Does Email Marketing Still Deliver Results for Small Businesses?
Many small business owners wonder if email marketing is still worth it in an age of social media, AI, and constant digital noise. The short answer? Yes-email marketing continues to deliver some of the highest returns of any marketing channel when done right. The key is knowing how to make it personal, automated, and measurable.
Why Email Marketing Still Works
Email remains one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies for small businesses. According to a 2023 report from Litmus, the average ROI for email marketing is $36 for every $1 spent (Litmus). That’s higher than paid ads, influencer campaigns, and most social media efforts.
The reason it still works is simple-email is direct. You’re reaching people who’ve already shown interest in your business, making it a warm audience. Unlike social media algorithms that change weekly, email lands right in the inbox, where open rates and engagement can be tracked accurately.
What Kind of Results Can Small Businesses Expect?
Results vary depending on how engaged your list is and how often you send messages, but small businesses can expect:
- Higher customer retention rates (repeat sales often come from your email list).
- Increased website traffic from click-through campaigns.
- Improved lead nurturing-especially when combined with automation workflows.
A recent HubSpot study found that 64% of small businesses rely on email to connect with customers and prospects (HubSpot). Even better, those who use segmentation and automation see up to 6x higher transaction rates.
That’s where a tool like Surge by Thrive’s Email & SMS Marketing platform comes in handy. You can send targeted campaigns, trigger messages automatically, and measure every result-without needing multiple apps.
How Can Small Businesses Improve Their Email Results?
The real power of email marketing today lies in automation, personalization, and integration. Here’s what makes the biggest impact:
- Segment Your List: Group subscribers by interest, behavior, or past purchases so you can send relevant messages.
- Use Automation: Tools like Surge Workflows let you automatically send welcome emails, follow-ups, or abandoned cart reminders.
- Include Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Every email should lead somewhere-a booking page, a sale, or a review request. Surge Appointment Scheduling makes it easy for customers to act immediately.
- Monitor Analytics: Track open rates, click rates, and conversion data to refine your campaigns.
When these elements are combined, small businesses can see conversion rates rise while saving hours every week through automated workflows.
What About Social Media-Doesn’t That Replace Email?
Social media is great for awareness, but it’s not reliable for ownership or long-term customer relationships. Algorithms control visibility, meaning only a fraction of your audience ever sees your posts.
With email, you own your list. If Facebook or Instagram disappears tomorrow, your subscriber base is still yours. That’s what makes it a cornerstone of every digital strategy. In fact, 72% of consumersprefer email for business communication over any other channel (MarketingSherpa).
Using Surge CRM / Lead Capture tools, you can grow that list automatically with embedded forms and landing pages that sync directly to your email campaigns.
How Can AI Enhance Email Marketing?
AI has made email marketing more intelligent and efficient. Instead of manually writing every email or guessing what time to send, AI can now personalize subject lines, predict the best sending time, and even automate customer responses.
Tools like Surge AI Bots can also collect leads 24/7, nurture them automatically, and add them to segmented email lists. When integrated with your Custom Forms or CRM, every touchpoint becomes an opportunity to re-engage leads and turn them into customers.
What’s the Best Way to Get Started with Email Marketing?
If you’re new to email marketing or haven’t seen great results yet, follow this simple roadmap:
- Start With a Quality List: Focus on building your list through your website, forms, and checkout pages. Never buy email lists.
- Create a Welcome Series: Use automation to introduce your business, share value, and guide subscribers toward a purchase or booking.
- Send Consistent Campaigns: Aim for at least one or two campaigns per month with useful content or offers.
- Test and Improve: Try different subject lines, visuals, and send times to see what drives engagement.
Surge by Thrive makes this simple with all-in-one tools that combine Email & SMS Marketing, Workflow Automation, and CRM / Lead Capture. You can even track how each campaign drives revenue, appointments, or form completions in real time.
How Do You Know If It’s Working?
Success comes down to the metrics. Watch for improvements in:
- Open and click-through rates
- Website visits from campaigns
- Appointment bookings or online sales
- Repeat customer engagement
According to a report by Campaign Monitor, segmented email campaigns can increase revenue by up to 760% (Campaign Monitor). Those are results worth paying attention to.
If you’re ready to see how automation and email can transform your customer communication, request a live demo of Surge by Thrive or contact us to get started.