The stats say different.
Emarketer has assembled a few reports that clearly indicate that email is gaining acceptance as a business communication tool.
It is tougher to be a Marketer in some ways, yet it is becoming easier in others. It is definitely tough for a Marketer to keep up with the details of all methods of communication with current and prospective customers. The new media options are staggering. And the detail is even more staggering. Add the fact that online marketing requires a completely different mindset – you have to set aside your HUNTING skills and learn to BE HUNTED – it can be exhausting.
Finding an agency that is strong with traditional promotion and up to date online is quite a challenge. Oh, they’ll tell you they are. They’ll tell you they have the expertise but the truth is revealed in where their revenue is sourced. If they are still making most of their revenue from traditional media, chances are pretty good they do not have the chops in emarketing that they claim. If their online revenue is growing substantially, they are at least committed to learning and providing value to your overall marketing efforts.
By the same token, if they are 100% social media, that too can be scary. As a carpenter sees the whole world as a nail, so too will social media marketers see the whole world as a social solution. And that may not be what’s best for your brand.
As a Marketer in today’s market you must be two-headed – you must retain and improve the tried and true methods that have always worked, yet be open minded about whether they are working right now – today. We have been well trained to invest money wisely, HUNT for customers and hope it all turns out. And it ususally does.
Now you must understand how to interact with people online – a place where they have the power – where they can make or break your brand purchase decisions. You must learn to give away your rich content and your industry knowledge, trusting that the universe will pay you back in the form of new buyers. You must learn to BE HUNTED by people who are interested in what you sell. This requires a whole different appraoch. A new mindset if you will.
But it’s worse. You must first understand all these options. Then you must carefully manage and balance the integration to serve today’s sales and tomorrow’s market share. Clearly as a Senior Marketing person you know how to hunt. You must also be steeped in emarketing enough to know where and how to integrate the two methods – today.
When examining who to partner with for emarketing, do pay attention to what percentage of the agency’s revenue comes from emarketing. And that works on a granular basis as well. When looking for a supplier/partner to manage email marketing, it is good to find a partner who has a balanced revenue picture. If they are all emarketing, they are likely too biased. But they have to have a decent revenue stream in emarketing to be of value.
We would love to know your thoughts on the matter.
It’s true that online businesses need to continually assimilate traditional methods with new ones. Traditional in today’s landscape can be anything you practiced from last year to a decade ago.