Email marketing is one of the best online marketing strategies as it is able to reach out to almost all internet users. Statistics have shown that more than half of internet users have at least two or more email accounts! It is therefore extremely crucial for online businesses to incorporate email marketing as a means to build relationship and loyalty with your customers or prospects.
What is Email Marketing?
Email Marketing is a form of direct online marketing using email to distribute your marketing messages. It is a direct and very effective way of marketing.
Tip No. 1: Seek permission from people to join your emailing list. You can offer a free e-book or report via the crossmark connect subscription page or squeeze page in exchange for their names and email address. The important thing is to grow your subscriber list.
Tip No. 2: With your subscriber list, you can start your email marketing. Send emails containing information about your products and services to your subscribers. Ensure that the emails contain a link that leads to your site’s homepage or sales page.
What are the Advantages of Email Marketing?
1. Low Cost – Communicating via email is very low cost.
2. Speed – Your message can reach your entire email list in practically no time.
3. Easy & Convenient – it is easy for both the recipient and you.
4. Build Relationship: You will be able to build up relationship with prospects. Through email marketing, you are able to build up relationship and it is easier to sell to someone who has the trust and confidence in you.
5. Viral – If people like your message, it is so easy for them to forward your message on to others, spreading them like wild fire.
6. Opt-In – the best email lists are always opt-in as you have permission to email to a targeted prospect list. This is unlike spam and the conversion rate is also far higher than spam.
What are the disadvantages of Email Marketing?
– Branded as a spammer: You may be called a spammer for sending messages about your products and services. Always ensure that people are aware of what they are signing up for and that they confirm their subscription – that way you can ascertain that it is a clear and fair opt-in. 
– Hard Selling: Excessive hard selling at the beginning might lead people to leave your list. Always make your list valuable by providing quality content to your readers. Do make sure that not every single email is a sales pitch.
How to Avoid your Email being Treated as Spam Mail
As people become more aware and sensitive to spam, more innocent messages ended up in junk mail folders. It is good practice to:
– Inform your subscribers to white-list your email address. Send them an email containing instructions on how to do so. This will prevent your emails being filtered as spam mail.
– Provide good quality content in your emails. If people receive good information from you previously, they will most likely open and read any emails that you will be sending to them in the future.
