Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies for small businesses since it allows you to reach a global audience, it’s easy to share, easy to measure, you are able to segment groups to deliver targeted messages, and you’re reaching an already engaged audience. A good email campaign will help you build credibility and better brand recognition, boost sales, measure engagement, increase traffic to your website, and build stronger relationships.
What to Look for in a Good Email Marketing Tool?
- An easy to use template editor that allows you to create engaging email newsletters
- A contact list that is easy to group and manage
- The ability to track the performance of your campaigns
- Integration with 3rd party apps / platforms that you utilize
- Assurance that the emails don’t end up in one’s spam folder
- Affordable cost
Newsletters and Email Campaigns:
MailChimp
Mailchimp is the newsletter tool that I use for the all the reason I’ve noted next. Firstly, Mailchimp includes a drag and drop editor, HTML editor, hosted images, autoresponders, and analytics tracking. You can easily integrate it with WordPress, Magento, Shopify, and many other platforms. Mailchimp offers a forever free plan which allows you to send 12,000 emails for up to 2,000 subscribers. And while you are required to display their branding at the bottom of your newsletter in their free plan it’s not especially intrusive (in my opinion). Their paid plans start at $10/month for up to 500 subscribers (without their branding).
https://mailchimp.com/
Benchmark Email
Their services include email marketing, marketing automation, and reporting. They provide a drag and drop builder, HTML editor, a photo editor, and varied pre-built templates. They have a free option that allows for up to 250 emails for month, and a Pro option that provides 100K contacts for $11.99/mo.
https://www.benchmarkemail.com/
SendinBlue
SendinBlue is a easy to use platform with with a drag and drop editor. Their services include email marketing automation tools, SMS messaging, and chat. They offer a free plan that allows you to send up to 300 emails per day, yet the emails will include their branding. Paid plans start from $25 per month.
https://www.sendinblue.com/
GetResponse
GetResponse is an easy to use email marketing option for small businesses. It includes a drag and drop builder, with varied automation tools to create automated campaigns. Maybe most impressive is that they integrate with a wide varied of popular apps such as Magento, WordPress, Facebook, PayPal, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Etsy. GetResponse offers a 30-day free trial. Their pricing starts at $15/month.
https://www.getresponse.com/
Constant Contact:
Constant Contact is a popular option since it has an easy to use interface and lots of great resources as well as extensive documentation. The provide varied templates, tracking, built in social media tools, image library, Facebook Ad integration, and integration for Shopify ecommerce. Their more expensive “Email Plus” plans provides additional features such as surveys and pools, coupons, and donations. Constant Contact has a 60-day free trial. After that their pricing starts at $20/month.
https://www.constantcontact.com/email-marketing/index.jsp
