Why Not Give Email Marketing a Spin?
Article by Lisa Voncino, Social Media Consultant, Sundance Social Media
www.SundanceSocialMedia.com
According to a study released this past January by eMarketer, “online advertising is expected to generate $39.5 billion in sales this year, a 23.3% increase from 2011, compared to a sum of $33.8 billion on print.” For the first time ever in the United States, online ad spending will surpass traditional print media. Total online ad investment is projected to hit a remarkable $62 billion in the next 5 years.
One great way of hopping onto the online advertising and marketing bandwagon is through the use of an email marketing campaign. Two of the better-known players in the email newsletter business are MailChimp and Constant Contact. They offer templates for designing email newsletters that are sent to subscribers who have opted-in to receiving promotional material. Both companies offer an intuitive product that can really up the game when it comes to promoting a business or nonprofit organization, publicizing an event or making a special announcement.
MailChimp boasts a fantastic user interface that is a big plus for the beginning email marketer. One can make an email newsletter as simple or as extravagant as required and the program integrates with Google Analytics, a method of gaining insights into website traffic and marketing effectiveness. And if your contact list is under 2000 names and you send less than 12,000 emails per month, the service is “Forever Free.” If needs increase, MailChimp offers “pay as you go” plans. The downside is that they provide absolutely no phone support. All customer service occurs through email communication and online chat on the website, available at select times of the day.
Constant Contact also provides a flexible user-friendly interface and the ability to go from simple to complex design options. They offer a free 60-day trial membership, which allows one to send 100 emails before converting to a paid plan. A 24/7 customer support phone line is always available for the novice and experienced marketer. The company also offers complimentary local seminars that are great for those who prefer live instruction. The program does not integrate with Google Analytics but does provide social media button links to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yelp, Flickr, Blog and YouTube.
Investing in a strategic and targeted email marketing campaign can be a wise and fruitful business decision. Timely information can be easily personalized and changed. It is a wonderful way of communicating to those who are not interested in obtaining information through social media outlets. The artistically inviting designs leave a professional impression and encourage the receiver to open the email and read the content. Continue to expand your brand through email marketing and you will enjoy the plentiful results!
About the Author and Sundance Social Media
Lisa Voncino, MBA is the Principal of Sundance Social Media located in Denver, Colorado. Her purpose is to inspire individuals, especially baby boomers and seniors, to use social media as a path to create and sustain successful and prosperous businesses and organizations. Lisa possesses a background in marketing and business development and has served on the board of directors of various community and art organizations. Currently, she is the Social Media Strategist for the Women’s Collaborative for Colorado and Social Media Consultant for Colorado Business Women. For more information, go to www.SundanceSocialMedia.com or contact Lisa at Lisa@SundanceSocialMedia.com or 303-279-8880.
© 2012, All Rights Reserved by Lisa Voncino, Sundance Social Media