Email marketing software allows businesses to manage large-scale email marketing campaigns. A customer or prospect has opted in to receive email marketing, unlike social media or display advertising. Email marketing software manages contacts, email content, and campaign results.
Features of Email marketing software
Any worthwhile email marketing software will include a few basic features. The ability to target narrower groups of customers allows businesses to tailor their messaging to their audience’s diverse needs. The customer’s location, preferences, and stage in the sales funnel should be automatically segmented.
Email marketing tools must also include compliance checks. The use of customer data for marketing purposes is governed by laws such as GDPR, CPRA, and CAN-SPAM. It should have opt-in email, advertising transparency, data privacy, and other safeguards against regulatory violations.
Email marketing software should also have automation features. A user should be able to create “if/then” workflows that trigger specific actions based on criteria. Automated emails include welcome emails, birthday emails, and abandoned cart emails. Automating these messages saves time and ensures that no customers are missed.
The best email marketing software should include:
- Custom templates
- Drag-and-drop editing tools
- Email personalization
- A/B testing capabilities
- Analytics and reporting
- Third-party integrations
Email marketing software advantages
Email marketing software has many benefits for businesses, making it one of the most essential digital marketing tools. For starters, email marketing is more personalized than social media or display advertising, making it more memorable for customers. Because automation makes personalization easy, email marketing becomes more effective and efficient.
Email marketing is also essential for businesses looking to grow their own audiences. The impending demise of third-party cookies has created a bleak outlook for businesses that rely on social media and other third-party channels to reach customers. Email marketing is a first-party channel, meaning customers have expressed interest in the company’s products or services and agreed to receive marketing emails.
As a result, email marketing has the highest ROI. From Litmus’ Email Marketing ROI report, “EU+UK enjoy average ROI of 41:1, edging out America’s 36:1.” This is more than social media, display advertising, and SEO combined. Because email marketing audiences are naturally optimized for conversions, they can be used to test new products or messaging and better understand customer needs.
How to choose the best email marketing software
Your business’s needs and priorities determine the best email marketing software. It’s important to choose the right solution for your needs. Determine what you want from your email marketing software and let that guide you to the right vendor. Examine reviews from other customers with similar needs to narrow your list.