Updated 2026-02-01

Best Email Marketing Tools for Local Businesses

Keep customers coming back and attract new ones with the right email marketing platform.

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Email marketing is the most cost-effective way for local businesses to stay connected with their community. A monthly newsletter keeps your business top of mind between visits. Birthday and anniversary emails make customers feel valued. Seasonal campaigns drive traffic during slower periods. Event announcements fill seats and generate buzz. The best part is that once you set up automations, they work for you around the clock. I tested and reviewed 13 email marketing tools specifically for local business use cases, ranking them on ease of use, pricing, automation, and relevance for businesses serving a local customer base.

Why Local Businesses Need Email Marketing

Customer Retention

Acquiring a new customer costs 5-7x more than keeping an existing one. Regular emails with exclusive offers, updates, and personal touches keep your current customers coming back instead of forgetting about you between visits.

Seasonal Promotions

Every local business has slow periods. Email campaigns for seasonal specials, holiday promotions, and limited-time offers drive foot traffic when you need it most. Plan campaigns around your quiet seasons to smooth out revenue.

Community Connection

Local businesses thrive on community relationships. Email lets you share your story, highlight staff, support local events, and build the personal connection that keeps customers loyal to you over big-box alternatives.

Review Generation

Online reviews directly impact local search rankings and new customer acquisition. Automated follow-up emails after a visit or purchase requesting reviews on Google or Yelp are the most reliable way to build your reputation.

13 Best Email Marketing Tools for Local Businesses

Our Top Pick for Local Businesses
#1
Sequenzy

AI-powered email marketing with smart automation sequences and pay-per-email pricing.

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Best for
Local businesses wanting easy AI-powered automation with affordable pricing
Pricing
$29/month for 50,000 emails

Pros

  • AI creates email sequences without marketing expertise
  • Pay-per-email keeps costs low for smaller lists
  • Simple interface anyone on your team can use
  • Direct founder support when you need help

Cons

  • Newer platform with a growing feature set
  • No built-in SMS marketing
  • Smaller template library compared to established platforms
  • No built-in appointment booking
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#2
Mailchimp

The most recognized email marketing platform with a generous free tier.

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Best for
Local businesses wanting a familiar platform with easy setup
Pricing
Free up to 500 contacts, then from $13/month

Pros

  • Free tier to get started
  • Massive template library
  • Easy drag-and-drop editor
  • Postcards and social ads integrated

Cons

  • Pricing climbs steeply at scale
  • Many features behind expensive plans
  • Support quality has declined
  • Automation is basic on lower plans
See Full Comparison
#3
Constant Contact

Email marketing platform built for small and local businesses with event management.

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Best for
Local businesses that host events and want integrated event management
Pricing
From $12/month for 500 contacts

Pros

  • Built-in event management
  • Phone support available
  • Social media integration
  • Long track record with local businesses

Cons

  • Feels dated compared to modern tools
  • Higher pricing than competitors
  • Automation is basic
  • No free tier
See Full Comparison
#4
MailerLite

Clean, simple email marketing with generous free tier and good automation.

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Best for
Budget-conscious local businesses wanting simplicity and value
Pricing
Free up to 1,000 subscribers, then from $10/month

Pros

  • Very affordable with generous free tier
  • Clean, easy interface
  • Landing pages included
  • Good basic automation

Cons

  • Strict approval process
  • Limited advanced features
  • Basic analytics
  • Fewer local business templates
See Full Comparison
#5
Brevo

Affordable email and SMS marketing platform with transactional email included.

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Best for
Local businesses wanting email and SMS marketing in one platform
Pricing
Free up to 300 emails/day, then from $25/month

Pros

  • SMS marketing included
  • Free CRM
  • Pay by emails, not contacts
  • Transactional email built in

Cons

  • Basic automation
  • Daily limits on free plan
  • Interface less polished
  • Brevo branding on free emails
See Full Comparison
#6
ActiveCampaign

Advanced automation and CRM platform with powerful workflow builder.

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Best for
Local businesses with high-value customers and longer lifecycles
Pricing
$29/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Powerful automation
  • Built-in CRM
  • Excellent deliverability
  • Predictive sending

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
  • No free tier
  • Can feel overwhelming
  • Higher price point
See Full Comparison
#7
Kit

Creator-focused email platform with generous free tier, formerly ConvertKit.

