7 Best Email Marketing Solutions For Small Businesses

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Email Marketing is a powerful way of boosting your business. It offers 36 times ROI which is 40% more than SEO (search engine optimization) and more than 80% compared to traditional banner ads.

Email Marketing for sure offers far better results compared to traditional methods of marketing, which means more business, but what is email marketing?

Email Marketing in short means sending emails to your clients or future customers.

It’s kind of like inviting your friends to a birthday party but instead of calling them or sending an invitation to a WhatsApp group we are sending it via email.

Now you might think “Why would I need email marketing software, can’t I just use my free Gmail account?“

Want to learn more about email marketing? Checkout Email Marketing Fundamentals Course.

Technically you can, but there are a few small problems with that approach:

• Analytics: It can be difficult to get detailed analytics to see how your email performs.
• Sending Limitation: Gmail limits the number of emails that can be sent per day to 500 emails.
• Integration: Lack of integration with other tools and software.
• List Building: For list building you can use Google Forms, but it comes with its own limitations.
• Email Segmentation: Segmenting emails can be quite difficult in Gmail.

You can use the GMASS plugin with your Gmail for enabling autoresponder and auto follow up but that’s a topic for another article.

These are all the thing which can be overcome by an email marketing software and it comes with other helpful tools, like:

• Awesome Designs: It offers a simple drag & drop feature to design your email template with your own touch (or use pre-build templates).
• Automation: It includes auto-responder, automating confirmation mails, upsells, etc.
• Seamless Integration: These email software’s integrates which any major platforms like WooCommerce and shopify for drop shipping, stripe and PayPal for payments,

These are just a few benefits of using email marketing tools for your business.

And you can test these tools for free.

Now, you know why Gmail isn’t the first option for email marketing.

Lets look at what you’ll get from this article.

What We’ll Cover:

• Importance of email marketing and criteria’s of selecting email marketing platforms.
• Brief intro to critical email marketing Features like automation, segmentation, personalization, AI tools, A/B testing, and CRM integration in email marketing software.
• Short overview of email marketing platforms include ActiveCampaign, GetResponse, Brevo, Omnisend, AWeber, ConvertKit, Constant Contact, MailerLite, and Moosend. With pros and Cons.
• Further resources like guides, ebooks, tools, etc. for boosting your email success rate.

What problem do these email marketing platforms solve?

Before starting, did you know there are over 340 billion emails sent per day which comes to a sweet ~2.3 million email per second that’s an insane amount of emails to handle.

Imagine you run an online clothing store so here are your email marketing breakdown per user:

–Icons used in this image is downloaded form Flaticons

• Email 1: When a new customer creates an account in your store. You’ll send an email confirmation email.
• Email 2: Welcome email after a new user creates an account in your store.
• Email 3: Conformation/Payment Acknowledgement Email.
• Email 4: Delivery status email.
• Email 5: Feedback email for your store.
• Email 6: Newsletters for New Arrivals, Offers, Coupon Codes, etc.

On an average an online clothing store sends 4 to 8 emails per customer.

And let’s say this online clothing store has a customer base of 100 (lets us not go too high on examples).

Then here are the problem this store will start seeing:

• Email Deliverability: Marking sure that your user gets your email can become a challenge and we are talking about 100 users * 6 emails = 600 emails, for this example.
• Compliance: So you are sending ~600 emails then your email easily falls under SPAM according to CAN-SMAP, and can go directly to the SPAM folder of the customer.
• Personalization: On top of that, making each email personalized according to the recipient can also become a challenge. 

Now imagine customers in your store grew to 1000 or 10,000 then scaling and managing your emails can become a huge nightmare.

Here’s how email marketing software plays a huge role and saves you ton’s of time.

Remember the nightmare we mentioned earlier will not need to worry about it.

Email Marketing platforms are designed to handle that kind of nightmares.

Email Marketing tools offer the solution for:

–Icons used in this image is downloaded form Flaticons

Email Segmentation:

• Email Segmentation helps businesses to send personalized emails to their targeted audience.
• In this process you divide your email list into smaller groups.
• Which helps you to manage, plan and execute email campaigns.
• You use metrics like demographics, common interest, engagement history, etc. to divide your email list.
• This will help your business to get a deeper knowledge of your customers.

Email Personalization:

• Email personalization is a great way to build a strong bond with your customers.
• Sending simple personalized emails can boost ROI by 70%.
• Each email can be customized based on customers name, birthday, purchase history, etc.
• It offers high CTR (Click Through Rate), Open Rate and User Engagement.

