For ROI, nothing beats email marketing.
Despite its age, it continues to generate $42 for every $1 you invest and remains the main strategic gateway for most marketers.
This is not surprising either. According to Statista, about 3.9 billion people worldwide now use email, and that number is expected to grow to 4.48 billion by 2024. This channel is not reserved for any particular demographic either. Even Millenials love it.
Needless to say, not only is email marketing dead - it's doing well! And if you are thinking of using email marketing services, you can count on:
reach more customers on their favorite communication channel,
boosting your sales, and even
increase your brand recognition.
So we’ve put together a list of 12 email marketing services that you can choose from.
But before we take a look at them, let’s go to the same page about email marketing services and why they are so important.
What’s an email marketing service?
Why is email marketing so important?
TABLE OF CONTENT 12 Best Email Marketing Companies for Small Businesses
GetResponse
Mailchimp
Omnisend
iContact
ConvertKit
AWeber
MailerLite
Sendinblue
ActiveCampaign
Moosend
Campaign Monitor
Drip
Email Marketing Services Feature Comparison
What types of businesses can benefit from using email marketing services?
What’s the ROI you can expect from an email marketing service?
Now, what’s the best email marketing software for you?
What is an email marketing service for small business?
An email marketing service is a piece of software or technology that helps you create, manage, and enhance email marketing campaigns.
A good email marketing service makes it easy for you to send newsletters, product addresses and abandoned cart emails to your list by giving you the tools to do so.
For example, the drag-and-drop editor in most email marketing services makes it easy to create polished emails without coding skills. And other features, like segmentation and tags, allow you to launch highly targeted and personalized campaigns.
Think of it as an assistant working for you behind the scenes. So while you are busy working on projects, your email marketing service will nurture potential customers in the background and increase your brand recognition in the process.
Why is email marketing software so important for business?
We’ve mentioned this before, but the # 1 reason email marketing is so important is that it has been proven time and time again as the most effective marketing channel.
In a study conducted by the Content Marketing Institute, 31% of B2B marketers said that email newsletters were their preferred medium for promoting lead.
To make a small surprise, 9 out of 10 marketers use email to distribute content. And they do, because the average click-through rates and conversions rates are well worth the effort.
Average metrics generated with email campaigns. Data from GetResponse Email Marketing Benchmarks.
These stats show us why email marketing is not a nice thing for your business - it is essential.
Not only is it still the most effective marketing channel almost 50 years after it was first used, but it has also made a smooth transition to mobile devices.
Take a quick look at a real-life case study of TechSoup Polska - it will give you a clearer insight into the importance of email marketing.
A quick case study of a business that increased sales through email marketing:
TechSoup Polska helps the public and social organizations access new technologies like software and hardware by teaching them how to use them.
The company began using email marketing, specifically a newsletter, to target new offers and suggestions to their customers.
TechSoup Polska Project Coordinator Liza Nema said the company used segmentation to send offers to customers about different products, interests and equipment.
Her strategy was simple:
The content was structured: The content sent out was divided into sections of information to make it easier for customers to understand.
There was consistency in all emails: Users were always aware of where the emails came from because TechSoup used their brand colors and similar graphics in them.
Different emails were sent to different groups: They did not send the same email to everyone on their list. Instead, specific content was sent to segregated recipient groups such as sending Google Ads training information to customers using the Google for Nonprofits platform.
So how important was email marketing to TechSoup Polska’s bottom line?
After 12 months, they had a 1200% increase in the value of orders from their newsletters! (And by the way, they used GetResponse email marketing software!)
Now that you know what email marketing services are and why they are so important, let’s take a look at our top ten email marketing service recommendations.
1. GetResponse
Key features
Create automated email campaigns using an automated marketing workflow builder
Preview and test your emails before sending them using Spam check and Inbox preview
Separate your lists using advanced filters
Track opens, clicks, unsubscribes, purchases, etc.
Send emails by each subscriber 's time zone or based on their behavior
Track and test your email efforts using A / B analysis and testing.
Pricing
Plans start at $15/month for up to 1,000 subscribers. However, the Plus tool plan, which starts at $ 49 / month, includes features like sales channels, contact scoring, and automated workflow builders, making it even easier for small businesses to build successful email campaigns. It offers two main types of discounts - 18% for annual plans, and 30% each year. There is also an additional measure for non-profit organizations.
Free Account
Free trial account available with access to all key features for 30 days - no credit card required.
Summary
Okay, so let’s try not to be biased here (and you’ll soon see that we’re not).
