By Vicky Sidler | Published 28 September 2025 at 12:00 GMT+2

In the never-ending parade of shiny marketing tools, email sits in the corner like the overlooked cousin who actually knows how to fix your car.

It’s old. It’s uncool. And it works.

According to Mike Maynard’s Forbes piece, email marketing isn’t just alive—it’s quietly outperforming almost everything else. Which is a bit awkward for anyone who’s been shouting about the death of email since 2013.

Email is still one of the few marketing tools that lands right where your customer lives: their inbox. And if you do it right, they’ll actually want to open it.

TL;DR:

• Email is still the most targeted marketing channel available

• Good emails get high open and click rates

• Spam problems usually come from lazy targeting or bad writing

• HTML overload is making emails worse, not better

• Email marketing is cheap, personal, and still more trusted than social ads

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Table of Contents:

Why Email Still Beats Fancy New Tools:

Most platforms spray and pray. Email aims.

When you send a well-written email to a carefully built list, you’re not guessing. You’re inviting. That difference alone makes email more effective than most paid ads.

Modern email tools let you filter by behavior, interest, purchase history, industry, even timezone. It’s like having x-ray vision for your customer list.

Most social media campaigns are more like fireworks. Big flash, short lifespan. Emails, on the other hand, build a paper trail of trust.

The Problem Isn’t Email. It’s How People Use It:

So why do so many email campaigns end up in spam?

Because marketers send the same “BUY NOW” nonsense to everyone with a pulse. No segmentation. No relevance. No chance.

Even worse, they design emails like they’re making a digital brochure. That’s how HTML ruined everything.

Every extra graphic screams “This is an ad.”

And guess what happens next? Delete.

The best emails are plain, personal, and helpful. Think “from a real person,” not “from the marketing department.”

Directional, Not Just Targeted:

Maynard uses the word “directional” to explain why email works. Here’s what that means.

When someone sees their name in an email greeting, it feels like it was meant for them. Even if they know it’s automated, the feeling matters.

Social media might show you something once. Email sits there until you deal with it. It demands attention, even if just for a second.

In that second, you can either build trust or lose it.

Trusted, Cheap, and Still Personal:

Let’s be honest. Most small business owners aren’t looking to blow R10,000 on Google Ads every month.

Email marketing doesn’t need that kind of budget.

It works at scale, but it also works for the solo accountant who just wants more local leads. Or the guesthouse owner trying to fill up next weekend.

And unlike social platforms that randomly change the rules every other week, your email list is yours.

No algorithm is going to hide it.

So Why Aren’t More People Using It?

Because it’s not new.

Because someone told them “email is dead.”

Because it’s harder to write a good email than to post a photo of your cat with a quote about leadership.

And now, AI is helping people write faster but not better—flooding inboxes with generic, polite, forgettable junk that no one asked for.

But here’s what gets me. It’s only ever small businesses who tell me that email is outdated.

Big brands? They’re obsessed.

Go to any major retailer’s website and try to leave without being begged for your email. Nike wants it. Woolworths wants it. Even Google—the literal owner of two of the world’s biggest search engines—sends out emails to its users.

So why would small businesses ignore the one channel the giants are still betting on?

Email marketing isn’t a trend. It’s a tool. And when you use it with a clear, helpful message, it works.

Want to Send Better Emails? Start With This

The most effective email campaigns begin with one strong sentence that makes people care.

That’s what the 5-Minute Marketing Fix helps you create.

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FAQs About Email Marketing for Small Businesses

What makes email marketing more effective than social media?

Email marketing lets you speak directly to people who already want to hear from you. No algorithms. No pay-to-play. Just a message delivered straight to their inbox—on their terms.

Isn’t email outdated?

Not even close. Big brands are still using email every day because it works. If Google, Nike, and Woolworths still email their customers, it’s probably worth a second look.

Why do some emails end up in the junk folder?

Most often, it’s because the sender didn’t clean their list or the content was irrelevant, overly promotional, or badly written. A good list and a clear message fix most of these issues.

Does AI help or hurt email marketing?

Used right, AI can help you draft or structure emails faster. But when overused, it leads to vague, forgettable content that sounds like a bot trying too hard. Keep the message human.

Isn’t email marketing just for big companies?

Nope. In fact, small businesses often see better results because they sound more personal. You don’t need a massive list—you just need the right message.

What kind of emails should I send?

Helpful ones. Start with something your audience actually wants to read. Tips, updates, behind-the-scenes insights. And always make sure it sounds like you.

How can I write a strong email message?

It starts with clarity. If you’re not sure how to write something that makes people care,download the 5-Minute Marketing Fix. It’ll help you craft a one-liner that works in emails, ads, websites, and more.