Choosing the best email marketing software can be arduous, especially if you’re unfamiliar with all the available options and their pricing structures.
Thankfully, when you know what to look for in an email marketing platform, like email automation triggers, choosing the best one isn’t hard at all.
Today, 43% of individuals use their smartphones to check their emails every single day. This means that having your email in your customer’s inbox is one of the most valuable ways to get more traffic and increase sales.
Fortunately, you don’t need to go over the budget, as there is some great free email automation software that allows you to nurture your leads for free. You may also leverage AI email generators to develop engaging email content for your campaigns.
In this article, we’ll discuss what you should consider before buying any software and how to know when you’ve found the best email marketing platform for your business.
What is Email Marketing Software?
Email marketing is a digital marketing strategy focused on sending emails to customers and prospects. It is one of the most effective ways to promote your business. With the right software, you can create and send professional email campaigns with ease.
But what exactly is email marketing software? And how does it work?
The best email marketing software allows businesses to manage their email list, send mass emails, and monitor the success of their email campaigns. It can be used for both transactional emails – like receipts and shipping confirmations – and promotional messages that encourage subscribers to buy from you or visit your website.
There are many different types of email marketing software available on the market today, but they all fall into one of two categories:
- Self-hosted Email Solutions – These programs run on your own computer or web server, so you have complete control over them. They’re great if you want flexibility, but they require more technical knowledge than many other types of software.
- Cloud-based Email Solutions – Cloud-based tools store your data online in the cloud instead of on your own computer or web server, making them easier to use but less secure than self-hosted solutions.
These email marketing platforms offer a variety of features, including templates, marketing automation, and analytics, that businesses can use to create and optimize their email marketing campaigns.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing an email marketing platform for your business.
- Consider your budget. Many email marketing software providers are available, each with different features and price points. Email marketing software cost is usually the main factor when choosing the right email marketing software platform, however, you should not overlook its features.
- Think about your needs. What features are you looking for in your email marketing platform? Do you need advanced automation capabilities? Are you looking for a simple way to send mass emails? Or do you want email marketing software that offers more features, such as design templates and automated messages? Once you have determined your desired features, it is time to select a vendor.
A quick Google search will bring up many email marketing service providers like GetResponse or AWeber, but not all will be appropriate for your company’s needs.
It’s essential to read reviews before signing up for any service to know what kind of customer support the vendor offers.
Suppose you need help setting up the account or using any specific feature. In that case, customer support will be key to having success with your email campaign—this means it may be better to go with an email marketing service provider who offers live chat support if this is a requirement for your business.
The Difference Between Cloud-based Solutions and Self-hosted Solutions
Cloud-based email marketing solutions are a great option for small businesses that don’t have the budget or resources to invest in a self-hosted solution.
With cloud-based solutions, you’re also not responsible for maintaining the software or keeping it updated. However, they can be more expensive in the long run and you may not have as much control over your data.
Self-hosted email marketing solutions are ideal for larger businesses that can afford to invest in the software and have the staff to maintain it.
With self-hosted solutions, you can completely control your data and customize the software to fit your specific needs. However, they can be complex and time-consuming to set up and maintain.
A cloud-based or hosted solution is a great choice if you’re on a tight budget and don’t have enough staff to maintain an in-house solution. If you don’t have much experience with email marketing software, it may be less intimidating than setting up your own system. And as your business grows, it’s easier to switch over to a self-hosted solution once you’ve got staff and resources.
While cloud-based solutions are ideal for small businesses, larger businesses can benefit from them too. Since hosting providers manage all of their clients’ accounts on one centralized platform, it’s easy for larger companies with multiple branches and locations to use one service instead of having each branch or office use its own software.
What Types of Emails Do You Want to Send?
Before you start shopping for email marketing software, you need to know what types of emails you want to send.
Are you looking to send one-off promotional emails? Or do you want to set up automated drip campaigns? Once you know what types of emails you want to send, you can start narrowing down your options.
The right email marketing strategy will depend largely on the type of emails you want to send.
Here are some types of emails you may send with an email marketing platform:
- Newsletters – Email newsletters regularly update their audience on relevant news, subjects, and updates. The majority of businesses utilize newsletters to inform customers about content or product upgrades. Additionally, some include unique content that is pertinent to their mission or product.
- Drip Campaigns – A drip email campaign is a set of emails distributed at regular intervals. While drip email marketing encompasses a wide range of tactics, some of the most well-liked drip campaigns focus on nurturing leads, promoting products, and onboarding new customers.
- Transactional Emails – A transactional email is one that is sent after a customer takes a certain action. Examples that are frequently used include password resets, delivery updates, and transaction confirmations.
Features to Consider in Email Marketing Software
When you are looking for the right email marketing software, there are several features you should consider.