But we think GetResponse is one of the best email marketing services out there - based on its flexibility and ease of use.
Our email template library is packed with templates that small businesses and freelancers can use to build polished professional email campaigns out of the box.
All you have to do is use the drag-and-drop tool to customize the templates by adding your branding, images and text. And you can also test and preview them, before sending them to your recipients.
But the most powerful part of the GetResponse platform is its functionality. It simplifies the more complex aspects of email marketing.
For example, you can use the GetResponse workflow builder to visualize email campaigns when you create them and decide when to send certain emails. So if you just want to send a specific offer to a reader if they click a link, you can do so:
Not only can GetResponse automatically split contacts on your email list, but it can also give them a score based on their engagement level.
If leads are constantly opening emails or clicking links, GetResponse will give them a higher “score” so you can easily see who the leaders you are most involved with are.
So if you want to send out an offer to people who are in frequent contact with your emails or who are loyal customers, you can build a campaign that is targeted to subscribers or leads that have high scores.
GetResponse automation tools allow you to send autoresponders to segmented groups in your lists like new subscribers and cart abandoners. instead of everyone on your list receive the same email messages.
It also gives you access to other tools like landing page builder, converted channel builder, Facebook and Google Ads, and webinar solution. Having these tools under one roof makes it easier to run successful email marketing campaigns without switching between platforms. to Learn More read my GetResponse Review
2. Mailchimp
Key Features
Easily automate scheduled email campaigns
Track opening rates and click-throughs for individual campaigns
Check the success of each campaign with real-time reporting
Pricing
Mailchimp 's free plan allows you to send out free emails until your contact list reaches 2,000. However, the free plan has limited features. If you want to unlock them, Mailchimp’s Essentials plan starts at $ 9.99 / month and goes up incrementally based on the number of subscribers you have.
Free Account
Yes - a free plan forever.
Summary
MailChimp's simple drag-and-drop editor comes with several templates designed for responsiveness across all devices.
Small businesses can use the templates and add logos, text blocks, and images, then choose whether to send out emails using regular or automated campaigns (on the paid plan).
Regular Mailchimp campaigns also use HTML email with plain text options, and automated campaigns allow you to be motivated when an email is sent, such as if someone signs up to a webinar or subscribes to your newsletter:
There is also a Mailchimp mobile app. It automatically syncs updates with your Mailchimp account so you can check campaigns in real time from anywhere.
3. Omnisend
Key Features
Embed custom forms that add subscribers to your email list
Trigger email campaigns to be launched automatically
Combine email marketing campaigns with SMS, push notifications, and Facebook Messenger
Pricing
Omnisend has four plans, including a free forever plan. Like Mailchimp’s free plan, Omnisend’s is limited by the number of features you can access.
Paid options start at $ 16 / month for the Standard plan which includes 15,000 emails and automation. And the Pro plan ($ 99 / month) includes advanced reporting and push notifications.
Free Account
Yes - a free plan forever.
Summary
Omnisend is a combination of automated marketing tools.
The tool has been adapted for ecommerce platforms because much of its pre-built automation involves cart abandonment, welcome sets, and transactional emails.
Using its advanced features like segmentation, you can send out automated emails based on purchasing behavior. You can segment customers based on previous purchases by average order value or frequency of purchase and target campaigns to users accordingly.
For example, you can send an email campaign to drive sales to people who recently bought a black t-shirt dress that cost at least $ 50:
For small ecommerce stores that rely on building relationships with their customers, Omnisend’s segmentation options combined with automated workflows can quickly kick-start your email marketing efforts.
4. iContact
Key Features
Schedule automated email campaigns to be launched at prompted events rather than time or date.
Send campaigns to users based on advanced segmentation filters like gender, age, or previous purchasing behavior.
Design email campaigns using drag and drop (no HTML skills required!)
Pricing
IContact’s Essential Plan starts at $ 30 / month for 500 subscribers, including the tool’s drag-and-drop editor, stock images, and welcome suite automation. The Professional Plan starts at $ 99 / month for the same amount of subscribers.
Free Account
Free trial available for 30 days.
Summary
IContact’s suite of email marketing tools combines templates, RSS feeds, surveys, autoresponders to make it an exhaustive choice for small businesses and freelance journalists.
Like other tools on our list, iContact’s drag-and-drop editor lets you create polished email campaigns without the need for HTML knowledge. You can then use their easy-to-use A / B split tests on a few of your email contacts to find out which message is best:
Icontact A / B test feature.
The tool's form creator also lets you embed forms directly into your Web site, landing pages, and emails, making it easier to build your subscriber list and manage them throughout their lifecycle.
