The Cost of Email

Many marketers love email, especially the number-driven kind. A reasonable open rate is 20%, and the average conversion rate (i.e. someone clicking on something) is 2%. With 1,000 people on an email list, you could expect 4 visitors to your website or landing page.

To grow the list, you offer something (i.e. a promo code). Then, you slowly drip out messages for weeks/months/years, hoping to push the recipients towards larger purchases.

However, the hidden cost of email is the erosion of brand perception, pushing customers to continuously look for a discount.

As seen over the past week, brands have been feverishly blasting out emails trying to capitalize on Black Friday / Cyber Monday. The challenge now is “Wednesday,” i.e. all the other days when there aren’t deals.