Firms should not overuse e-marketing, expert claims

Written by Louise Tate

Email marketing is useful for small firms attempting to retain customers but should not be overused, an expert has claimed.

In comments which may interest those using IT services, Simon Bird, technical director at dotCommerce, recommended that companies ask consumers how often they want to be contacted and with what information.

"Email marketing is perceived to be very low cost compared to direct mail and it's too tempting sometimes to email your whole user base and bombard them with offers," he continued.

The expert also claimed that companies should regard email marketing as their customer retention mechanism and their website as a conversion engine for sales.

In addition, Mr Bird recommended that small firms consider investing in pay per click to identify which keywords are attracting consumers to their website.

Recent research from dotCommerce revealed that online retailers are neglecting to make the most of chances to build long-term relationships with their customers.

Just 30 per cent of retailers allow clients to sign up to their newsletter during the checkout process, while only 40 per cent send a marketing message within ten days of a sale.