In the world of marketing, the glitz and glamour of towering billboards and high-budget TV ads often steal the spotlight. These grandiose displays, filled with voiceover talent, stunning drone shots, and sometimes even quirky fruit-shaped installations, capture our attention as we navigate city traffic. However, in the pursuit of viral fame and creative accolades, we frequently overlook a more humble yet highly effective marketing tool: the email.\n\n Beyond the Flash: Email’s Enduring Impact\nWhile International Marketing Day on May 27 encourages us to celebrate creativity and innovation, it’s also an opportunity to reassess the efficacy of different marketing channels. Despite the rise of social media and instant messaging, email continues to be one of the most effective digital marketing platforms. Its power lies in its directness, measurability, and cost-effectiveness. Unlike social media, where algorithms can limit reach, email offers direct access to the audience’s inbox, ensuring that the message is delivered.\n\n Numbers Don’t Lie\nEmail marketing boasts an average return on investment (ROI) of 4,000%, making it an incredibly cost-effective strategy. This translates to a staggering R1,000 in value for every R25 spent. Louise Krog, executive head of sales and marketing at Everlytic, a South African-based email and SMS platform, underscores this point: “We’re used to associating marketing success with high visibility, but the real win is in the numbers – email and SMS continue to drive direct engagement, traffic, and conversions at a fraction of the cost of above-the-line campaigns.”\n\n Retail’s Secret Weapon\nIn sectors like retail, email consistently outperforms other channels in terms of ROI. It has the power to bring shoppers back to abandoned carts, drive loyalty program sign-ups, and re-engage dormant customers. It also provides brands with a platform to speak directly to individuals rather than broad audiences. According to Everlytic, integrating email and SMS into the customer journey allows retailers to create hyper-personalized, data-driven campaigns that lead to tangible revenue rather than mere reach.\n\n The Role of Platforms Like Shopify\nE-commerce platforms such as Shopify have recognized email as one of the top drivers of conversions for their merchants. While social media can generate interest and advertising can build brand awareness, email closes the loop. Once a customer has seen the billboard ad, clicked through social media, browsed the site, and added items to their cart, email steps in with a perfectly timed nudge: “Still thinking about those sneakers?” or “Here’s 10% off, just for you.” These simple, personalized messages are powerful and effective in converting potential interest into actual sales.\n\n Democratizing Marketing\nEmail marketing’s accessibility is one of its greatest strengths. Businesses of all sizes can leverage platforms like Everlytic to automate communication, personalize at scale, and track performance in real-time. It allows marketers to build, test, tweak, and relaunch campaigns without the constraints of print deadlines or the logistical challenges of billboard placements. This simplicity enables marketers to focus on what truly matters: delivering relevant, timely, and personalized messages to their audience.\n\n Redefining Creativity\nContrary to popular belief, email marketing is not devoid of creativity. It simply requires a different kind of creative thinking. Instead of spending days in concept meetings, marketers use data, customer insights, and behavioral triggers to craft compelling messages. Creativity manifests in the subject line that gets opened, the image that gets clicked, and the sequence that turns browsing into buying. As Krog aptly puts it, “Smart doesn’t have to mean complex. Great email marketing is about using what you know about your customers to communicate in a way that’s useful, relevant, and well-timed.”\n\n A Reminder for Marketing Day\nAs we celebrate Marketing Day, it’s important not to overlook the simple yet powerful tools already at our disposal. While dreaming up the next big viral campaign or planning a big-budget commercial, remember the potential of the modest email. It might not win prestigious awards, but it could win you a loyal customer.\n\nNote: This article is inspired by content from https://themediaonline.co.za/2025/05/think-marketing-is-all-big-billboards-and-tv-ads/. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.
