What Is Email Marketing?

Are you on email every day, but you’re not sure what email marketing really is or how well it supports your marketing objectives? Digital Media Solutions is here to help. In this article, we’ve answered five of the most-searched questions about email marketing. Click on your question below to see the answer.

1. What is email marketing? 
2. Is email still a strong marketing channel? 
3. What is an email marketing strategy? 
4. How much does email marketing cost? 
5. What are the TCPA guidelines for email marketing? 

1. What is email marketing?

Email marketing is a form of one-to-one messaging that supports acquisition and retention objectives by building and nurturing consumer relationships to enable better and more efficient transitions along the conversion funnel.

2. Is email still a strong marketing channel?

Yes, email is still a strong marketing channel. Email marketing is extremely cost efficient, and email nurturing and re-engagement campaigns can deliver a strong lift in conversion rates. Email marketing also offers full brand and message control, which makes it one of the most trusted forms of digital marketing.

3. What is an email marketing strategy?

An email marketing strategy is a plan that ties email marketing to higher-level marketing campaign objectives. From customer acquisition to nurturing to re-engagement, email marketing strategies can support the full conversion funnel.

4. How much does email marketing cost?

When email lists are owned, email marketing is often considered “earned media” which means there are no external media costs.

There can be a cost for email marketing when advertisers work with an advertising agency or other third party to set up and maintain a campaign. While email marketing campaign costs can vary, the bulk of the costs typically occur during campaign set up. Assuming campaigns are automated, with sends based on time-based or milestone-based actions, the costs of campaign maintenance can be nominal.

Email marketing can also be utilized as part of a performance marketing or affiliate marketing campaign, with payment based on impressions (CPM), clicks (CPC), leads (CPL) or other actions (CPA).

5. What are the TCPA guidelines for email marketing?

TCPA stands for Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a regulation that established the national “Do-Not-Call” registration and imposed requirements for obtaining consent before making some sales or promotionally focused calls. Click here to view the Federal Communications Commission TCPA document released on February 15, 2012.

The CAN-SPAM Act is the regulation that most impacts email marketing in the U.S. The main requirements of the CAN-SPAM act include:

• Avoidance of misleading header information or deceptive subject lines.
• Clear and conspicuous disclosure that the message is an advertisement.
• A postal address on the email.
• Clear and conspicuous directions for opting out of future emails.
• Prompt opt-out processing.
• The legal responsibility to monitor third-party email campaigns conducted on behalf of your brand.

Are you looking to scale your customer acquisition efforts?

The team at Digital Media Solutions (DMS) loves helping marketers enhance their marketing effectiveness with email marketing. Contact DMS today to take your email marketing to the next level.