How many e-mail newsletters do you receive in a given day? We’d guess half a dozen easily, especially if you subscribe to a few daily news blasts. It’s likely you don’t read all those word for word each day, but they do keep a brand, product or organization in front of your eyes – even if only long enough for you to hit “delete” and move on.

So, do e-mail newsletters still have a place, a role in marketing? This interesting opinion piece on ITBusinessEdge.com takes Ben & Jerry’s to task for announcing it would eliminate its e-mail marketing in favor of social media. It points to the idea that social media isn’t a replacement for e-mail and people – 1.3 million in Ben & Jerry’s case – have selected e-mail as a way they like to receive news about the ice cream icon.

Yes, e-mail marketing can be expensive, especially if you’re sending to millions of people. But, it can be effective, giving customers specials and deals, information and simply keeping your brand top of mind. This particular piece highlights recent research from ExactTarget, an e-mail marketing firm based in Indianapolis, noting that when people are interacting with brands, 62 percent will sign up for an e-mail versus 17 percent looking to Facebook for deals.

Does your business use e-mail marketing? Have you considered giving it up and focusing only on social media? Or do you believe each form of marketing plays a role in your overall campaign?