Today, you are inundated with digital tools and tactics to market your business, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and more. With the increase in popularity of these tools, many ask us if email marketing still has value for their security business.

Let me assure you, it does. 

Email marketing is the use of email to cultivate relationships with your audience and to provide value, as well as promote products and educate readers and prospects. Email marketing allows businesses to keep their customers informed, and to customize their marketing messages. It is one of the most cost-effective and conversion-rich forms of digital marketing today. It is potent, persuasive, and powerful.

Let’s be clear: Just emailing your customers does not deliver results. However, a well-developed email campaign will bring results. For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can expect an average return of $42. There are many email marketing benefits, but this one tops the charts for keeping your business steady and going.

Email also continues to be the main driver of customer retention and acquisition for small and mid-size businesses. According to the data, 81 percent of small and medium businesses still rely on email as their primary customer acquisition channel, and 80 percent for retention.

The main goal of email marketing is to convert your leads into sales. When you implement SEO and a social media strategy, you generate leads. Emails are here to help convert those leads into sales. Having a great email marketing strategy is what can bring your sales and conversions to the roof.

This makes it imperative that you have a carefully crafted email marketing campaign. Here are a few key points to get you started. 

1. Choose an email marketing platform, also called Email Service Provider (ESP). Each one will have slightly different tools, so choose the one that best meets your goals.
2. Build your email list by adding an opt-in form to your website. If you have a blog, invite readers to sign up to receive the content to their inbox, or offer additional valuable content. 
3.  Always provide value. Each email should be information-rich and provide real value to your prospect. In return, you win customer loyalty. 
4. Develop valuable content. One way to figure out what your prospects want to know is by going to sources such as security industry forums, magazines, and blogs. Find out what the buzz is there and then relate it to your prospects. Some ideas for content are: the latest advances in technology; customer perspectives or use studies; a highlight of a little-known aspect of your business or services; how-to guides; and answers to commonly asked questions. Add industry-relevant video content to your emails. Reports have shown that adding videos to your email can increase click rates by 300 percent. 
5.   Develop a compelling headline. Vary your techniques such as using a percentage, a question, or a bold fact. According to Convice&Convert, 35 percent of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone. 
6. Don’t forget a strong call-to-action (CTA). People will act when you motivate them to make a move. 
7. Analyze and optimize. Pay attention to your email click rate. Follow and analyze the data surrounding your campaigns and make adjustments accordingly. 

Email marketing is one of the most highly effective tools in your marketing toolbox, but it is never a one-and-done objective. Email campaigns that increase visibility and conversion require constant effort in learning your client’s needs, not just relating your services and offerings. It is a relationship where 100 percent of the ownership is on you to deliver, but when you do, the results are astounding