IContact uses features like SpamcheckTM to boost delivery rates and make sure that every email you send lands in an inbox for your contact, not a spam folder. This makes it easier to track how successful your campaigns are and makes sure that every email you send has a chance to read it.
5. ConvertKit
Aspects
Link email signature forms to custom landing pages
Create custom drip email marketing campaigns from scratch
Add motivational and automated rules to individual campaigns
Pricing
ConvertKit offers a free forever limited plan that includes unlimited landing pages and 1000 subscribers. Automated, integrated and supported channels are unlocked by paying for the Creator plan ($ 29 / month).
Free Account
Free trial available for 14 days.
Summary
ConvertKit is an email marketing service designed specifically for creative people like bloggers, designers, startups, or anyone with a small business looking to grow their list.
First of all, ConvertKit plays incredibly nice with most of the major third-party apps on the web, including WordPress, Zapier, Squarespace, Instapage, Shopify, and WooCommerce, so it's quick and easy to get started using the tool no matter what platform you 'reuse.
There are three main areas that help with email marketing:
Email signature forms
Email automation
Email Designer
All of these features make it easy for you to create simple responsive elements on your Website to boost subscribers and build relationships.
Unlike some other email marketing tools, ConvertKit allows you to edit sequences once they are up and running.
For example, you can use ConvertKit’s automated workflows to tweak content, build custom paths, and link subscriber events without building a new workflow. Click on the event you want to edit and hit save:
Read more: GetResponse vs ConvertKit: a thorough review
6. AWeber
Features
Free template library with hundreds of designs to choose from
AI-powered email template designer to create branded emails automatically
Combines landing pages and signup forms to help you boost subscribers
Pricing
AWeber’s pricing depends on how many subscribers you have and the length of your contract. The cheapest plan is $19/month for up to 500 subscribers, and then the price goes up incrementally with their premium plans when your contact list increases.
You will get a discount of 14% with a quarterly plan or 15% with an annual plan.
Free Account
Free trial available for 30 days.
Summary
AWeber takes its email marketing service back to basics.
Its drag-and-drop designer lets you easily create custom emails thanks to its mega library of free templates. If you’re in a hurry or need help with your design, their AI-powered assistant builds you branded email templates in seconds.
All you have to do is enter your website URL, and the designer will create a custom template for you that you can edit:
On top of this technology, AWeber is one of the few email marketing services that offers all its features no matter what plan you choose.
And if you have any questions or queries, they also have 24/7 customer support to help.
You may also want to read: GetResponse vs AWeber comparison
7. MailerLite
Features
Custom HTML and rich text editor for more complex projects
Built-in photo editor to tweak images
A vast template library to send out targeted emails to users easily
Pricing
Like a lot of other tools on our list, MailerLite has a forever free plan, which allows you to send 12,000 emails a month for up to 1000 subscribers.
However, the forever free plan has limited features, so if you need more, their paid plans start at $15/month for 1,001-2,500 subscribers and unlimited emails.
Free Account
Yes – forever free plan.
Summary
MailerLite is aimed at SMBs and solopreneurs who want to launch professional marketing campaigns with ease.
The expanded list of tools of integration includes Magento, Shopify and WordPress, making it aimed at ecommerce vendors.
For example, you can use MailerLite 's drag - and - drop editor to build automated email campaigns to target abandoned charts, subscribers, or even get feedback on products with built - in surveys.
MailerLite has also created a comprehensive education program for its customers.
Each month, they release webinars, tutorials, and marketing guides to help their customers create more successful email marketing campaigns.
You may also want to read: GetResponse vs MailerLite
8. Sendinblue
Features
Import your existing email list easily using .csv and text file uploads
Send out email campaigns to unlimited contacts
Create custom transactional emails to send automatically after customer purchases
Pricing
Sendinblue is the only tool on our list that charges you for the number of emails you send, not your subscriber list. The free account lets you send up to 9,000 emails per month (300 emails per day) before you have to pay.
As your business scales, you can then upgrade to a plan that matches your needs. The Lite plan includes 100,000 emails/month, no daily send limit and AB testing for $25/month.
Free Account
Yes – forever free plan.
Summary
Sendinblue offers many boxes for email marketing service, like form creator, segmentation and automation.
In addition to having a built-in CRM and landing page builder, it also has a specific tool for building transaction emails.
If you sell products online, this tool is a must.
