The Best Email Marketing Tool for Small Businesses
We’ve preached the gospel of email marketing for years, offering tips on everything from leveraging lead magnets to boosting subscriptions through online challenges.
Why? Because we know from experience that email is a seriously potent tool for business-building. And our experience is far from isolated.
Research shows that by 2025 the number of email users is expected to grow as the internet becomes more and more accessible worldwide. Another statistic for the ever-growing mountain of proof is that email is relevant and important. Experts across industries agree that smart emailing practices can ensure success for online businesses.
We’ve already explored the pros and cons of popular email marketing platform, but today we’re focusing on Marvelous’ favorite email service provider: ConvertKit – the best email marketing tool for small businesses.
This powerful, easy-to-use tool has helped our company grow and expand, and we want to share some remarkably effective ways to make ConvertKit work for your business.
What is ConvertKit and What can it do for Your Small Online Business
ConvertKit was built by creators, for creators, so the site’s programmers know exactly what’s needed to grow a successful online business. They’ve made some sleek tweaks as the platform has grown, so everything feels modern and intuitive.
It’s the best email marketing tool for small businesses and exists to help you grow your audience, automate emails, and organize and understand your subscribers.
While you can get a free plan for up to 300 subscribers, they use a sliding scale based on your number of subscribers. This starts at $25 per month for 1,000 subscribers on their Creator plan, with higher pricing tiers based on list size.
Why you Should be Using ConvertKit to Grow Your Business
If you value customization, ConvertKit will make you SO happy. You can build countless custom forms, create tailored messages for new and existing subscribers based on their actions, and ensure that specific activities always trigger a related response.
Here are a few of our favorite ConvertKit features:
Top-notch dashboard reporting that tracks subscriber data and opt-in conversions
Easy-to-embed, customizable opt-in forms that can turn casual readers into repeat customers
A drag-and-drop sequence builder that ensures automated emails feel personalized
A subscriber-centric platform means you only pay for subscribers once, and can organize them into a single list with tags and segments
Simple but powerful workflows with foolproof “if this, then that” automations
Outstanding customer support
All of this adds up to an email experience that feels totally intimate, which is ideal for creators!
7 Tips for Using ConvertKit to its Full Potential
Clearly, we’re big fans of ConvertKit’s versatility and efficacy. But let’s talk scenarios; How can this tool make an online small business more streamlined and efficient?
01 Increase Open Rates Through Resending
You work hard to craft email content that’s useful and unique, so your heart breaks a little whenever your open rates plummet. ConvertKit recognizes that some emails simply get missed by recipients, so they’ve built in a button—“Resend to unopens”—that resends your most recent email to folks who haven’t opened it yet.
Use this feature with caution since constant resending may result in unsubscribes. But when you’ve sent a crucial communication that’s languishing unopened in more than 50% of your list’s inboxes, this tool is the perfect one-click solution.
02 Send Blog Posts via Email
ConvertKit allows you to connect your RSS feed and email your latest blog posts to your entire list! Send posts as they go live or collect them into a weekly digest. You’ll find this feature in the RSS tab of ConvertKit’s automations.
03 Build Autoresponder Sequences
Whenever a new subscriber hops onto your list, you’re presented with the opportunity to cultivate that person as a potential client. You may have a sign-up incentive all ready to rock and send that automatically… but then what? If the new subscriber adores your free content and is hungry for more, but weeks or months fly by, and you don’t reconnect, your work may become a distant memory.
Instead, use ConvertKit to create a sequence of emails that auto-send after set periods of time. A week after sign-up, an email with one of your most beloved blog posts arrives in your new subscriber’s inbox. After three weeks, they’re invited to join a free webinar. Your engagement soars, and you’ve hooked this new person for good.
04 Utilize Strategic Tagging
Ever noticed how some companies seem to magically email you about topics and products featured in your recent daydreams? Chances are they’re using ConvertKit’s tagging feature to read your thoughts.
This tool tags every user who clicks a particular link trigger embedded in batch-sent emails when enabled. You can use the data collected from these subscriber actions to gauge list members’ interests, which allows you to send them more of what they want to see and less of what they don’t.
05 Keep your list healthy
Sadly, some subscribers will never fully engage with your content, and others might tire of it after a while. ConvertKit helps you weed out these folks by identifying them as “cold subscribers” list members who haven’t opened any of your emails in 90 days. A proactive best practice is to reach out to these folks with some tailored content to investigate, then determine if they can be re-engaged or should be removed.
Doing this benefits you both: The subscriber feels valued and appreciates being asked for input, and you can prune your list down to people who are truly interested in your work. Since maintaining a large email list can get costly, losing the deadwood can save you big bucks!
06 Set up Evergreen Launches
A timed product launch is a fantastic way to generate interest, income, and new client sign-ups. But the launch cycle is labor-intensive and time-consuming, not something you can keep going year-round. And yet some of your offerings aren’t linked to a time of year or a specific event, and could be pushed out at any time.
ConvertKit allows you to set up evergreen sales sequences for those offerings and create a sense of urgency through the Deadline Funnel. Attach a bonus or expiring discount to your launch, and voilà, potential buyers are instantly motivated!
07 Convert More Prospective Clients With a Waitlist
If you're wanting to convert more prospective clients, then linking up your ConvertKit to your Marvelous site is definitely the way to go. Stop beating around the bush and take advantage of automated waitlist sequences that will help you amass an army of warm prospects. Then when it comes time to open the enrollment for your online offering, you'll have a list full of excited people ready to sign up!
Final Thoughts
In summary, ConvertKit is an excellent email marketing platform. With its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and integrations with popular apps like Marvelous, you have a complete solution for managing your online business.
Not to mention that in just four steps, you can get ConvertKit integrated with your Marvelous site and start seeing the power of effective online marketing. So if you're looking for the perfect combination of convenience and performance for your online business, then ConvertKit is definitely worth considering.
Now we'd love to hear from you! What's your favorite email marketing platform and why? Drop a comment below and let us know what your thoughts are!
{We LOVE and use ConvertKit everyday. This post contains affiliate links, but we would not promote if we didn't wholeheartedly believe in the product.}
