Those of us who are fortunate enough to have at least two siblings have long been fascinated by the curious role of The Middle Child. Among their many commendable characteristics: they’re adept at being mediators, and in seeking fairness in all situations. Even though they’re sometimes not as family-oriented as their siblings, they are nonetheless trustworthy friends who tend to work well as team members.
It has been suggested that there are five traits all middle children share:
- They are pros at keeping the peace.
- They find creative ways to get attention.
- They’ve been known to be a tad melodramatic.
- They’ve always been independent.
- They have an easy time making friends.
Marketers find it both curious and amusing to apply these traits to Email, which some describe as Media’s “Middle Child” as they try to find where the trustworthy, proven channel fits into a firm’s overall media picture.
While debate swirls about Email’s place in the effectiveness of all paid digital channels—is it the best or the least?—popular wisdom seems to dictate that it is somewhere in the middle…and therefore eminently worthy of consideration in an overall marketing strategy. Email enjoys a long history of transactional and promotional uses; many marketers consider it a traditional channel, similar to Direct Mail, but it is very much nonetheless in the digital camp
According to a recent Nielsen study of polled marketers, just over half regard the channel with confidence. Indeed, almost 20% approach Email with extreme confidence, while just over 30% also express enthusiastic support. As might be expected, Email does slightly lag behind social media, online mobile, search engines, and video online mobile, but it remains a solid and dependably viable approach to any marketing plan—the tried and true “Middle Child,” as it were.
What’s the takeaway from all of this? Savvy marketers should continue to use Email, which looks to always have a place in the mix…and which will remain long after flashier channels have started to fade.
Introducing nSightful:
We’re Email Experts.
We’re an established, experienced, results-driven Marketing Solutions firm that welcomes the challenge of assembling a media mix that employs all such channels in discovering which one will work best to deliver an optimum bottom line for YOUR business. We’ve practically cut our teeth on Email, and we understand both its potential and how best to use it to the advantage of forward-thinking firms looking to build customer bases, expand markets, and improve a company’s success
Our Team of Marketing Experts—‘A Family of Siblings,’ to draw on the topic of this blog—can study a situation and advise how best to approach it…using Email, naturally, but merging that proven approach with additional entities such as Direct Mail, Telephone, Texting, and more. What’s more, we boast systems of data hygiene that can help keep all such marketing efforts uncluttered, and true.
We’d welcome the opportunity to sit down and discuss with you how best to claim ownership of this marketing niche, along with other media opportunities that may have piqued your curiosity. We are equipped to present you with the most workable way to help you arrive at the happy conclusion of the satisfied customer.
Contact us today and let us show you just how effective we can be as
compatible “Middle Child” team members for your firm’s marketing strategy.
