Why Email is Key During Times of Economic Downturn October 15, 2020, | Posted by Guest

There are a lot of reasons for any economic downturn, but the one that has already started this year has a feature that makes email marketing a uniquely important tool for getting through the doldrums. As more consumers turn to ecommerce, businesses of all sizes have jumped on the bandwagon, email has become even more important, and Site Impact’s experts can tell you that all around--even for brands that have not transitioned more fully to an online shopping model--email is one of the best methods available for communicating with consumers, and keeping your business afloat in these troubled times.

Email lets you connect with your audience 

There are a lot of channels for consumer outreach, but email trumps them all. Studies repeatedly show that email is the most trusted channel on both ends of the equation: consumers are glad to receive emails they’ve opted into, and brands trust email to get their message where it’s supposed to go. When people are holding a little tighter to their wallets, they are much more likely to decide to actually spend on a brand that they trust. Email engenders trust from the consumer, and brands prefer it too: the investment cost is low, and the returns are typically very strong (average $42 return on every $1 spend, and for ecommerce the situation is even rosier: $45 average return for every $1 spend). 

Email makes a solid cornerstone for cross-channel efforts

One of the things that makes email great is the fact that it is a great foundation for a cross-channel, multi platform marketing effort. Email gives you the authority and the base from which to build out your other channels’ campaigns, whether those include traditional media (radio, TV, print) or digital media (banner ads, social media, PPC etc). Email brings a sense of cohesion and coordination to your broader efforts, and that helps you to maintain trust and authority with your audience, which pays off when they’re making harder decisions about where and when to spend their money. By starting with email as your foundation for other efforts, you’re ensuring that you’re putting your budget where it will be the most effective, and saving money that can be spent on experimenting with channels that don’t have as consistent results.

Email marketing is the solution that many brands have turned to in the face of economic downturns in the past 30 years, and it’s especially prominent now that the situation has driven so many people to ecommerce that may not have considered it before. As brands adopt more online shopping functionalities in order to cater to consumer demand, they also need solid channels for outreach and connecting with their audience: email provides that channel and gives a great, trusted platform for engaging with the people interested in products and services. Contact Site Impact to hear how we can help you maximize your email marketing potential.