We've all heard claims that e-mail is dying and that the nextsocial media platform—whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Google+,LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest or Snapchat—is the new silver bulletfor marketers.

But e-mail marketing is far from dead, and every agency ownershould place e-mail ahead of social media efforts. This is notmeant to steer you away from social media, but to help youprioritize your efforts by focusing on “low-hanging fruit.”

The fact is, 60% of consumers prefer communicating with brands throughregular e-mail updates and newsletters, according toMarketingSherpa. Here's why you should master e-mail before socialmedia:

• You already have the e-mail addresses of your clients. Aseasoned agency may have 2,000 to 4,000 clients, and hopefully hase-mail addresses for the majority of them. Contrast that withsocial media; even Facebook superstars are only going to convince10% to 20% of their entire books to join them on social media. Thisnumber is even less if the demographic is older.

• Your clients or prospects don't have to “join” a new socialnetwork to engage with you. This one is key. Almost everyonehas an e-mail address, but not everyone is on social media. Whatyou can be sure of is reaching your clients via their inbox throughe-mail marketing.

• E-mail marketing is the best option for customertouchpoints. If you're going to make the effort to createawesome content, then get the most out of your efforts by sharingit with your entire book of business.

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