In case you’re wondering, an app is a tool or a software application designed to help you do something more easily and quickly.
Apps can help you manage your email marketing campaigns, build a list of subscribers, or even analyze your performance across different platforms.
This week, we’re going to walk you through ten essential apps that every email marketer needs to know about.
1. ConvertKit
ConvertKit is a popular email marketing tool that provides you with a variety of features that make it much easier to send highly personalized emails to your subscribers.
Among other things, ConvertKit allows you to create, send, and track automated emails based on events that you set up in advance or that occur in real time. The best part is that you can do all this from the convenience of your email client. No need to log into a separate system to send an email. Just click a button and you’re good to go.
The downside is that ConvertKit is a bit more expensive than the basic email tools we’ve covered so far. But, given the ease of use, functionality, and popularity, it’s well worth it.
2. Mailchimp
Mailchimp is another popular email marketing tool that can help you build and grow your email list based on the emails that your subscribers are already opening and engaging with. This means you don’t have to worry about getting opt-ins from people who’ve never even heard of your brand. (If this describes you, take a look at our guide to getting opt-ins for marketing purposes.)
You can easily get started with a free account on Mailchimp and, after that, you can scale up as needed to take on more subscribers and send out more emails.
While you don’t need to have a large list to get started with this tool, the more emails you have, the more you can benefit from its various features. You can utilize Mailchimp’s segmentation tools to send customized emails based on an individual’s actions or behaviors on your site. (For example, if a person visits your site but doesn’t make a purchase, you can send them an email encouraging them to continue shopping online.)
You can also use Mailchimp’s analytics tools to compile detailed reports that show you which parts of your email marketing program are performing best and where you can focus your efforts for the greatest results.
3. Active Campaign
Active Campaign is a robust email marketing tool built for marketers who need to manage multiple campaigns and track the results of their marketing efforts across various platforms. (You can also use it to grow your email list by identifying and reaching out to potential subscribers who haven’t given you their email address yet. This feature is called “prospecting.”)
With Active Campaign, you can set up automated email campaigns and scheduling tools that will help you send out personalized emails to your customers and prospects based on their previous actions.
From the moment you log in the app, you can click a button to create a new email campaign.
Just like that, you have a fully functioning email marketing campaign running in no time. (Tip: Get inspired by our guide to the best email marketing plans.)
If you already have a Gmail account and are already utilizing its convenient “send mail” button, you can easily set up Automatic Email Sends with Gmail for free.
4. HubSpot
HubSpot is a web-based product that enables you to create a central hub for all your marketing efforts. From there, you can track the performance of your different campaigns and make adjustments as needed.
This tool is ideal for marketers who already have a digital hub (e.g. WhatsApp, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram) and want to have all their digital marketing efforts tied together in one place. With HubSpot, you can create a marketing page where you can track the performance of your different campaigns and make adjustments as needed.
The best part is that you don’t need to have a large marketing budget to get started with HubSpot. Like Mailchimp, you can simply set up a free account and track the results of your marketing campaigns in no time.
5. Vertical Response
Vertical Response is a free email marketing tool that allows you to stay organized and track the results of your email campaigns across various platforms. (Hence its “multi-channel” nature.)
You can upload your marketing emails (along with a small sample of text from those emails) and automatically create targeted emails in the future based on those examples. (E.g., “Hello [first name], we noticed that you visited our website yesterday and wanted to follow up to see if you’re still interested in our products. Thanks for taking the time to visit us. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Best regards, [company name].”)
This feature makes Vertical Response a bit more expensive than the tools we’ve discussed thus far. But, still, it’s a feature that any marketer would want to have. Especially since you can use this free tool to easily create email campaigns that will allow you to segment your subscribers and grow your email lists based on the emails that they’re already opening and engaging with.
6. SumoMe
Last but not least, SumoMe is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool that can help you organize all your customer information and engage with your subscribers via email marketing and social media platforms.
If you store all your customer information in one place, it becomes much easier to send out personalized emails and schedule various online activities (e.g. webinars, contests, and social media engagements) to reach out to and retain your customers.
SumoMe also provides you with a variety of features that can make preparing and sending emails much easier. For instance, you can set up automated emails that will be sent out based on criteria you set in advance or based on events that occur in real time. (E.g., “Hey there! Just wanted to follow up to see if you had any questions about the products we discussed. Be sure to check out our website for more information. Thanks for being our customer. We look forward to serving you in the future.”)
Why These Apps?
Each of these tools and services covers a different aspect of email marketing, making them essential for any serious or professional marketer. (If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for the basics of email marketing, check out our guide to the essentials of email marketing.)
If you’re looking to grow your email list from 0 to 500 subscribers in record time, check out this free guide by Emailherox that will help you get started.
But, beyond just building your email list, these apps can help you get the most out of your existing list and engage with your subscribers via email marketing and social media platforms.
So, in the next few months, you’ll be hearing a lot more about these apps and how they can help you improve your email marketing performance.