In this 3 part series, I will highlight the benefits, as well as the mistakes that are made in the realm of e-mail marketing.

A little while ago I started noticing that radio advertising rates must be at an all time low. More BtoB companies are starting to use the medium, including Constant Contact, an e-mail management service. It brought to mind the fact that e-mail marketing is becoming more and more important as a way to touch base with your customers.

In this economic climate, we tend to go into panic mode. When businesses go into panic mode they tend to cut their marketing budget as a way to improve their margins. Unfortunately, this often limits the very survival of the company. As I mentioned in the last post, you need to give your customers a reason to keep coming back.

E-mail marketing, when done right, is a great way to increase sales and keep your customers engaged and loyal. The numbers are staggering: For every dollar spent on e-mail marketing, $40-60  has been made back in recent years.

Here are 5 benefits to running a successful e-mail campaign:

1. Stay on your customers' radar

2. Easily inform customers about special offers and news (like changes in hours, etc.)

3. Test different headlines and copy to see which garner more of a response (you can track clicks from most services)

4. Learn more about your customers and find out what makes them tick

5. Become an expert in your field by publishing articles of interest to your readers.

In the Part 2 of this series, we will look at the do's and don'ts of e-mail marketing.