Email Marketing: How It’s Different From Traditional Marketing

If you’re considering a career in marketing, there are many options available. Freelance marketing is particularly attractive to those who prefer flexible schedules and the freedom to work remotely.

The world of freelance email marketing is one of those options, and it’s a solid choice for anyone with experience in traditional marketing. In this article, we’ll cover how freelance email marketing is different from traditional marketing so that you can see if it will be a good fit for your lifestyle and career goals.

Traditional vs Digital Marketing – What’s the Difference?
Key Takeaways
Email marketing is a distinct approach from traditional marketing.
Email marketing focuses on direct communication with recipients.
Traditional marketing encompasses offline channels like TV and print.
Email marketing allows personalized content and targeting.
Traditional marketing often has broader, less targeted reach.
Email marketing offers real-time tracking and analytics.
Traditional marketing can be costly and has delayed feedback.
Email marketing is suitable for building one-on-one relationships.
Both strategies have their unique benefits and considerations.

Email Marketing Is Much Less Expensive Than Traditional Mail

Email marketing is much less expensive than traditional mail. The cost savings on printing and postage alone can be substantial, however, the real savings come from not having to manage a mailing list, handle returned mail, and have dedicated staff time for the project. 

With email marketing, you can easily send information to thousands of people for a minimal cost for email software and a minimal cost for email marketing software.

Navigating the world of email marketing can be challenging, especially for freelancers who aren’t marketing experts. If you’re looking to excel in this area, check out our guide on email marketing for non-marketers to learn how to succeed as a freelancer in the email marketing landscape.

Email Marketing Is Easier To Do Quickly

Email marketing is a great fit for freelancers for a few reasons. First, it’s easier to do quickly. Compared to traditional mail marketing, you can send emails as often as you want without needing to print or ship anything. 

You can also send them to as many people as you want without spending more money or time. You can write and send emails from anywhere at any time of day (or night). Plus, you can easily customize emails into any format you need.

You Need Less Creativity In Email Marketing

Think about it: the recipient almost always knows that something is in the mail for them. It’s like a present, waiting for them to open. This removes the need for you to be so creative and entertaining with your copy because even if you’re dull, there’s still going to be a tangible reward at the end of it all.

You don’t have this with email marketing (which is why we talk about subject lines so much). You’re not guaranteed anything from your reader your message could get lost in their inbox, or they might not even open it up once they do see it. So instead of just being informative, you need to make your emails as engaging as possible since there’s no promise of any physical payoff at the end of it all.

In Email Marketing You Can Use More Automation Than In Traditional Mail

Email marketing is different from traditional mail in that it’s much easier to automate. You can use an autoresponder, which automatically sends a confirmation email when someone opts in or purchases something from your list. 

Once that’s set up, you can automate your follow-ups and have them go out on a schedule. You can also automate your social media posts so you don’t have to be at the computer 24/7. This way, you’re building an audience and making sales without having to be chained to the computer all day long.

In the ever-evolving digital landscape, email marketing continues to hold its ground as a powerful marketing strategy. Discover the reasons why email marketing is still the future of digital marketing and how it can play a vital role in your marketing efforts.

In Email Marketing, People Are More Likely To Be Responsive To Your Message

Unlike the real world, where people can ignore you or not let you inside their homes, email marketing is more like a virtual house call. Even if your clients are busy, they can still resume reading your email message once they’ve finished with whatever else it is that they were doing. 

They can even read your email while they’re out and about, as long as they’ve got their phone handy. This makes it much easier to get in touch with people than traditional marketing. On top of all this, people are also more likely to open your emails and engage with the content than other forms of communication such as physical letters or communications on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (which we’ll talk about next).

With Email, It’s Easier To Track What’s Working And What’s Not

Email marketing offers you several ways to track what’s working and what’s not. Google Analytics, for example, can help you see how many people are visiting your website, downloading content from it, or clicking on your ads. 

You can use tools like MailChimp and AWeber to track the open rate of your emails and see who clicks on which links in them. By routinely checking in on analytics data you collect from these programs, you’ll be able to easily see which of your efforts is most effective and where you might need to step things up a bit.

Email Works In A Different Kind Of Space Than Traditional Mail

Email is unique in that it can feel personal while still offering the kind of convenience that traditional mail doesn’t. You can send emails to lots of people at once, and you don’t have to get up from your chair and go through a bunch of steps (signing, stamping, etc.) to do so. 

Additionally, email allows for shorter messages than does most physical mail; all you have to do is type into a box. It’s easier for the sender, and people usually appreciate a short message but make sure it’s not too short. Even though email marketing offers more convenience than traditional marketing methods like direct mail or even television ads, the convenience does come with some drawbacks. 

Sometimes marketers are so convinced of the power of their product that they turn sales pitches into hard sells without meaning to. In addition to being annoying, this tactic is often ineffective, especially on sites like Twitter or Facebook where users aren’t necessarily looking for products they can purchase.

