Inbox Insider: Be excited, not afraid

Last week, the Direct Marketing Association's E-mail Executive Council launched a YouTube channel to create a more contemporary platform to evangelize about e-mail marketing. User-generated clips — garnered through an open call to the EEC's 1,400-member base, provide tips for effective e-mail marketing.

It sounds like any brand's strategy, using social media as a means to be — or seem — relevant.

Lana McGilvray, co-chair of the EEC's speakers' bureau and VP of marketing for Datran Media, said social media is a “perfect complement to e-mail.” She said that most of the council's members have integrated it into their models.

I was interested to learn about the initiative's beginnings. McGilvray said as the EEC contemplated how to focus its social media program, it was inspired by multi-media PSA campaigns, iTunes University, the popularity of online courses and the viral exchange of content.

McGilvray emphasized that the digital environment is “rich and engaging,” and was an obvious choice in selecting social as a means of communication.

On the video clips, she said the goal is to “engage with,” rather than “teach at.” 

It does seem like organizations' hesitance to use the digital space has largely disappeared. We are even seeing e-mail marketing's evolution, including the tying of mobile to e-mail campaigns.

Strategies, such as that of the EEC, are welcome.

Organizations should keep moving forward - there is no other option. And they should be excited — not scared — by it.