An email list service is an online service that manages your email list. Email marketing is a great way to turn prospects into loyal customers. An email list service can make managing your email marketing campaigns and tactics much easier.
There are quite a few email services to choose from. They all appear to offer the same standard features and services. This can make comparing them a bit of a challenge. The following tips and considerations can help you in choosing an email list service that best fits your business needs.
Can they Promise Consistent Deliverability?
This may be the single most important feature to compare. Make sure any service you consider has an excellent reputation for deliverability. Downtime and undelivered emails won’t help you reach your customers or grow your business.
How Good is Their Customer Service?
If you have questions or need assistance, it’s important that someone is there to help you. Consider calling the service if you are unsure about their customer service reputation. You should be able to find online reviews for any email list service.
Are Text Emails an Option?
Some email service providers don’t offer text email options. Many internet marketers have discovered that text emails perform better than html emails. It may be important to have both options so you can run tests to determine what your readers prefer.
Can You Personalize Emails?
Like text emails, the ability to personalize your messages both in the subject line and in the body of your message can improve conversions. It helps the message read more like a personal note rather than an advertisement.
Can You Send Broadcast and Follow-Up Messages?
Broadcast messages are spontaneous messages that you create to make a special announcement. Follow-up messages are uploaded and scheduled to be delivered in a sequence and at a specific time. The ability to send both can be beneficial.
Do They Offer A Sign Up Form Wizard or Creation Tool?
To have an email list you need to have a sign up form. There are other ways to create a sign up form and begin building your list, however, if your email list service provides form creation services it makes the process seamless.
Data and Analytics
Finally, find an email list service that provides important data like click-throughs, opens, and complaints. It’s important to know which email messages are working. Compare services based on the data they provide and how easy it is to track.
Final Words
Price is, of course, a concern. Most email list services off a free month’s trial before they begin charging a monthly subscription. Some email services charge based on how many subscribers you have. It’s important to find a service that you can grow with. Changing your email service provider is a time consuming process.
I normally recommend MailChimp to my Non-profit clients. MailChimp meets all the requirements listed above but also gives Non-profits a discount. They offer analytics in your account but analytics is made easier by using the Analytics360° WordPress plugin. Analytics360 pulls Google Analytics and MailChimp data directly into the WordPress dashboard, which provides easy access to robust analytics tools.
Which email list service do you use?