The Wasted Potential of Employee Email (Your Best Marketing Channel)

We hate wasted potential, especially when it comes to platforms that are utilized by at least 99% of B2B organizations. Did we say utilized? We meant underutilized, because that’s the reality of email marketing in 2022. 

It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room.

The one that everybody knows is there but only a few know how to handle. But unlike Dumbo - and the circus in general - this marketing channel has only grown in popularity and value as more and more marketers and organizations are becoming aware of the untapped potential within. If you haven't guessed it, we're talking about employee email as a marketing channel.

For those who aren’t so sure about how to utilize employee email, it can feel intimidating to approach (much like a real live elephant). The good news is, there’s still time to catch up and make the most of this high-powered brand and marketing vehicle for your biz. Ready to get into it?

The Value of Employee Email as a Marketing Channel

According to the Radicati Group, the average employee sends 40 emails each day, which is about 10,400 emails per year for just one employee. If you do the math, an organization with at least 100 employees, you could be looking at about more than 1,000,000 opportunities to  promote your best content, upcoming events, and campaigns. Yet the sad reality is that most businesses are sleeping on this beast of a channel.

There's so much wasted potential in email but it doesn't have to be this way.

One of the most lucrative elements of employee email as a marketing channel is that it leverages existing relationships from your employees to drive growth and engagement. Instead of breaking a sweat trying to turn cold leads into faithful customers, you can utilize email as a distribution and promotion channel to target contacts who already have an established trust in your organization. 

Your customers, partners, industry connections, and other recipients within your list have already agreed to allow you to show up in their inbox - a precious place for many - and trust you to send them insights, information and resources that they value or benefit from. They are great candidates for retargeting and engagement. Some may even be past buyers, and more likely than anyone else to choose you again in the future. 

Analyzing The Email Value Pyramid to Identify Opportunities

In order to take advantage of employee email as a marketing channel- and stop sleeping on the untapped potential within - you’ll need to leverage tactics that don’t shock recipients or disrupt the natural flow of existing communications.

In other words, we don’t want to scare anybody away. By appending branding and marketing campaigns within the email signature of your employees, you're able to deliver on your goals while also being relevant and helpful. It's the most valuable part of the email value pyramid. Including this component alongside other forms of marketing and sales email's is key.

The second most valuable email category is the “semi-handwritten email” category. This is the hand-written email with a bit of oomph. This channel marries the emails your team is already sending day in and day out with the power scalability, targeting and automation. It turns your employee emails into a non-disruptive ad channel (although, unlike ads, placement is guaranteed). The third type of email needs to explanation. Marketers are using it day in and day out.

How To Implement Non-Disruptive Email Marketing Tactics

Email signatures and email ad campaigns are two of the most functional and non-disruptive email marketing methods, and they can be utilized across all three of the email categories mentioned above. But many brands have already figured out what makes these tactics so great, and it’s the ability to personalize messages by using these vehicles.

By leveraging the emails your team is already sending, you can drive awareness, generate engagement, and close sales with every email you send. And it’ll almost feel like an accident. Implement campaigns through email ad banners and email signature graphics in order to see results. This can be done by promoting upcoming events, current sales/promos, or highlighting recent announcements. When your recipients engage with the banners, they can be sent to a specific landing page, a podcast, a video, or an ebook. Your team can have insights into the engagement and follow up accordingly.

No matter what you’re promoting, putting it in these non-disruptive channels will get your messages in front of more eyes every single day. The best part? These eyes already look at you with admiration.

You’ll be amazed at just how many recipients click on and engage with your email marketing initiatives by clicking, asking questions, and taking next steps to learn more.

Employee Email Offers Unbeatable ROI

The best thing about utilizing this channel  is that they cost relatively little - especially compared to pricey ad placements or targeted ad techniques. This low cost option means that for every email sent from someone on your team, there is an opportunity for your company sees impressive ROI. 

Even better, employee email isn’t just a low cost option. It also requires a relatively small amount of other resources, like time or talent. At the end of the day, it won’t be a huge time suck for your marketing department or design teams, unlike other spendy channels.