3 Reasons I Choose Email & Websites
“Email is dead. Nobody reads them anymore.”
“Yeah, I have a website…I think that’s on there, I haven’t looked in a while.”
Maybe you’ve said one of these or something similar. More than likely you’ve heard one of them.
Many business owners think “social media is the only way to reach my customers!” So they rack their brain to come up with content (if you’ve tried to do a TikTok trend, no judgment), pay for ads, or pay someone else to do it for them.
You may wonder why I don’t offer social media as a service. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with it. I have a like/hate relationship with it (and yes, I mean like because I don’t love it). I actually used to - it’s what kept me the busiest.
So why give it up?
Here are my 3 reasons:
1. Results - I got tired of fighting the algorithm. I’m a word person, not a numbers and analytics person. I’ve done both daily posting and infrequent posting, tried hashtags at the top of the list and those more towards the bottom (and made up a few), and even have multiple accounts (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter [although I’ve not really tweeted in YEARS]). Social media was my bread and butter, but I felt like I was always left with crumbs. Worse than that, I struggled to get the results. I decided it wasn’t my specialty (although I do know an amazing social media manager). Emails are either opened or not, clicked in or not. Websites are visited, clicked through, and you’re either contacted or not (really there’s more to it but I’m keeping it simple to save you the reading!).
2. Control - Not for myself, but for my clients. There’s a saying that you shouldn’t build on rented land. That’s what your profiles are - owned by someone else. If you only use social media for your business marketing, what would you do if it shut down tomorrow (think Vine, Myspace, etc)? Plus you’re fighting more than the algorithm - you really don’t have any true say about how you’re seen or what’s displayed. Ever had a picky landlord? You can’t paint the way you want, remodel, or even plant something unless they give you permission. And as I’ve always said, social media is the mean girl of marketing, where email is like a bouncer - you’ve just gotta be on the right list (aka contacts). And websites should work like your top salesperson. You tell it what to say and how to say it, giving it all the info it needs to talk to potential customers about your business. And if you don’t send anything or update for a month, they are much more forgiving.
3. Specialization - I’ve been a generalist. I offered any type of copywriting for any type of marketing I could. I’ve done billboards and radio along with brochures and flyers. I can be a Jill of all Trades but that just means I’m stretched thin and only know some of each. I decided (ok was FINALLY convinced) that it’s better to specialize because I can put all my efforts into learning about emails and websites. I don’t need to know the latest change in a platform, I only need to know what ESPs and Google are up to. I’ve made it my job to know others who specialize in the areas I don’t because marketing isn’t a one-way street but a multi-lane highway using various vehicles to reach your intended customers. I decided it was time to stop hogging the road before I crashed.
Don’t get me wrong, I still use social media myself, both personally and professionally. Social media is made to be social after all. I’ve just found that it’s one thing to be social, it’s another to be personal. Emails and websites are personalized to you and your business. You get to decide the layout and wording. You choose the schedule and when it changes.
Keep your social media, but don’t forget to do the upkeep on the land you already own.
