Retailers say e-mail generates high ROI in target marketing, new study says

When asked which of 10 targeted marketing techniques produced the best return on investment, e-mail marketing scored second after direct mail, Harte-Hanks says in a new study, “Target Marketing Priorities Analysis: 2007 Key Trends.”

The top 10 ROI generators among target marketing strategies cited by retailers listed in descending order, according to the study:

• Direct mail
• E-mail marketing
• Telemarketing
• Newspaper/print ads
• Web site registrations
• TV advertising
• Web-based events
• Newsletters
• Radio
• Events and trade shows

E-mail marketing also scored among the top three target marketing strategies in other areas of the study.

When asked to cite the relative importance of web-based marketing programs to the overall success of target marketing, retailers cited the following in descending order of importance:
• Web sites and micro-sites
• Search optimization
• E-mail marketing
• Online advertising
• E-publishing/e-newsletters
• E-fulfillment
• Paid search
• Webinars
• Blogs

But when asked which strategies were increasing the most in importance, study respondents cited the following:
• Web-based marketing
• Data analysis and insight
• E-mail marketing
• Data-based marketing
• Online advertising
• Search marketing
• Data acquisition
• Telemarketing
• Direct mail
• Paid search
• Traditional media