Email marketing is still a popular choice for B2B marketing, especially among larger companies. Marketers there recognise that email is a reliable, cost-efficient, and quick way to communicate with their audience. But which email marketing platform should they use? Here we’ll discuss the pros and cons of three of the most popular platforms so you can make the right decision for your marketing needs.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud
If you’re looking for a hosted email marketing platform with robust features, strong security, and a pleasant user experience, you should consider the Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Launched in 2014 as a replacement for the aging ConvertKit platform, the Marketing Cloud is designed to meet the needs of large businesses. But it also works great for smaller companies and marketers looking for an affordable and easy-to-use solution.
One of the key reasons why the Marketing Cloud was designed to replace ConvertKit is that marketers have many more features to play with. Besides, content across different channels within the platform – such as webinars, email campaigns, and more – can be connected and synchronised. This makes it simpler for marketers to maintain and update content across multiple marketing channels.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp is another popular choice among large businesses, mostly because of its simplicity and low pricing. Launched in 2003 as a simple email campaign tool, the company now offers a fully-fledged email marketing platform with all the bells and whistles. In January 2020, Salesforce acquired Mailchimp for US$475 million.
The catch is that while Mailchimp is easy to use and offers a decent amount of features, it’s not always the most secure or the most reliable solution. Its free version has extensive limits on storage, sending, and automated emails. If your company is looking for the best pricing without having to worry about the nitty gritty of email marketing, Mailchimp is a good choice.
HubSpot
HubSpot is the biggest and arguably the most popular marketing automation platform available. The product was first launched in 2010 and quickly rose to fame among digital marketers. The platform allows you to create complex email campaigns, assign them to individual users, and track the performance of each campaign. It also integrates with various other platforms, including Salesforce, Facebook, and Google.
The catch is that while HubSpot is a great choice for larger businesses looking for a robust marketing platform, it requires a significant investment to set up and maintain. In 2020 alone, HubSpot’s pricing plans start at US$5,095 a month plus 15% revenue share for the first 2,000 emails sent per month.
In the end, it’s all about what you need. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, affordable solution that provides a lot of value, consider using Mailchimp.
Overall Review:
When choosing an email marketing platform, consider your needs and the size of your company. Large companies with extensive needs can benefit from a robust solution, like the Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Similarly, if your company is just getting started or is looking for an easy-to-use solution, Mailchimp is a good choice. Finally, if you’re looking for the best value for your money, consider using HubSpot.
As with any other platform or tool, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to email marketing. Each company and organisation will have a unique set of needs and preferences, which will influence the type of platform or tool they use. In the next part of this series, we’ll discuss the various considerations you need to make when creating your marketing strategy.