Why Email is Ideal For Small and Medium Businesses June 08, 2019, | Posted by erin

While there are benefits and drawbacks to any method of digital marketing--or any marketing efforts at all--small and medium businesses have had a history of being hesitant when it comes to email compared to things like social, because it sometimes seems old fashioned or they have concerns about intrusiveness. The truth is that email marketing is one of the best tools for building your business and customer base no matter what size your business is; but it is especially useful for small and medium businesses compared to some other channels, for a few specific reasons. Site Impact is of course a bit biased when it comes to the benefits of email, but today we’d like to make the case for it’s place in the SMB marketing budget.

You don’t have to spend a lot to gain a lot

Email has the key benefit of being extremely scalable compared to other methods of digital marketing; no matter your budget, you can find a way to engage in at least some form of email marketing effort. Because email has been around for so long, and because it’s a much more targeted method of outreach, a small investment gives you a much better point of contact with your prospects. Social, search ads, banners, and so on all have the downside that it often takes a number of exposures and clicks to get one conversion (and depending on whether you’re paying per display or per click, that can add up quickly). Email gets you into a space where people are more likely to be receptive to receiving a marketing message, and it does it at a lower cost. There’s a reason that email marketing has one of the highest returns-on-investment of any channel.

Email creates a deeper connection

While social might get the plaudits for opening up direct conversations between brands and their customers, email has a higher level of consumer trust, and brands of all sizes have consistently found that email’s status as a trusted channel extends to the brands that use it. The consistent nature of email messages, the trust that consumers have in the format, and more combine to give brands a much deeper opportunity to connect with consumers. You can get formal or informal, you can engage in many of the same tactics that you would use in social in terms of content and tone--but with an audience that is looking specifically for branded, marketing-oriented messages. You can reward customers more directly, and give them a feeling of more direct interaction.

For small and medium businesses, email marketing is a must-have in your marketing arsenal. With an average ROI of approximately $44 revenue for every $1 in spend, it beats out a number of other channels for budget-friendliness, and it gives you the opportunity to reach out to customers on a more direct level, and create a deeper connection than many other marketing channels can provide. With a little bit of money and some basic strategy, combined with brand sense, you can maximize your contact with prospects and grow your business easily. Contact Site Impact to learn how we can help you get the best in email.