Are your email marketing campaigns falling short of expectations? It might be due to a common mistake you’re making. Learn how to identify and rectify this issue by checking out our insights on the email marketing mistake you’re making, and discover strategies for improving your email marketing effectiveness.

Email Is Less Personal Than Traditional Mail

Email is less personal than traditional mail, but not entirely so. An email can come from you as an individual and it doesn’t appear so cold and “business-like” as a traditional letter that comes from the company itself. They are also more informal than letters and often allow people to think more freely.

Email is less intrusive than phone calls and texts because you do not have to be at the computer all of the time to check your messages – they’ll be there when you get home waiting patiently until you want/have time to deal with them. Email is also less expensive – no postage or paper is needed here.

You could probably write 100 emails with just one stamp on each letter (and then mail them too!).  This means that any email marketing campaign should be cheaper to run than traditional mail campaigns. And last but certainly not least, email marketing can happen faster than ever before! 

It takes longer for letters to come through the post office or courier company (mailing system) while emails arrive almost instantly meaning if something important happens one day and we need everyone on our team informed ASAP then using even just regular business emails between colleagues would help us out tremendously; especially since most people don’t carry their phones 24/7 anymore so getting messages through SMS isn’t always guaranteed either…

You Need A Lot Less Information With Email Marketing Than With Traditional Mail

Email marketing is more targeted than many forms of advertising. With traditional mail, you usually have to send it to a wide audience and then hope that the right type of person gets the letter. The right age range, the right gender, and even the right location can all be important for getting your message across in a way that leads to sales. 

Email marketing allows you to bypass these issues because you can track everything online. You can see who opened your email and when they did so. You can see who clicked on the links included in your email. If someone makes a purchase using a link from an email, you’ll know exactly what they purchased and when they did so. 

This wealth of information allows you to send out emails that are tailored specifically to each person’s interests. For example, if one person opens an email about winter coats but doesn’t click on any product links or make purchases, then it might be better to send them emails about hats instead because this is probably what they are shopping for at the moment instead of coats.

Email marketing also lets you get highly specific with targeting certain sectors of people based on their locations and demographic information such as age groups or income levels if available from their sign up information or from other online activities such as social media platforms where this data is gathered by third-party analysis companies through cookies and other tracking systems.

As a freelance marketer, your success depends on your ability to deliver results. Enhance your email marketing skills with our actionable tips for freelance marketers. Explore email marketing tips for the freelance marketer that sees results to boost your campaign performance and achieve your goals.

Marketing Emails Offer An Immediate Response, While Direct Mail Takes Time For Follow-Up And Reporting

Through email marketing, you can get a response from your audience immediately. You’ll start to get responses as soon as the first subscriber opens your email. You can also set up an autoresponder for those who don’t open your emails so that you can follow up with a second email.

Traditional mail does take time to deliver and respond to the information inside. Following up on direct mail pieces is difficult because traditional mail doesn’t offer real-time communication as email does. The process of getting reports and researching data is also much more time-consuming than setting up automated reports in Google Analytics as I mentioned earlier.

When Testing, You Can Do Things Faster With Email Marketing Than With Direct Mail

Also, when testing with email marketing, you can test more frequently and more cheaply than with direct mail. You can test more creatively, too. If you’re a traditional marketer, you’re likely to limit your testing to the offer itself what discount or prize is being offered. With email marketing, however, you can test numerous other elements of your creative materials as well so consider testing such things as:

  • Subject line
  • From name
  • From company name (if applicable)
  • Tagline/signature line
  • Color scheme/overall look

Finally, no matter what kind of marketer you are, one thing’s for sure: You want all of your marketing efforts to be effective. When it comes right down to it, we all want our campaigns to make us money. And with email marketing today that’s entirely possible through the use of automated systems such as autoresponders and follow-up series. 

These systems will allow you to keep in contact with your prospects regularly while simultaneously segmenting them based on their specific interests leading them closer and closer toward making that final purchase decision.”

It’s Harder To Get People To Read Your Messages When You Use Direct Mail Instead Of Email

People receive an average of 120 emails per day, but this number varies based on a person’s location and industry. On the other hand, people receive an average of 41 pieces of junk mail per week. Whether you prefer to call it “junk mail” or “direct mail,” the point is that for every piece of direct mail your audience receives, they will get about three emails.

Because more Americans have a smartphone than a toothbrush, most people are likely to view email on their phones instead of waiting until they’re in front of their computers. This means that when someone sees your email in his or her inbox, it’s going directly to the reader. With direct mail promotions, there’s no guarantee that your target reader will see your promotion at all because it might be thrown out before he or she sees it.

To excel in email marketing, having the right tips and tools at your disposal is crucial. Discover a comprehensive collection of insights and resources in our guide to the best tips and tools for email marketing. Elevate your email campaigns with proven strategies and utilize the best tools available for success.

