In this video interview, copywriter and direct marketing expert Craig Eubanks discusses the value of an e-mail list to a small business. Your two most valuable assets are your list of (1) your prospective customers and (2) your existing customers. E-mail enables you to reach both directly.

The modern equivalent of direct postal mail is e-mail, says Eubanks. Communicating with customers via e-mail is part of a process of trust-building. Indeed, e-mail marketing is the #1 secret of marketing professionals.

Unlike many social media channels, e-mail gives you direct access to your customers without the distractions. While much social media spends time one-to-one building relationships, e-mail can build relationships with 10s of thousands of customers. The e-mail, however, needs to be written as if to one person.