Well, we’re not going to mince words. Email marketing is…UNSENT. Like, really. It’s one of the most common terms you’ll encounter in the world of digital marketing, and for good reason. It’s easy to understand, easy to implement and, let’s face facts, a lot of people use it without even thinking about it. That’s why it’s so popular – it’s a catch-all term that pretty much sums up all the different email marketing activities you can execute.
So what is email marketing?
Good question. Let’s break it down.
As the name suggests, email marketing is the act of sending emails to a list of people. Whether you’re an email service provider or a software company that runs its own email marketing software, your job is to get as many people as possible to sign up for your email list. From there, you can send them all kinds of useful emails regarding your brand, product or service.
The beauty of email marketing is its adaptability. You don’t need to settle for one type of email campaign. In fact, a highly efficient email marketing strategy usually involves using a combination of tactics, from SEO to PPC (pay-per-click advertising), to bring in the most traffic possible from different channels (e.g., SEO, PPC, social media).
The trick is to find your audience, build your list and then use your list to segment and engage with customers.
Why Email Marketing?
To be perfectly honest, there are a lot of solid reasons why you might want to get into the habit of sending out regular emails to your customers. Let’s take a look.
First off, email marketing is a quick and easy way to stay in touch with your customers. If you use email marketing software like HubSpot, you can automate and schedule email campaigns. That means you can set certain criteria for when and how often you want to email your customers. It also means you don’t necessarily need to take the time to send out handwritten letters – with email marketing, you can still keep your good old-fashioned touch!
Another benefit of email marketing is that it gives you the opportunity to communicate with your customers on a more personal level. You can use your emails to offer advice and guidance on products and services your customers might need help with. You can even use your emails to remind your customers of upcoming events or deadlines (like a sale or discount).
Last but not least, email marketing is a great way to stay in front of your customers and be seen as a thought leader in your industry. You can share new and relevant information with your customers (like the most up-to-date industry news or an important new product enhancement) or even educate them on issues relevant to your brand (like the difference between electricity and electricity). It’s all about adapting to the ever-changing needs of your audience.
So, we’ve talked a bit about why you might want to get into the habit of sending regular emails to your customers (and why not – it’s a free and easy way to keep in touch). But, let’s be honest, the main reason you’re reading this is probably because you want to know more about how to do email marketing.
What Is Email Marketing Software?
It’s time to dive a little bit deeper. What exactly is email marketing software and how is it different from regular email services like Gmail or Microsoft Outlook?
Well, first off, it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to email marketing software. Each piece of software is designed with the unique specifications of a specific industry in mind. So, it’s essential you know what type of customer you’re targeting and what types of content they want to receive.
For example, if you’re marketing to small business owners, you might want to look into an email marketing software that’s specifically designed for that industry. On the other hand, if you’re targeting experienced digital marketers, you might want to consider using a marketing software that’s geared toward advanced users.
Top 5 Best Email Marketing Software Tools
Okay, let’s cut to the chase. We’re going to tell you about the top five most popular and efficient email marketing software tools, based on the reviews written about them by customers. The reviews are pretty good, so you can be sure the information is reliable.
Each of the products covered here is either a complete suite or has a free trial available, so you can test them out before committing to purchase. Some of the products also offer additional costs for features and functions, so be sure to check out what is included in the base package before making any purchasing decisions.
1. HubSpot
We’ll begin with the elephant in the room. Everyone knows what HubSpot is and how popular it is. So, let’s skip the flattery and get down to business.
As its name suggests, HubSpot is a central location for all your marketing activities. From there, you can manage your entire marketing process, from acquisition to engagement.
The good thing about HubSpot is that it brings all the pieces of the marketing puzzle together in one place. You can create and edit content like blogs and websites, as well as design emails and other marketing materials, all in one place. This makes creating content much easier and more streamlined – you can simply follow the steps laid out for you.
As a marketing manager, you can set up automated email campaigns and use the software’s tracking capabilities to analyze the effectiveness of each campaign. You can also use HubSpot to segment your customer bases and target the right audience for each type of product or service, as well as create personalized messages for individual customers.
Last but not least, HubSpot provides you with a complete case study, including templates, samples and documentation to help you along the way. This makes it much easier for novices to get up and running with little to no training.
2. Marketo
Next on the list is Marketo. Like HubSpot, Marketo is also a fully integrated marketing platform designed specifically with the B2B (business-to-business) industry in mind. What this means is that you can use it to create personalized emails, landing pages, event schedules and more, all with the click of a button.
The beauty of Marketo is that it takes all the guesswork out of the equation. You don’t need to have a marketing or communications background to use it. Simply sign up for a free trial and start creating content and automated tasks, like email campaigns, to bring in new customers and retain existing ones. You can also track the performance of each campaign and optimize based on learning from previous experiences.
3. HubSpot CRM
Moving down the list, we come to HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Like HubSpot, this product is also a one-stop-shop for all your marketing needs. However, HubSpot CRM is geared toward small businesses and offers them a more streamlined approach to taking care of customer relationships. So, if you’re looking to take your marketing to the next level and need a helping hand, this is probably the software for you.
Unlike regular HubSpot, which focuses on content creation and management, HubSpot CRM is more about taking care of your customer relationships. This means creating automated emails that are personalized and relevant to each individual recipient. You can even set up automated emails that follow-up after a purchase to retain customers and encourage them to make repeat purchases. The good thing about HubSpot CRM is that it’s easy to use – even non-technical business people will be able to get up and running with little to no training.
4. Pardot
Moving down the list one more time, we come to Pardot. This time, we’re going to the opposite end of the spectrum. While the other products on this list are designed for marketers, Pardot is specifically engineered for salespeople. Does this sound like you? If so, it might be time to try out Pardot.
The idea behind Pardot is to take the complexity out of sales. Instead of using complex software, which most people in the industry already use, you get a simple and elegant tool that does all the heavy lifting for you. Essentially, Pardot is designed to help you close more deals and grow your business. It does this by providing you with a single interface for your sales and marketing efforts, from email marketing to social media and more.