LOG IN TO ACCESS:
Counts System
Order Management System
Tracking Platform
Everyone knows that across all industries, email marketing is an effective, efficient method of customer outreach and prospecting; but there is definitely a case to be made that some industries get better results than others, at least during a given period. For large-sized companies, the differences can be negligible; after all, larger industries can rely on bulk-based strategies, budgets are bigger, and generally speaking they can engage horizontal marketing efforts in addition to vertical. But for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), the question of how much of a return to expect from email is an important one. Site Impact is always looking at the numbers, and while email performance in different verticals can shift from time to time (even within the same year), some trends are worth highlighting.
One of the verticals that may be a surprising place for email to shine is media and publishing. Most large-scale media corporations are focusing on social, but smaller companies--small scale book publishers, independent record labels, and indie film companies--are reaping big rewards from email marketing. A benchmark study by Campaign Monitor shows Media and Publishing in the top 3 industries for click rate at 17.15%. This is great news for small and medium-sized brands within this vertical; it shows that email campaigns have high levels of engagement, and while the big companies still dominate the market as they always have, self-starters in the industry also have space to speak directly to consumers.
The real estate bubble of the early 2000s shook up the whole industry, and in some respects the field is still trying to normalize. The good news is that studies show that this vertical is showing high engagement with email campaigns as well: campaigns for SMBs in construction, real estate, and design show an average click rate of 16.47%. For realtors and other businesses in the vertical, email is a good way to keep a personal touch--and for a field that relies so much on connection with prospective clients and communication, that’s a great tool.
Car dealerships have seen high performance with email for some time now, and the trend is only set to continue; campaigns focused on specific offers and value-adds repeatedly show extremely good open and click rates compared to overall trends. Consumers are excited about the prospect of getting a good deal on something they need, and email is a good way to communicate valuable information (from sales events to recalls, to special financing options that become available and limited time deals on added services) to people who are most primed to act on it.
Non-profit organizations have begun throwing more of their marketing efforts into the email ring, and the results are beginning to show even more strongly. Consumers are understandably more receptive to hearing from charities and other non-profit interests in their inboxes versus calls or text messages or even commercials; the format gives them the opportunity to get a succinct pitch, and consider it. Open rates for non-profit email campaigns average 20.39%, which is well above the overall email average--showing that the efforts are paying off, and bringing in more interested prospects.
There are many verticals that are doing great when it comes to email marketing; the channel is, as Site Impact knows, uniquely suited to targeting the best possible prospects and giving them the information they need to make the decision to buy. While some industries are not performing as well as they might have in previous studies, the fact remains that SMBs that engage in email efforts see much better results and improved growth compared to those that stay out for fear of lost money. Contact Site Impact to find out how email marketing can help you reach your prospects efficiently and effectively.