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Best for
Content-creating local businesses building a community audience
Pricing
Free up to 10,000 subscribers, then from $25/month

Pros

  • Very generous free tier
  • Built-in landing pages
  • Simple tag-based organization
  • Good for audience building

Cons

  • Not designed for local businesses
  • Limited email design options
  • No event management
  • Basic reporting
#8
GetResponse

All-in-one marketing platform with email, landing pages, and webinars.

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Best for
Local businesses running workshops or classes alongside email
Pricing
From $15.60/month for 1,000 contacts

Pros

  • Landing pages included
  • Webinar hosting
  • Conversion funnels
  • Competitive pricing

Cons

  • Not specialized for local business
  • Interface can feel cluttered
  • Webinar features are basic
  • Too many unnecessary features
See Full Comparison
#9
Flodesk

Beautifully designed email marketing with flat-rate pricing.

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Best for
Visually-oriented local businesses wanting beautiful emails
Pricing
$38/month flat rate, unlimited subscribers

Pros

  • Gorgeous email designs
  • Flat-rate pricing
  • Easy to use
  • Professional visual quality

Cons

  • Basic automation
  • No free tier
  • Limited integrations
  • No SMS or events
See Full Comparison
#10
Campaign Monitor

Professional email marketing with beautiful, polished templates.

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Best for
Local businesses wanting professional-looking email communications
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 contacts

Pros

  • Beautiful templates
  • Professional quality
  • Reliable deliverability
  • Easy editor

Cons

  • Limited automation
  • Contact-based pricing
  • No free tier
  • No local business features
See Full Comparison
#11
AWeber

One of the original email platforms with reliable deliverability.

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Best for
Local businesses wanting reliable basics with phone support
Pricing
Free up to 500 subscribers, then from $15/month

Pros

  • Phone support
  • Reliable deliverability
  • Free tier
  • Simple to use

Cons

  • Dated interface
  • Limited automation
  • Basic templates
  • Little innovation
See Full Comparison
#12
Moosend

Budget-friendly email marketing with decent automation features.

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Best for
Very price-conscious local businesses
Pricing
From $9/month for 500 subscribers

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Decent automation
  • Landing pages
  • Good value

Cons

  • Less well-known
  • Limited integrations
  • Smaller template library
  • Basic support
See Full Comparison
#13
Omnisend

E-commerce marketing platform combining email, SMS, and push notifications.

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Best for
Local retail businesses with an online store component
Pricing
Free up to 250 contacts, then from $16/month

Pros

  • Email, SMS, and push combined
  • Pre-built automation
  • Good for retail
  • Competitive pricing

Cons

  • Designed for e-commerce, not services
  • Limited free tier
  • Less relevant for non-retail
  • Fewer local business features
See Full Comparison

Feature Comparison

FeatureSequenzyMailchimpConstant ContactBrevo
Welcome sequence
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
AI-powered sequences
Yes
No
No
No
SMS marketing
No
No
No
Yes
Event management
No
No
Yes
No
Review request automation
Via automation
No
No
No
Pay-per-email pricing
Yes
No
No
Yes
Free tier available
No
Yes
No
Yes
Phone support
No
No
Yes
No

Email Sequences Every Local Businesse Needs

These are the essential automated email sequences that will help you grow your business and keep clients coming back.

New Customer Welcome

Trigger: Customer added to email list

Welcome new customers, make them feel valued, and encourage a return visit.

Immediately
Welcome to {{business_name}} — a little thank you inside

Warm welcome with your story. Include a small offer or discount for their next visit. Set expectations for what emails they will receive.

Day 3
5 things most people do not know about {{business_name}}

Share behind-the-scenes content, fun facts, or lesser-known services. Build a personal connection beyond the transaction.

Day 7
Your neighbors love us — here is what they are saying

Share customer reviews and testimonials. Social proof from the local community builds trust and encourages a return visit.

Day 14
Come back soon — here is 15% off your next visit

Incentive to drive a second visit. The second visit is where loyalty starts forming.

Birthday and Anniversary

Trigger: Customer birthday or signup anniversary

Celebrate personal milestones to build loyalty and drive visits.

Birthday - 3 days
Your birthday is coming up — we have a surprise for you

Early birthday greeting with a special offer. Gift card, discount, or free item. Make it feel personal and special.

Anniversary
Happy anniversary! {{years}} year(s) with us

Celebrate their loyalty with a thank you and exclusive offer. Remind them of your appreciation.

Seasonal Campaign

Trigger: Seasonal schedule

Drive traffic during seasonal peaks and slow periods with timely promotions.

