Email Marketing

I recently sent out an email blast to 250 people. 37 opened the message. 4 people opted out of the newsletter. The ease and price of email marketing is enticing but there is not yet a plausible way to harness the sales process. I have a better response by going door to door rather than picking up the phone any day. Email and newsletters are just worse. Why is it that things that should make life easier just make them more complicated.