Podcast Summary: Episode 62 - Deciding on an Email Service Provider

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Email Sound Booth with Liz Wilcox
• Host/Author: Liz Wilcox
• Description: For online businesses that need to remix their email marketing efforts, and finally build an email list that makes them money and feels good to do it.
• Episode: Episode 62: Deciding on an Email Service Provider
• Release Date: December 10, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 62 of The Email Sound Booth, host Liz Wilcox tackles one of the most frequently asked questions from her rapidly growing community: "How do I choose the right Email Service Provider (ESP) for my business?" With over 600 new members joining the Email Marketing Membership as passholders recently, Liz recognizes the pressing demand for guidance in selecting an ESP that aligns with individual business needs.

Understanding Your Email Marketing Goals

Liz emphasizes that defining your email marketing goals is the foundational step in selecting an ESP. She states,

"There’s no one size fits all platform. Getting clear on your brand or your business's individual needs is numero uno." [04:30]

Understanding whether your primary objective is to increase engagement, boost sales, build brand authority, or manage long customer journeys will significantly influence your ESP choice.

Key Goals to Consider:

• Increase Engagement: For businesses aiming to maintain regular contact with their audience through newsletters and updates.
• Boost Sales: Requires ESPs with advanced features like segmentation and automation.
• Build Brand Awareness: Focused on maintaining consistent communication to establish authority.
• Manage Long Customer Journeys: Ideal for businesses with extended sales cycles needing robust list management and analytics.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an ESP

Liz delves into several critical factors that businesses should evaluate when selecting an ESP:

1. Volume of Emails:

   • Ensure the ESP can handle your current and anticipated email volume.
   • Avoid providers that impose restrictive limits, such as sending only a hundred emails a month.

2. List Management:

   • Effective segmentation and automation capabilities are essential for targeted marketing.
   • Liz praises ConvertKit (now Kit) for its intuitive list management, allowing easy tagging and segmentation:

     "Kit... manages those lists for me, and it makes it really simple to look at that data." [18:45]

3. Analytics and Performance Tracking:

   • Comprehensive analytics help you understand open rates, click-through rates, and subscriber engagement.
   • Liz warns against ESPs with limited analytics features, sharing an anecdote about a client struggling with a provider that only displayed ten subscribers at a time.

4. Budget:

   • Treating your ESP as a business expense is crucial. Liz advises investing in a quality ESP to support your email marketing efforts:

     "Spending money on an email service provider is what I call a business expense." [12:10]

   • Evaluate what you can afford and select an ESP that offers the necessary features within your budget.

5. User Interface and Ease of Use:

   • The ESP’s dashboard should be intuitive and align with how you process information.
   • Liz recommends watching YouTube tutorials to get a feel for the ESP’s interface before making a decision.

6. Avoiding Feature Overload:

   • It’s easy to get distracted by "bells and whistles." Focus on what you truly need rather than being swayed by extensive features.

     "Don't get distracted by the bells and whistles... just pick two, watch them on YouTube, and then just pick one." [30:00]

Recommended Email Service Providers

Liz offers a curated list of eight top ESPs, highlighting their strengths and ideal use cases:

1. ConvertKit (Kit):

   • Best For: Beginners to intermediate users seeking simplicity and robust list management.
   • Features: Easy tagging, segmentation, and automation.
   • Pricing: Starts at $29/month after the first 100 subscribers.
   • "I love Kit... you can start out for free and then upgrade quickly after that." [25:15]

2. ActiveCampaign:

   • Best For: Businesses looking for advanced features and comprehensive automation.
   • Consideration: Recent price increases may make it less suitable for solopreneurs.
   • "ActiveCampaign is more complicated... is for people who probably are already making money." [26:00]

3. Flodesk:

   • Best For: Visual-centric brands seeking aesthetically pleasing email templates.
   • "Flodesk is relatively inexpensive... great for service providers or brands that have a beautiful aesthetic." [27:30]

4. Mailchimp:

   • Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses needing basic automation and segmentation.
   • "Mailchimp is kind of like ActiveCampaign, trying to move into small businesses... half a million to $10 million." [28:00]

5. Constant Contact:

   • Best For: Beginners due to its user-friendly interface and effective campaign tools.
   • "Constant Contact is great for beginners. It’s got all the right features to create effective email campaigns." [29:10]

6. MailerLite:

   • Best For: Budget-conscious users needing essential features without extra costs.
   • "MailerLite is fine... it's like the dollar tree of ESPs. It’s relatively inexpensive." [29:30]

7. Klaviyo:

   • Best For: E-commerce brands requiring advanced integration and automation.
   • "Klaviyo is the ace of spades for e-commerce brands." [30:20]

8. AWeber:

   • Best For: Long-term reliability with excellent customer service.
   • Features: Intuitive UI, helpful customer service, longstanding presence since 1998.
   • "AWeber has been around since 1998... their customer service is great." [31:00]

Action Steps for Listeners

Liz provides a practical approach for selecting the right ESP:

1. Define Your Goals: Clearly outline what you aim to achieve with email marketing.
2. Set a Budget: Determine how much you can allocate monthly for an ESP.
3. Research and Shortlist: Pick two ESPs that align with your goals and budget.
4. Trial and Explore: Spend around 20 minutes watching YouTube tutorials to get a sense of each ESP’s interface and capabilities.

   "Spend 20 minutes and then just pick what works for your brain and your budget." [35:00]

5. Make a Decision: Choose the ESP that best fits your needs without getting overwhelmed by unnecessary features.

Liz also directs listeners to a comprehensive blog post linked in the show notes, which details her top eight ESP recommendations, providing an additional resource for those who prefer reading over listening.

Conclusion

In this episode, Liz Wilcox provides insightful guidance on selecting an Email Service Provider by emphasizing the importance of understanding your email marketing goals, evaluating essential features, managing your budget wisely, and avoiding feature overload. By following her structured approach and utilizing the recommended resources, listeners can confidently choose an ESP that supports their business objectives and enhances their email marketing efforts.

Liz wraps up with a reminder to invest in quality tools as part of business expenses and encourages joining her Email Marketing Membership for further support in crafting effective email campaigns.

"Don't spend more than 20 minutes... pick out a couple, check out the blog post in the show notes, go to YouTube, spend 20 minutes and then just pick what works for your brain and your budget." [38:00]

Resources Mentioned:

• YouTube Channel: watchliz.com
• Blog Post: Linked in the show notes of Episode 62
• Email Marketing Membership: $9/month, link in show notes

End of Summary