This is the question that most Digital Marketers have thought about. In a recent research by Sherastone, only 2 digital marketing “tactics” had increased in budget in 2009; they are email and social media.

Social Media is NOT killing Email Marketing

I don’t think email marketing is dying. I think marketers need to really see social media as a strategy, and email marketing can be one of the “social media marketing tactics” when they are integrated well.

To give, not to sell through email

For example, social media as a whole is a great channel to collect relevant email addresses because it allows us to target personalities and interests through conversations, the key to be successful in email marketing is to provide value to the subscribers. Instead of thinking about what they might be interested in purchasing, marketers should think about what they might be interested in receiving. Instead of following the Direct Marketing nature of Email Marketing, marketers should use it more as a branding and community building tactic that goes hand in hand with social media.

Although measuring is way more complicated than direct marketing, there are still ways to do it with well-planned KPIs.

Email “Selling” is Dead

Direct email marketing (email selling) is dead, people don’t just “purchase” after seeing email promotions. However, with the help of social media, email marketing can still be a very powerful and profitable tactic when the message and execution is tailored to the target.

More people are using Social Media as a major channel to do self-branding because reputation is all about word-of-mouth, and social media can generate the positive “word of mouse” if it’s done right. If you’ve ever considered managing your own online reputation through social media, here’s 15 advantages compiled by my colleague Ashleigh Flower (@mercuryplanet) who’s now interning at 360 Digital Influence of Ogilvy, please follow her on Twitter.

Embrace your Passion

Social Media allows you to embrace your passion and express your identity to a wide audience all around the world.

Share and Engage

Social Media is an excellent platform for community, sharing and connectivity.

Talk Directly

Social Media allows for direct/public conversations with relatively no cost, from any location, at any time of the day (Compassion, 2008).

Build and Connect

Social Media allows you to build on your own ideas and connect with new people who can enhance your own thinking (Misconceptions, 2009).

Share your experience

Social Media allows you to share your stories, market yourself as the ideal job candidate and get your story across honestly and authentically while making a connection.

Express potential power

Social Media allows you to express your own potential power to ignite positive change – in whatever way that may be.

Message to Actions

If you are active on Social Media, you can expose many people to a cause to serve your purpose.

Optimizing the power of connections

People that you’ve make connections with on Social Media are likely the ones who can spread the messages for you too.

Educate yourself

Social Media builds your knowledge base and keeps you up to date on best practices, resources and technology.

Educate Others

Social Media allows you to educate others about your cause/ interests/ profession.

Differentiate yourself

Social Media increases your visibility and helps you to stand out from your peers.

Online Identity

If there is a lot of relevant, compelling content about you online, you are usually assumed that you’re more knowledgeable than someone who aren’t ranked on search engines.

Connect Anytime

Social media can help you connect before, during and after networking events in a personal however non-confrontational way (Arruda, 2009).

Revalue

Social Media can also be useful for workers wanting to reinvent their career into another profile – “people will start seeing you in this role… and by creating links outside your organization you can change your meaning to others.” (Jonah Berger, Wharton, 2009).

Practical advantages

Social Media helps generate business leads, create a new career and cut out the middle man. For example establishing musicians can create a loyal following of fans and no longer need to gain the support of a music label (Wharton, 2009).

References:

• http://compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-social-media/
• http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/misconceptions-social-media-branding/
• http://colleendilen.com/2009/12/17/nonprofiteers-personal-branding-will-make-you-better-at-your-job/
• http://rosettathurman.com/blog/2009/12/six-ways-to-use-twitter-to-enhance-your-nonprofit-career/
• http://www.marketingprofs.com/9/social-media-and-your-personal-brand-arruda.asp
• http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2208

Photo Credit: yusuf_alioglu

I am not a Bottled Water fan, I just don’t see the value in paying for a branded bottle of water to cover their marketing costs while I can easily get water for free. However, I’m always interested in seeing how these brands try to position themselves among the others.

Here’s a very funny one by Evian, targeting baby-boomers (and parents).
Technorati Tags: Evian, Advertising, water, marketing, branding