Evolution of E-Marketing
In The Beginning…Email
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer, did several significant things that changed communication and marketing. While experimenting with a popular program he wrote that allowed programmers and researchers to leave messages for each other, he figured out a way for them to send messages to one another from one computer to another as long as they were in the same network. Tomlinson selected the @ symbol to tell which user was "at" what computer and then he sent the first email. According to Tomlinson, no one was looking for email; he just thought it was a “neat” idea. (Bellis)
In 1978, Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) changed B2B marketing by sending out the first mass email promoting a DEC product to 400 techies. “When those early email users checked their inboxes, they discovered this foreign-looking message with a cc list that took up so much room it spilled into the message 's body.” (Stoodley, 2004) Some loved it but many people hated it when their computers crashed. Thuerk was prohibited from sending additional mass emails but “Despite the scolding, Thuerk says it was a great idea… He saw these mass emails as a cheap, effective way to get a message to a whole lot of people.” (Stoodley, 2004) The actual results that were gained by DEC from that first mass email were $13 million in sales for their machines! (Lee, 2013)
Both Tomlinson and Thuerk opened the door to greater efficiency in communication because they thought it was a “great idea.” Their ideas have transformed our culture and how we communicate with one another with one of the greatest impacts being in commerce. Email marketing is one the fastest, cheapest forms of direct marketing allowing businesses to reach their customer’s with greater efficiency. Prior to email B2C and B2B direct sales involved a great deal of snail mail and telephone communication both of which are costly. With email and the ability to send mass
In 1971, Ray Tomlinson, a computer engineer, did several significant things that changed communication and marketing. While experimenting with a popular program he wrote that allowed programmers and researchers to leave messages for each other, he figured out a way for them to send messages to one another from one computer to another as long as they were in the same network. Tomlinson selected the @ symbol to tell which user was "at" what computer and then he sent the first email. According to Tomlinson, no one was looking for email; he just thought it was a “neat” idea. (Bellis)
In 1978, Gary Thuerk, a marketing manager at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) changed B2B marketing by sending out the first mass email promoting a DEC product to 400 techies. “When those early email users checked their inboxes, they discovered this foreign-looking message with a cc list that took up so much room it spilled into the message 's body.” (Stoodley, 2004) Some loved it but many people hated it when their computers crashed. Thuerk was prohibited from sending additional mass emails but “Despite the scolding, Thuerk says it was a great idea… He saw these mass emails as a cheap, effective way to get a message to a whole lot of people.” (Stoodley, 2004) The actual results that were gained by DEC from that first mass email were $13 million in sales for their machines! (Lee, 2013)
Both Tomlinson and Thuerk opened the door to greater efficiency in communication because they thought it was a “great idea.” Their ideas have transformed our culture and how we communicate with one another with one of the greatest impacts being in commerce. Email marketing is one the fastest, cheapest forms of direct marketing allowing businesses to reach their customer’s with greater efficiency. Prior to email B2C and B2B direct sales involved a great deal of snail mail and telephone communication both of which are costly. With email and the ability to send mass
References: Bellis, Mary (n.d.). History of Email & Ray Tomlinson. In about.com, Retrieved August 1, 2013, Retrieved from, http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventions/a/email.htm Brekke, Vidar (2011). The History of Internet Marketing. In blog.socialintent.com, Retrieved August, 2 2013, Retrieved from, http://blog.socialintent.com/2011/04/the-history-of-internet-marketing/ Jones, Alex, Anna Malcyk and Justin Beneneke. Internet Marketing: A highly practical guide to every aspect of internet marketing (n.d.). In getsmarter.co.za/, Retrieved August 4, 2013, Retrieved from, https://vula.uct.ac.za/access/.../Internet%20Marketing%20textbook.pdf Lee, Gary (2013). The Evolution of email marketing. In Smartinsights.com, Retrieved July 29, 2013, Retrieved from, http://www.smartinsights.com/email-marketing/email-communications-strategy/email-marketing-evolution/ Redsicker, Patricia (2013). 6 Marketing Trends to Watch in 2013. In socialmediaexaminer.com, Retrieved. August 1, 2013, Retrieved from, http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/marketing-trends-2013/ Stoodley, Kate (2004). Father of Spam Speaks Out on His Legacy. In esecurityplanet.com, Retrieved. August 1, 2013, Retrieved from, http://www.esecurityplanet.com/trends/article.php/3438651/Father-of-Spam-Speaks-Out-on-His-Legacy.htm