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Yep, this is yet another roundup of email marketing tools. You must have seen more than a few posts like this. Only this one is supported by our 50,000 literal hours of email marketing experience, which have taught us, among many other things, that the best email marketing tool is the one that best fits the ‑often very- specific needs and goals of each particular brand and project. Having said that, we’ve also been around enough to know the key things to look for when finding the email marketing tool with the best potential, and how to read between the sometimes blurry lines between what a platform offers and what it ultimately delivers. Let’s get to it.
In June 2010, then Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg announced at the Nielsen Consumer 360 conference that email was dead. We had been Mailchimp partners for a couple of years at the time. We still are. Ever since, not a day has gone by without some hotshot announcing the arrival of the proverbial final nail on the email coffin. Still ain’t happened. And it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.
More than four billion people use email worldwide, and four in five consumers prefer email over any form of communication. Plus, 95 percent of marketers believe email marketing has an excellent ROI.
If everyone’s using it, buyers like it better, and it’s good for business, it’s no surprise that contrary to predictions, email is pretty much alive. What’s surprising is how most people still suck at it.
Why is that? We believe it’s partly a combination of the wrong approach and the wrong tools.
And then there’s the fact that things seem to become increasingly complex, increasingly fast, so approaching email marketing tools can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
The massive availability of diverse email marketing tools within an immense price range, beginning, of course, at zero budget, might lead you to think that there should be a perfect tool for each business, or almost. And there is. The challenge is to find that right one. And that, apart from the inevitable “know thyself”, requires knowing what to look for when trying to find an email marketing tool that fits.
Broadly speaking, email marketing is promoting a business through emails and newsletters, and email marketing tools are what marketers use to create, send, test, optimize, and report on their email campaigns. These can range from more specific to larger, all-in-one platforms that offer other functionalities. They often include features such as email creation templates, automation, analytics, and contact management.
Today, everyone needs to do more with less. Marketers too. They need to connect with their audience in a highly personalized way, while staying on budget. Marketers who are good at email marketing can connect with their customers in a highly targeted way, which increases the chances of success in delivering ROI and revenue back to the business.
Everyone can benefit from using the right marketing tools. Small businesses simply can’t do without them. Email marketing tools enable small businesses to connect with their audience in a highly targeted and personalized manner that would otherwise require more time, money and resources than you can spare.
Also because when you’re small, no risk is, email marketing tools provide valuable analytics for measuring how effective a campaign is, which allows small businesses to refine their strategies as fast and effectively as possible. Again, good for everyone, but invaluable for small businesses on tight budgets.
Some email marketing tools are free. Free as in email. We are not covering them here. However, most of the platforms we chose for this roundup also offer free plans for businesses just starting out with some serious email strategy.
A few words of warning, though: Make sure you understand where you are in terms of campaign and planning complexity, integrations and goals, so you can figure out the best match. You can choose a free tool to get started, but past that point, in most cases, with free tools you kinda get exactly what you paid for.
We’ve mentioned the key things email marketing tools can do.
This section covers how they do them, in three key areas.
Email marketing automation streamlines repetitive tasks, which means more time and resources available to focus on strategy and customer engagement. It enhances efficiency, personalization, and the overall impact of email campaigns.
Automating email campaigns is more than a convenience. Through abandoned cart reminders, birthday rewards and annual specials, among others, automated campaigns nudge indecisive shoppers, celebrate loyal customers, and keep your brand in the spotlight year-round.
Check out our post on email marketing for eCommerce for more on automation and how it can help your email marketing strategy.
We have written quite a bit about the what, the why and the how of AI in business and marketing.
Hype and doom aside, Artificial Intelligence is reshaping the landscape of email marketing, offering innovative solutions to enhance campaign effectiveness and customer engagement. Leading the charge are tools that leverage AI to optimize various aspects of email marketing. Not all. Some things are still done best by humans.
AI in email marketing excels at personalization, content optimization, and predictive analytics. By analyzing user behavior, AI tailors content to individual preferences, leading to more engagement and higher conversion rates. It can also predict customer actions, allowing marketers to proactively address needs.
The best of AI is yet to come. Some would say the worst too. It may be too soon to know. So far, here are some platforms leading the way in AI email marketing tools, in no particular order:
Mailchimp: A pioneer in AI-driven email marketing with AI functionalities focused on personalized recommendations and content optimization. Email content is tailored by analyzing user preferences and behavior.
DotDigital: A prime example of how AI makes predictive analytics in email marketing shine, enabling marketers to anticipate customer actions by providing insights into user behavior.
Omnisend: A noteworthy player in AI email marketing, excelling in automation and segmentation.
More on these later.
We keep repeating it, but analytics are key in marketing. Of course, email marketing is no exception. Analytics play a crucial role in email marketing, enabling data-driven decisions for successful campaigns. Understanding vital metrics provides actionable insights into audience behavior and preferences, facilitating targeted and effective email strategies. In other words, without it, you don’t really know what you’re doing. You need analytics to gauge campaign performance and refine strategies.
Understanding email marketing metrics gives you actionable insights into your audience’s behavior and preferences. This, in turn, allows for targeted, effective email campaigns. Here are a few:
Open Rate measures the percentage of recipients who opened your email. It matters because it indicates your email’s initial appeal and subject line effectiveness and works best with compelling subject lines and personalized content.
Click-Through Rate (CTR) measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on a link within your email. It matters because it reflects the engagement level and relevance of your email content and works best with clear and enticing calls-to-action leading to relevant landing pages.
Clicks per unique open: A less analyzed metric, it provides insights into the engagement level of recipients who not only opened the email but also clicked on a link within it. It matters because it provides a more nuanced perspective into engagement and works best by focusing on creating engaging content that encourages multiple clicks from each unique open.
Bounce Rate measures the percentage of emails that couldn’t be delivered, categorized as either “hard bounces” (permanent issues) or “soft bounces” (temporary issues). It matters because it indicates the quality of your email list and sender reputation and works best by regularly cleaning email lists, removing inactive subscribers, and ensuring opt-in procedures are clear.

