It’s easy to see it as the equivalent of the ageing relative you’ve had to invite to a family party, who stands awkwardly at the edge of the dance floor – justifying their presence by willingly getting the deals out, and volunteering when the karaoke of trading pressure cranks up.

But before dismissing email’s dated dance moves, it’s worth remembering it’s been around a lot longer than the whippersnapper social platforms. It might be old school, but it can still play a big part in getting – and keeping – the marketing party going.

Email marketing remains a cost-effective tool for building emotional connections with customers when approached and deployed strategically. Whether it’s onboarding "new to brand" prospects or driving repeat purchases with regular messages over the longer term, email can add value at every stage of the marketing funnel. And it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Starting the conversation

Take the first case. Your customer has just opted in to join your marketing party and receive emails from you, so what chat-up line can you use to start the conversation?

There’s no need to be creepy. Ask yourself, have they created a wish list, requested a quote, or made contact with a customer service query?

Look at where they are on their journey with your brand, think about the next step you want them to take, and tailor your contact accordingly and with relevance.

Finally, try to determine their mindset. Doing so will help to guide the tone your message should take – from inspirational and emotionally uplifting to practical problem-solving.

Strategically timed emails

Beyond the introductions, email marketing can also play a pivotal role in supporting repeat bookings for existing customers.

They’re most likely to book again within the first year of returning from their holiday, so plan for strategically timed emails that will encourage them to do so – perhaps hooked on to the anniversary of their original booking, the opening of a new hotel or attraction in the destination they visited, or just a recommendation of a similar holiday type.

Email isn’t just a sales tool

It’s not all the white-heat of commerce though. Email is a tried-and-tested vehicle for maintaining brand loyalty over the long term. Personalising messages through smart data usage, or random acts of kindness such as a birthday email or Christmas message, can go a long way ensuring your customers stay with you.

And a customer who feels you care about them will advocate for you, and be more likely to make a favourable recommendation in response to a trigger email campaign seeking their feedback – providing wonderful content for your marketing, website and beyond.

Respect for customer data

But regardless of whether they’re new arrivals at your party, or long-stayers, never forget that the data of customers who have opted to receive marketing communications from you must be treated with the utmost respect. Timely, targeted communications should be your guiding principle – resist the siren call of prostituting your precious database to a continuous cycle of offers that damage brand reputation and increase unsubscribe rates.

And every party animal benefits from guardrails. Compliance regulation demands that customer data is stored safely; it’s incumbent on you as a host to check you have the right opt-ins set up and a stringent process to capture data, especially when being obtained over the phone.