Definition:

Email marketing is a process of soliciting business prospects via email. It is essentially the same as direct mail except that instead of sending mail through the postal service, messages are sent electronically via email.

How Email Marketing Can Create Problems

Many consumers consider email marketing messages to be “spam”. As a result, if not conducted carefully, email marketing messages and campaigns can have a negative effect on a company’s brand or image. The primary reason this occurred is that too many

business and spammers rely on purchased email contact lists from less than reputable list providers. Instead of sending out thousands of email messages to an untargeted lists, small and home businesses have better success sending email newlsetters to their customers and selected prospects. Additionally, regulations make it mandatory for email marketers to provide the ability for message recipients to easily opt out of the mailing list.

How Email Marketing Compares to Direct Mail

Many business have replaced or supplemented their direct mail marketing efforts with email marketing campaigns. Email marketing campaigns are less expensive and easier to track than direct mail marketing campaigns.

Email marketing campaigns may be targeted to either a consumer or business market (or both).