Email remains the single best online marketing tool there is. When you want to reach your target client base, well-crafted emails are the perfect solution. While email is a powerful marketing medium, implementing a commercial email campaign isn't simple. The days when your company could make up a single email to send out every week are gone. Successful email marketing requires a lot more than just a list of names and a generic email template.Marketing with email means that your company needs to create personalised emails that offer relevant content to your demographic. Doing this manually can present problems, and your only option is some amount of automation. There are many ways to automate your email marketing needs, so assessing a cost will depend on your business, and goals. Let's have a look at some of the factors that come into play when you design an email marketing campaign.
Not A Simple Question
In addition to the kind of marketing tactics your company uses, the content you create will come into play when email automation is considered. Every automation service is going to be different, and there are some that are basically free. If your email needs are very simple, starting off with a free service isn't a bad idea. While the options that you will be offered are more basic, you will get a lot of functionality for little cost.
There are many things that modern online marketing technology can offer you, and with more functionality the costs will rise. If you want to be able to take advantage of analytical features, or to easily create email programmes, the most cost-effective option is a paid service. If you are still designing your emails manually and sending them blindly out to your customers, there are much more effective methods available.
Know Your Options
The cheapest option that offers you templates for creating interesting content is Mailchimp. For a free service you really do get a lot of functionality, though most professional users end up paying for their premium features after a while. When you use their forever free programme your company will be able to send up to 12,000 emails a month, to a subscriber list of up to 2,000 people. This is a great option for smaller businesses, and it will give you a foothold in the world of modern email marketing. You can also use your own HTML email templates if you have them.
When you look into premium paid email automation services you will find that many additional useful features are included. Hubspot is a good example of a digital marketing suite that includes email automation. For around £140 a month (plus set up fee) you will get access to a range of marketing tools, a very well designed email automation system being one of them. Using a service like Hubspot is something to think seriously about, because today email is only one part of a successful online marketing strategy.
If you want to dip your toe in the water with a paid service that is cheaper, TEO gives you a lot of functionality for around £65 a month. However, while every business is going to have different needs, it is a smart idea to buy into a service that will offer you some form of advanced analytical ability. The modern internet lets you keep track of what works, so you can best deploy your marketing budget to strategies that get results. Ultimately the goal is not to find the cheapest approach to email marketing, but to find the application and strategy that lets you maximise your returns. It’s the difference between spending £1 and getting £2.50 back, and spending £5 to get £25 back. Which approach is more cost-effective in the long run?
Get More For Your Money
If you are upgrading your current email marketing strategy, it would be smart to look at the level of integration that a service like Hubspot offers you. As official Hubspot partners, we can vouch for how effective it is at helping businesses achieve better returns from their email marketing. There are many ways to synergise your online marketing through marketing automation software, and this will represent a large cost saving compared to undertaking every tactic individually. If you aren't familiar with all of the ways that online marketing strategies overlap, talk to one of our marketing specialists today.
Many businesses take a piecemeal approach to online marketing, and try to do everything in-house. A decade ago this was ok for most small businesses, but with the advent of mobile technology and the next generation of internet users, this is no longer a wise strategy. Your company needs to have a holistic view of online marketing, and your team isn't likely to have all the time and expertise you need. The internet is changing the way companies communicate, so take advantage of all the opportunities email marketing automation offers your business.
