Email marketing is one of the most efficient ways to promote your business online. That’s because it gives you control over your audience while keeping costs relatively low. With the best email marketing software and a solid content marketing strategy, your business could get stellar results in record time.
But to find the most efficient email marketing software, you’ll need to know what features your email marketing software should have. That might include core capabilities and some advanced email features too.
So let’s dive in and look at the must-have features of email marketing software and how you can set up and maximize your email marketing efforts.
What is Email Marketing Software?
Email marketing software is a tool that helps you effectively manage several (or even all) aspects of your email marketing efforts. With it, you can automate, manage, and monitor email communication with customers and potential clients. The best email platforms are critical tools in the marketing arsenal of businesses of all sizes, aiding in the creation and execution of email campaigns and strategies.
At its core, email marketing software facilitates your contacts database and lets you send targeted emails to engage your audience or drive them to a call-to-action. Some emails brands and businesses might send include:
- Newsletters
- Promotional Emails
- Transactional Emails (like order confirmations)
- Behavioral triggers (like cart abandonment reminders)
- And more!
Why Your Growing Business Needs Email Marketing
One compelling reason email marketing is a must-have for any business is growth. One study showed that email marketing brought $40 in revenue for every dollar invested into these efforts. Email marketing remains to be one of the most effective ways to drive more sales in your business. When you create an email marketing strategy, you can and will most likely get a great return back if you do it right.
Email marketing tools are great solutions for lead generation, sales conversion, and customer lifetime value extension. If you don’t have an email marketing strategy for your growing business, it’s time to start.
But reaping the rewards of email marketing entails that you do it right. And that starts by knowing what email marketing tools can do and how to use them to drive more conversions and sales for your business.
9 Must-Have Email Marketing Software Features
So, what features should you look for if you plan to use email marketing software in your business? These are the top nine must-have features that your email marketing tool should have.
#1 Personalization Capabilities
In today's era of targeted marketing, personalization is the key to customer engagement. Email marketing software should offer a feature that allows businesses to customize emails based on each recipient's data.
Personalization goes beyond using the recipient's name. It should include personalizing content based on their purchase behaviors, location, and interests. With email marketing, you can create personalized messages that speak directly to people in a way that hits the right notes. This way, companies can significantly increase open, click-through, and overall engagement rates.
#2 Segmentation Tools
Personalization isn’t the only way that email marketing software taps into the uniqueness of every lead or customer. You should also use segmentation tools because a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work in email marketing. With segmentation, you can group subscribers based on criteria such as demographics, browsing behavior, purchasing behavior, and email engagement.
With the right segmentation tools and tactics, your business can create more targeted campaigns that resonate with specific groups, improving engagement and conversion rates. This way, your emails land in the inbox of people who will most likely take action after reading them.
#3 Robust Analytics and Reporting
The power of email marketing lies in the ability to measure results. This way, you find ways to improve your email marketing copies, targeting, and other efforts. Effective email marketing software will and should provide comprehensive analytics and reporting features. This includes data on delivery rates, open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and conversion metrics.
These data points should help you make data-driven decisions and adjust your strategies to maximize effectiveness. Businesses will also need this insight to track ROI and ensure that their tools are bringing them the financial results they want.
#4 Automated Campaigns
Using email automation is a great way to save time and increase efficiency. One essential feature of email marketing software that lets you experience this benefit is the ability to set up automated campaigns.
Automation helps businesses to consistently engage with customers without manual effort, driving more conversions and maintaining a strong brand presence. Through Automated campaigns, you can create, schedule, and develop emails that send out without you having to manually trigger anything. Some types of email you can automate include:
- Time-based emails (e.g., welcome series)
- Trigger-based emails (e.g., cart abandonment emails)
- Behavior-based emails (e.g., following a user's interactions with an email)
#5 Integration Capabilities
An email marketing tool should seamlessly integrate with other software used by the business, such as CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and social media tools. The integration allows for streamlined data sharing and process automation across platforms, leading to more unified customer experiences.
Companies should set up these integrations because it lets your tools work together seamlessly without having to transfer data manually. This saves time, reduces errors, and enhances the ability to track customer journeys across multiple touchpoints.
#6 Mobile Optimization
One of the many other advantages of email marketing tools is that it helps you adjust your campaigns to fit all screen sizes and device type. People open emails on their phones, laptops, and even tablets. Up to 46% of users now want to receive communications via mobile through email.
With more people checking emails on mobile devices than ever, it's crucial that email marketing software supports mobile optimization. Emails should render well on all device types and screen sizes, ensuring a smooth user experience. If you’re sending a newsletter, a promotional email, or a transactional message, every email should look and perform its best on both desktop and mobile.
#7 Spam Compliance
A business's email marketing strategy is only effective if emails reach recipients' inboxes. Hence, email marketing software should help ensure compliance with spam laws and regulations, such as CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S. and GDPR in Europe.
This includes features for easy unsubscribing, clear sender identification, and consent management, safeguarding your brand reputation, and maintaining customer trust.
#8 User-Friendly Interface
Regardless of its capabilities, software must be user-friendly to provide value. Email marketing software should feature an intuitive interface that even non-tech-savvy users can navigate easily.
The best email marketing tools will give you all sorts of templates for designing emails, an uncomplicated process for importing contacts, and straightforward analytics dashboards for tracking campaign performance.
#9 Reliable Customer Support
When it comes to email marketing software, quality customer support can make or break a user's experience. Companies should look for a provider that offers reliable, accessible, and responsive support.
Email marketers can encounter various problems when using software, including technical glitches or email-sending errors. In some instances, you might also need support when trying to understand how a certain feature works. In such cases, timely and helpful customer support is a must-have feature.
Email Marketing in the New Age
Times are indeed changing. And as the business world evolves, you need to stay in line with best marketing practices to stay competitive.
Nowadays, 69% of marketers use email to disseminate information and content. As that number grows, you don’t want to be one of the late laggards that jump into email marketing late. Experience the benefits and advantages of email marketing software today by using tools that have all these must-have features.