E-mail marketing and easy online access are the two most effective advertising tools available to restaurants in the United States, according to a recent poll.

A poll conducted June 15-20 by AIS Media, Inc., an e-business solutions company based in Atlanta,found that phonebook and print advertising have been replaced by virtual advertisements and emails.

"The Internet is replacing or becoming additional exposure to traditional advertising and marketing," said Thomas Harpointer, CEO of AIS Media. "The first contact that many people have with a restaurant is its Web site."

The poll questioned 2,517 of America's consumers concerning the restaurant industry.

Eighty-nine percent of those polled said they have researched a restaurant prior to visiting, and more than a third of respondents said they liked receiving promotional e-mails from restaurants, according to a news release.

"Happy Sumo is one of my favorite restaurants," said Ashley Archibald, a sophomore at BYU majoring in marriage, family and human development. "They send me an e-mail with a coupon every year on my birthday, and I love it."

Consumers are using the Internet to find maps, directions and customer reviews, as well as discounts and promotional items before visiting restaurants.

This data is changing the way restaurants are looking at marketing.

"Traditional advertising is reaching a diminishing market," Harpointer said. "E-mail and cell phones are overtaking most venues of communication, and with that, an e-mail campaign is far more effective than telephone book advertising."

Many industries have begun investing in the Internet marketing trend, and e-mail marketing is in the forefront of the new wave.

In an article titled, "Why Do E-mail Marketing," published in November of last year, Mark Brownlow discussed the reasoning behind using e-mail as an advertising tool.

"E-mail marketing works for a variety of reasons," he said. "It allows targeting, is data driven, drives direct sales, builds relationships, loyalty and trust, [and] supports sales through other channels."

Jonathan Munk, marketing manager at Logoworks, a Hewlett Packard company, notes that e-mail marketing is cheaper.

"It's one of the least expensive ways to reach your customers," he said. "But it also allows you to closely track behavior and see what's working and what is not."