- Integrations – Integrating the software with your other business tools can make a big difference in efficiency and automation.
- Autoresponders – This can be a valuable tool, especially if you have a high volume of email traffic.
- A/B Testing – This allows you to test various subject lines or content to determine which receives the best response from clients.
- Automation Tools – These can save you a lot of time by automating tasks like sending out emails or building lists.
- Email Volume – The number of emails a user sends determines the pricing for many email marketing tools. Make sure the software you choose can scale with you at a cost that is suitable for your business if you frequently send emails or have a huge contact list.
- User-friendly – Look for a user-friendly design that makes it easy to navigate around the program. The best email marketing services should also include a drag-and-drop email editor and landing pages. If you want specific features, such as social media integration or campaign management, look for email marketing software that offers those features specifically.
- Customer Support – Some companies will only provide limited phone support, while others will offer unlimited help at all hours of the day. If you have an issue or need help implementing your new system, this could be an important consideration.
- Free Plan – You’ll have a better idea of the premium features you want in your software after using a free email marketing platform for a period. The best way to learn is by doing. When you’re ready to expand your email marketing efforts, look into a premium solution.
In addition to email marketing platforms, you can also consider investing in an all-in-one marketing platform that includes email services and automation. These all-in-one platforms can benefit your business by reducing costs in the long run.
Questions to Ask When Selecting Email Marketing Platforms
Here’s a list of some questions you should consider asking when looking for an email marketing app:
- How easy is the software to use?
- What kinds of autoresponders and automation tools are available?
- Can you A/B test your email campaigns?
- How much does the software cost?
- Is there a free trial period?
- What kind of support is available?
- Does the software integrate with other business applications?
- What security features does it offer?
- Is it compatible with mobile devices like tablets and smartphones?
- Will this be a one-time purchase, or will I have to pay monthly or yearly fees?
- Will my email content look different depending on whether I view it on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone device?
- Do they offer a way to import contacts from an existing data source (e-mail lists, Excel files, etc.)?
6 Tips For Choosing the Best Email Marketing Platform
Email marketing software is a tool that businesses use to send mass emails. Choosing the best email marketing software for your business is essential because it can make a big difference in terms of deliverability, open rates, and click-through rates.
Here are some tips on choosing the best email marketing software for your business:
- Find out about the automation tools included with each package. Automation allows you to schedule campaigns ahead of time, set up triggers (for example, if someone engages with your email), and handle customer service via chatbots. These tools can save hours each week by automating repetitive tasks and letting your staff focus on other projects.
- Make sure the software has A/B testing capabilities. This will allow you to test different subject lines, content, and sender names to see what gets the best results.
- Look for email marketing software that integrates with your other business tools, such as your CRM software or eCommerce platform. This will make it easier to manage your contacts and track your results.
- Consider factors beyond price. Some software platforms are more expensive than others, but they may have better features or support than cheaper alternatives. You should never choose a particular email marketing software based on price alone.
- Read reviews from other businesses that use it. This can help you determine if it’s a software that will be worth your time and money. You can also look at what kind of results they say they’re getting. If you see negative reviews or few results, choose another option.
- Finally, don’t choose a tool based on whether you like its design or not. If a package has a great deal of functionality and good reviews, then it may be worth overlooking an ugly interface. It’s more important that it does what you need than how it looks.
Be sure to consider these options when deciding which email marketing software is best for your business.
Conclusion
When choosing an email marketing software, be sure to consider your needs and budget. Some platforms offer free plans for small businesses, while others have more robust features that come at a price.
It’s also essential to note that not all features are available on every platform. So you may need several solutions at once, depending on your specific needs.
After considering your needs and budget, it’s time to try out different software solutions. You may want to start with a free email marketing software plan and switch over to a premium plan once you find one that meets your requirements.
The top email marketing software streamlines the process of creating attractive and useful emails, tracking engagement, audience segmentation, and integration with other marketing tools.
Now that you know how to choose the best email marketing software, go send some emails!
Hi! Thank you for the valuable information you give here. I wanted to ask — In Email Marketing, when do you stop plugging in specific affiliate links (e.g., courses/webinars) to specific subscribers? I’m starting my journal as an affiliate marketer and would like to avoid spamming people the same affiliate links when they already had access and purchased something from it. Is there a software or tool that can help with automating their segmentation?
Thank you!!
Hi Jo,
To segment your email list for an affiliate offer, you’ll first need to check if your email marketing software integrates with the offer. If it doesn’t, go to your affiliate dashboard and locate the emails of those who purchased the product. Next, manually create a segment within your email marketing software for these customers. Most platforms let you segment based on clicks and opens, but accessing purchase data is typically only possible if you’re selling your own product.