In early 1996, the PointCast Network was launched, the first of the big "push" technology providers. Now, rather than passively sitting back and waiting for Internet users to find and visit a World-Wide Web page, Internet content providers and advertisers could proactively broadcast presentations out to the desktops of Net users. PointCast was followed by other push media providers -- Marimba, BackWeb, Intermind and many others.

However, businesses and marketers have been using electronic mail to "push" content and advertising for many years. As John Audette, president of Multimedia Marketing Group, says, "E-mail was push before push was push." E-mail forces the recipient to make a decision and take action -- either to read the message or delete it.

Given the prevalence of electronic mail, it's no wonder marketers are drawn to it as a promotional medium. According to Forrester Research, 30 million American adults were using e-mail in 1997, 15 percent of the population. They predict that this proportion will increase to 50 percent by 2002.

It's the most widely utilized of the Internet tools. Matrix Information and Directory Services estimates that, as of January 1997, 57 million users worldwide could access the World-Wide Web. However, 71 million users had access to electronic mail! The Electronic Messaging Association estimates that by the year 2000, e-mail users will be receiving a total of 7 trillion messages a year.

Advertising relies on intrusion in order to reach an audience. Given e-mail's ability to intrude, along with its large installed base, it's understandable that marketers are seeking ways to use this tool effectively.

Besides its promise as a "push" medium, electronic mail offers other benefits. It's low-cost and easy to manage. An e-mail campaign can be implemented and completed quickly; potentially, an entire campaign can be turned around in two or three days. And, if you work it right, e-mail is as measurable and testable as any other direct marketing medium.

Next Chapter: To Spam or Not to Spam?

© 1998-2000, Alfred R. Bredenberg. All rights reserved.