AI Powered Tools:

• Letting AI take care of your email campaign saves a ton of time.
• From creating content to getting deeper data driven insights for your campaign performance it handles all of that.
• This feature also gives recommendations like optimal timing and email optimization.
• It improves the overall effectiveness of your campaign and can be a valuable resource to have.

Automation:

• Automating your emails saves a lot of time, you can plan your email campaign weeks even months announcement.
• It is designed in a way that email alon should not take your time.
• Not only can you plan campaigns ahead of time but also set up trigger words (queries), auto follow up, reminders, login confirmation, etc.
• With saving up time it also helps with lead nurturing and improves relations with customers.

A/B Testing:

• A/B testing plays a crucial role for optimizing your email campaigns.
• It is just trying different subject lines, calls to action, and content to see what gets more engagement and clicks.
• Not only it helps you for crafting your email campaigns, but It also improves your campaign results.

Analytics & CRM:

• Analytics offered by email software’s gives insightful data with interactive charts.
• It helps you to understand current performance of your campaigns (with recommendations for improvement) and gives you foundation for future campaigns.
• Although CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is not a part of email marketing, many email software’s (like getresponse) offers it.
• For SAAS, Logistics, Freelancing businesses it can be a great asset to have, and you don’t need to pay extra.

Email Deliverability:

• Email Deliverability may not be seen as a big deal, but did you know more than 150 billion emails go to spam every single day. That’s ~1.4 million per second.
• Any business would not like to have their emails to be lost in a spam folder.
• That’s why most email marketing tools are designed to help you deliver more emails in customers inbox instead of being in spam folders.
• Make sure to use email regulations with email best practices and let your email marketing software handle the rest.

Email Templates:

• Using a beautiful design always helps with user engagement and offers a high CTR (Click Through Rate).
• Email Marketing platforms offer awesome pre-built email templates for all your business needs.
• All the templates offered by these email marketing platforms are responsive and mobile-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about coding and stuff.
• And if you don’t like any of the designs or want to add a personal touch, then this softwares offers a simple drag-n-drop builder for creating your unique email templates.

These are the areas where email marketing tools play a huge role.

And helps small businesses to use email marketing with its maximum potential.

Let’s look at the selection process for email marketing tools to fulfil your business requirements.

Selecting a Suitable Email Marketing Platform for Small Business

Selecting the right email marketing tools for your business is a crucial step. And with so many options available in the market it can be a bit confusing. But don’t worry, we’ll cover it all.

Before diving in, let’s answer a very important question.

Do you really need email marketing for your small businesses?

The short answer would be YES, even if you are just starting out it’s a good start to get your hands on email marketing or marketing in general.

This will give you exposure to consumer behaviour, market, analytics, etc.

And once you get the knowledge and experience in it, then you can achieve maximum results with any email marketing tools you like.

It doesn’t mean you have to pay for it, there are many email marketing platforms which offers free account for lifetime, 

Check the below table:

I must say, all the free plans come with limitations, it also offers a great way to test these email marketing tools before investing in them.

But, for selecting an email marketing solution for small business owners.

The email marketing should full fill these requirements: 

• Cost-Effective: Picking a budget friendly email marketing service without losing quality.
• Reliable: The platform to guarantee that your emails are received by customers, it must be stable and have very little downtime.
• Scalable: The platform should be able to handle increasing demands for your growing business. 
• Easy to Learn & Use: The software should offer beginner friendly guides / tutorials for users, and it should also have an easy-to-use interface like drag and drop builder, easy to navigate dashboard, etc.
• Customer Service: When investing in a software for a long term then it should have great customer services with multiple support options in case of an emergency.
• Reporting and Analytics: The analytic dashboard should be interactive with clear and fast reporting.
• Integration: The tools should allow you to integrate with other platforms like CRM, Ecom Store, Payment gateways, etc.

These are the criteria we are looking for, from the email marketing tools mentioned in this article.

So, let’s continue.

7 Best Email Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses

In this part we will explore the 7 best affordable email marketing tools which are best suitable for any business with any size or industry.

This will be a brief review on these email marketing tools to keep the points short and informative.

Just keep note that there are many email marketing platforms out there in the market and the best email marketing platform solely depends on your business needs, goals and budget. 

You can find the detailed review for each email marketing tool mentioned in this article on our website Growthefy.com

So, first tool in our list is.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is an email marketing tool that connects email campaigns with CRM and sales efforts.

It excels in automation and helps businesses boost customer engagement and drive growth.

Key Features:

• Email Marketing: Easily design and send emails with a drag-and-drop builder.
• Marketing Automation: Automatically send emails based on user actions.
• CRM Integration: Manage customer interactions with a built-in CRM..
• Site Tracking: Track user behavior on your website to customize emails.

