Far From Old School: Why You Need to Add Email to Your Marketing Mix

Kayla Dreuth

Table of Contents

In a world obsessed with the latest social media craze or trend, email marketing sits quietly in the corner. Sure, it might not have the hype of a viral TikTok or the instant gratification from comments on an Instagram post — but instead of chasing a moment on the algorithm, email marketing is the steady achiever that actually gets results. 

Email marketing isn’t dead; instead, it’s the one area in marketing that continues to deliver consistent, measurable results that would make any CMO’s heart skip a beat.

What is email marketing?

Email marketing is the practice of sending targeted messages directly to your audience’s inbox. These days, it’s not just a company update that’s sent off; it’s instead a sophisticated art that blends data science, psychology, design, and creative storytelling all together, turning casual browsers into loyal, repeat customers coming back for more.

At its core, email marketing is about building relationships at scale and keeping your brand in their minds. It’s your direct line to people who’ve already raised their hand and said, “Yes, I want to hear from you.” No algorithm stands between you and your message, no platform can suddenly change the rules overnight, and no competitor can outbid you for visibility in someone’s inbox. Viewers will look at your emails because they want to.

Advantages of email marketing to reach business growth

When executed properly, email marketing can be your most reliable revenue driver, customer retention tool, and brand ambassador all rolled into one. This is because of its versatility. Whether you’re nurturing leads through educational content, announcing flash sales, or simply staying top-of-mind with valuable insights, email adapts to your business goals like a marketing chameleon. It’s equally effective for B2B companies sharing industry expertise and e-commerce brands showcasing their latest collections. Email marketing is a one-stop shop, showing individuals everything in one place on a weekly or monthly schedule.

Let’s chat about 6 specific ways in which email marketing can help your business really take off.

  1. Superior reach and engagement

Email marketing is about reaching as many people as you can. When you compare it to social media, you’re actually 6x more likely to get someone to click through to your website via email (3%) than from Twitter (0.5%). Why? Because your email subscribers have actively chosen to hear from you and they’ve given you permission to enter their digital world, rather than being forced into it. The conversion numbers tell an even more compelling story. According to Monetate research, 4.24% of visitors from email marketing actually purchase something, compared to just 2.49% from search engines and a measly 0.59% from social media. That’s not just a difference – that’s email marketing doing victory laps around the competition.

  1. Direct and personal control 

Are you trying to get an unlimited offer through to your audience? Share an impactful story to drive up sales? Urgent content like this can’t wait, and sometimes, it needs to be as direct as possible. With email marketing, 90% of emails reach their intended recipients’ inboxes, while only 2% of your Facebook followers actually see your posts in their news feed. This is because social platforms capitalise on their business model, deliberately throttling organic reach to push users toward their paid advertising options. But with email marketing, it’s up to the user to decide if they want to open it or not, not an algorithm’s decision, giving you more control as a marketer.

  1. Top-notch return on investment

Email marketing delivers an average 3,800% return on investment, with every dollar spent generating approximately $38 in returns. This remarkable ROI comes down to email’s ability to deliver highly relevant messages. You can segment audiences, personalise content, and deliver exactly what each subscriber needs at exactly the right moment.

  1. Targeted and personalised

Email is where people expect and welcome professional communication. According to MarketingSherpa research, the vast majority of consumers prefer receiving promotional content via email, compared to just 17% who prefer social media. This preference is all about context and consent. This is because people check their email with a different mindset, one that’s more receptive to business communication and purchasing decisions vs social media which is about fun, friends, and family. Email’s segmentation capabilities mean you can speak directly to specific audience segments with messages that feel personally crafted. New customers receive welcome sequences, loyal customers get exclusive offers, and dormant subscribers receive re-engagement campaigns. It’s marketing that feels less like marketing and more like helpful communication.

  1. Relationship builder

Email marketing excels at nurturing relationships over time. Through regular, valuable communication, you change in customers’ minds from being just another brand into a trusted advisor and preferred supplier. Landing directly in someone’s personal inbox creates a sense of exclusivity and direct connection. When done right, your emails become anticipated rather than tolerated, building loyalty over time.

  1. Cost-effective method that scales

Unlike paid advertising, where costs increase with reach, email marketing becomes more cost-effective as your list grows. Once your system is established, sending to 1,000 subscribers costs virtually the same as sending to 10,000. The infrastructure scales beautifully while your per-contact cost plummets. This scalability, combined with email’s measurable nature, makes it perfect for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses can compete with enterprise companies by delivering equally sophisticated campaigns, while large corporations can maintain personal connections with massive audiences without proportional increases in marketing spend.

Email marketing is here to stay

So, is email marketing for you? Would it be a tool that would help or hinder your current business growth? Because the thing is, email marketing is here to stay. Not only is it surviving in our social media-saturated world, but it’s actually thriving even more with reliable reach, genuine engagement, and measurable results. 

Our team can help you create email campaigns that don’t just reach inboxes, but drive action, build relationships, and deliver measurable ROI. 

Let’s turn your email list into your most valuable business asset. Exchange details with us today!

Kayla Dreuth
Kayla delivers innovative copy and content to clients, all while pursuing her Master of Advertising at RMIT. She loves being active outside doing yoga, playing pickleball or running by the beach.
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