I know, it seems weird, right?

Email is supposed to be dead. These days it’s all about social networking, mobile marketing, and the latest and greatest hot new platform.

But here’s the thing. If you want to get your readers to take action (whether that’s buying a product or service, thinking in a new way, or changing a behavior), email is still the proven best way to make that happen.

In test after test, email comes out on top for influencing reader behavior. Ahead of social media, ahead of blogs.

There are a couple of reasons for that:

1. Email is intimate

Instead of being on a public (or semi-public) platform like Twitter or Facebook, email is by its nature private.

We’re used to getting messages from friends and colleagues via email. When used correctly, email can develop a relationship with your reader that feels more personal than a blog or even a social network.