when you ask for the email marketing and try to find out, then we'll face with the polemic of spam policy, me for instance sometimes I got screwed up when I receive email that I don't want it at all and send me a piece of junk like viagra etc. but sometimes I'm ok with the email from a reliable company that offer me some product, I'm ok with that since email marketing is a part of sales marketing, I just imagine if a salesman knock my door, then I face with 2 condition of mine, annoy it and accept it. but now we realize most of the email marketing method is use for a spam and of course it is not the proper way, unless for subscribers and of course we need to do regular SEO method to bring traffic and subscriber. again, if you want to do email marketing, just do it with your niche email targeted or email list, find out the person name of email recipient, I feel appreciate if someone send me email and mention my name in the email offering something. And, email marketing is not like writing an article, or not same with the short classified ads, write the email straight to the point with a respectful sales marketing language.
email marketing still works as long you've done it correctly, just stay away from spam blacklist filters and aim a high email delivery rates and I'm sure you'll be successful.