As the economy continues its downward spiral, more and more marketers are turning to permission-based email marketing. In fact, email has become so wildly popular that 75 percent of companies say they will boost spending on the online advertising tactic this year, according to the consulting firm Eloqua. Why? Simms Jenkins, author of The Truth About Email Marketing and founder and CEO of BrightWave Marketing, says email:

• Cuts other costs. Email marketing is mainly seen as a relationship- and revenue-generating tool. However, one overlooked advantage of email is that it can reduce costs from other sides of the business. Think about the way email can minimize printing, call center, and direct mail marketing costs and provide essential information that can often lead to a customer service call.

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• Has a high return on investment. Regardless of the economic situation, a fully tracked and tested direct email marketing campaign can return a favorable dollar amount.

• Is viral. Effective email messaging encourages subscribers to forward the communication to others, and, in turn, assist in your marketing efforts. The power of viral marketing is substantial, as it can increase the value of your campaign exponentially. But for a message to be passed along, it needs to be unique, compelling, and valuable.

• Gives you the data you need to determine success. Most marketers can gauge the success of their campaigns within 24 hours and make adjustments as needed. It is not a wait-and-see type of measurement approach, like traditional marketing platforms.

• Is a branding tool. Email provides ongoing impressions and can impact brand awareness and reputation (both positively and negatively).

That said, the kiss of death for email campaigns is the opt-out. Once that happens, the door is closed. Why do individuals who once welcomed your emails suddenly say no? A study by the database marketing agency Merkle discovered these reasons:

• The emails are not relevant.

• The emails are sent too often.

• The recipient never actually opted in.

• The emails are not what was expected.

• The emails are of poor quality.

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