Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers. Marketers can nurture relationships with existing customers, attract new ones, and build brand loyalty all from a single email campaign. But with so many options available, how can you decide which email marketing software is right for your business? We’ve put together this guide to help you make the right choice.
Features To Look For
When choosing email marketing software, you want to look for a system that can handle the tasks you need and are capable of performing. Here are some of the most important features to consider.
Integration
The integration of your email marketing software with other systems in your company – like your website – is essential. Not all solutions are created equal, and some don’t offer the best integration with third-party services. Finding a system that can handle the integration with your existing platforms will make a big difference in your daily efficiency. A good integrated solution will automate many of the functions that you need to perform in order to send out successful emails.
Usability
One of the main reasons why so many people don’t use email marketing services is because they find the tools difficult to navigate. A good email marketing solution needs to be easy to use even for people with no technical expertise. When you are using a tool for the first time, you will have to go through several setup processes that can be a bit complicated. But this should be fairly straightforward. After this initial hassle, you will be able to send out emails with little to no effort.
Design
The aesthetics of the tool are also important. Even if you are sending the same email to hundreds of thousands of people, it still needs to look like it was designed for a mass audience. When it comes to the look and feel of your email marketing software, there are a few things you can do:
- Pick a design that is representative of your brand
- Consider what email platform your audience is on (i.e., what colors they prefer)
- Experiment with different layouts and designs
- Use images more effectively
- Choose a simple and easy-to-read font
- Test various copy – shorter is often better
When picking a design, it’s important to keep in mind that you are creating a brand identity for your business. The look and feel of your emails will affect your customers’ experience, so take the time to find a design that is both visually appealing and representative of your brand.
Flexibility
Even if you are working with a fully integrated and automated solution, you still need to be able to perform certain tasks manually. This is where flexibility becomes important. Some solutions offer a lot of flexibility when it comes to the elements you can use in your emails, while others limit the options significantly. It’s important to find a solution that gives you the flexibility you need to get the job done. If you need to create an email template with a lot of complex fields, going through several iterations to get it right can be time consuming. Avoid this by finding a solution that gives you the flexibility you need from the get-go.
Functionality
Apart from the tools that come with a pretty package, you also want to make sure that your chosen email marketing software has all the features you need and can perform the tasks you expect it to. This goes for both the functionalities you need to perform tasks like sending out emails and the deeper analytics you need to better understand how your audience interacts with your messages.
Reporting And Tracking
Tracking the performance of your email marketing campaign is important. Without this functionality, it is difficult to know whether or not the effort you put in is paying off. Some solutions offer basic tracking solutions, which alert you when a new message is opened or when someone clicks a link in your email. More advanced solutions will track the performance of individual messages and even allow you to see how different elements like subject lines or opening lines perform.
Reporting is also important for understanding what is and isn’t working with your campaign. It is common for email marketing solutions to have robust reporting functions, allowing you to see every aspect of the campaign, from opening rates to subject line effectiveness. A good reporting feature will allow you to create custom reports and analyze the data from different perspectives. This makes it much easier to find patterns and determine what is and isn’t working.
With so many options out there, choosing the right email marketing software can be a challenge. But by taking the time to do some research, you can find a tool that will serve your needs and grow with your business.