Not to get political, but all this talk in the news about email has reminded us what a powerful communication platform it can be. And with great power comes great responsibility. For Hillary, that means one thing. But for our purposes, as digital marketers, email marketing can make or break your business’s reputation– nobody likes feeling spammed or bombarded with unsolicited messages. Which is why implementing a strong email marketing strategy can facilitate the conversion process from interested leads into loyal customers.

According to a 2015 MarketingSherpa survey, 72% of US adults prefer companies to communicate with them via email to any other marketing methods (i.e. postal mail, TV ads, social media, etc). Moreover, Salesforce research found email to be the top source for data analytics in the marketing industry. Indeed, email marketing is alive and well and not going anywhere anytime soon, so you might as well leverage email marketing to your companies’ advantage. To do that, check out the following tips.

Ask for Permission- First, we’re going back to something your mom would tell you. Which is that it’s polite to use “permission-marketing” when attracting online customers. Be sure to ask their permission before blasting them with emails. Also, make sure its easy for them to “unsubscribe” from your messages if they so please. Our inboxes are cluttered enough, so manners go a long way in email marketing.

Use Data Analytics Wisely- Don’t just email haphazardly. Instead, first make an acquisition strategy. Take a look at where your customers engage the most with your brand and brainstorm ways to interact with them. What sort of emails have high open rates? Which don’t? Using data analytics for email marketing is an effective way to predict behavior. The next step is to brainstorm ways to drive interactive engagement that will ultimately grow your customer base.

Nail the Subject Line- Continuing with the theme of “things our moms taught us,” first impressions are everything. Your email’s subject line is your first impression. Crafting an alluring yet realistic (don’t go making false promises; that will only lead to unsubscribing) subject line is critical to piquing your customer’s interest (and those open rates!). For tips to making the best subject line, click here.

Optimize for Mobile- how often do you check your email from the convenience of your smartphone? I’m guessing a lot, according to these stats from emailmonday. And your audience is probably doing the same. If you provide a clean mobile experience, consumers will be more attracted to your brand. The reality is they’re more likely to disregard or even delete an email that is not compatible with their iPhone screen.  Many analytics softwares report on the types of devices on which your site is being viewed -- take this into account when designing your next email.

Personalize When Possible- Subscribers like to feel special. By implementing personalized product recommendations or something that indicates the email wasn’t just sent blindly to the masses, you instantly increase the likelihood of conversion. Customers like to feel different and a little bit of personalization can go a long way. 

So to answer your question, no--email marketing is not dead. And, so as long as our obsession with smartphones continues, it’s here to stay. Capitalize on people’s obsession with checking their inbox by implementing a strong email marketing strategy.