Email Tools to Consider for Your In-House Marketing

Email marketing is an essential component of any digital marketing strategy. It allows businesses to reach out to their target audience directly, build relationships with potential customers, and keep current customers engaged. However, choosing the right email marketing platform can be daunting, especially for those just starting with in-house marketing. In this guide, we'll take a closer look at four popular email marketing platforms - HubSpot, Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact - and compare their features, levels of sophistication, and cost implications.

HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one marketing platform that offers lead management, a website CMS, SEO, social media management, email marketing, and more. It's designed for businesses of all sizes and levels of marketing sophistication. HubSpot's email marketing tools are easy to use, with drag-and-drop email editors, customizable templates, and advanced reporting features. Users can create targeted email campaigns based on their contacts' behavior, interests, and engagement levels. HubSpot also offers A/B testing, which allows users to test different email elements to improve open and click-through rates.

The cost to get started differs depending on which of these tools and feature sophistication you want. For example, a starter subscription for just email marketing on HubSpot for 2,000 contacts is $50 per month, including access to HubSpot's email marketing features and the ability to create landing pages and forms (to direct email recipients towards offers and downloads).

Salesforce

Salesforce is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform offering email marketing capabilities. It's designed for large enterprises, typically with larger sales teams and complex marketing needs. Salesforce's email marketing tools are robust, with advanced segmentation, personalization, and automation features. Users can create email campaigns based on their contacts' interactions with their website, sales team, and other touchpoints. Salesforce also offers email analytics and reporting, including tracking email performance by individual sales reps or teams.

The cost to get started with email marketing on Salesforce for 2,000 contacts is $400 per month, which includes access to the CRM and email marketing features. Remember, with Salesforce, you are buying into an enterprise CRM and marketing tool; this is reflected in the sticker price.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a popular email marketing platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers drag-and-drop email editors, customizable templates, and automation features. Users can create targeted email campaigns based on their contacts' behavior, interests, and demographics. Mailchimp also offers many of the features that HubSpot and Salesforce offer, like A/B testing, email analytics, and reporting.

The cost to get started with email marketing on Mailchimp for 2,000 contacts is $30 per month, which includes access to all of Mailchimp's email marketing features. This would be a great place to start if you are new to in-house email marketing and don't want to have to tackle implementing a new CRM at your company.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is another email marketing platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It offers customizable email templates, list management tools, and automation features. Users can create targeted email campaigns based on their contacts' behavior, interests, and demographics. Constant Contact also offers A/B testing, as well as email analytics and reporting.

The cost to get started with email marketing on Constant Contact for 2,000 contacts is $45 per month, which includes access to all of Constant Contact's email marketing features. This too is a great place to start for your in-house email marketing needs.

The Bottom Line

When choosing an email marketing platform, it's important to consider the size of your business, your level of marketing sophistication, and your budget. HubSpot and Salesforce are more expensive options designed for larger enterprises with complex marketing needs. Mailchimp and Constant Contact are more affordable options designed for small and medium-sized businesses. All four platforms offer email marketing tools with varying levels of sophistication, including automation, targeting, and analytics. Ultimately, your business's best email marketing platform will depend on your specific needs and goals.