Email marketing is a vital tool in any digital marketer’s arsenal. The fact is, many businesses may already be using email to connect with customers, and for good reason –> it’s incredibly effective!
However, since businesses can’t always rely on consumers to engage with them via email, marketers must consider ways to reach out to these potential customers when they aren’t engaging with the business via social media or online searches.
This is where A/B testing and predictive analytics tactics such as segmentation and targeting come in. By applying machine learning to your email marketing campaigns, you can increase the chances of your message being received and acted upon.
To that end, we’ve put together a shortlist of the best email marketing tools for businesses to consider in 2017.
1. MarketingPilot (Free Version)
MarketingPilot is an all-in-one marketing automation tool designed to simplify and streamline your workflows. With this software, you can craft automated emails with specific messages, track opens, clicks, and much more.
What makes this tool so special is that you don’t need to have a tech background to get started. Simply create a free account and you’ll have full access to all the functionality.
The good news is that MarketingPilot is a freemium tool so you can try it out before you buy it. Even better, the free version comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. HubSpot
Once you’ve tried MarketingPilot, you’ll wonder why you didn’t invest in HubSpot sooner. Not only is HubSpot incredibly popular among businesses and marketers, but the tool is also tailored to those who are most familiar with operating a blog or maintaining a website.
In addition to providing a CMS (content management system) that you can easily use to create and grow your blog, HubSpot also offers powerful analytics reports that can help you optimize your blog posts and campaigns for maximum results.
As a CMS, HubSpot provides you with all the content management features you need to create and maintain your website –> from drafts to live content to SEO optimization. Plus, you can use the tool to send newsletters, plan events, and more. Simply put, HubSpot makes it incredibly easy to get up and running with a blog or website –> even if you’ve never done so much as type a line of HTML before!
3. SendGrid
If you run a business or blog, you’ll need a way to send out branded emails to your subscribers and customers. You can’t rely on your personal email account for this purpose since you may end up sending out poorly designed and cluttered emails that result in a poor customer experience. SendGrid provides a reputable and affordable SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) so you can send out emails without worrying about overloading or harming your own inbox.
You can even set up automated campaigns using the tool so that when a new subscriber signs up, you can send them a welcome email with a link to your blog or website. You can use a tool like MailChimp to connect with and grow your email list, but having your own SMTP means you can send out personalized emails when needed. In addition, since you can use SendGrid to send bulk emails, you may find it preferable to use for marketing and promotional purposes.
4. ConvertKit
ConvertKit is a lead generation tool that can be used to create various types of email campaigns including; sales, marketing, and general communications –> all with detailed reports that can be used to track the progress of your campaign.
The cool thing about this tool is that it allows you to create several different types of emails (each with their own unique copy) and send them out to your contacts using a single click. In addition, you can even set up autoresponders so that specific email messages are sent out to subscribed users at regular intervals –> encouraging them to engage with your content.
One of the unique features that makes ConvertKit different is the ability to integrate third-party tools and APIs into your email marketing campaigns. For example, you can integrate Twitter feeds, embed YouTube videos, and even send out custom emails when a blog post is tweeted, shared on social media, or commented on. Pretty cool, huh?
Overall, ConvertKit provides a robust set of features for email marketing that even the most seasoned marketers will find useful.
5. MailChimp
If you already use a content management system (CMS) for creating and maintaining your blog or website, you’ll want to consider the versatility of MailChimp. This is one of the more popular email marketing tools because of its ease of use and advanced features that give you the ability to create almost anything you could ask for in an email marketing campaign –> from simple greetings to automated emails with specific content.
As a content management system, MailChimp provides you with all the basic tools you need to create and grow your blog or website –> including drafts, live content, SEO optimization, and automated email campaigns.
MailChimp is incredibly popular because it’s free, so long as your inbox doesn’t exceed 2,000 emails per day. For larger accounts, you’ll need to pay $5 per month or $50 per year. Still, this price can be worth it if you’re looking to get started with email marketing or you’re looking to grow your account significantly.
Final Takeaway
As you can see, there are a variety of email marketing tools available to businesses and marketers –> ranging from free to premium versions. When deciding which one to use, you need to consider a number of factors including; price, functionality, and customization.
Since price is always a key consideration when choosing a product, the best option for some may not be the best option for others depending on what you’re looking for. The good news is that most of these tools offer free trials or limited-use discounts –> so you can test out the products and see which ones work best for you.