Benefits of Email Marketing Compared to Direct Mail

Industry reports continue showing email marketing provides the highest return on investment for every dollar spent compared to all other marketing channels.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, in 2008 email marketing’s Return on Investment was $45.06 for every dollar spent. In comparison, marketing via catalogs returned $7.28 for every dollar spent.

Even though email marketing outperforms direct mail in a dollar-to-dollar comparison, integrating the two channels remains an important strategy to reach the desired target with the maximum effectiveness since both are effective in allowing a corporation to send out their message to a targeted and perhaps pre-qualified audience.

Email marketing campaigns have distinct advantages over traditional direct mail. The digital channel can provide more cost-effective follow-up and be used as a relational tool to elicit response over time.

Email can adapt appearance and content in the form of a traditional email message, or as an eNewsletter directing the reader to specific case studies, white papers or campaign-specific micro-sites.

For franchises or corporations that have national reach, individual sales staff, or local brick-and-mortar operations, then email offers the necessary flexibility to send centrally-controlled messages in strategic cycles.

While the dollar-to-dollar comparison is important from a bottom-line perspective, the technological advantages continue to make email a valuable marketing channel.