You can set up the function to connect to your Web site using an API, SMTP Relay, or a plugin. Then as soon as a customer submits an order, Sendinblue will automatically send them an email with details such as their order confirmation number, purchase date, and delivery address:
The tool also has pre-built workflows that you can use to easily send out email campaigns. Or, if you want to customize them to achieve your specific marketing goals - you can do that too.
Read more: Sendinblue vs GetResponse comparison
9. ActiveCampaign
Features
ActiveCampaign Integrates with over 200 apps and services
Track where your contacts live or travel for better targeting
Build email campaigns quickly and easily with its drag-and-drop designer
Pricing
ActiveCampaign’s Lite Plan starts at $15/month for up to 500 contracts ($9/month if you pay for an annual plan.) This will get you unlimited email sends, marketing automation, and signup forms.
If you need more contacts or features, the Plus plan is $70/month ($49/month if paid annually) or there’s an Enterprise option that starts at $229/month if you pay for a year upfront.
Free Account
14-day free trial.
Summary
ActiveCampaign email marketing tool is focused on customer relationships thanks to its built-in CRM.
First, features like lead scoring and high-level segmentation allow you to create targeted content to send to smaller-scale subscribers. If you are a freelancer or small business owner, this will allow you to direct contacts and easily send offers and personalized information.
ActiveCampaign also has powerful automation features.
You can use their automation to automatically update contact details and sales result. On top of this, you can use the tool to build complex workflows that combine triggers, actions, and logic to send out targeted emails.
It is more complex than the other tools on our list. But if you’re looking for an email marketing service that can effectively target smaller contact groups, ActiveCampaign has the features to make it a success.
You may also want to read: GetResponse vs ActiveCampaign
10. Moosend
Features
Track email analytics automatically in real-time
Segment lists based on signup data
Customize emails with the code view tool if you know your way around HTML or CSS
Pricing
The free plan includes unlimited emails, sign up forms, and reporting and analytics. If you need landing pages, transactional emails, and phone support, the Pro plan starts at $8/month.
Free Account
Yes – forever free plan.
Summary
Moosend is aimed at ecommerce agencies and vendors looking for a low-priced tool that still packs a punch.
It has all the marketing automations that most other tools have, like many email campaigns, newsletters and mailing lists. It also has a range of usable templates that you can use to create quick and easy responsive email campaigns.
What makes this tool perfect for small businesses and freelance journalists is that you can add custom optical forms to your marketing platforms, such as your blog or Facebook page:
That way, you can easily build your subscriber list using an omnichannel approach, while still having access to other tools like automated workflows and real-time campaign analytics!
11. Campaign Monitor
Key features
Contact list segmentation that helps you get more granular with your campaigns
Visual reporting that lets you see which links in your campaigns had the most clicks
Link review tool that ensures your emails are ready to be sent
Pricing
Campaign Monitor offers three plans: Basic, Unlimited, and Premier.
As with most email marketing providers, pricing varies based on your listing size and access to a number of key features.
The basic plan starts at $ 9 per 500 contacts, but if you want to use marketing automation for more than welcoming new subscribers, you’ll be looking at at least $ 29 per 500 contacts.
Monitor Campaign also has a pay per campaign option for those who only occasionally send emails and do not want to add another fixed cost.
Free Account
Yes - free forever, but limited to 5 contacts only. It aims to allow you to test the account.
Summary
Campaign Monitor provides a reliable and automated email solution.
The drag-and-drop email builder, along with the 20+ email templates, will help you prepare your campaigns in no time.
Its advanced visual reporting and partitioning will help you run more data-driven programs that ensure high ROI.
While its pricing adds a slightly higher end, the pay-per-campaign option could be a useful option to help you limit your monthly expenses.
12. Drip
Key features
Behavior-based automation built for ecommerce businesses
You can send SMS campaigns in your workflows
Dynamic content and personalization
Pricing
Drip only offers one main type of plan based on the size of your email list.
Pricing starts at $ 19 and allows you to upload up to 500 contacts into your account and gives you access to email support. When you cross $ 99 a month, you can also contact their team via chat.
If you want to send an SMS or MMS to your contacts, you will have to pay extra. For 1,000 SMS, that's $ 15 a month, and for MMS, it's $ 30.
Free Account
14 free trial periods available.
Summary
Drip focuses in only two ways - email and SMS.
Its key features aim to help ecommerce businesses grow and better understand the marketing communications that give them the best results.
While it lacks some features that are typically available with other providers, such as landing pages and Facebook notifications, it provides useful integration that will help you overcome that.
Email Marketing Services Feature Comparison
To make it easier for you to choose the best email marketing service, we have selected X key features and highlighted the platforms that offer them within their tool.
