By Ann Guyer, President/CEO; PCS List & Information Technologies

I just espoused 10 good reasons to do direct mail in the face of EMAIL becoming more popular. To be certain, postal mail works. Is it better than EMAIL marketing? The answer is “sometimes, yes, sometimes, no.”  What are some pro’s and con’s of using EMAIL lists to find new business?

Pro      EMAIL has a rapid response. Respond or delete.
Con     Inboxes are flooded.
Pro      There are many new fresh names on the market.
Con     The attrition of EMAIL addresses is about 30% per year.
Pro      People check EMAIL multiple times per day.
Con     SPAM filters are becoming more sophisticated. Your message may not be seen.
Pro      If your demographic is young, 20 somethings prefer to communicate digitally.
Con     EMAIL is timely. People seldom save EMAILs for later.
Pro      EMA IL produces almost 100% economical online orders versus phone orders.
Pro      Email is earth-friendly. Many people recognize that fact and appreciate it.
Pro      Email prices are coming down and there are more interesting and flexible options.

There are more good reasons to use than not to use email. No one venue can be overlooked or used exclusively anymore to obtain the best results. Respondents are looking for many and varied ways to validate your brand. Let them find you wherever they turn.