Email marketing is dead. Email marketing is NOT dead. Email marketing is dead. Email marketing is NOT dead. Every few months, new studies are releasing supporting both sides of the coin. The fact is, email marketing is NOT dead.

Instead of going in circles with the email marketing is dead/not dead debate, we think time is better spent strategically using email marketing to build and nurture customer relationships.

Email marketing continues to be an effective avenue to build customer loyalty. Here are three ways that you can implement immediately to build loyalty.

1. Personalize It
   The easiest way to personalize customer emails is through the salutation. An even more effective way is taking advantage of your CRM or email marketing platform to send out content based on your customers’ needs. When you address their challenges and needs specifically, your customer will feel they have been heard and that you care. It may take a little more time to personalize your email marketing, but isn’t that the case for any relationship? Relationships take time and effort.
2. Give Your Opinion or Advice
   There are many blogs written every day that regurgitate what is already out there. Be thoughtful and write content like you are giving advice to a friend. Would you go up to a friend and tell them, “here are 4 ways to find get in shape fast”? These are transactional statements. Instead, you would listen to your friend and then offer advice and even walk the journey with them.

   Marketing is about walking with the customer through their buyer’s journey. Email marketing is an effective communication tool to offer opinions and advice as well as a way to guide your customers through the buyer’s journey.

3. Consistency
   Building a relationship and continuing to keep it strong takes effort. This is most effective through consistency. Sporadic emails are not consistent. Actually, to some, it can be annoying because it disrupts. Consistency in a customer relationship is not disruptive. It benefits the relationship.

   Content calendars are very helpful to keep you accountable and consistent. You can search “content calendar” on Google and find many examples. You will see growth in your customer relationships when you implement a content calendar for your email marketing.

We’ll say it again…email marketing is NOT dead. By strategically using email marketing, not only will nurture customer loyalty, you will be establishing your brand as relational and an authority that your customers look to for answers.