Mobile email has become a "make or break" communication channel for marketers, according to the latest survey from Constant Contact (www.constantcontact.com) and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey. The survey of 1,497 consumers found that 80% of smartphone owners say it's "extremely important" to be able to read emails on their mobile devices.

The study also exposed what could be unfortunate results for marketers who have not yet taken mobile email display into consideration: 75% said they are "highly likely" to delete an email if they can’t read it on their smartphone.

Additional research revealed the positive benefits of well-planned mobile email campaigns. Among consumers who use smartphones and laptops/desktops to read emails, 79% say they are highly likely to reopen an email on a laptop or desktop after having originally opened it on a mobile device. Almost half (49%) of respondents said they are also likely to click on hyperlinks in emails sent from businesses to their mobile phone.

"The fact of the matter is that consumers are opening emails on their phones first with increasing regularity," said Jim Garretson, mobile product manager at Constant Contact. "The great thing about mobile emails is that shorter content and fewer calls to action actually perform better than complicated and dense messaging. By simplifying email marketing campaigns, marketers can take an essential and effective step towards becoming mobile-friendly."