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As a business owner, you have probably heard the hype: social media is the future. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram or Facebook, you have been told that is where your customers are and that is where you ought to be. And while social media platforms definitely play an essential role in any modern business strategy, there is one channel that many entrepreneurs still underestimate: email marketing.
Yes, email. The same channel that has been around for many years is still undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to build relationships, generate leads, and convert customers. Ignoring email marketing is a mistake – and I would like to inform you why.
The myth that email is dead
First, let’s make clear something. You may hear people say that email marketing is outdated or irrelevant in the age of social media. But the data says otherwise.
According to GetResponse, which analyzed greater than 4 billion emails sent worldwide, email marketing is performing extremely well in North America:
Compared to the declining organic reach of most social media platforms, it’s clear: email marketing is not dead – it’s thriving.
When you think about social media, where algorithms are continually changing, your posts may not reach even a fraction of your audience. Email, on the other hand, is direct. You don’t have to fight algorithms to get your message across. It’s you and your audience. There are no intermediaries involved.
Email gives you power over your audience
Here’s the harsh reality: If you rely solely on social media to build and connect with your audience, you do not own those relationships – the platform does. At any time, the platform could change its algorithm or, worse yet, terminate your account, leaving you to reconnect with your followers.
Email, on the other hand, lets you have a list. No one can take that away from you and you are not at the mercy of another person’s platform. When someone subscribes to your email list, they offer you direct access to their inbox – the sacred space where personal conversations, essential updates, and critical decisions happen.
This is your likelihood to build relationships, nurture leads, and deliver value without having to fret about whether the algorithm will hide your message.
Seasonal marketing campaigns: why you need to plan now
As we head into the busy end of the yr with campaigns like Black Friday and holiday sales, email marketing becomes much more essential. These days, social media platforms are flooded with ads, making it even tougher for your message to chop through the noise. But email lets you cut through the clutter and deliver personalized, direct offers to your customers’ inboxes.
If there was ever a time to extend your email marketing effectiveness, it is during a period of increased demand. You’ll give you the option to send targeted, personalized offers that are more prone to convert than if you relied solely on social media.
Building personal relationships on a large scale
One of the best benefits of email marketing is the ability to personalize communication. While social media is great for mass visibility, email lets you tailor your message to specific audience segments. And with automation tools, you may create custom email sequences that match the stage of the customer journey – whether or not they’re recent to your brand or have been a loyal customer for years.
Personalization in email marketing is not only about adding a name to the subject line of the message. The idea is to send the right content at the right time, based on your customer’s behavior. Whether it’s recommending products they’ve shown interest in or offering them a special discount to return to your store, email lets you scale personal interactions in a way that feels authentic and relevant.
Why email outperforms social media when it involves generating conversions
While social media is great for building awareness and engagement, email marketing is where conversions occur. In fact, email has been found to be 40 times more practical at acquiring recent customers than Facebook or X, in keeping with A McKinsey report.
Why? Because people signing up for your email list have already demonstrated a level of interest in your brand. They have given you their email address and expect useful content, offers or updates. With email marketing, you may speak on to qualified prospects and guide them into the purchasing journey with strategic messages, offers, and calls to motion.
Social media may get people’s attention, but email closes the deal.
Automate your path to success
Here’s where email marketing becomes truly powerful – automation. With email automation, you may arrange entire sequences that deliver the right message to the right person at the right time without lifting a finger. Imagine sending a welcome series to recent subscribers, a follow-up series to customers who left items in their cart, and even a re-engagement campaign to customers who have not shopped in a while, all while you focus on other parts of the store. Your business.
This level of automation saves time by allowing you to grow your business without having to interact directly with every customer touchpoint. It’s a great tool for business owners who need to maximize their marketing efforts without sacrificing time or quality.
Pro tip: For maximum impact, use email and social media together
Here’s the excellent news: you do not have to choose from email marketing and social media. They work best when used together. Use social media channels to grow your email list. Create compelling lead magnets like guides, checklists or exclusive discounts, and drive traffic to a landing page where visitors can enroll to receive useful offers.
Then use email to proceed building that relationship and converting prospects into paying customers. The two channels complement each other, social media increases awareness and email provides the personalized, direct communication needed to shut the sale.
If you are serious about growing your business, email marketing must be a part of your strategy. It’s reliable, scalable, and delivers a higher return on investment than any other channel.
The better part? It’s never too late to begin. Start building your list today and watch your business grow.