.
While a free account will have limitations, it’s still useful to start. Paid options average $20-$40 per month for a smaller list size. This means it doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg to start and grow an email list so you can sell your subscribers.
If you’re serious about giving your business an edge, especially in these uncertain times, consider adding an email marketing strategy to your efforts. The data doesn’t lie, and all evidence says it will pay off.
About the Author
Anna Sarayna is an email copywriter and marketing strategist. She works with business owners and entrepreneurs who need help clarifying their message, attracting the right audience, engaging that audience and selling to them while adding value.
Now this was really helpful! I’m fairly new to marketing and a lot of what’s out there for advice is so heavy-handed. I get this. I’ve been laser focused on getting more followers to my social media pages as I grow my brand but it never occurred to me that I don’t really own those relationships. Thanks for taking the time to share advice for real people who are starting out!!!
Wow… and here I was thinking email marketing didn’t have much of an impact on my business and only annoyed people! Anna you just changed my life, gonna get my email game kick started.
Salient points. This part in particular is very true especially considering my own experiences.
Good read. Short but informative!
As a small business owner who’s been focusing all my efforts on social media this was insightful. If I’m thinking about getting started with email marketing what should I consider first (in your opinion)?
Thanks for sharing Anna!
Thanks for sharing this Anna. You’ve definitely made a solid case for why email marketing should be part of my business strategy.
Looking forward to what you write next!