(Jan issue-2012) Email marketing has come a long way from spamming (and irritating) consumers with mass messages that are quickly deleted. Thanks to advances in technology, marketers can target potential customers with email messages that are personalized and trackable. Plus, many email marketing services today offer solutions that include social media integration, consumer tracking, segmentation, and marketing automation.
"Email marketing technologies have evolved from point solutions into comprehensive systems that allow organizations to integrate with social media campaigns, track consumer behavior, and engage current and potential clients with tailored and customized interactions," said George Goodall, senior analyst at Info-Tech Research Group, in a statement. "With these advancements, the average ROI of email marketing initiatives is a striking 256 percent, and only four percent of users say no benefits are attained."