Business owners are constantly looking for the most successful and cost-effective ways to grow their businesses and boost their bottom lines. So why are some businesses still not taking advantage of email marketing?

Studies show that the majority of adults who use the Internet have a positive attitude toward receiving email marketing communications, as long as they are from a familiar source. Most consumers look to email communications for special discounts and offers as well as informative articles relating to their specific lifestyle.

In fact, as proactive, educated consumers, many Internet users have come to rely on these email promotions to help them get the best deals possible. Once commonly viewed as SPAM, email marketing has evolved over the years, and is now considered one of the most effective ways to market.

If you have been reluctant to institute an email marketing program for your business before, there is certainly enough evidence to position this form of marketing as a valuable tool for any business to take advantage of. Consider these remarkable facts:

• In the US alone, 88% of adult Internet users have personal email accounts.
• Another 46% have email access at work.
• Added together, that’s an estimated 147 million people across the country using email every day.

Email is also healthier for your bottom line than any other marketing application. Here’s how it compares to traditional marketing methods:

• Email ROI per $1 spent: $51.45
• Print catalogs: $7.20
• Non-email Internet marketing: $21.08

Virtually any type of business has the ability to effectively market through email. Retailers, professional service providers, publications, learning institutions, and promoters are just a few of the business sectors that successfully market via this medium. Whether you are looking to generate sales, deepen your relationship with your clients or prospects, publicize an event, create buzz, or increase brand awareness, email marketing can work for you.

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of email marketing is its measurability. While it can be very difficult to measure the success of most types of marketing and advertising, a good email marketing program allows you to monitor your marketing campaign with up to the minute data for every email you send. You can see the number of emails sent, emails opened, bounce backs, unsubscribes, click-through rates, and more. All of this useful information can help you send highly targeted campaigns to the individuals most likely to respond to your offer, thus improving your future results.

The fact that email marketing is fast and convenient is just the icing on the cake. The bottom line is that in the present business climate, any company not taking advantage of this valuable marketing tool is missing out on considerable revenue.

This article was written by Tim Brown, Email Marketing and Affiliate Manager at Active Web Group.