How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Tool for Your Small Business
The best tool comes down to three questions:
What is your budget? If you are just starting, free tiers from MailerLite, Mailchimp, or Brevo let you test the waters. If you are ready to invest $25-30/month, Sequenzy and ActiveCampaign offer more powerful automation. Calculate what you will pay at your expected list size, not just the starting price.
How technical are you? If you want to set up email and get back to running your business, choose Sequenzy, MailerLite, or Constant Contact. If you enjoy marketing and want sophisticated campaigns, ActiveCampaign or HubSpot give you room to grow.
What type of business do you run? E-commerce businesses benefit from Drip or Mailchimp's shopping integrations. Content-driven businesses do well with Kit. Service businesses and local shops thrive with Sequenzy, Constant Contact, or Brevo.
The Email Strategy That Works for Small Businesses
After working with hundreds of small businesses on email marketing, here is what actually moves the needle:
Automate the basics. Every business should have welcome emails and post-purchase follow-ups running automatically. Businesses that automate these basics see 20-30% more repeat customers.
Keep it simple. Start with 3 sequences: welcome, post-purchase follow-up, and win-back for inactive customers. Add more later.
Look at the data. Open rates, click rates, revenue from email. The businesses that check monthly and adjust always outperform those who set and forget.
Getting Started Today
Pick a tool from this list and start with these steps:
- Import your existing customer emails
- Set up an automated welcome email
- Send your first newsletter this week
- Create one automated sequence like a post-purchase follow-up
You do not need a perfect strategy, a massive list, or beautiful designs to start seeing results. The only mistake is not starting at all.