Businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit organizations from all walks of life are currently preparing their strategy for next year. Many of them are in the process of trying figure out which trends they will jump on and what can be done to take their marketing efforts to the next level. Of course there are several options, but very few can compare to the power and versatility of email. Here are just some of the reasons why email services should be included in your 2012 marketing plan:

Cost Effective

Marketing budgets were extremely tight in 2011. The way things are going with the economy, they could easily get even tighter next year. An economical solution, email marketing software is perfect for the strained budget. With direct mail, you have to shell out money for items such as paper, printing, and postage. Email does not depend on any of these elements, and this factor alone makes professional services very cost effective. In fact, the cost to actually send a message can literally cost less than a penny per message. You will have to search long and hard to find a marketing vehicle that is this affordable.

Measurable

The one area in which email really trumps other marketing mediums is accountability. Just about all the actions that occur within it can be tracked and measured. This includes the marketing campaigns you send out to your subscribers. Email is capable of producing a number of different metrics, with opens, clicks, and shares being among those you want to keep an eye on to get a feel for how your campaigns are performing. This is unlike traditional methods that can be next to impossible to track as well as modern techniques that leave you stuck with reports that are chock full inaccuracies.

Works

The main selling point for putting email services on the agenda for 2012 is as simple as simple can be - it just works. Not only does this tool allow you to connect with your audience, it gives you the ability to do so in a broad range of ways. For example, you can engage subscribers via a monthly newsletter, weekly offers, or daily updates depending on your niche. Best of all, your audience can reach out and speak their mind whenever they have something to say. It is the two-way aspect that makes email such a powerful tool for  building and nurturing relationships.

Conclusion

Several businesses will undoubtedly adopt email services in 2012 for the first time. The key is using the tool in the smartest and most effective way. 

Email marketing software