Your business can do digital advertising campaigns in a variety of ways, but email marketing is still one of the most effective solutions for small business owners. Whether you want to grow your brand or improve your bottom line, an email campaign can help.
Email campaigns allow you to reach out to customers directly as you craft your brand’s narrative. Unlike print or digital ads, emails are incredibly inexpensive to use.
Benefits Of Email Marketing
Listed here are Nine of the many benefits of email marketing campaigns;
- Nurture leads.
- Build credibility and authority.
- Increase new sales and extra revenue.
- Create a personalized relationship with your customers.
- Help build your brand.
- Advertise with a limited budget.
- Use professional templates that are simple to use.
- Build excitement and awareness for future products.
- Boost your website traffic.
With an email campaign, you can reach out to prospective clients and educate your current customers about your business. Because the right marketing software includes email templates, you can craft professional emails without having to spend your entire marketing budget on web designers. In 2019, there were 3.9 billion email users. Unlike digital and traditional ads, 49 percent of consumers said that they would like to receive promotional emails from their favorite brands each week. If you do not use email campaigns in your marketing strategy yet, you could be missing out.
Basic Details Of Email Marketing
Once you decide to use emails, the next step is figuring out the best way to implement them. Initially, you should get started by determining your marketing goals. Do you want to generate leads or build brand awareness? Are you building relationships with your current clients or reaching out to prospective customers?
For your email campaigns to work, you need to prepare an email list. You can use your website, social media profiles, or current customers to begin your list of contacts. Then, you need to determine the type of campaign you want to send out and write your emails. Ideally, you should do A/B testing to experiment with different kinds of content, pitches, and formats. Once you send your emails, you can analyze the results and make adjustments to your marketing strategy.
Choosing The Right Solution
If you want to get started with your online marketing plan, you need to choose an email marketing platform. Below, we have a list of the best affordable marketing platforms available. There are others that were not included because of price and large scale integration. We have compiled information about those we feel a small to medium business can add to their digital marketing efforts without changing their existing program and budget.
Each platform is reviewed with features, ease of use, price, and benefits for SMBs in mind. Through the right platform, you can begin advertising your business and improving your company’s bottom line.
1.Mailchimp
Mailchimp is a cloud-based solution for businesses of all types. You can use the dashboard to easily manage your marketing campaigns and ad channels. Through this solution, you can use AI-powered tools to make targeted campaigns, send automated messages, and review reports.
Features
This platform includes features like an image library, dynamic content, A/B testing, auto-responders, and mobile-optimized emails. You can easily manage your templates, subscribers, and mailing list in the dashboard. Plus, you can create event-triggered emails and advanced reports.
Ease of Use
Thankfully, this platform is straightforward to use. You can try out a free trial to see if it is right for you. If there is a problem, you can use features like online chat and how-to guides to figure everything out.
Price
The pricing for this program begins at $9.99 a month, but there is a free version as well. You can also try out a free trial before you commit to a plan.
Pros
- The program is flexible and easy to customize.
- You can use a free trial to get started.
- Mailchimp offers excellent value for your money.
- The customer service team is fast and friendly.
Cons
- It does not have a cloud-connected desktop app.
- If you want to be extremely specific with your customer targeting, you may run out of segmentation options eventually.
Rating: 4.5
2. Constant Contact
With their robust marketing solutions, Constant Contact lets you reach customers in less time. You can use real-time tracking to see who is clicking on your emails. This platform also makes it easy to customize email templates for your unique campaigns.
Features
Through this program, you can enjoy having features like subscriber management, a WYSIWYG email editor, and an image library. With the platform, you can send event-triggered emails. You can create mobile-optimized emails, customize email templates, and enjoy advanced analytics.
Ease of Use
Unlike some platforms, Constant Contact is simple to use. You can easily customize your campaign and view reports through the dashboard. The email editor is easy to use, so beginners can quickly figure it out.
Price
This platform does not offer a free version. Instead, the basic plan starts at $20 a month. If you are uncertain about whether you want to use this program or not, you can get a free trial.
Pros
- You can enjoy having excellent customer service.
- Customers say this platform is easy to use.
- The customizable emails look attractive and professional.
- The email platform is good at circumventing spam filters.
Cons
- Getting back on email distribution lists is challenging if a customer accidentally unsubscribes.
- There is no free version for small businesses to use.
- Adjusting an image size can be difficult when you create customized templates.
Rating: 4
3.Sendinblue
Through this platform, you can build relationships with your customers using email campaigns, SMS messages, and marketing automation. You can incorporate Facebook ads, chat options, and retargeting ads.
Features
Through the Sendinblue platform, management features for subscribers, templates, and mailing lists are easy to use. You can create event-triggered emails and customer surveys. For customized emails, you can use the WYSIWYG email editor. Plus, the platform offers A/B testing, dynamic content, web forms, and an image library.
Ease of Use
This company has made a user-friendly solution that is ideal for your next marketing campaign. If you do have an issue, the customer service team is always available to help out.
Price
The pricing begins at $25 per month. You can reduce your overall cost by signing up for a more extended plan. With this platform, you can get a free trial. It also has a free version.
Pros
- Sendinblue is known for its world-class customer happiness department.
- There are a variety of pricing plans available.
- Other than customized emails and long-term campaigns, you can also create customer surveys and run A/B tests.
- You can use the free version or sign up for a free trial.
Cons
- We found the drag-and-drop features to be more complicated than they should be.
- The template interface can be slow at times.
- Sendinblue does not have a lot of support during the initial implementation process.
- Other platforms have better customer service.
