Month: February 2007

Sometime ago, I took issue with Ken Schafer (and Seth Godin for that matter) when they were reporting the death of email was a foregone conclusion. The truth of the matter is that it is not dead – or as Mark Twain once said "the report of my death was an exaggeration". Yet, the debate continues in terms of the role email will play in the future. 

We have to remain strategically sober to the fact that as the "net generation" becomes more prominent, email will likely be discarded as their parent’s technology. In due time we are sure to see instant messaging, RSS and other tools rule the day as primary communication vehicles.
Now contrast that with a recent study by New York-based Datran that asked U.S marketers to choose the most important media channel they plan to use in 2007.  An astounding 83% of U.S. marketers picked email citing the ability of email to drive incremental revenue, reinforce the brand position and improve customer loyalty.

Jen Evans wrote a great post on the state-of-email that I thought was bang-on the issues.  She touched on many great points both pro and con.  In my work, I have personally seen the direct impact of a well planned email strategy and know it is a highly effective tool when used properly to develop a dialogue and nurture relationships. And, it is also holds camp as an impressive ROI machine if you manage to harness its potential.