Email Marketing Defined

Email marketing uses email to promote products or services.  Email Marketing is a type of direct marketing which uses email (electronic mail) to communicate with customers or potential prospects.

Email is a very versatile medium. Email formats range from HTML to simple text. The message of each email can be one-size-fits-all or highly customized to the individual being contacted.  Some email marketing programs transmit emails on a regular schedule others on a more sporadic basis.

Any email sent to a potential or current customer could be considered email marketing. Generally speaking though the term email marketing refers to:

• sending email messages to current or previous customers with the intent of building customer loyalty and creating additional sales.
• sending email messages to acquire new potential customers

Email marketing is a powerful tool, especially when used in combination with other forms of direct marketing like social media or direct mail.

Email marketing can be abused.  When email marketing is done unethically or without permission of the email owner it is called SPAM.  While some users fail to distinguish between opt-in email marketing (where permission of the email owner is obtained) and email spam, spam is actually a major threat to legitimate email marketers.  Spam makes the entire email medium less effective.

Direct Marketing Defined

The term direct marketing is often equated to direct mail.  It is true the direct mail is a form of direct marketing but email, direct mail, social media, pay per click, catalogs, online advertising, interactive television, even search engine optimization are all forms of direct marketing.  The key thing all of these mediums have in common is the ability to track and measure results.

Repost of an interesting Linkedin Article

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