Email software – the options and checklist
What email marketing software options are there?
There are numerous email marketing software options on the market. Determining what you need is important. Some email marketing tools have more automation than others and some CRMs (Customer Relationship Management software) include email marketing tools within the software.
Email Marketing Software Options
Below are some of the popular ones on the market at the moment.
1. Mailchimp: Mailchimp is one of the most widely used email marketing platforms. It offers a user-friendly interface, customizable templates, automation features, audience segmentation, and detailed analytics. Some of our clients use this software and it works well.
2. Campaign Monitor: Campaign Monitor offers a drag-and-drop email builder, automation workflows, personalization options, A/B testing, and analytics. It also provides tools for managing subscriber lists and segmenting audiences. It is a great tool, and we use Campaign Monitor regularly for clients’ email marketing and our own.3. Constant Contact: Constant Contact is another popular email marketing tool that provides a range of features including customizable templates, contact management, autoresponders, social media integration, and real-time reporting.
4. AWeber: AWeber is an email marketing platform suitable for businesses of all sizes. It offers email automation, drag-and-drop email builder, subscriber segmentation, analytics, and integrations with various third-party platforms.
5. GetResponse: GetResponse is an all-in-one marketing platform that includes email marketing, landing page creation, marketing automation, webinar hosting, and more. It offers a visual email builder, autoresponders, advanced segmentation, and analytics. It markets itself as affordable so certainly one to check out.
6. ConvertKit: ConvertKit is primarily designed for professional bloggers, authors, and content creators. It provides some automation features, customizable forms, landing page builder, subscriber tagging, and integrations with popular tools.
7. Sendinblue/Brevo: Sendinblue, now Brevo, offers email marketing along with SMS marketing and other communication channels. It provides a drag-and-drop email editor, automation workflows, transactional emails, contact segmentation, and robust analytics. Now Brevo, it is promoting itself as a CRM and does have more features including sales platform.
8. Drip: Drip is an ecommerce-focused email marketing platform. It offers automation features, customer segmentation, personalization, A/B testing, and integrations with popular ecommerce platforms.
For more automation and for CRM functionality, there’s also the following CRMs which will most likely work out more expensive but do provide a hub for all your communications with customers and prospects:
1. HubSpot CRM: HubSpot’s CRM platform includes a built-in email marketing tool called HubSpot Marketing Hub. It allows you to create and send email campaigns, segment your audience, track email performance, and automate email workflows. The CRM includes marketing, sales CRM, customer service, CMS, and operations software in one platform
2. Salesforce CRM: Salesforce CRM offers an add-on called Salesforce Marketing Cloud, which provides robust email marketing capabilities. It enables you to create personalized email campaigns, automate workflows, track engagement, and integrate with other Salesforce features.
3. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM offers Zoho Campaigns, an email marketing module integrated into the CRM platform. It allows you to create and send targeted email campaigns, track email metrics, manage subscriber lists, and automate follow-up sequences. This CRM is promoted as being built by a company that values your privacy. All business areas are covered with the CRM with Sales, Marketing, Customer Support, Finance, HR, Legal, Security and IT Management, Business Intelligence and Analytics and Project Management.
4. Pipedrive: Pipedrive CRM offers an integrated email marketing feature called Pipedrive Mail. It enables you to send personalized emails, track email opens and clicks, and automate email sequences based on predefined triggers. The company promotes itself as the CRM platform to grow your business as well as being the first CRM designed by salespeople, for salespeople.
5. ActiveCampaign: While primarily known as a marketing automation platform, ActiveCampaign also offers CRM capabilities. It combines CRM functionality with advanced email marketing features, including automation, segmentation, personalization, and analytics.
6. Agile CRM: Perhaps less well known, Agile CRM includes an email marketing module that allows you to create and send email campaigns, track email performance, automate follow-ups, and integrate with other CRM features such as contact management and lead tracking. The company is currently offering Agile CRM for free for 10 users! The Starter package is only $8.99 per user per month too.
7. Keap: Formerly called Infusionsoft, Keap is a comprehensive CRM and marketing automation platform that includes email marketing capabilities. It provides email campaign management, contact segmentation, automation workflows, and reporting. It promotes itself as the small business CRM to upgrade to.
8. Microsoft Dynamics 365: Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a suite of CRM tools that includes email marketing functionality. You can create and send email campaigns, track engagement, and integrate with other Microsoft products such as Outlook.
These CRM software tools provide email marketing features to help businesses streamline their customer communications and marketing efforts within one single platform. Each tool has its own unique set of features and pricing plans, so it’s essential to evaluate your specific requirements before choosing the most suitable option for your business.
The email marketing tools focus primarily on email marketing and deciding the route to take for your business is important.
As an aside and to be thorough as I included cold email marketing in Part 1 of the B2B Email Marketing Series, I wanted to highlight a number of email marketing tools which have been specifically developed for cold email marketing.It is worth noting that the above software tools do not allow cold email marketing whereas here are some tools which I know do:
1. Mailshake: Mailshake is a cold email outreach platform that allows you to create and send personalized email campaigns. It offers features like email templates, automated follow-ups, A/B testing, and integrations with CRM systems.
2. Woodpecker: Woodpecker is a cold email automation platform that helps you send personalized cold emails at scale. It offers features like email tracking, follow-up sequences, A/B testing, and integration with popular CRMs.
