With social media usage driving more email consumption, the future of email is looking brighter than ever. A Nielson report “Is Social Media Impacting How Much We Email” finds heavy social media users use email more, not less. This outcome apparently surprised these researchers as well.

The rise in smartphones is also driving more email use. With easier access to email, 43% of Blackberry users and 42% of iPhone users say they’re using email more often over the past six months, compared to fewer than 3% who are using email less often.

My inbox has become a cluttered mess, so apart from personal and client messages, the only sales messages that draw my attention are from my favorite brands or those with an interesting subject line. To keep your email program effective, you should to take full advantage of the information you have collected on your customers which allows you to personalize messages and keep them relevant. Whether it’s personal data you collect online, including profile pages and preferences, or customer history from transactions, it’s important to create messages that reflect your customers’ interests and needs. Rather than sending a mass email offering 25% off shipping, try sending your customers special promotions based on their previous purchases. Better yet, if a person tends to order frequently, send your email just prior to when he typically places an order. Do certain people on your list love to travel? Tie that back in to your sales approach. By anticipating customer needs based on previous interactions and personalizing the message to their unique preferences, you can stand apart from the inbox clutter.