SMEs need to make sure that their e-marketing campaigns are relevant to customers, one expert warns.
Liuns Gregoriadis, head of research at E-consultancy, warned that companies must operate an opt-in system for their online marketing schemes as if they do not, anything they sent out will be considered spam.
He added that not only was this illegal but it would also damage a company's reputation.
Mr Gregoriadis said: " Marketers should do their utmost to make sure they only send their customers relevant emails … If people reputedly receive unwanted and irrelevant emails then they will switch off mentally, unsubscribed and, at worst, report email as spam."
He suggested that SMEs consider marketing strategies based on people's stated interests and previous behaviour.
This would allow SMEs to target their resources more efficiently.
According to Business Link, e-mail marketing is a cost efficient way to communicate with customers as a message can be sent to thousands of recipients for next to nothing.
