Is email dying? Can it be socialized?
A recent school of thought is that social media is killing email. As email plays a significant role in what we do and how we function as a business, I am forced to consider this theory further. My first thought is "If email is dying, why does my Inbox seem to be alive and kicking?" Second thought is "If social media is in fact the executioner of email, why am I required to have email to be social?" (Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, etc. all require email to set up an account)I do believe that if email is to survive as an effective marketing tool, it is going to have to take a page out of the Social Media handbook. It doesn't need to impersonate social media but rather learn from its successes. The appeal of social media is its personalization, authenticity and I think most distinguishably, how it gives the user a voice.
Here are a few suggestions to help your emails be a little more social and maybe even be referred to as "the life of the Inbox":
- Look good. It may sound shallow, but it's what gets you first noticed in a crowd.
- Be interesting. Make sure what you are communicating is relevant and something people want to talk about.
- Be funny and creative. It will make you unique, genuine and most importantly likable.
- Be a good listener. Encouraging feedback or action shows that it isn't "all about you" and it is "all about them".
posted by Lisa Keller @ 5:16 PM
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