Research shows that Email is easily the best and most effective way to build an engaged audience or tribe of people eager to buy from you. And in this article, we provide 12 compelling reasons why you need an email list. And as an added bonus, we show you how to get started with building your list.
This may come as a shock to you. However, as a blogger, writer, social media expert or other content creator, you must understand this to make the most of electronic marketing.
It may shock you, but I lie not: Your most valuable asset is not your content. It’s not your expertise.
It’s not even your blog or website. Nope, not your employees…
Your greatest asset as a blogger, author, coach, writer, social media expert, internet marketer or other content marketer is your targeted email list as part of an electronic marketing strategy.
Email is easily the best way to:
- Build an engaged audience or tribe of people eager to buy from you; or
- Create excitement around your next project.
Without an email list of engaged subscribers, you will struggle to monetize your message.
But first, what is electronic marketing?
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What Is eMarketing Or Electronic Marketing?
According to Dr. M. A. Khan, eMarketing or electronic marketing refers to the application of marketing principles and techniques via electronic media and more specifically the Internet. The terms eMarketing, electronic marketing, Internet marketing and online marketing, are frequently interchanged, and can often be considered synonymous.
In this article, our focus will be on email as a form of electronic marketing. We are focusing on email because it is the most effective form of electronic marketing.
As an electronic marketing tool, email is simply phenomenal. It represents the backbone of nearly every successful content initiative and digital marketing success story you’ve ever heard about. There is no better tool for building your online community, communicating with them and selling to them on a regular basis than email. As you will see later, email marketing has an unassailable ROI!
If there is one thing that business, content, and conversion rate experts agree upon, it is that building an email list is vital. Agency professionals and in-house marketers worldwide are in agreement about email’s effectiveness, according to a March 2016 polling from Econsultancy.
Nearly every person in the world has an email address. The Radicati Email Market Study, 2017-2021 states that there are currently over 3.7 billion email users worldwide (three-quarters of which are consumer accounts), and forecasts that this figure is expected to grow to over 4.1 billion by year-end 2021.
These figures are billions, my friend. Billions, not millions! They make the potential with email colossal! If you haven’t recognized the power of email marketing, you’re missing out. Period!
Electronic Marketing Is the Future: 12 Reasons Why You Need To Start Building Your Targeted Email List Right Now
Here then, are 12 reasons why you need to embrace electronic marketing and start building your email list right away:
#1. Without an email list for electronic marketing, you’re building your business on rented digital property.
You are too dependent upon the social networks for your business success. And that’s not a good place to be. Michael Hyatt puts it this way:
A few years ago a friend was in the middle of a promotion for his annual conference. He used Twitter as the primary means for connecting with his tribe, but then Twitter inexplicably suspended his account.
The problem was eventually fixed, but it hurt his attendance in the meantime. That was the first time I saw a real downside to building a house on a rented lot.
I was an early adopter and advocate of social media. I still am. But I encourage everyone interested in growing a platform to begin with a home base that you control. Use other services to expand your reach, but build your house on your own lot.”
Be honest.
What would happen if Facebook or Instagram or TikTok suddenly release a new algorithm and your posts aren’t seen anymore? What would happen if you can no longer be part of a Pinterest group board? What if Google inexplicably changes the rules (which they can do as a virtual monopoly) and you no longer get organic traffic? So you’re making money from your YouTube channel. Fantastic 🙂 What would happen if YouTube suspends your account 🙁
Simply look at YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, Medium and any other social network and you’ll see how quickly they are changing. Facebook’s organic reach is in the tanker. Brand and electronic marketers who put all their social eggs in the organic Facebook basket are being hit incredibly hard. This won’t happen with email because with email, you are able to build your own plan, strategy and integrated platform that inspires, attracts, engages and nurtures your ideal customers.
#2. Email enables you to build trust with your audience.
When someone signs up for your email list, it’s a sign of trust and interest in your brand. They’re intrigued by the content they’ve seen so far, and they want to learn more about how you think and the solutions you offer. Even if they aren’t ready to buy immediately, they’re thinking about it.
#3. Rock your email list. It’s your greatest asset.
As stated earlier, your email list is your greatest asset. Not your content. Not your experience or expertise! Email represents the backbone of nearly every successful content initiative and digital marketing success story you’ve ever heard about. There is no better tool for building your online community and communicating with them on a regular basis than email.
#4. Email is personal and private.
Email is a far more friendly medium than blogging or even social media. When people see your email in their inbox along with all their other friends, this builds trust. And when you start a conversation in someone’s inbox, they feel like they can be themselves and share whatever they may be struggling with, what they want, or questions they have. I love the rapport this builds with readers.
#5. Inspite of the rumours, email is alive and well.
As we have seen, research suggests email is still an important part of many people’s work lives, with the average person spending up to 50% of their time in the inbox. Studies also found that:
- People check their email around 11 times per hour.
- 84% of users keep their email up in the background at all times.
- 64% of users used notifications to access email at least some of the time.
- The average worker receives 11,680 emails per year with an average of 32 per day.
- 42% of all email in a person’s inbox is considered essential or critical.
- Email is still considered by most to be the best collaboration tool for teams and individuals.
People use email for more than sending messages:
- 76% use it to exchange documents; and
- 50% to archive important messages.
#6. Your business email list belongs to you.
You actually own your email list and the list is your business! You own it. Your email list is basically the only platform that belongs to you. Think about it Think about it…You have no control over what Pinterest or Facebook or Twitter do… if Facebook decides to scrap Facebook groups or Facebook Live, there’s nothing you can do. Absolutely nothing! Also, with Twitter and Facebook and other channels, you have to go through the “middleman” to access your audience. But with email, your message is delivered straight to your readers. You don’t need anyone’s permission.
#7. With email you can reach your audience more easily.
You have an instant and direct line of communication with your audience or tribe via email. This is priceless! As soon as you have a meaningful idea, you can put your thoughts into an email with a call to action. According to Francisco Rosales, Founder of SocialMouths, “Today, you’re able to reach an average of 1-2% of your Facebook Fans, the same way a very small percentage of your Twitter following sees one specific Tweet. Email is not perfect either, according to studies, 22% of emails sent get lost in the junk or spam folders or are blocked by ISPs. But that still leaves you with an average of 78% messages delivered.”
#8. Targeted email represents huge business potential
Having a list of people that are responsive to your emails and are buying based on your recommendation is great for your business. You can pitch this to create affiliate partnerships where you can help each other out and generate more sales by sharing to each other’s email lists. The bigger your list, the better you have of reaching higher affiliate relationships.
And growing your list will lead to amazing opportunities you haven’t even considered. You start to see the results from a list of at least 1,000. That’s because, generally and statistically, about 1% of your list will buy from you. So, for instance if you wanted to start a coaching program, and you have 1,000 subscribers, you should easily get 10 clients within a few days of sending a simple email to your list.
#9. Targeted email list works and it delivers the highest ROI for marketers
According to this report, for every $1 spent, email marketing generates $38 in ROI. A survey of US marketers conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and