4 Reasons Email Marketing Should Be Your New Year's Resolution for 2014

The end of the year is quickly approaching, and it's time to review your marketing budget allocations for the upcoming year:

• Social Media? Check. Everyone is doing it.
• SEO? Check.
• PPC? Maybe, just maybe, check.

Now, how about your email marketing strategy? Do you have an existing list of loyal customers that you would like to send out regular updates to regarding promotions, new products, industry trends, or news? Or, are you a startup looking to expand your customer base? Whether you have a pre-existing list of email subscribers or are looking to build one, email marketing should be a priority for your marketing strategy in the New Year. 92% of adult internet users maintain at least 1 email account, and 72% of email users check their inboxes 6+ times daily. Needless to say, as the most cost effective way to drive repeat business and loyal customers, email marketing should definitely be part of your marketing make-up in 2014. If you still need more convincing, here are four reasons why your company should consider it a priority for 2014:

1) Email marketing > Direct Mail

This depends on the industry, of course, but there are very low production costs with email marketing, with no need for printing, postage, and so on. Email marketing is a quicker option, and you're better able to tailor the process to your customers. For example, you could schedule your subscribers to receive an email at 6:00 AM on Cyber Monday, whereas with direct mail, they would most likely receive it a few days prior, making it less effective than receiving it in your inbox mid promotion. Not to mention, email marketing is eco-friendly!

2) Drives traffic to your website

Even if someone may not be interested in the product or promotion you may be offering in an email, your other products may spark their interest regarding product offerings and deals, which may lead them to the website immediately or in the future.

3) Builds loyalty

With regular communication with your customer, they will constantly be aware of information, news, events, promotions, and more able to maintain awareness of your company and its products. By maintaining communications, you can strengthen relationships and retain them as loyal customers for years to come.

4) Quick response

Emails are received in an inbox, and what happens? Someone likes what they see, and they visit the website from their mobile device, tablet, laptop, desktop, and so on. You're able to see results immediately, allowing you to gauge the success of your content with your customer base, and to better tailor it for the future depending on overall results. Overall, email marketing is a highly effective way to engage with your customers and impact their buying decisions, ultimately driving sales for you. If you aren't already, incorporating email marketing into your budget for 2014 should be your New Year's resolution.