Everyone’s talking emails. The email newsletter has always been the workhorse for authors marketing their brand. But how do authors know which email “tool” to use to send those.
Now if you are small, like I am, I keep a list of my subscribers and send my newsletter as a blank courtesy copy (BCC), but if you have a lot of fans, this will overwhelm your email account. I’m getting to the point where I might need to use one of these “tools,” but I need a free one since I don’t make enough money selling books to warrant paying a monthly fee, especially since I pay a fee for my Photoshop and InDesign already.
So, I did what all people who need to know something should do, I Googled it. Here is some information on various newsletters platforms. Most of the information comes from https://zapier.com/
Mailchimp is the most popular.
Mailchimp has several benefits and you can read all about them using the links below. https://zapier.com/blog/why-is-mailchimp-so-popular/
Alternatives to Mailchimp from the same website. https://zapier.com/blog/mailchimp-alternatives/
1. ActiveCampaign for more robust features and advanced marketing automation. No free tier available, but you get more bang for your buck
a. Compare to Mailchimp. https://zapier.com/blog/activecampaign-vs-mailchimp/
2. ConvertKit for creators. Limited Free version up to 300 subscribers.
a. Compare to Mailchimp. https://zapier.com/blog/convertkit-vs-mailchimp/
3. Constant Contact for more templates. 60-day free trial but no free plans; cost of paid plans depends on the number of contacts
a. Compare to Mailchimp. https://zapier.com/blog/constant-contact-vs-mailchimp/
4. HubSpot for longer buyer lifecycles and an all-in-one tool. Solid free plan.
a. Compare to Mailchimp https://zapier.com/blog/hubspot-vs-mailchimp/
5. Klaviyo for eCommerce. More robust free plan, but paid plans can get pricey fast.
a. Compare to Mailchimp. https://zapier.com/blog/klaviyo-vs-mailchimp/
6. Sendinblue (now Brevo) for a free alternative. A little bit outdated (but available for free)
a. Compare to Mailchimp https://zapier.com/blog/sendinblue-vs-mailchimp/
7. SendGrid for transactional email and deliverability. Good free plan for marketing campaigns; competitive pricing
a. Compare to Mailchimp https://zapier.com/blog/sendgrid-vs-mailchimp/
8. Flodesk for a simple pricing structure. No free plan, but one fixed price for unlimited everything
a. Compare to Mailchimp https://zapier.com/blog/flodesk-vs-mailchimp/
Other platforms that are out there.
Remember I just Googled and found these. I have no idea if they are any good. You’d have to do your own research. I just checked if they had a “free” plan.
1. MailerLite: (No not Miller Light) Free plan up 1,000 subscribers https://www.mailerlite.com/
2. EmailOctopus: Free plan 2,500 subscribers, 10,000 emails/mo Access for 1 user, 3 landing pages and forms https://emailoctopus.com/
3. Brevo: Free 300 emails/day, templates, drag & drop editor, Transactional emails, SMS & WhatsApp campaigns. https://www.brevo.com/
4. Substack: Jane Friedman, one of the presenters at a VWC symposium, wrote an article about this platform. Make sure you read the article before considering this one. https://janefriedman.com/substack-is-both-great-and-terrible-for-authors/ Here is a tutorial on how to start your own. https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-start-your-own-substack-newsletter/
Questions that I had while doing this research.
What are transactional emails? messages that are sent in response to an action a user takes on a website or application. They contain data or content that is specific to that user, and are typically sent to individuals one at a time. Examples include: Password reset emails. Account creation emails.
What is SMS? SMS stands for Short Message Service. It is a text messaging service that allows the exchange of short text messages between mobile devices.
What is WhatsApp? A messaging app that uses the internet to send messages, images, audio or video. The cost is significantly less than texting. I use this all the time and I don’t pay anything.
Alright, you now have information on all the “tools” so no excuses. Start your newsletters.
But what should I talk about? … That’s another blog post.