The Killer App
Known as ‘the killer app of the ‘90s,E-mail: a Story of Evolution by Design Articles e-mail has
come a long way, from the dawn of e-mail packet-switching
theory in the 1960s and the first e-mail programme in 1971,
to the present day, 2001, where rich media and java
technology have created e-mail that can battle with
television advertising and improve return on investment.
Throughout the 90s the key benefits of e-mail were in
its cost-efficiency, its quickness and click through rates.
The fact that e-mail allows for good customer retention
and prospect list building are further benefits, along
with its viral marketing capabilities and its capacity
to be responsive and customary, based on user action.
Thanks to the ability to tailor content, style and
frequency of e-mails, depending on customer buying
patters, actions and demographic statistics, e-mail
is one of the best customer-focused marketing tool
at a business’s disposal today.
E-mails nurture those important customer relationships
and allow marketers to gather market intelligence.
Says Jonathan Jackson of emarketer
“There’s also a sense of urgency about using e-mail.
What’s the first thing you do when you go online in the
morning? Head for your e-mail?”
Additional benefits have been added to the resume of
e-mail, with the rise of rich media and improved CRM
and measurement tools. And the sheer amount of usage
and growth creates an even wider audience for marketers
and businesses.
According to Jackson there is “plenty of evidence to
suggest that e-mail is indeed the killer app.” Says
Jonathan, “In the US there are 97 million active
e-mail users aged 14+ who send or receive five or
more e-mail messages every week. They account for
44% of the total 14+ population. And while there
are 97 million e-mail users today, there are only
88 million active web users.”
