There are things in life that remain the same, no matter how many times we try to replace them. They become a staple in our lives because they simply work the best for us and we rely on them.
They are our BFFs (“Best Friends Forever”)
Other things we couldn’t do without in western society:
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- The steering wheel (innovations: joystick, single column fork)
- The mouse (innovations: stylus pen, trackpad)
- The key (innovations: swipe card, fingerprint recognition)
- Cutlery (innovations: none)
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What Came First, Chicken or Egg?
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist, was known to have “invented” the World Wide Web but the first known use of “email” was in 1978 at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), USA.
Since then, email was working well as the primary way for people to communicate electronically.
And then came social media.
Is Anybody Out There?
With our world becoming more and more connected every day, it’s easier than ever to watch the world from a distance without actually interacting with the people in it. We may make an announcement on our Facebook page but are we really “connecting” or are we hoping someone reads our message and reacts in some way (a comment, a “like”, a share)?
Is social media REALLY the best way for friends to stay in touch or has a phone call or direct email gone the way of the public payphone?
Yes, there’s messaging and “tagging” in Facebook, and texting on the mobile phone, but is that the best way to communicate in business and showcase what you have to offer to your customers? The obvious answer is no.
Email Still Rules the Roost
Email is still the preferred method of the majority of people when it comes to communicating directly with other people electronically because it’s a message TO someone. Email can:
- Contain photos and documents
- Become part of an archive
- Allow you to craft a message or story
- Include other recipients
- Start a conversation
- Brand your business in a template that matches your website
- Send visitors to your website
That last item is crucial. Using all your marketing tools (email, social media, direct mail), you are trying to get more people to visit your website, the heart of your business, to do something, whether it be buy a product, fill out a form, or sign up for an email newsletter.
And if they have signed up to receive your newsletter rather than be added without their permission, you should convert them into a loyal customer.
Email + Mobile
According to sources, data for over 1.8 billion opens from campaigns sent in 2013 shows that mobile is the most popular environment for a subscriber’s first interaction with an email.
* Data is based on 1.8 billion opens from nearly 22 billion email recipients. 9% of opens occurred in an undetectable environment.
The shift towards mobile has also been rapid. From 2011 to 2013, email opens on mobile phones devices increased by 30%. (source)
Your BFF is Still in Your Phone
As social media tools come and go, trend in and out, email will likely remain the preferred way to communicate for the foreseeable future. But if you can have your BFF in your mobile phone, you can keep in touch forever.