Renowned for user-friendly design and automation capabilities, Mailchimp is a go-to choice for businesses of all sizes, but specially for small teams.

Known for its advanced automation features, Dotdigital caters to enterprise-level marketing needs, providing sophisticated automation solutions.

ActiveCampaign is a versatile tool offering automation, email marketing, and CRM functionalities, making it a comprehensive solution for customer engagement.

Campaigner offers customizations, automated workflows and social media integrations for small and medium businesses focused on email campaigns and analytics.

Brevo is a budget friendly, efficient email marketing solution for businesses looking for simplicity and effectiveness.

Tailored for ecommerce, Omnisend is known for its specialized features catering to the unique needs of online retailers.

MailerLite is a simple and affordable solution ideal for those new to email marketing and small businesses with basic requirements.

A comprehensive marketing platform, Hubspot integrates email marketing with other tools, providing an all-in-one solution for businesses of various scales.

Recognized for its deliverability and collaborative features, Mailjet is a popular choice for businesses focused on transactional emails and collaboration.

Specializing in ecommerce, Klaviyo is known for its data-driven approach, providing personalized and targeted email marketing solutions.

Positioned for thought leadership, Substack specialized in newsletters and content creation.

Another platform tailored specifically for ecommerce, Drip offers advanced automation and personalization features to enhance customer engagement.
One thing we have learned along the way is that one size doesn’t really fit anyone. But there are so many options that finding the best email marketing tool for your business may seem a bit daunting. We can’t tell you which of the many tools available is the best fit for you, but we can surely give you a list of things to look at when you compare different email marketing tools. For each, you will have to consider how it stands against what your business needs, the goals you want to reach, and the resources available.
When comparing email marketing tools, there are several factors to consider, and the first one is the budget. Assess the cost relative to your business size and needs. Beware of hidden costs and complex pricing tiers. Here are a few things to look at when analyzing costs.
Another key thing to consider is what the tool can do.
Another thing to look at is ease of use. Evaluate the user-friendliness of the platform. Do you have ‑or can you get- the resources required to operate? What about the learning curve? Consider the time and effort it will require for your team to master the tool and check the availability of comprehensive documentation and support to find a platform that provides the resources you’ll need to use it well.
Finally, consider the experiences and reviews of other users. A word of warning: In the wise words of Gregory House M.D., “everybody lies”. There’s fake news, so there are surely fake reviews too. Having said that, being able to see what other people in your position have experienced can be extremely useful. Make sure you check real reviews that you can trust.
As promised, we will NOT give you a ranking of the best email marketing tools in general, but rather our opinionated list of the best email marketing platforms for specific business needs, Academy Awards style:
Why?
One of our newest partners, Brevo is an email marketing platform designed for businesses seeking simplicity and affordability. It provides essential email marketing features, making it an excellent choice for small to medium-sized enterprises.
Pros:
Cons:
Though it does not offer a free plan, its competitive pricing makes it a good choice for businesses looking for a budget-friendly email marketing solution.
Why?
The chimp is ideal for small businesses seeking an easy-to-use platform with robust features. It offers automation tools, and detailed analytics.
Pros:
Cons:
Price Range: Tiers, free plan available
Why?
Our UK-based partners cater to enterprise-level businesses, providing advanced features for comprehensive email marketing campaigns. DotDigital offers scalable solutions suitable for large-scale operations.
Pros:
Cons:
Its pricing is positioned for enterprise budgets with custom plans.
Why?
ActiveCampaign stands out as a top choice for businesses requiring sophisticated automation solutions. Its advanced automation features empower marketers to design intricate workflows.
Pros:
Cons:
Pricing is based on the number of contacts, with various paid plans. No free plan, but it does offer a free trial.
Why?
Campaigner stands out for its reporting capabilities, making it a great choice for businesses that prioritize data-driven decision-making.
Pros:
Cons:
Price Range:
Why?
Omnisend is tailored for e‑commerce businesses, offering features that integrate seamlessly with various e‑commerce platforms.