Rating: 4
4.Drip
Drip is an e-commerce CRM. It is popular among business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers. If you want to upgrade from your standard email service provider (ESP), this platform is a good choice.
Features
You can use this platform to customize your pop-up ads and create Facebook ads. The platform is designed with automated workflows, automated lead magnet delivery and drip campaigns. You can also take advantage of A/B testing and advanced reporting.
Ease of Use
While it may take a little while to get started and figure out the program, this platform is generally easy to use.
Price
You can get started with a free trial that lasts for 14 days. The pricing starts at $41 a month. This company bases its pricing on the number of subscribers you have.
Pros
- This platform is great for a small business with 10 to 1,000 employees.
- We like how easy it is to customize messages for all stages of the customer journey.
- You can grow your email list using features like pop-up ads.
Cons
- Some users have reported that the platform accidentally charged them for the free trial.
- Emails sometimes get sent to spam filters.
- The reporting capabilities are fairly limited.
Rating: 3.5
5. AWeber
AWeber helps you create loyal customers using simple marketing emails and automated tools. Plus, you can enjoy having 24/7 customer service.
Features
You can enjoy having template management, an image library and A/B testing. AWeber is set up for loading and managing contacts. You can create responsive landing pages, start an email campaign and analyze your results.
Ease of Use
This platform is exceptionally easy to use. If you are a newcomer to online marketing, this program will help you get started.
Price
Your monthly price is based on the subscribers in your account. Plans begin at $19 a month. While there is no free version available, the platform does offer a free trial for new users.
Pros
- We loved the 24/7 customer support.
- The platform includes automated tools you can use to schedule emails and marketing campaigns.
- When you compare this program to other platforms, the auto-responder is one of the most reliable ones available.
Cons
- The program’s follow-up features are minimal.
- As your list of subscribers increases, the price you pay will also increase.
- Your customization options are limited if you want to personalize your email templates.
Rating: 4.5
6. GetResponse
GetResponse is popular among small business owners. It helps you quickly generate leads and boost your sales. Over the last 20 years, more than 350,000 businesses have used this program.
Features
This platform includes a full suite of solutions for small and large businesses. You can enjoy having a drag-and-drop editor and customizable designs. Plus, you can send out emails based on triggers, segments, or sequences. The platform also includes robust analytics, A/B testing, an image library, and customer surveys.
Ease of Use
While the drag-and-drop editor is cumbersome at times, it is easy to use. If you are a newcomer to email marketing, this platform can help you get started.
Price
Although GetResponse offers a free trial to new users, they do not have a free version. The platform charges $15 a month per user. You can pay 18 percent less by getting a 12-month plan. If you get a 24-month plan, you will pay 30 percent less.
Pros
- You can quickly create customer surveys, A/B tests, and email campaigns.
- The drag-and-drop editor is easy to use.
- Newcomers can figure out how to use the platform in just a few hours.
Cons
- With plans starting at $15 per user, this platform can quickly become expensive.
- The platform makes importing your email list difficult.
- Unfortunately, PHP errors are surprisingly common.
Rating: 4
7.Freshmarketer
Freshmarketer is a full-stack marketing automation software. Created in 2010, this company offers an all-in-one tool to improve your conversion rate. Freshmarketer is designed for digital marketers, the platform helps with all stages of your customer lifecycle.
Features
With this platform, you can design campaigns for pre-acquisition and post-acquisition. You can analyze user behavior and customize each email template. Plus, the platform includes features like a WYSIWYG email editor, subscriber management, an image library, event-triggered emails, and auto-responders.
Ease of Use
This plan is easy to figure out for new subscribers. Most people will be able to create their first email campaign in just a few hours.
Price
You can get started with a free trial to experiment with the platform. Also, there is a free version you can use. If you want a plan, the pricing starts at $49 per month.
Pros
- Freshmarketer’s heat map, funneling, and onboarding features are highly rated.
- You can access the 24/7 customer support online from wherever you are in the world.
- With a free trial for everyone and a free version, this platform is an inexpensive way to get started with digital marketing.
- The platform has multiple features and an easy-to-use design.
Cons
- There are some bugs with the A/B tests and reporting features.
- The price is fairly high for small organizations.
- While there is a free plan, it is extremely basic.
Rating: 4.5
8.ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a powerful platform for managing emails and contacts. You can create triggered campaigns, newsletters, and personalized messages. If you want beautiful, professional emails, the template library, and campaign builder can help.
Features
ActiveCampaign offers more than 300 integration options. This cloud-based tool helps you with managing templates, subscribers, and mailing lists. Users can enjoy having analytics and reporting features for their campaigns. Besides, the platform provides users with an image library, dynamic content, and A/B testing.
Ease of Use
Other platforms are more comfortable for beginners to use, but this platform is still relatively simple to figure out.
Price
While there is a free trial available, the platform does not have a free version. Instead, plans start at $9 per month. Your overall price depends on how many contacts you have in your account.
Pros
- If you want an affordable solution, this is a good choice.
- The CRM includes reliable communication options.
- We love the in-the-moment segmentation and tagging features.
Cons
- The number of features and settings can be confusing.
- It is hard to get an actual person on the phone if you call their customer support team.
- This platform is not ideal if you have an extensive database or a high volume of emails to send out.
Rating: 4.5
Conclusion
Email marketing remains to be one of the most effective solutions for small business owners. With an email campaign, you can reach out to prospective clients and educate your current customers about your business.
To get started with your online marketing plan, you need to choose an email marketing platform. Here’s a short summary of the best affordable marketing platforms available from the highest rated to the lowest.
By choosing the right platform, you can begin advertising your business affordably and improve your company’s digital marketing strategy.