3. QuickMail: QuickMail is a tool designed for outbound sales and cold email campaigns. It offers features such as campaign management, personalized email sending, follow-up automation, and real-time analytics.
4. Lemlist: Lemlist is another popular email software tool that is often used for cold email outreach. Lemlist offers a range of features and functionalities to help users personalize and automate their cold email campaigns.
So how do you evaluate the options and work out what is going to be right for you now, but also right for you in perhaps three years’ time. Investing time in learning how to use a system means its important to take your time making the choice. I’d recommend producing a shortlist and then taking out the trials with two or three platforms to see which works best for you.
The choice of the software will depend on a wide range of factors including your specific needs, your budget, and the features that you need to enable you to reach your business goals.
How to you decide which email marketing software to use? I’ve developed a comprehensive checklist below which I hope will help you in your search and decision-making process.
Email Software Checklist
1. Features and Functionality
1.1 Email campaign creation: It is easy to use? Look for software that has a user-friendly interface to create and customize email campaigns. You want something you enjoy using and is easy to use. The software should be easy to use, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
1.2 Email templates: Check if the software offers a variety of pre-designed templates or the ability to create your own templates. Most, if not all, email software now offers templates that you can use as a starting point and then customise to your branding.
1.3 Automation: You might think this isn’t needed initially but before you know it, you’ll want to look at welcome email sequences and more, so make sure the software supports automated workflows, such as drip campaigns, autoresponders, and personalised email sequences.
1.4 Segmentation and targeting: Make sure the software allows you to segment your audience based on demographics, preferences, or behaviours for targeted campaigns.
1.5 A/B testing: One of the great aspects of email marketing is the ability to test, test and test again. The software need to have the option for you to test different subject lines, content and designs to enable you to optimise your email campaigns. Subject line testing is important as it helps you improve open rates, whilst design modifications can help with engagement and enquiry rates.
1.6 Personalisation: Check if the software enables you to personalize emails with dynamic content, merge tags, or user-specific data. I believe all email software tools will do this, but still worth checking.
1.7 Analytics and reporting: Make sure the software provides detailed analytics on open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and other important metrics. Campaign Monitor, for example, provides real time reporting so if you have a sales team, there is the option to call individuals that show interest in certain products or services based on their interaction with your email!
2. Deliverability and Compliance
2.1 Deliverability rate: Investigate the email deliverability rate of the software to ensure your emails reach the recipients’ inboxes instead of getting marked as spam. This is important so also make sure that they have a way to authenticate the sending domain.
2.2 Anti-spam compliance: Verify that the software follows anti-spam laws and includes features like double opt-in, unsubscribe links as standard and CAN-SPAM compliance.
2.3 GDPR compliance: If you are operating in the European Union or handle EU customer data ensure the software meets the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The key for this is ensuring the unsubscribe link is there and clearly visible so that individuals can unsubscribe with ease.
3. Integration and Compatibility
3.1 CRM integration: If you already have a CRM but you also want to use a standalone email marketing tool, it would be worth checking whether it the email marketing tool integrates with your CRM to sync customer data for improved targeting and personalisation.
3.2 Website integration: You want to make sure that the software easily links with the forms on your website and that it is easy for you to add a email newsletter sign up to your website that automatically adds individuals to your email marketing tool.
3.3 E-commerce integration: If you have an online store, check if the software integrates with your e-commerce platform for tracking sales, cart abandonment emails, or product recommendations. Of course, some ecommerce platforms have email within them and it may be better to use the ecommerce platform functionality rather than increasing your costs and number of software tools.
3.4 API and third-party integrations: Assess the availability of APIs and compatibility with other tools you use, such as analytics platforms, social media, or customer support software.
4. Scalability and Pricing:
4.1 Subscriber limits: Evaluate if the software can accommodate your current subscriber list size and consider the cost implications as your list grows. Many email marketing and CRM software providers are now offering options for free email marketing to a certain size list. Some also offer pay as you go pricing including Campaign Monitor.
4.2 Pricing structure: Understand the pricing model (e.g., per subscriber, per email, tiered plans and per team member) and ensure it aligns with your budget and expected usage. Some CRM providers are even offering free email marketing as part of taking their CRM software so definitely worth checking the options. You need to choose a software tool that fits your budget.
4.3 Upgrades and additional features: Consider whether the software offers scalability options, such as higher-tier plans or add-ons for advanced features you may need in the future. This assumes the provider does not allow unlimited emailings which some do – again worth checking.
5. Support and Training
5.1 Customer support: Check the availability and responsiveness of customer support channels based on the plan you intend taking based on your needs and budget (e.g., email, chat, phone) and their reputation for providing assistance.
5.2 Training and resources: Assess the availability of training materials, documentation, tutorials, or a knowledge base to help you make the most of the software. You can in fact be overwhelmed with content so ease of use is crucial.
6. Reputation and User Reviews
6.1 Research the reputation and user reviews: Check out Google Reviews as well as referring to industry publications, software review websites, or seeking recommendations from peers in your industry and network.
By considering these factors and comparing multiple email marketing software options, you can make an informed decision that best suits your business needs. Take your time as although you can switch to different software if needed that will incur additional time that may not have been needed.
Hopefully the above is of use in helping you to develop your email marketing software specification and enables you to review the options in a thorough way so that you can make the right decision for your business.
