Email marketing refers to a broad spectrum of marketing practices that specifically use email to communicate with existing and potential customers.

How businesses use email to promote themselves is as diverse as any other medium, from the most direct examples like sending customers announcements of new products, or more indirect methods like sending useful newsletters that serve to build customer loyalty.

After physical mailing address and phone number, email is the most direct way to reach someone. That makes communication via email highly efficient, cost-effective and reliable.

This is as opposed to other forms of marketing that entirely rely upon intermediaries, like social media platforms or media outlets. Becauses these third-parties are clearly self-interested and aim to raise revenue for themselves, they often only allow direct communication for a fee, and regularly change their rules.

First, you need to organize all your existing customer contact information. This is a beneficial exercise no matter what, because many small businesses simply don’t think to have a single, up-to-date database of contacts ready for mass communication.

Next, we normally advise building a proative plan for sending communications and adding new contacts, selecting inexpensive email marketing software to get started, and developing a template to provide a consitent, professional appearance.