If Email Is Your Main Strategy, You're Missing the Easiest Way to Build Authority Most marketing emails don't get read, but businesses are still treating email as their primary relationship-building tool. It's time for a new approach.
By Yogesh Shah Edited by Maria Bailey
Key Takeaways
- Relying on email alone is no longer enough — today’s buyers tune out push tactics and seek out valuable content on their own terms
- The most effective marketing combines content and email, using content to attract and build trust, and email to amplify and re-engage
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Let's be honest: most marketing emails never get read. With the average professional sending and receiving nearly 150 emails a day, getting noticed in the inbox is a long shot. For busy buyers, ignoring irrelevant messages isn't just a habit — it's survival.
Still, many BIZ Experiencess treat email as their go-to channel for relationship building, brand promotion and lead generation. But the landscape has changed. Buyers are self-directed, content-fatigued and increasingly numb to outreach that doesn't add value. If your marketing hinges on the perfect subject line, you're already behind.
To grow your business today, you need more than email — you need pull.
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From push to pull
Email is a push tactic. You send a message — solicited or not — and hope it hits the right person at the right moment. Sometimes it works. But more often, it interrupts rather than engages.
Content marketing works differently. It's a pull strategy. You create something valuable — an article, video or guide — and let your audience come to you when they're ready. They discover your content on their terms, in their timeline, with real intent.
If your goal is to build trust, credibility and long-term interest, that distinction matters.
What content marketing does better than email
Email has limits. It reaches those you already know. It disappears within a day. And it's rarely shared or reused.
Content, by contrast, builds momentum. A well-optimized blog post can surface in search results for months. A compelling video can get reshared across platforms. A strong point of view can open doors to podcast invites, speaking gigs and partnerships.
Content gives your message reach and staying power. It doesn't just deliver once — it works repeatedly, across formats, audiences and buying stages.
The real role of email now
Email isn't dead. But its job has changed. The most effective marketers today use email to amplify content, not replace it. They send a quick note that links to a deeper idea. They use email as a prompt, not a pitch.
Instead of cramming all the value into an inbox, they use email to guide people to something more meaningful — a resource, an insight, a perspective that sets them apart.
This shift is especially useful for solo founders and lean teams. You don't need a complex funnel or a massive list. You just need something worth clicking through to.
Making content and email work together
The smartest marketing strategies treat content and email as a system, not separate tactics. Here's how to make the two work in sync:
- Keep your email short. One message, one link. Get people to the good stuff faster.
- Match tone to content. If your article is thoughtful, your email should be too. Authenticity builds trust.
- Learn from your audience. Every open, click and skip is a signal. Let that guide your content strategy.
Related: 10 Ways to Be an Authentic BIZ Experiences and Sell Your Best Self
Better together
Content and email are most effective when they support each other. Content builds your presence, attracts new audiences and establishes authority. Email brings people back, deepens relationships and creates momentum.
But it only works if you lead with value. Email is the reminder. Content is the reason.
So if you're still relying on inbox tactics to drive business growth, it's time to rethink the strategy. Don't just get into their inbox — earn their attention.
