Email marketing is dead. You’ve probably heard this claim a million times over in recent years, but it’s simply not true.

Admittedly, social media now plays a key role in marketing for businesses across a plethora of industries, with brands flocking to various platforms in an attempt to engage with new and existing customers.

But what social media offers in terms of brand visibility, it severely lacks in personalisation, says Jude Duncan, Email Marketing Manager at schuh.

Jude is a vocal champion for email marketing and the benefits it can deliver for brands, and is keen to emphasise just how impactful and effective email can be.

“Email is not dead,” she says. “This rumour has been going around for years now, but the data shows that’s just not the case at all. We need to be talking about this more.”

Indeed, research from HubSpot shows that there are more than 4 billion email users globally while insights from Unbounce suggest that email visitors are the most likely to convert on forms.

Similarly, according to Litmus, more than three-quarters (79%) of marketers list email marketing as one of their most-effective channels. So why has email marketing been lumbered with a reputation for being somewhat outdated?

Jude believes it’s due to a culture where ‘vanity metrics’ – such as opens and clicks – and follower counts have been used to veil lacklustre and unimaginative marketing practices. And the coronavirus pandemic has shone a light on the issue.

“People seem to view email as a bit ‘old school’ and assume that social media and other modes of communication are more appealing,” she explains.

“But during the pandemic we’ve changed the way we communicate, and email has proven itself to still be one of the best tools for brands when it comes to conversion and engagement with customers.”

The power of personalisation

Amidst a period of digital fatigue and saturated social channels, Jude says email marketing has been a lifeline for marketers scrambling to maintain vital customer relationships. And a key differentiator for email during this period has been personalisation.

“Personalisation is a huge reason for the continued popularity of email marketing. And when I say that I don’t just mean popping someone’s name at the top of an email. I’m talking about proper personalisation and ensuring that you’re sending the right content, to the right person,” she says.

At schuh, Jude says personalisation can be as simple as not sending an email promoting sneakers to a person who frequently buys sandals.

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This is what really separates email from social media marketing. The unique, finely-catered messaging that brands can offer via email leaves a positive lasting impression among consumers, as opposed to the mass communication one might encounter on social media.

“Social media is like standing at the top of a Munro and shouting out and hoping that someone hears you – and a lot of hillwalkers will hear you, but chances are they’ll forget about it soon enough,” she explains.

“Whereas email is that little light in your inbox reminding you about a great product or service.

“That’s personalisation. You just don’t get that on social media. You can’t get the same interaction with that person as you can via email – it’s about making someone feel special and valued as a customer.”

Beholden to no-one

Another issue which has become evident in recent years has been the power of big tech and social media platforms, Jude believes. Relying heavily on social media marketing means that brands are left competing in a saturated marketplace and beholden to a platform’s algorithm.

“With social media, you’re in the hands of the tech companies and relying on their algorithm,” she says. “So there’s times where you have to wonder if that customer you’re targeting will even see your post.”

With email, the marketer at least knows with some degree of certainty that a message is going to land in a customer inbox. Of course, whether they engage with it depends on the individual, but the power still lies in the hands of the brand and the marketer – and that cannot be understated.

“The control you have over your email marketing is critical,” she says. “You don’t have that level of control over other platforms. With email, you know an algorithm isn’t going to disrupt your messaging or your ability to connect with customers.”

Avoid saturation at all costs

There’s much to be said about saturation on social media, but Jude is keen to add email saturation is an issue that many brands forget to consider. And it’s seriously impacting their messaging.

“I think there is a saturation issue growing in email,” she says. “I think that’s why it’s so important to be sure that you’re personalising, segmenting and offering your customer something of value.”

Segmentation is an area where Jude believes many companies are failing. Gone are the days where brands can spam an entire database and hope for the best, there’s a bit more strategic thinking required in 2022.

Critically, she says brands have to realise that not everyone is interested in your messaging. Yes, they might be a customer. But people interact and engage in their own unique way – and some simply don’t care.

“Businesses need to realise that not all customers care about your latest messaging, your purpose or your latest products and services. But it’s not all bad. Once you realise this, it’s a huge benefit to marketers because you can segment people out and ensure that you’re only directing messages to customers that really care and like to engage.

“And ultimately that means they’re going to be less likely to hit that unsubscribe button.”

In the 2021 State of Email report, more than 90% of survey respondents told Litmus that email marketing is now “somewhat critical” to the overall success of their company. In addition, nearly half (41%) say it’s now very critical – up nearly 30% since before the pandemic began.

This, Jude says, underlines the positive impact that email marketing has had throughout the pandemic. With brands continuing to rely on email, she believes this mode of communication is far from dead.

MarTech Scotland Summit | Join the Conversation

Jude Duncan will discuss email marketing at the MarTech Scotland Summit, held live and in-person at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh on 10th May.

In her talk, she will outline practical tips for email marketers to maximise audience reach, improve customer engagement and discuss the key benefits of email marketing in 2022.

To register for a free* place at the Summit, please visit: www.martech-summit.com

*A criteria applies for attendance. For full T&Cs visit the event website.