14. People Aren’t Going To Have Time For Your Long-Form Sales Letters If The Subject Line Doesn’t Sell Them Outright

It’s not just the subject line, either. It’s everything. You have to get their attention in the very first sentence if you’re going to get them hooked into reading your long-form sales letter. If you fail to do that, you will lose them on the next page, which is a new tab or window of their web browser. And then they will forget about your offer and likely never come back again. That’s why it’s so important to test every aspect of your sales page from top to bottom before sending a ton of traffic through it and wondering why no one is buying.

Emails Are Very Un-Intrusive Compared To Phone Calls And Texts

People can read emails whenever they want. They’re not tied to the time when the call or text arrives. Recipients can choose to read your email at a later time if they don’t have the time now. It won’t interrupt what they’re doing at that moment.

Final Thoughts 

So, you’ve learned all about the differences between freelance email marketing and traditional email marketing. One of the key differences is that freelance email marketers essentially operate as their businesses. This means they have to find clients and do their accounting in addition to creating content.

If you’re interested in becoming a freelance email marketer, it’s important to understand these differences and have the necessary skillset before jumping into the field. You’ll also need excellent communication skills since you’ll be working with a wide variety of clients who may come from different backgrounds than you. If done correctly, freelancing can be rewarding both financially and creatively!

Further Reading

Explore more about the differences between digital marketing and traditional marketing:

Digital Marketing vs Traditional Marketing: A Comparative Analysis: This article provides an in-depth comparison of digital and traditional marketing strategies, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages.

Email Marketing vs Traditional Mail: A Comprehensive Comparison: Delve into the world of email marketing and traditional mail with this comprehensive comparison that discusses their effectiveness, reach, and impact on audiences.

Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing: What You Need to Know: Learn the key differences between traditional and digital marketing in this informative article, and gain insights into which approach may be more suitable for your business.

People Also Ask 

What Is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is the process of sending bulk emails to a list of targeted recipients to share information about your business, products, and other promotions. Unlike cold emailing, which involves sending one-off emails to individuals or companies outside of your direct network, email marketing generally refers to distributing the same promotional messages to a large group at once.

What Is The Difference Between Email Marketing And Traditional Mail?

Traditional mail is any form of document that’s delivered physically. This could include handwritten letters, paper brochures, catalogs, postcards, flyers, etc. In contrast to these physical forms of promotion, email marketing involves an electronic means of communication.

What Is The Difference Between Email Marketing And Direct Mail?

Direct mail is a type of advertising wherein people send printed messages directly to consumers’ homes or businesses using the postal service. In contrast with this type of advertising campaign, email campaigns don’t require printing materials out or mailing them; instead, they’re as simple as drafting an email in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and hitting send!

What Are The Advantages Of Email Marketing?

On its most basic level, email marketing allows you to send out relevant information about your business through an inexpensive medium. The potential benefits of email marketing include increased website traffic and conversion rates; it’s also simple enough that both professional marketers and business owners can use this type of digital advertising without a lot of technical know-how.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Email Marketing?

One significant drawback of email marketing is that some consumers may perceive the messages as spam, which means they’ll immediately delete or ignore them instead of reading them. 

Additionally, if you’re using third-party software rather than developing your in-house platform there’s a possibility that there will be errors in the final campaign. You’ll also need to stay on top of new regulations regarding data privacy and how consent is given for receiving messages from your company.

How Do I Get Started With Email Marketing?

To get started, you’ll need to create an email account and put together a list of contacts. Next, decide how you want to organize your lists and what messages you want to send. You’ll need to choose an email marketing service that will help manage the list and provide templates for the messages. The service will also let you know what metrics are being tracked so that you can improve your campaigns over time.

How Do I Create An Email Campaign?

Email campaigns require a lot of thought and planning before they’re ready to be sent out. First, decide on the goal of the campaign, whether it’s generating more awareness or promoting a specific product or service. 

Then write down who specifically would benefit from your message by creating customer personas these should include demographics as well as details like their interests and hobbies (is your target group into pottery?). 

Pick a theme that best matches your goal; if you’re trying to sell something, make sure it’s clear what exactly is being sold in the subject line (no one wants to open something labeled “10% off” only to find out it’s just a promotion for hot dog buns). 

Finally, write out all the content based on these decisions and test-send it from there!

How Do I Create An Email Newsletter?

For your newsletter content to be effective, first think about who would benefit from reading this information this could mean segmenting readers into groups such as new customers versus existing customers or high-end products versus low-end products (you don’t want someone buying jeans receiving discounts on expensive coats). 

Then pick topics relevant for those groups don’t try too hard though because no one likes feeling talked all day long! Once all this information has been gathered together – which may take some time depending on how much material needs organizing send out newsletters weekly or monthly.

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