Why email marketing remains one of the best retention channels (despite the fact that it is getting tougher)

It’s no big secret that email is one of the areas of marketing with the fiercest competition. The average email metrics have gone way down over the past 3 or 4 years. For comparing distribution list types and sizes, open rates rates are down. There is no denying that trend even in retention emails.

Inboxes are getting cluttered, recipients are weary. Folks are buried in email piles and screening them using a number of great inbox tools such as filters (or Sweep from Hotmail).

But despite the fact that it’s getting tougher and tougher for email marketing, there are still tons of opportunities with this channel. I am not talking about acquisition email. This space is down and on the US market, its best days are behind it (still booming in Europe though). The truth about retention email and CRM today is that the fact that this space is getting crowded is creating more opportunities for email marketers.

In the sea of emails that folks receive (and screen), today, if you do email marketing right, you will be Jesus. Relevant, relevant, relevant. There is simply no better keyword to describe successful email marketing today. Relevance and precision. But also of course targeting, personalization and sub-segmenting.

If your email is relevant, personalized, carefully targeted and if you segment your distribution list appropriately and don’t hesitate to segment and sub-segment again…yes…you will be successful. Send smaller and send relevant. No distribution list is too small anymore! So if you follow these golden rules, you will be the king or queen of email marketing. Otherwise, I suggest that you start thinking about your next endeavor.