Is Email Marketing Dead? 5 Questions We Get All the Time
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about email marketing lately.
Is it dead?
Do people even open emails anymore?
Is it worth the effort?
How often should I send them?
Am I just bothering people?
If you’re wondering these things, you’re not alone.
Let’s clear a few things up.
Is Email Marketing Dead?
No.
But inconsistent, unfocused email marketing absolutely is.
Email remains one of the highest return-on-investment marketing channels available. The difference is that it only works when there is strategy behind it.
You own your email list. Social media platforms can change algorithms. Ad costs can increase. Reach can drop overnight. Your email list, when built properly, is an asset you control.
If your emails are random, overly sales-heavy, or sent only when you remember, the results will reflect that. When email marketing is structured and intentional, it remains one of the most effective tools in your marketing mix.
Do People Even Open Emails Anymore?
Yes. When they expect them.
Open rates are not magic. They are earned.
Strong subject lines matter. Clear value matters. Consistency matters. If your audience knows what kind of content you send and when you send it, they are far more likely to engage.
What does not work is disappearing for months and then suddenly sending a sales email out of nowhere. That is how you train your audience to ignore you.
Email engagement is built over time through relevance and reliability.
Why Do I Need to Collect Emails?
Because rented platforms are not owned audiences.
Your followers on social media do not belong to you. Your email list does.
An email list allows you to communicate directly with people who have chosen to hear from you. It gives you control over timing, messaging, and segmentation. It allows you to guide your audience through a buying journey in a way that social media alone cannot.
If you are not collecting emails, you are relying entirely on platforms that can change at any time.
How Often Should I Email?
As often as your business model supports and your audience expects.
There is no universal rule.
A business with frequent offers or product launches may email weekly. A service-based business might email monthly or quarterly to stay top of mind. A seasonal business may increase communication leading up to peak periods and scale back during slower months.
The key is alignment. Your frequency should match your audience’s expectations and the natural rhythm of your offers.
What does not work is overwhelming your list with constant noise or disappearing entirely and resurfacing only when you need something.
I Don’t Want to Bother People
This is one of the most common objections we hear.
If someone has opted into your list, they have given you permission to communicate with them. It is not your job to decide for them whether they are interested. It is your job to provide value and give them the option to engage or unsubscribe.
Unsubscribes are not a failure. They are list maintenance. A healthy list is an engaged list.
What is more damaging is assuming people do not want to hear from you and going silent. Staying top of mind matters, especially in industries where buying decisions are not made weekly.
Email marketing works best when it is respectful, compliant, and intentional. Following anti-spam regulations, honoring opt-outs, and maintaining consent are non-negotiable. When those fundamentals are in place, email becomes relationship-building, not interruption.
Where Strategy Turns Into Revenue
Email marketing is not about blasting your list. It is about building a structured communication channel that supports your business long term.
When it is done properly, it drives revenue.
We have clients who generate significant income from a single well-timed email. We have others who build steady monthly revenue through consistent campaigns. The difference is planning, audience alignment, and execution.
If you have been unsure about email marketing, or if you are sending emails without a clear strategy behind them, it may be time to approach it more intentionally.
If you would like to talk about building or refining your email marketing strategy, reach out. We are happy to walk through what makes sense for your business.
