| One of the benefits of using computers is that for | | | | means of communicating with the audience en mass. |
| practically any task, there is (or will be) a piece of | | | | Typically, email marketing applications consist of a |
| software designed to handle it. Email marketing | | | | database and an interface. The database stores |
| software is, in a nutshell, just another one of these | | | | contact information, statistics on campaign |
| computer applications - one which handles email | | | | performance and an archive of messages. The |
| marketing. | | | | interface provides the user with all the tools to actually |
| More specifically though, it turns email from an individual | | | | run the campaign - to send the messages, to enter |
| to individual means of communication to a way that | | | | contacts into the database (or import them from other |
| marketers can reach a large audience. At its heart, | | | | data lists) and to generate reports for ROI (return on |
| email marketing software allows users to send bulk | | | | investment) for different campaigns. |
| email messages to target audiences. Typically these | | | | Often the interface provides a simple means of |
| messages are regular newsletters or promotional | | | | automating many of these processes, such as linking |
| messages (such as voucher codes or similar) to a list | | | | form data from a web page to the database so that |
| of subscribers who have, at some point, given their | | | | users can subscribe and unsubscribe from the mailing |
| permission to receive mail from the marketer - they've | | | | list without taking up any user time. Other form data |
| "opted in" in other words. | | | | from online pages can also be used to personalise the |
| Like any type of tool though it can also be used for | | | | messages to some degree, presenting the recipients |
| less open, less honest purposes. Email marketing | | | | with different offers or different information depending |
| software is also the type of application that is, in some | | | | on their stored details; effectively making a |
| way, responsible for the hundreds upon thousands of | | | | standardised template a little bit more individual. |
| unsolicited email messages - 'spam' - that fills up | | | | Even with the growth of instant messaging and social |
| inboxes around the world. Many of these can be from | | | | networking, email is still the principal form of |
| phishing scams, contain malware such as viral | | | | communication in the online world. As an internet |
| attachments or computer worms, many more are just | | | | activity, it outranks nearly all others - from shopping, |
| extremely irritating attempts to sell you dubious | | | | downloading music or reading blogs, people still spend |
| products like "prescription drugs" online. | | | | more time using their email. |
| Still, software is just a tool and there will always be | | | | In short, it's a cost-effective means of marketing to a |
| someone who misuses any sort of tool. For the most | | | | huge audience and email marketing software makes it |
| part, email marketing is used as permission marketing, | | | | one of the easiest ways of building brand engagement |
| linking businesses from multinational brands to high | | | | with the customer. |
| street retailers to their consumers and giving a direct | | | | |