Email marketing has been tipped to see strong growth in the UK this year.

According to a study by marketing automation firm Eloqua, it is likely that email marketing will come to the fore during the recession for the business-to-business sector.

Other platforms expected to offer growth for UK marketers during the economic downturn include direct mail and real-time lead generation, the company said.

Eloqua's survey, undertaken at the Technology for Marketing & Advertising show in London, also found that six in ten marketers have not yet adapted their strategies to suit the prevailing economic conditions.

This may be a problem considering that marketers view budget cuts, lack of industry understanding and lack of team integration as among their biggest challenges in the recession, the organisation warned.

"During economic downturns, far too many organisations spend time agonising over where to cut back in order to recession-proof their business," said Brian Kardon, chief marketing officer at Eloqua.

Last month, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) released research findings showing that use of email marketing to retain existing customers increased during the second quarter of 2008 as a result of the credit crunch.

Richard Gibson of the DMA said that it is likely the email marketing industry will thrive during the downturn as a result of its accountability and cost-effectiveness.