Originally shared in June of 2017, this blog post we’ve shared about what makes Sapper Consulting so successful has been a big hit. We wanted to re-share the wealth of knowledge. Sapper hasn’t become one of the fast-growing companies in the nation without knowing the secrets of email lead generation.
But why is this 40 year old communication tactic the #1 resource for winning new clients?
Hint: Because it works.
Why? Here are five reasons you need to reinvest in your email marketing instead of abandoning it for something shinier.
The return on investment is outstanding.
Expensive leads make for expensive marketing. When it comes to getting the most for your investment, email stands atop of the pack. According to the Direct Marketing Association, email had an ROI of around 4,300% in a 2013 study. That’s a lot of bang for the buck.
Email lead generation is cost effective in part because email marketing is so inexpensive. Getting eyes on your email content is much cheaper than PPC campaigns, for example. There’s little to suggest that it will become more expensive in the future. Instead, it will just become more effective because the leads generated are such a high quality.
Email campaigns can be very targeted.
Finding leads is easy. Finding qualified, targeted leads takes more work. Email campaigns allow marketers to pinpoint the problems and desires of potential clients. You can then segment your list according to what stage of the marketing funnel they’re in. For example, by using different opt-in offers, you can know which particular service your client is interested in.
In email marketing, the lead has opted in, raising her hand to let you know she’s interested in your product, service, or brand. That means your marketing efforts should be much more effective than someone randomly seeing an ad. Then you can cultivate a relationship with them through your email marketing campaign, making a conversion even more likely.
Email lead generation nurtures leads.
Because of its targeting and segmenting possibilities, email marketing lead generation helps you tailor your potential client’s journey from awareness through conversion. By sending high-value content directly to his inbox on a regular basis, you create a relationship, forming a bond that helps transform a cold lead into a hot one.
Develop a strategy (or follow a successful lead nurturing example) to keep your leads engaged. Since you are working through email, you control the timing and pace of delivery. And the process can be entirely automated.
You remain in control.
Email is a direct line to your clients. Sure, their inboxes are full, and they can be distracted by clutter and information coming from all directions. But if you create value, they will pay attention.
Unlike other lead generation strategies like social media marketing or search engine optimization, you control the terms of your email marketing. You don’t have to worry about what happens when Google changes its algorithm (which it will) or how Facebook alters its policies (again, it will) without warning. These changes disrupt your marketing, making it less predictable.
While you have to be wary of spam filters, email allows you get your message directly to the reader. You don’t have to follow someone else’s rules for writing subject lines. You don’t have to count the characters in your message. You can make marketing emails as simple or flashy as you want.
And you can measure it. With all of the automation and analytics tools available for email, you can quickly determine what strategies are working for your campaign and make changes as needed.
Everyone uses email (yes, Millennials too).
Yes, social media is big. You shouldn’t ignore these platforms. But the numbers suggest that you also shouldn’t pursue them relentlessly at the expense of your email marketing.
Facebook, by far the biggest player in the field, claims over a billion users. That’s impressive, but it pales in comparison to email. Radicati projects nearly five billion email users by the end of 2017, and over one billion of those will be business users.
Despite the availability of so many different messaging apps and communication platforms, email remains the leader. Email is the default method of registering with online sites and services because it is so universal. Social media sites recognize this, which is why they send us notifications via email about what is happening on their sites.
Even Millennials, a group who consistently explores new methods of communication, use email regularly. Many prefer it as their primary method of communicating with brands. So go where your leads are, in their inboxes.
Takeaway:
It’s easy to dig on email (and email lead generation). It is a 40-year-old technology, after all. But don’t listen to anyone claiming that the email sky is falling. Email is a tested and reliable method for generating and converting leads. Smart companies continue to exploit its many advantages in their growth strategies.
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If you’re looking for more reliable resources to get more quality leads (that close), click the button below to set up 15-minutes with one of our lead generation sales partners. We’ll take the time to learn a little more about you to see if and how we can help you achieve your business goals.