Pros:
Cons:
Pricing:
Description: MailJet is designed for collaborative email marketing efforts, offering features that facilitate teamwork, including collaborative editing and real-time collaboration.
Pros:
Cons:
Price Range: Moderate pricing with a free plan available
Description: Substack is tailored for content creators and thought leaders. It simplifies the process of building and engaging with a subscriber base for newsletters and content distribution.
Pros:
Cons:
Price Range: Offers free and paid plans
Why?
Drip is tailored for e‑commerce businesses aiming to implement advanced marketing automation strategies. It focuses on engaging and nurturing leads throughout the customer journey.
Pros:
Cons:
Pricing:
Why?
Klaviyo is particularly well-suited for e‑commerce businesses aiming for highly targeted and personalized email campaigns. It integrates seamlessly with various e‑commerce platforms.
Pros:
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Pricing:
Why?
HubSpot is an all-in-one solution, combining email marketing with CRM tools. It’s suitable for businesses looking for a comprehensive marketing and sales platform.
Pros:
Cons:
Pricing: Higher pricing, suitable for businesses looking for an integrated solution.
As we’ve explored the diverse functionalities, integration capabilities, and nuances of various email marketing tools, it’s evident that one size doesn’t fit all. Moreover, the integration with your ecommerce platform is not just an added bonus but a strategic imperative.
You may have noticed we haven’t picked a recommended AI powered email marketing tool in this selection. Although it feels like we’ve been talking about AI for a million years, the truth remains that it’s still early to define the full range of its possibilities — and limitations. But that’s not the only reason why we haven’t taken our pick. It’s that perhaps more than with other categories, determining the “best” AI tool for email marketing will depend on specific business needs, preferences, and desired features.
Having said that, some tools on the list, such as Klaviyo and Drip, are popular choices with unique features. And, HubSpot’s combination of versatility, automation capabilities, and comprehensive analytics positions it as a strong contender for businesses looking for a well-rounded AI powered tool for email marketing.
Email marketing provides a direct line of communication to your audience, unlike social media or search engine platforms.
With a high return on investment (ROI), it’s a cost-effective strategy that allows you to reach interested customers directly without significant expenses, making it an efficient choice for ecommerce businesses.
Well-crafted and personalized email campaigns can prompt immediate purchases. Exclusive discounts, special promotions, and personalized product recommendations contribute to impulse buying, boosting overall sales. But beyond immediate sales, email marketing is a powerful tool for engaging existing customers. Regular, personalized communication fosters brand loyalty. Updates about products, upcoming sales, and loyalty rewards contribute to long-term relationships.
Email marketing allows businesses to segment their audience based on demographics, purchase history, and preferences. Targeted emails to specific segments ensure personalized content, creating a sense of connection and improving engagement.
Personalization and segmentation in email marketing contribute to a stronger customer-brand relationship. Understanding individual customers and tailoring messages according to their preferences and behaviors fosters a sense of care and individuality.
Segmented campaigns targeting specific customer groups receive higher engagement rates. Sending relevant content to distinct segments increases the likelihood of customers interacting with emails, leading to improved conversion rates.
Email marketing automation simplifies the process and ensures timely, personalized, and relevant communication. Automated campaigns such as abandoned cart reminders, birthday emails, and yearly rewards contribute to enhanced customer satisfaction and increased conversions.
We understand that success in the ecommerce world isn’t just about finding the right tool; it’s about finding the right tool that seamlessly integrates with your business strategy. Your email marketing tool and your ecommerce solution have to get along well.
Email isn’t dead. It remains a vital strategy in the digital landscape and choosing the right tool is a nuanced decision that depends on specific business needs and goals. And don’t forget whichever platform you choose should integrate with your existing systems and internal processes and be aligned with your needs and goals. No amount of cool features will compensate for the major headache of finding a tool that ends up causing more problems that it fixes.
If you are having doubts, get in touch. We can help.