Choosing the Best Email Service Provider for Your Business
Thinking of changing email service providers (ESPs)? There is no one-size-fits-all email program. With 50-100 providers on the market, each with different strengths, it is not uncommon to switch. As your business grows and changes, you should periodically review your options and make sure you are still partnering with the ESP that is your best fit for now, and for your growth plans.
Choose wisely. Changing ESPs is no small task. While some systems can be set up quickly, the right way to transition is to move gradually, warming up your email reputation at your new IP address.
Take the time to really understand what you need now. Make projections. What might you need 2-3 years from now? Going through an honest assessment is the best first step to changing ESPs. This will allow you to go shopping and interview companies to find your best fit to move to and grow with.
Answer the 10 topics below to assess your needs before you look at email providers.
How big is your list of contacts and how many emails do you send in a month? A year?
What type of email will you send: newsletters, offers and promotions, membership updates, automated shopping campaigns, communications from your sales team, or other?
How will you handle any technical setup: internally or through a consultant? Do you need the ESP to handle this for you?
How big of a role do images play in your campaigns? Do you use basic photos and graphics, or is your company very visual with heavy image use? This may be important if you need a large library space for files.
What are your design and graphic needs? Do you want a default template you can add content and a logo to? Do you want each email written in custom code by your team? Or do you fall somewhere in between?
What type of automated campaigns do you need? Some ESPS are better designed to handle sales team automations while others are better equipped to deliver retail shopping cart campaigns. Make a list of your current and desired campaigns.
When it comes to integrating other functionality with your email program, like pop-up forms or texting campaigns, what is your preference? Do you have systems you use that you need to make sure the ESP can integrate with? Do you want a one-stop service that provides everything through the ESP?
What are your reporting needs? How customizable do you want reporting to be?
Do you plan to synchronize contact data between systems like your website, social media, order fulfillment and email? Are you looking to automate connections? What platforms do you need to connect with?
Ask yourself questions 1-9 again, based on what you project your answers will be a year from now and three years from now.