As with most forms of marketing, email marketing is surrounded by a few misconceptions that if fully bought into can leave you with disappointing results. While there is no doubt that a nicely focused campaign can work wonders for your business, it simply cannot fix everything.
Following are some things email marketing can't do:
Guarantee Success Overnight - Several businesses have made a living from email marketing. But do not assume that it will send your sales numbers soaring through the roof. It can be a long, grueling road, one filled with many twists, turns and frustration. Just remember that it can take time to warm up your target audience. Stick with it and you will be able to build relationships, foster loyalty, and drive sales.
Sway the Uninterested - You could be marketing the most valuable product or service of its kind, but if your audience is not interested, your efforts are futile at best. It is highly unlikely that a deep discount on pottery will change the mind of someone who is looking for resources that help them start an online business. The point is that your content must be super-focused. Having permission doesn't mean you have their attention.
Fix a Broken Business - When a business is struggling, its decision makers sometimes opt to ramp up the marketing efforts. This is practical thinking when you consider that the goal of marketing is often to generate the revenue needed to minimize the struggles. Unfortunately,
email marketing cannot fix a business that is already down in the dumps. If your business is suffering from reputation damage or poor budget management, these issues should be addressed before choosing email as a crutch.
If you are considering a serious run with email marketing, you should take the time to figure out what is really going on in your business. Are you having trouble reaching your target market, or are your satisfaction levels declining? Answering tough questions like these and clearing up existing issues will keep you from entering the game at a disadvantage.
