Email marketing is 'more relevant than ever'

Email marketing has seen its popularity grow, despite the huge rise in social media usage.

Email marketing is more relevant than it has ever been before. Despite predictions email would see a sharp drop in popularity as a marketing channel, brought about by dramatic rise in popularity of social media websites, it seems that email marketing strategies are far more relevant to consumers now than they were a year ago.

Part of the reason that consumers are more willing to engage with email is that businesses are getting more savvy about how they use it. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), companies are starting to grasp the importance of segregating their databases and using them to target specific audiences. As a result consumer approval of email marketing has risen in the past 12 months.

According to the organisation's Email Tracking Study, the results of which were compiled with the help of fastMAP and Alchemy Worx, there has been a marked increase in the number of emails that people find interesting. Last year, just less than one in ten people claimed that 50 per cent of the email marketing messages sent to them were relevant, but this figure has improved to one in three in 2011.

Less than a quarter of those surveyed claimed that fewer than ten per cent of business emails they receive are relevant to them. This is a dramatic fall from the 64 per cent who said the same in 2010.

Chris Combemale, executive director of the DMA, said: "Brands are constantly learning how best to build trust with their customers, which is vital for successful email marketing.

"The massive rise over the past year in the number of emails that consumers report as being of relevance to them is a direct consequence of improved targeting and segmentation techniques, as well as a greater understanding of the kinds of content that are appealing. This will be a great a boon for business."

He added that not all emails are equal and that for firms to achieve VIP status amongst consumers they must have a brand that people trust. Mr Combemale added that getting a brand recognised as trustworthy can be tricky, but once this has been established it is much easier to turn that loyalty into click-throughs with email marketing strategies. So businesses should make sure that their email messages are in keeping with their company's core values and perpetuate the brand messages that can be found elsewhere - such as on a firm's website or social network page.

When it comes to email branding there are a few key strategies that firms should bear in mind - particularly as most businesses communication is done via the medium. The first has to be consistency. Firms should vie to ensure that their branding is consistent. This can mean taking the lead from your website. Consistency isn't just about getting your company logo on an email, it is about getting the right fonts, colours, content style, tone of voice and - most importantly - message.

Using an email template - or several email templates - can help achieve this without communications becoming rigid and one dimensional. Businesses can also shake it up with fresh graphics or a basic changes in layout - without having to start from scratch.

In terms of content, it makes sense to lead with what your customers are interested in. This is why data is king. But it also helps to have a decent social presence so you can see what people are saying about your brand. Even if your email messages are business to business, knowing how the wider world perceives your company can offer additional insight and make those email marketing messages even more effective.