Pricing:

Source : ActiveCampaign

Free Plan:

• Offers 14 days free trial to test their email automations and other premium features without taking your banking details.
• Learn More >>>

Starter Plan (~$30/month): 

• 1000 contacts unlimited emails/month.
• Email Marketing automation and campaign report.
• Event and site tracking.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Robust Automation for handling complex email workflows.
• Seamless connection between sales and marketing with integrated CRM.
• In-depth analytics for tracking performance and ROI with .
• Customizable and Scalable to fit different business needs.

Cons:

• Takes time to learn because it has many features.
• Costs more than some similar email tools.
• Can be too complex for small businesses without marketing teams.

Best For:

Medium to large businesses, especially those with dedicated marketing teams, looking for an all-in-one platform to manage email marketing, automation, and CRM.

GetResponse

GetResponse is an advanced email marketing tool suitable for businesses of all sizes. It offers extensive features for creating effective email campaigns and marketing automation.

Key Features:

• Free Plan: 30-day access to all premium features.
• Template Builder: Drag-and-drop and pre-designed templates.
• Landing Pages: Create lead magnets and run webinars for lead generation.

Pricing:

Source: GetReponse

Free Plan: 

• Offers access to all the premium features for 30 days with up to 500 contacts
• 1 website/landing page.
• Learn More >>>

Starter Plan (~$16/month): 

• 1000 contacts with Unlimited Emails/month.
• Autoresponder.
• Website and Landing pages.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Access to premium tools for 30 days without credit card details.
• Multiple solutions for business expansion.
• Extensive learning resources (eBooks, video tutorials).
• Scalable and reliable automation.

Cons:

• Can be complex for beginners.
• Advanced features require paid plans.
• Pricing increases with email list size.

Best For:
Businesses upgrading their email marketing platform, including SAAS, media outlets, retail, eCommerce, and consultancy businesses.

For Medium & Large scale businesses.

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo is an all-in-one email marketing tool which offers solutions for all the marketing and analytics needs.

It offers features like drag & drop page builder, built in CRM and multichannel marketing (SMS &  Whatsapp).

Key Features:

• User-Friendly Interface: Drag-and-drop template builder for easy email creation without coding.
• Free Plan: Allows sending up to 300 emails per day with real-time reporting and analytics.
• CRM Integration: Integrates with over 150 platforms to help with customer interactions and personalization.
• Marketing Automation: Automates tasks such as reminders, welcome emails, and coupon codes.
• SMS & WhatsApp Marketing: Available with the purchase of credits, prices vary by country.

Pricing:

Source: Brevo

Free Plan

• 300 emails/day.
• Drag and Drop editor.
• Email  SMS personalization.
• Email Template Gallery.
• Learn More >>>

Starter Plan (~$9/Month)

• No email sending limits/day.
• Includes basic reporting.
• No Brevo Branding + $10
• Contact List up to 500,000.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Free plan with competitive pricing.
• Customizable templates and SMS/WhatsApp campaigns.
• WordPress plugin and free CRM.
• API libraries for integration.

Cons:

• Limited features in the free plan (e.g., no A/B testing, basic reporting).
• Branding removal requires an extra fee ~$12.
• Pricing structure may be less efficient compared to other platforms.

Best For:
Small to medium-sized businesses and beginners, Ecommerce Business. It’s suitable for testing before committing to paid plans.

Omnisend

Omnisend is a marketing platform designed for e-commerce businesses to streamline email marketing and automate campaigns. 

It offers features specifically for online stores, allowing integration of multiple channels to effectively engage with your customers.

Key Features:

• Email Marketing: Create responsive email campaigns with a drag-and-drop editor.
• Automation: Set up workflows like welcome emails, cart reminders, and follow-ups.
• SMS Marketing: Send SMS messages alongside emails for multi-channel campaigns.
• Segmentation: Advanced segmentation based on shopping behavior and purchase history.
• Pop-ups and Forms: Capture leads with customizable forms and pop-ups.
• Integrations: Works with major e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.

Pricing:

Source: Omnisend

Free Plan:

• Up to 250 email contacts with 500 emails/month.
• 500 web push notifications/month.
• A/B testing.
• 250+ email templates.
• Try Now >>>

Starter Plan (~$16/month): 

• List size up to 500 contacts with 6000 email/month.
• Unlimited web push notifications.
• List cleaning tool.
• Sign up forms and landing pages.
• Pre-built workflows and segmentations.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• E-commerce-focused features and integrations.
• Easy-to-use interface with powerful automation.
• Multi-channel marketing (email, SMS, push notifications).
• Strong customer segmentation options.

