Why Do Email Marketing? More ROI. Every Business Should Invest In It.
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, one channel continues to deliver strong returns year after year: email marketing. While social media, SEO, and paid advertising all play crucial roles, email remains one of the most direct, cost-effective, and scalable tools businesses can use to communicate with their audience. Regardless of industry or company size, email marketing provides an opportunity to drive revenue, retain customers, and build meaningful relationships.
The ROI Case for Email Marketing
Email marketing consistently outperforms other digital channels in return on investment, significantly higher than most paid advertising platforms. Why? Email gives you direct access to your customers and allows for highly personalized, automated interactions based on behavior, demographics, and lifecycle stage.
For multiple clients that we have at Good Joo Joo, ranging from health supplements to an online ecommerce company selling fragrances and candles, we consistently see upwards of 25% - 50% of total revenue attributed to email marketing, both through automated journey flows and ongoing marketing campaign performance. Simply put, if you’re not doing email marketing, you’re missing out on growing your new customer base, more repeat customers, and upsell opportunities. But the different kind of email marketing tactics that work will depend on your business, starting with your industry.
Email Marketing by Industry
Different industries see varying email marketing tactics work based on customer behavior, purchase frequency, and content expectations. Here's some tactics to consider across key verticals.
1. eCommerce and Retail
Tactics: Welcome series, cart abandonment flows, post-purchase upsells, loyalty/rewards emails, flash sales, and win-back campaigns.
Why It Works: eCommerce brands thrive on lifecycle marketing. With automation, they can nurture customers from first touch to repeat buyer, increasing lifetime value (LTV).
Example: A Shopify brand using Klaviyo can trigger an email 1 hour after a cart is abandoned, offering 10% off and product recommendations, leading to high conversion recovery rates.
2. B2B and SaaS
Tactics: Lead nurturing sequences, event/webinar invites, onboarding flows, product update newsletters, case studies.
Why It Works: B2B sales cycles are longer. Email helps educate leads, build trust, and guide them through the funnel with targeted, informative content.
Example: A SaaS company might use a lead magnet (like an eBook) to gather emails and then drip out a 7-day educational series to convert them to a demo request or free trial.
3. Health, Fitness & Wellness
Tactics: Weekly tips, personalized plans, success stories, re-engagement campaigns, upsells on supplements or services.
Why It Works: These audiences are often passionate and engaged. Email builds ongoing value and personal connection that keeps them subscribed and buying.
Example: A personal trainer or fitness brand might send a weekly email with meal plans, at-home workouts, and client transformations to drive engagement and conversions.
4. Nonprofits & Education
Tactics: Impact stories, donation drives, volunteer asks, event invites, regular updates.
Why It Works: Storytelling and mission-driven messaging perform well via email, making it a strong driver for fundraising and community involvement.
Example: A nonprofit can use segmentation to email past donors versus new subscribers with tailored appeals based on past giving behavior.
5. Real Estate & Local Services
Tactics: New listings, open house invites, neighborhood guides, client testimonials, seasonal service promos.
Why It Works: Email builds long-term trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind when your services are needed — often at infrequent intervals.
Example: A realtor may run a monthly newsletter with local market trends, listings, and buying/selling tips to stay visible to potential clients.
Core Email Marketing Tactics That Work for Any Business
There are some email marketing tactics that work regardless of what industry you are in. The following tactics form the foundation of an effective email marketing program:
1. Welcome Series
Make a strong first impression. A well-crafted welcome series typically achieves 2–3x higher engagement than standard campaigns. It introduces your brand, values, products, and incentives.
2. Segmentation & Personalization
Using data to send more relevant messages dramatically improves results. Segment by:
Purchase history
Geographic location
Website behavior
Engagement level
Customer lifetime value
3. Abandoned Cart & Browse Abandonment
These triggered flows recover lost revenue. Remind users of what they left behind and offer incentives to complete their purchase.
4. Post-Purchase and Loyalty Nurturing
Keep customers coming back by thanking them, requesting reviews, suggesting complementary products, and enrolling them in a loyalty program.
5. Win-Back Campaigns
When customers stop engaging, win-back emails with an exclusive offer or message of appreciation can reactivate dormant users.
6. Educational Content & Thought Leadership
Especially valuable in B2B and high-trust industries (e.g., health, finance). Build authority through newsletters, blog summaries, guides, or video content.
7. Seasonal and Promotional Campaigns
Time-limited offers, holiday sales, or themed content create urgency. Email is the ideal platform to deliver these campaigns directly to engaged audiences.
The Power of Automation
Automation helps businesses scale their efforts and deliver consistent, timely communication. Examples include:
Welcome Flows: Engage new subscribers the moment they sign up.
Birthday Emails: Celebrate and delight with special offers.
Customer Milestones: Trigger emails based on number of purchases or anniversary of first order.
Product Replenishment Reminders: Ideal for consumable goods like supplements, pet food, or skincare.
Tips for Building a Successful Email Program
Use a Trusted ESP (Email Service Provider)
Platforms like Klaviyo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot offer robust automation, segmentation, and analytics tools.Clean and Grow Your List
Regularly remove unengaged subscribers and focus on quality list-building methods like:
Lead magnets
Contests
Gated content
Popups on your site
A/B Test Everything
Test subject lines, send times, button copy, images, and CTAs to optimize performance over time.Prioritize Mobile Optimization
Over 50% of emails are opened on mobile. Use responsive design and concise copy.Track Key Metrics
Focus on:
Open rate
Click-through rate (CTR)
Conversion rate
Revenue per recipient
Unsubscribe and spam rates
Final Thoughts: Email is a Long-Term Asset
Unlike paid ads, which stop generating traffic once the budget dries up, email marketing builds lasting value. Your list is an owned asset — not subject to algorithm changes or rising CPCs. With the right strategy, it becomes the backbone of your retention, upsell, and customer relationship efforts.
Whether you’re an eCommerce brand looking to increase repeat purchases, a B2B service building trust, or a local business aiming to stay connected with your community — email marketing offers flexible, powerful tools to grow your business.