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Why E-mail Marketing Beats Social Media Marketing For Local Business

Does e-mail marketing beat social media marketing? Many businesses still think it does and for many of those businesses, they are right. So why does e-mail marketing beat social media marketing?

Let’s start from a different perspective and accept that each and every business is different. What works for one business will not necessarily work for another – and e-mail marketing versus social media marketing is a prime example. For local businesses, it can be far easier to acquire an e-mail list than it is to find customers on social media sites. For large international businesses, social media marketing can be easier, quicker and cheaper. For many businesses that sit somewhere in between, a mix of both could be the best approach.

For local business, it is easier to acquire a data base of customers. Simple sign up forms at the check out, especially if an attractive offer (read bribe) is attached, can soon swell your e-mail list. Because they are already customers, it can be easier to target your marketing to this group.

Social media marketing can be time consuming. Finding locals who are also using that particular site, developing a relationship, and hopefully getting them to spread the word to other locals all takes time and patience. When you start to place a value on your time, e-mail marketing wins hands down – at least initially.

For most local businesses, e-mail marketing can be more reliable and easier to implement when compared to social media marketing. However, long term, I believe the argument is moot. As a business you need to seriously investigate both. Start with e-mail marketing if that is easier and cheaper, but also include a social media marketing approach, one that you can slowly develop over time. That way, rather than saying either/or, you can say that both are effective for your business.