Email Ranked High by Consumers in Effectiveness, Cox Survey Says

Small-business owners looking to attract and retain customers should make the most of email campaigns, said the “2015 Cox Consumer Pulse on Small Businesses” report. Slightly more than half of consumers ranked email as the most effective communications channel, the survey found. Despite the shift to mobile devices, respondents ranked email, at 53 percent; in-person events, 48 percent; social marketing, 45 percent; and direct mail, 32 percent, higher than texts/SMS in terms of their effectiveness. Though the majority of respondents were pleased with their "shopping small" service levels, 20 percent of consumers polled suggested offering free Wi-Fi to help enhance the customer experience. Cox Business surveyed nearly 1,400 U.S. consumers in eight states about their sentiments on the importance of shopping at small and medium-sized businesses.