Email marketing is not a new phenomenon, but it is still one of the best ways to reach out to an audience and educate them about new products, discounts and sales. In fact, an email distribution list can be one of the most valuable weapons in the repertoire of the modern marketing team.

New internet marketing trends such as social media might appear to threaten email as the predominant strategy, but according to Business2Community, smart companies will not abandon this old standby for years to come.

Not only is email marketing sticking around, it has shown to lead to increased sales over the past few years. While Business2Community did not disregard social media and marketing apps as sound strategies, they emphasized email as the primary tool businesses should use in their efforts. So why should marketers continue to utilize this method?

Who doesn’t love to hear their name?
The primary benefit of email marketing is that it allows for an enhanced relationship between businesses and customers. This is because people love the feeling of being called by name, regardless of who does the addressing. Customers tend to be more responsive the second they recognize their name on the subject line.

Business2Community drew the parallel of direct mail marketing to emphasize this point. Even when consumers receive a letter in the mailbox addressed directly to them, they experience a rush of anticipation that cannot be replicated by other forms of marketing. Campaigns that include details like customer location and buying preferences are much more effective as well.

Creating this personal bond is exactly where email marketing excels over its social media competition. While platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer the excitement of a collaborative atmosphere, they can make people feel like they are just another name in a sea of customers.

Business2Community said that companies would be wise to mix the best of both worlds by getting customers excited about trends through social media and then sending emails to emphasize their focus on personal treatment.

Email keeps things personal and professional
While there have been some pushes for companies to transition to using social media and text to reach customers on a personal level, Business2Community reminded marketers that most people prefer email as the platform on which they want to be reached by brands.

Even though personal communication via email has declined 21 percent, compared to a 10 percent increase in social media and 20 percent increase in text message, consumers appear to prefer commercial email messages rather than through these other channels. Most people appear to not like mixing business and pleasure.

This preference has increased 5 percent since 2008 and represents consumer comfort with being reached by businesses over email compared to other methods of communication typically reserved for social interactions. Perhaps email has already asserted its dominance over these other outlets through years of connecting customers to businesses, according to Business2Community.

Drive sales without slipping up
Email marketing is clearly a force to be reckoned with when it comes to customer engagement via the web, but it is still possible for companies to alienate their audiences through this platform, according to Entrepreneur magazine. Common email marketing mistakes include using poorly chosen stock photos or distracting layouts, sending messages too often or missing their target demographic.

To avoid these mishaps, Entrepreneur suggested that companies spend time segmenting their email marketing campaigns to create sets of messages specifically designed for particular groups of customers. This can be as easy as matching up the proper names of the recipients with their emails, including their locations or recognizing their age-bracket.