Author's note: This comparison is accurate as of January 25, 2021. We endeavor to keep it as accurate as possible, and we check it regularly, however, if you would like to know the offer of our competitors, You should check it on their official website or contact their representatives.
Now that we’ve explored the best email marketing services, let’s discuss the types of businesses that benefit from them.
What types of businesses can benefit from using email marketing services?
A 2018 Inbox Report by Fluent found that 80% of Americans check their email at least once per day. This means every type of business should be using email marketing as a way to boost revenue.
If we narrow that down, email marketing can help businesses in three key areas:
Building strong brand-customer relationships
Increasing customer or subscriber loyalty using nurturing emails
Boosting conversions through sales and marketing offers
And thanks to more affordable services, email marketing is no longer just for big businesses. In fact, email marketing is one of the best options for smaller businesses, consultants, and freelancers who need to increase their revenue on a tight budget.
You can further break the benefits down into three key areas:
Key benefit #1: You can use email to build and strengthen relationships with your customers and potential customers
If you are a small business or a freelancer, it is difficult to expand your customer base.
But email marketing can give you a quick way to grow your audience and paid customer base.
You can send product updates or blogs to your list and strengthen your relationship with subscribers. All you have to do is take advantage of features within an email marketing service like templates and partitions to launch polished professional campaigns.
If you are a consultant or freelancer, you can offer discounted packages at Christmas time to existing customers instead of sending them manually to all clients. Using the segmentation and personalization features in your email marketing service, you can even customize your offer based on the client’s previous purchase.
Will it boost your sales or revenue immediately? No. But email marketing works best when you do it consistently and often.
Key benefit #2: You can use email marketing as a two-way street to learn more about your customers
How much do you really know about your customers?
For small businesses and solopreneurs, gaining insight into needs, buying habits and customer feedback is one of the most useful aspects of email marketing.
You can use email campaigns to conduct surveys seeking feedback on:
Something they hope to find out from being on your list
Topics that you would like to see addressed in your content
Your previous work
Product releases so you can enhance your future offerings
You can also use these campaigns to find out what links your customers are clicking on and what products and offers they are most interested in.
Remember, you may think your product or service is great.
But how do your customers feel?
Once you have the answers, you can use all the information you get to offer better content and solutions to your customers who are really interested in them.
What’s the ROI you can expect from an email marketing service?
Marketing can be a costly endeavor, especially for small businesses or start-ups.
Another reason is that email marketing has maintained its best place as the most popular marketing channel.
A study by DMA found that the average email ROI is $42 for every $1 spent.
Now, there are a couple of explanations for this.
First, over 80% of consumers check their emails daily - more than half of whom, do so 1 to 3 times every day. That’s more than any other marketing channel like Facebook or Google can say.
Second, and as we’ve shared earlier, email gives you a more personalized way for you to talk to your clients. It’s a space where you can connect with them on a first-name basis and talk to them about their 1-on-1 problems.
Finally, email converts better than other channels.
In the GetResponse annual Email Marketing Benchmarks report, we see that email generates average click-through rates of above 3.4%.
And if you look at triggered emails specifically, the engagement is 3x time higher.
If you’re still not convinced, look at another case study:
LandCafe he realized the power of email marketing when the company used it to boost their online artisanal coffee bean sales.
Instead of sending a sales email to its customers, LandCafe created a campaign to educate customers about their products.
The company used GetResponse to launch the campaign which comprised six emails that explained:
Where the coffee comes from
Why their coffee is better than other brands ‘
The characteristics of different coffee depending on its origin
The differences between single-origin and blended coffee
A masterclass on coffee grinding
How to read the labels of the product in detail
When LandCafe finally launched the campaign, here 's what came into their customers' boxes:
The company’s founder, Łukasz Janik, said the campaign was built specifically for its main audience: people who know the difference between the quality of mass production and artisanal coffee.
“Our customers make conscious choices, which gave us the idea for an education campaign that could make our subscribers more aware and ready to buy,” he said.
The results?
Sales rose 41.30% during the campaign, and 13.30% after sending customers a discount coupon to encourage an initial purchase.
Now, what’s the best email marketing software for you?
What you need comes with choosing the right email marketing service.
Ultimately, your choice will depend on two factors: how big your contact list is, and what your overall email marketing strategy is.
While some tools are cheaper than others, they also lack some advanced features like partitioning and automation.
Whatever your needs, one thing is for sure: choosing the right email marketing service is essential to building an email marketing strategy. Take your time, do your research - and invest wisely!
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