Cons:

• Pricing can be high for larger contact lists.
• Some advanced features only in higher-tier plans.
• Fewer template options compared to some competitors.

Best For:

E-commerce businesses want to automate marketing and engage customers across multiple channels.

AWeber

AWeber is one of the oldest and most reliable email marketing tools available, known for its ease of use and extensive features tailored for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Create visually appealing emails without coding.
• Email Templates: Hundreds of pre-designed templates to choose from.
• Subscriber Segmentation: Segment your audience for targeted campaigns.
• Integrations: Connects with numerous third-party applications and services.

Pricing:

Source: AWeber

Free Plan: 

• Limited to 500 subscribers with 3,000 emails/month.
• Drag and drop email builder.
• Email templates.
• Email automation.
• Try Now >>>

Starter Plan (~$15/month): 

• Send unlimited email/month.
• Split, A/B testing.
• 3 email automations.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Easy to use with a low learning curve.
• Comprehensive support and resources, including webinars and guides.
• Strong automation capabilities.
• Extensive template library.

Cons:

• The interface might feel outdated to some users.
• Limited advanced features compared to some newer platforms.
• Pricing can be higher than some competitors for larger lists.

Best For:

Businesses like ecommerce needing sales integrations (like PayPal), and automated post-purchase emails.

ConvertKit

ConvertKit is designed specifically for creators, bloggers, and online entrepreneurs. It focuses on simplicity and offers powerful features to grow and manage email lists effectively.

Key Features:

• Visual Automation Builder: Create complex email workflows with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
• Subscriber Tagging: Tag subscribers based on their actions and interests for better segmentation..
• Commerce Features: Sell digital products and subscriptions directly through email.
• Integrations: Connects with numerous platforms and tools, including e-commerce solutions.

Pricing:

Source: Convert Kit

Free Plan: 

• Available for up to 1,000 subscribers.
• Send unlimited emails/month.
• Build unlimited landing pages and forms.
• Audience segmentation.
• Try Now >>>

Starter Plan (~$15/month): 

• Up to 300 email subscribers.
• Send unlimited email/month.
• Visual automation builder.
• Tired-party integration.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• User-friendly and designed for content creators.
• Powerful automation and tagging features.
• Clean, intuitive interface.
• Direct sales features for digital products.

Cons:

• Limited templates and design options compared to competitors.
• Pricing can be high for larger lists.
• Some advanced features are only available in higher-tier plans.

Best For:

Bloggers, online creators,  and solopreneurs looking to monetize their audience and need powerful automation features without a steep learning curve.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is designed to empower businesses of all sizes with a user-friendly interface and multichannel marketing capabilities.

Key Features:

• Free Trial: 30 days of advanced features.
• Integrations: Connects with various tools for marketing and CRM needs.
• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Pre-designed templates for easy campaign creation.

Pricing:

Source: Constant Contact

Free Plan: 

• 30 days free trial to test their email marketing features.
• Try Know >>>

Starter Plans (~$12/month):

• Sends 500 emails/month.
• AI content recommendations.
• Drag & Drop template builder.
• Polls & Surveys.
• Know More >>>

Pros:

• Multichannel marketing (Google, Facebook, Instagram ads).
• Beginner-friendly interface with helpful resources.
• Conduct surveys and promote events directly through the platform.

Cons:

• Lacks advanced automation compared to similar-priced platforms.
• Starter plan doesn’t offer email segmentation.

Best For:
Offers unique features like managing and organizing invitations, registrations and tickets within its email marketing platform. Which can play a huge role for event managers/organizers.

MailerLite

MailerLite is a user-friendly platform ideal for beginners and smaller subscriber lists, offering essential email marketing features.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Create emails without coding.
• Pop-up Forms: Collect email addresses from website visitors.
• Automation Workflows: Automate basic sequences like welcome emails.

Pricing:

Source: MailerLite

Free Plan: 

• Up to 1000 contacts.
• Send up to 12,000 emails/month.
• Drag and Drop editor.
• Sign-up form and pop-ups.
• Try Now >>>

Starter Plan (~$10/month): 

• 500 contacts with unlimited email/month.
• Unlimited email templates.
• Auto resend campaigns.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Simple and easy to use  interface.
• Free plan for up to 12,000 emails/month.
• Real-time reporting.

Cons:

• Limited advanced features in the free plan.
• Free plain does not offer email templates.

Best For:
Beginners, bloggers, and budget-conscious businesses with a need for automation, segmentation, and creative tools.

