Let’s face it—email marketing for companies has become a bit like that one guy at the party who keeps telling the same joke over and over. You hear him coming. You know what’s coming. And still, he barrels through the punchline like he’s Christopher Nolan, expecting applause. That’s where many businesses are right now: stuck on repeat, sending batch-and-blast emails that barely register in inboxes already drowning in noise.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Email marketing still works. In fact, according to Statista, email marketing revenue is projected to reach $17.9 billion by 2027. But just because the medium is alive and well doesn’t mean every company is doing it right. Actually, most are doing it very wrong.

Take a look at this gem from Mailchimp’s 2023 benchmark report: the average email open rate across all industries? A humble 21.33%. Click-through rate? Just 2.62%. And those are the averages. If you’re sending out email campaigns like confetti at a wedding—no targeting, no segmentation, no value—your results are probably even worse.

The problem isn’t that email marketing doesn’t work. The problem is that businesses treat it like it’s still 2005.

What effective email marketing for companies actually looks like

Remember when Netflix started out? It was just DVD rentals by mail. Fast-forward to today, and they’re not just a streaming giant—they’re a content machine that uses data smarter than most businesses even dream of. Their marketing emails aren’t sent “just because.” They’re based on what you watched, how long you watched it, whether you hit pause, rewind, or gave up halfway through a bad romcom.

Now compare that to most B2B companies still using the same email templates from three interns ago.

Here’s the truth: email marketing for companies only works when the message feels like it was written for the recipient—not at them. According to a 2024 study by Campaign Monitor, marketers who segment their email campaigns see a 760% increase in revenue. Yes, 760%. That’s not a typo. Segmentation and personalization aren’t nice-to-haves anymore. They’re the difference between getting archived and getting noticed.

If you’re running a campaign without personalization, behavioral triggers, or proper timing—you’re not doing email marketing. You’re sending newsletters into the void.

Why your company’s email list might be the problem (and how to fix it)

Let’s talk about your list. No, not your to-do list. Your email list. That sacred scroll of contacts you’ve collected from events, forms, and that trade show in Cincinnati where someone gave you a business card in exchange for a free keychain.

Here’s the hard truth: size doesn’t matter. Relevance does. Sending the same message to everyone on your list is like shouting “Hey!” in a crowded room. Maybe someone turns around, but most people just keep walking.

Email marketing for companies that want real results should focus on quality over quantity. A smaller, more engaged list will always outperform a bloated list of ghosts who haven’t opened your emails since “Despacito” topped the charts.

Consider cleaning your list regularly. Run re-engagement campaigns. Weed out the zombies. Keep the humans. This isn’t just good practice—it’s good business. According to HubSpot, companies with clean, segmented email lists see up to a 14.31% higher open rate and 10.64% higher CTR compared to those who don’t.

So stop clinging to vanity metrics. They’re not impressing anyone.

From send to show-up: How smarter emails lead to actual meetings

Let’s say you do get the lead. They clicked. Maybe they even filled out the form. But then—crickets. No reply to your follow-up. No meeting booked. What happened?

This is where most companies drop the ball.

Email marketing for companies isn’t just about generating leads—it’s about getting that lead to show up. This requires more than just a thank-you email and a poorly formatted calendar link.

It’s about sending the right sequence at the right time. Confirmations. Reminders. A bit of personality, even. The folks over at Calendly get this. Their automated follow-ups are simple, clear, and effective. No fluff. No 19-paragraph dissertations on “why we’re different.” Just, “Hey—remember this meeting? Still good for you?”

At SEO Leads, we work with businesses that rely on multi-touch campaigns—email, social media, SEO—to get leads who don’t just click, but commit. And the ones who succeed? They treat every email like it matters. Because it does.

So, are we all just shouting into the void?

Not if you’re listening.

Email marketing for companies isn’t dead. It’s just misunderstood. If you treat it like a real conversation—not a monologue—you’ll see results. If you write like a person, segment like a data nerd, and follow up like someone who actually gives a damn, you’ll see meetings get booked. Leads convert. Clients return.

But if you’re still blasting your entire list with the same tired pitch, hoping someone bites? You’re not marketing. You’re gambling.

And frankly, your odds are better in Vegas.