As the marketing manager at Secure Services, a home security systems company, you have been asked to devise a new sales and marketing strategy for a new line of sophisticated alerting systems called "Imperio"

These alerting systems can be programmed to meet individual specifications, have special child lock features, and require the thumb impression of the home-owner(s) for a visitor to be allowed inside the house. The two previous promotional ventures failed to elicit much consumer response because most people were unaware of the benefits of such devices except for those consumers who were specifically looking for them. Can the use of e-mail marketing by Secure services be justified for its current marketing effort? Why or why not?

(Students' answers may vary. The answer given below is indicative.)
E-mail marketing remains an important and growing digital marketing tool. "Social media is the hot new thing," says one observer, "but e-mail is still the king." By one estimate, 91 percent of all U.S. consumers use e-mail every day. What's more, e-mail is no longer limited to PCs and workstations; 66 percent of all e-mails are now opened on mobile devices. Not surprisingly, then, a recent study found that e-mail is 40 times more effective at capturing customers than Facebook and Twitter combined. Secure is selling a product that many families may need but do not have sufficient information about. An e-mail describing the product, its features, benefits, and costs may be one of the best ways to enhance consumer awareness and demand. Few customers may object, but many may actually welcome such promotional messages for such an important product.