Bonus: Moosend

Moosend offers a rich set of tools for creating engaging email campaigns, automating tasks, and tracking results, suitable for businesses of all sizes.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Create responsive emails without coding.
• Landing Pages: Design pages to capture leads.
• Marketing Automation: Automate tasks based on triggers and subscriber behavior.

Pricing:

Source: Moosend

Free Plan: 

• 30 days free trial for trying all their  features.
• 1000 contacts with unlimited emails.
• Try Now >>>

Starter Plan (~$9/month): 

• 500 contacts.
• *Unlimited emails.
• Landing pages and forms.
• Automated workflow.
• Learn More >>>

Pros:

• Comprehensive feature set.
• User-friendly interface.
• Generous free plan.
• Advanced segmentation for targeted campaigns.

Cons:

• Steeper learning curve.
• Limited free plan functionality.

Best For: 

Businesses seeking affordability, advanced marketing automation, and in-depth reporting.

End Note:

Email marketing remains one of the most effective marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes.

By choosing the right email marketing platform, you can leverage advanced features like automation, segmentation, and AI tools to maximize your campaign’s effectiveness.

Explore the platforms mentioned, test their free trials, and select the one that best fits your business needs. Start boosting your business today with the power of email marketing.

And remember while selecting email marketing platform for your business always make sure it full-fills your business requrements without taking a huge portion form your budget.

FAQ:

What are the best email marketing software options for small businesses?

There are several excellent email marketing software options for small businesses, each offering unique features to cater to different needs:

1. Mailchimp: User-friendly with a free tier, great for beginners and small businesses.
2. Constant Contact: Known for its excellent customer support and easy-to-use interface.
3. Sendinblue: Offers robust automation and SMS marketing features.
4. ConvertKit: Ideal for creators and small businesses focused on content marketing.
5. AWeber: Provides a good balance of ease-of-use and advanced features.
6. GetResponse: Includes webinar solutions and a variety of automation tools.

What are the benefits of using email marketing software for my small business?

Using email marketing software can provide several key benefits:

1. Automation: Schedule and automate campaigns to save time and ensure consistency.
2. Personalization: Tailor messages to individual subscribers to increase engagement.
3. Analytics: Track performance metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
4. Cost-Effective: Generally more affordable than other forms of marketing, with a high ROI.
5. Scalability: Easily scalable as your subscriber list grows.
6. Integration: Integrates with other tools like CRM systems, eCommerce platforms, and social media.

How can I use email marketing software to increase my sales?

To increase sales using email marketing software, follow these strategies:

1. Segment Your Audience: Group your subscribers based on their behaviors, interests, or demographics to send more relevant emails.
2. Personalize Emails: Use personalized content and offers to engage subscribers.
3. Automated Campaigns: Set up automated welcome emails, abandoned cart reminders, and follow-up sequences.
4. Clear CTAs: Include strong, clear calls-to-action in your emails.
5. Regular Promotions: Send exclusive offers, discounts, and promotions to your subscribers.
6. Customer Feedback: Use surveys and feedback forms to understand customer needs and improve your offerings.

How often should I send emails for my ecommerce business?

The frequency of emails can vary depending on your audience and business goals, but a good starting point is:

1. Weekly Newsletters: Keep your audience engaged with regular updates.
2. Promotional Emails: Send 1-3 promotional emails per month highlighting special offers or sales.
3. Transactional Emails: Send these whenever a customer makes a purchase, abandons a cart, or needs order updates.
4. Seasonal Campaigns: Increase frequency during peak shopping seasons like holidays or special events.

How can small businesses start with email marketing?

Small businesses can start with email marketing by following these steps:

1. Choose an Email Marketing Platform: Select a software that fits your needs and budget.
2. Build Your Email List: Collect emails through your website, social media, and in-store promotions.
3. Create Compelling Content: Design engaging and valuable email content that resonates with your audience.
4. Segment Your Audience: Divide your email list into segments to send more targeted emails.
5. Automate Campaigns: Set up automated email sequences to nurture leads and customers.
6. Analyze and Adjust: Monitor your email campaign performance and make adjustments based on analytics.

Is personalizing emails will increase my email open rate?

Yes, personalizing emails can significantly increase your email open rates. Personalization can include:

1. Using the recipient’s name in the subject line and email content.
2. Segmenting your audience to send more relevant content based on their interests and behaviors.
3. Tailoring offers and recommendations to individual preferences.
4. Behavioral triggers like sending emails based on past interactions or purchase history.

Personalized emails make recipients feel valued and understood, which can lead to higher engagement and better overall campaign performance.