Whether you’re an independent creative or a corporate professional, your inbox is most likely to receive a good number of emails every once in a while, if not regularly. On most days, what you get is a steady combination of newsletters and a few personal messages—all of which are subject to personal interest and aren’t always opened immediately, if not at all.  

But every now and then, the universe surprises us with inviting emails that are too cleverly compelling not to read from start to finish. On the rarest of days, we might even give in to a sale and budge. But let’s be honest, email marketing is a difficult beast to conquer. Still, in no way is it dead, dying, or a defeated strategy.

Here are 4 email marketing myths you need to forget

Email marketing is no longer effective  

The header says it all. Quite oppositely, it’s as effective as effective can get. And considering how more than 70% of Americans use their smartphones to respond to emails, this tactic has never been stronger. In fact, digital guru Neil Patel says emails are more likely to be noticed than a tweet and a Facebook post. Why? Because it’s such an intimate medium that requires personal access. Know that while Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube are powerful platforms in themselves, they aren’t as personal as reaching out to a customer via their electronic sanctuary; their conversation repository of choice.

What’s more, people are more likely to have an email address than a social media account. A good chunk of people also prefers being sent emails to because they have full control over which brands to receive emails from. People can customize settings and select who can keep sending them enterprise updates. For the most part, these people are the very ones who give brands their emails, too. People could be less surprised about receiving an email from a brand they’re familiar with than seeing an online ad from a company they’ve never heard of before. 

Emails can’t be designed 

It’s 2019 and creatives have never been more inventive. In case you haven’t noticed yet, the majority of emails are now coursed through mobile phones as mentioned earlier. That established, the interface handheld devices carry are much more compact and provide for special viewing capacities. This allows both copywriters and advertising connoisseurs ample space to play around and capture their client’s attention.  

While we won’t go into the anatomy of a beautiful email, this marketing route is packed with features you can toy with. From font size to text treatment and copy to call of action statements, email marketing has been an evolving science for serious marketing practitioners; and even now, email marketing styles, tricks, and methods continue to unearth themselves if only you look hard enough.  

The more witty and aesthetic an email is, the better a business’ chances of receiving improved click-through rates. Content is still king and creativity only strengthens his rulership. Knowing what your content is supposed to look like to your target audience is fundamental to getting their buy-in. Determine what message you want to put out even before you think of pitching a sale or closing a deal. The 21st century is filled with people who are suckers for good narratives—and many talented copywriters have banked on that. Gifted wordsmiths can craft emails destined to increase your ROI. You will, however, need to put in a lot of work in the research department. Emaillistverify.com says studying your prospects before making contact can account for 86.7% of a successful campaign. 

The truth is, the challenge here isn’t email marketing as a medium, it’s getting the right people to engage with the platform.  

No one reads emails anymore 

This is one of the more obvious myths on the list. In fact, depending on your market, most demographics check their emails more consistently than their social media. That’s because emails, much like snail mail, are more personal and require a little more effort to penetrate. 

That being the case, the challenge here is coming up with a strong hook. In other words, your subject line has to be so instinctive that your reader feels like it would be a disservice to ignore what you have to offer. All you need is to give your potential customers a reason to click on your mail. And a catchy subject line is your key to that. 

The same article study reveals that most opened emails were direct and didn’t carry much drama. But we thought you had to be creative, you say? That’s true. But being honest is also never supposed to be far-fetched; and when you reach out to your customers by entering their mail, you have to at least let them know what they’re getting if they choose to click on your content. 

So what’s the secret?

Finding the right balance in word choice. 

Emails aren’t engaging 

If you were reading this in 1990 that claim would be true. But it’s no longer the 90s and people today have developed an affinity with motion pictures, memes, and enamoring stories—all basic elements one can include in an email. Because of the advent of new media, marketers can now insert links, petitions, downloadable files, and other dynamic content in an email. 

People have to remember that these aren’t paper messages. Emails exist in the digital space where a variety of things can come to life in two-dimensional capacities. What’s more, being able to address your customers by their first name is also a feature that isn’t as available on other platforms. The opportunity to personalize messages can only build your case. 

Depending on the information you have of your leads, the opportunity to customize other details is feasible, too. You can send your customers emails on their birthdays, call them by their nicknames, and even present them orders they’ve made in the past. When you have the right team of creatives, the possibilities of email marketing are endless.