2 weeks before
{{season}} is coming — here is what we have planned

Build anticipation for seasonal offerings. New menu items, seasonal services, or holiday specials.

Launch day
It is here — {{seasonal_offer}} starts today

Launch announcement with the full details. Create urgency with limited availability or time-limited pricing.

Mid-season
Have you tried our {{seasonal_item}} yet?

Reminder for those who have not visited yet. Include customer photos or reviews of the seasonal offerings.

Final week
Last chance for {{seasonal_offer}} — ending {{date}}

Final reminder with urgency. Scarcity drives action.

Review Request

Trigger: Visit or purchase completed

Generate online reviews that boost your local search rankings and attract new customers.

1 day after
How was your visit to {{business_name}}?

Thank them for their visit. Ask about their experience. Include a direct link to leave a Google review.

5 days after
Quick favor — 30 seconds to help us out

Gentle reminder for those who did not review. Explain how reviews help small businesses in your community.

Create These Sequences with AI

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Local Business

The best email marketing tool depends on your budget, technical comfort, and what you need beyond basic email.

If budget is tight, start with free tiers. Mailchimp (500 contacts), MailerLite (1,000 subscribers), or Kit (10,000 subscribers) get you started at no cost. Upgrade when you outgrow them.

If you want simplicity, Sequenzy and MailerLite stand out. Both have clean interfaces that do not require marketing expertise. Sequenzy's AI creates campaigns for you, which is ideal when you are busy running your business.

If you need SMS too, Brevo includes SMS marketing alongside email at an affordable price. For appointment-based businesses, text reminders reduce no-shows significantly.

The Local Business Email Playbook

Three strategies drive the most value for local businesses:

Welcome new customers with a sequence that makes them feel valued and gives them a reason to come back. The second visit is where loyalty starts. A welcome email with a return-visit incentive is the single highest-ROI automation for local businesses.

Stay top of mind with monthly newsletters. Share community involvement, seasonal offerings, and staff stories. The goal is not to sell with every email but to be the first business that comes to mind when customers need your services.

Generate reviews with automated follow-up emails. Online reviews directly impact your local search ranking and new customer acquisition. A simple two-email sequence after a visit requesting a Google review builds your online reputation on autopilot.

Getting Started

Start with these steps regardless of which platform you choose:

  1. Collect emails from your existing customers using a signup form at your location with a small incentive
  2. Set up a welcome sequence that thanks new subscribers and offers a return-visit discount
  3. Commit to a monthly newsletter sharing one update, one offer, and one community story
  4. Automate review requests after visits or purchases to build your online reputation
  5. Plan seasonal campaigns around your slow and peak periods to smooth out revenue

The local businesses that thrive are the ones that stay connected with their community. Email marketing makes that possible at scale without taking you away from running your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sequenzy - Complete Pricing Guide

Pricing Model

Sequenzy uses subscriber-based pricing. You only pay for subscribers active in sequences (automations). Inactive subscribers are free to store.

All Pricing Tiers

  • 0-100 subscribers: Free (Free annually) - 3k emails/month
  • 101-1,000 subscribers: $19/month ($205/year annually) - 15k emails/month
  • 1,001-5,000 subscribers: $29/month ($313/year annually) - 60k emails/month
  • 5,001-10,000 subscribers: $49/month ($529/year annually) - 120k emails/month
  • 10,001-25,000 subscribers: $99/month ($1069/year annually) - 300k emails/month
  • 25,001-50,000 subscribers: $199/month ($2149/year annually) - 600k emails/month
  • 50,001-100,000 subscribers: $349/month ($3769/year annually) - 1.2M emails/month
  • 100,000+ subscribers: Custom pricing (Custom annually) - Unlimited emails/month

Yearly billing: All plans offer a 10% discount when billed annually.

Free Plan Features (2,500 emails/month)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Paid Plan Features (1,000 - 100,000 subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations (Stripe, Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Enterprise Plan Features (100,000+ subscribers)

  • Visual automation builder
  • Transactional email API
  • Reply tracking & team inbox
  • Goal tracking & revenue attribution
  • Dynamic segments
  • Payment integrations
  • Full REST API access
  • Custom sending domain

Important Pricing Notes

  • You only pay for subscribers who are active in automations/sequences
  • Storing inactive subscribers is free
  • No hidden fees - all features included in the price
  • No credit card required for free tier

Contact

  • Pricing Page: https://sequenzy.com/pricing
  • Sales: hello@sequenzy.com