US marketers say email strongest performing media buy

The reports says that the survey results are consistent with the Direct Marketing Association's recent report, which found that email ROI will hit $45.65 for every dollar spent in 2008, more than twice the ROI of other mediums including search and display.

In addition to increased use of email as a media and lead generation channel, the Datran Media survey found:
• 80% of respondents indicated email was the strongest performing media buy ahead of search and display.
• Search is the favored channel for complementing the email channel.
• More than 80% of marketers send targeted email campaigns.

Selected key findings include the following...

Company Email plans for 2008, compared to 2007:
• 82.4% to increase use of email marketing
• 15.3% to stay the same
• 2.4% to decrease email marketing expenditures
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

Expectations for company's Email marketing ROI in 2008:
• 55.3% say higher than other channels
• 25.9% feel ROI roughly equal
• 18.8% say lower
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

Advertising media buys that perform strongly for your company: (multiple response OK)
• 80% say email
• 37.6% display
• 70.6% say search
• 16.5% feel print
• 10.6 say broadcast
• 7.1% cable
• 1.2% think mobile
• 2.4% report RSS
• 34.7% say ad network
• 8.2% uncertain
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

Media channels that complement the eMail media channel: (multiple response OK)
• 51.8% say display
• 71.8% say search
• 24.7% think mobile
• 17.6% say broadcast
• 10.6% cable
• 41.2% report direct
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

Of those who plan to employ email, they also expect:
• 80% to send newsletters
• 78.8% drive sales
• 67.1% will increase up-sell or cross sell opportunities
• 50.6% will sent transactional messages
• 52.9% to reactivate dormant customers
• 70.6% plan to enhance customer relationships
• 64.7% expect to increase brand awareness or lift
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

The respondents say email planning includes these elements in 2008:
• 74.1% to conduct content or creative split testing
• 36.5% will test creative across inbox devices
• 29.4% to pay for email marketing based on CPM model
• 58.8% will pay on a CPC or CPA model
• 36.5% will include banner ads
• 25.9% will measure effect on brand lift
• 36.5% will measure effect on customer satisfaction
• 64.7% will measure email effect on sales
Source: Datran Media, January 2008

Response to... "use and/or plan on using an outside vendor for email marketing?"
• 69.4% say Yes
• 20% say No
• 10.6% Not Sure

Source: Datran Media, January 2008

For a complete view of survey results, visit Datran Media Success here.

The text release can be viewed here.

Article courtesy: The Centre for Media Research