Do you have an email list for your business? Not just a list of customers who’ve bought something from you in the past, but a list of people who’ve opted-in to receive regular newsletters, special offers, or other updates from you?

No?

Well, if you don’t think your small business needs an email list, it’s time to think again, and here are two very good reasons why:

• Email marketing can help you generate more visitors and increase your income.
• Studies have shown that the ROI of email is 1000% higher than social media.

Let’s look at this a little closer.

Why Social Media Marketing is NOT enough

Now, I’m a huge advocate of social media marketing, especially when it comes to small businesses, BUT, focusing all your efforts on building a Facebook following leaves you with a fanbase that’s not really, well, yours.

You are, in effect, merely renting those followers and, if one day Facebook decides to limit your ability to deliver your message, your hard-earned fanbase suddenly becomes pretty worthless.

Even on a GOOD day a large number of your fans won’t see your updates due to the platform’s algorithms, but imagine if for some reason you are suddenly cut off you’re your Facebook audience (or that of any other social network). It happens, sometimes due to malicious complaints, sometimes it’s down to simple error….but the point is that it HAPPENS.

So, do you still want to rely on a social media fanbase for your marketing?

Why Email Marketing is so great

The good news is that, by growing your email list you’ll be able to take full control of your message and communicate with your audience on your OWN terms. By simply signing up for your emails, your prospect is showing that they are interested in hearing from you and that they trust you to provide them with information that’s relevant and of interest to them. Meet their expectations, and these people will be responsive and receptive to your message.

PLUS – and this is a biggie – you know your message is reaching your target audience because you know it’s being delivered to a place where your customers go everyday: their inbox!

OK, so not everyone’s going to read every email you send them, but with 91% of consumers checking their email at least once a day, and most smart phones users signed into their email accounts 24/7, the chances are pretty high that you’ll get your message across.

Still need convincing? Just think about the fact that an email list is yours and yours alone – suddenly you’re not fighting to stand out and be noticed amongst a bajillion social media updates…you can step back, relax and think only about what your customers most want to hear about, rather than how to grab their attention amidst the quagmire online.

I can’t imagine a day when I no longer consider social media marketing to be an essential part of the online growth and brand development of any small business, BUT your business also needs an email list. Social platforms may rise and fall, but email provides a personal, purposeful, targeted and CONSISTENT means of contact with your followers. Make time for social media, by all means, but if you haven’t started building an email list, do it NOW!