The Top 3 Email Programs for Busy Entrepreneurs

For many entrepreneurs and small business owners, email marketing remains something of a mystery. You know you're supposed to be emailing your list, but when? How often? And what about?

Choosing a great email program takes a lot of the guess-work out of email marketing, because you can measure exactly how your emails are being received by potential clients and customers.

For example, you might enjoy a 33% open rate when you share your latest blog post, but only an 11% open rate when you send an email pushing a product or service you're trying to sell.

This information allows you to get strategic with your marketing. In the above example, you might decide to make blog posts the cornerstone of your email marketing strategy, and incorporate your sales pitch directly into those emails, either in the P.S. line or the blog post itself.

Here are our top 3 choices for email programs that will help you streamline your marketing, track your results, and make the necessary changes to grow your business online.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact is an incredibly user-friendly email application that makes creating and sending email blasts a snap.

With over 400 templates, finding one that's right for your audience is quick and easy. This program allows you to import all of your contacts from Sage, Outlook, even your personal email account.

From there, you can use Constant Contact's drag 'n drop email builder to create professional-looking emails in just a few minutes. You can also schedule those emails to be published at a later date.

Basic plans start at $20/month, but you're only allowed to store 5 photos within your account. We like the Essential plan - $45/month with more storage, social media, event marketing tools and a survey platform that allows you to gather feedback from your audience!

AWeber

Aweber is a great choice for bloggers and small businesses that are constantly chu
ing out fresh content. It has a built in feature that allows you to automatically email your contacts every time a new blog post is published.

Another added benefit of Aweber is its autoresponder feature, which allows you to send an automated sequence of pre-created emails. Aweber's autoresponder templates are especially helpful for introducing new subscribers to your brand.

AWeber's month-to-month rate is similar to Constant Contact at $19/month for the most basic plan.

Infusio
Soft

Infusio
Soft is the Cadillac of email programs. It's expensive, nearly 4-5 times the price of the others, but that's because it can do absolutely anything you want. All the basics are there, including customizable templates, reporting tools, and the ability to import contacts from various applications.

But Infusionsoft's true power lies in its automation. Not only can you create autoresponders - you can create autoresponders based on behavior.

This means that a link clicked in an email sends your prospect into a new email sequence based on their interests and position in your sales funnel.

You can even program Infusio
Soft to automatically make phone calls for you!

So what's the investment for that kind of service? To get started there is a $2,000 "Kickstart" fee to setup your account and learn how to use the software, and a minimum of $200/month thereafter. Ongoing expert support and stellar customer service make this email program a strong choice for entrepreneurs who need more flexibility and power in their email marketing.

So, are you using the wrong email program? Yes, if the program you are using is not helping you to accomplish your goals. Allow your business goals to determine what tools you need.

Email marketing is the best way stay connected with your leads, prospects and clients. Make sure that you are utilizing the program makes accomplishing this fun AND effective!