E-mail Marketing the New Word of Mouth?

Over the past few years the trend of e-mail marketing has grown increasingly, but proof of return has received mixed reviews, promoting the question; does the year 2006 have any more assurance for this growing trend?

Research has shown that reach is one of the defining factors in pulling a market and e-mail is able to provide the foundation for a new opportunity within an old market. In a recent case study, a viral e-mail led recipients to a touching and sophisticated site known as the Ryan Andrew Kaiser Memorial Foundation (RAKMF). The site, which uses e-mail as its primary marketing and communication hub, found its personal e-mails to have a greater affect than any other form of marketing combined and in turn received an abundance of visitors and charitable support.

RAKMF utilized four unique elements of e-mail marketing:

1. E-mail as an awareness vehicle


• Getting the word out about the cause


2. E-mail as a sponsorship tool


• The goal to acquire financial support


3. E-mail as a donation management component


• Replying to donors via e-mail


4. E-mail as an event coordinator


• Advertise a 5k run in New Jersey

With the success of RAKMF one can only be sure that an even grander precedent has yet to be set in the form of e-mail marketing, in future campaigns.