Email marketing: the mistakes to avoid and how to choose a platform

From print to inbox: how the newsletter evolved

The history of the newsletter goes back to the pre-digital era, when it was mainly used as a printed information bulletin, sent periodically to the members of an organisation or a specific interest group. Originally, newsletters were meant to keep readers informed about relevant events, updates and news.

With the arrival of the internet and the spread of email in the 1990s, the newsletter went through a significant transformation. It moved from a physical format to a digital one, becoming a direct marketing tool for reaching a wider audience. Digital newsletters let businesses send updates, offers and personalised content at relatively low cost, with the ability to track reader engagement and adapt marketing strategies accordingly.

Today the newsletter is considered a fundamental part of email marketing strategies, offering a way to build and maintain customer relationships, encourage brand loyalty and increase engagement. Its evolution continues with the adoption of new technologies such as automation and integration with customer management systems and chatbots.

The most frequent email marketing mistakes

Email marketing remains a crucial tool for building relationships and communicating with customers. However, its effectiveness depends closely on the ability to avoid some common mistakes. While the ease and accessibility of email marketing can be tempting, it’s essential to recognise and correct these mistakes to make sure campaigns are not only effective but also appreciated by recipients. In this section we’ll explore some of the most common email marketing mistakes and how to avoid them, to maximise engagement and ROI.

1. Lack of personalisation

One of the most serious mistakes in email marketing is sending generic, unpersonalised messages. Remember that consumers are bombarded with emails and promotional messages: those that don’t speak directly to their interests or needs tend to be ignored or deleted. Personalisation can range from personalised content in the email header to content curated according to their previous interactions with the brand or their demographic data. Email marketing tools make advanced segmentation and content personalisation possible: this can significantly increase email open and engagement rates. Businesses should use these tools to make sure every email sent adds value for the recipient, thereby strengthening their relationship with the brand.

2. Too many promotional messages

Another common email marketing mistake is focusing too much on promotional messages, neglecting informative or educational value. Emails that are constantly focused on sales tire recipients out, leading them to unsubscribe or ignore the messages completely. It’s important to strike a balance between promotional and informative content. Giving subscribers useful content, such as guides, tips or industry updates, can keep their interest and loyalty, and make promotional messages more effective when they are sent. This approach lets you build a deeper, longer-term relationship with your audience.

3. Inconsistent content

Consistency is essential in email marketing too. Inconsistency in tone, style, frequency or type of content can confuse recipients and make them disengage. For example, a sudden switch from a formal to an informal tone, or a drastic change in email frequency, can seem inconsistent and disorienting. It’s important to set clear guidelines for the brand voice and communication frequency and stick to them. Keeping messages consistent strengthens recipients’ trust in the brand and improves the overall effectiveness of email marketing campaigns.

4. Not complying with privacy regulations

Complying with privacy and data protection regulations is a crucial aspect of email marketing. Failing to comply with laws such as the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe or similar regulations in other regions can not only lead to legal penalties but also seriously damage the brand’s reputation. It’s essential to make sure email marketing practices are transparent, that recipients have given explicit consent to receive communications, and that it’s easy for them to unsubscribe. This responsible approach not only complies with the law but also strengthens customers’ trust in the brand.

5. Neglecting data analysis

The last common mistake is neglecting the use of data analysis in email marketing. Every email sent provides valuable data such as open, click-through and conversion rates. Not using this data to optimise future campaigns is a missed opportunity. Analysing email performance can help you understand what works and what doesn’t, allowing strategies to be improved continuously. Adapting campaigns based on what the data says not only increases the effectiveness of emails but also ensures the content remains relevant and interesting for the audience.

The automation landscape

In today’s digital marketing landscape, automation and the integration of advanced technologies such as chatbots represent a turning point in email marketing. These tools can turn email marketing campaigns from simple promotional messages into interactive, personalised communication experiences.

Advanced automation in email marketing: automation in email marketing goes beyond sending scheduled messages. It involves using sophisticated segmentation and personalisation tools that can adapt email content based on customers’ previous interactions, their preferences and behavioural data. This means every email can be personalised to better meet each customer’s specific needs, significantly increasing the effectiveness of campaigns.

Chatbots for personalised interaction: by integrating chatbots into email marketing strategies, businesses can offer a level of interaction and personalised assistance that was previously out of reach. Chatbots can be used to collect feedback, answer questions in real time or point customers towards relevant products or services. This not only improves the customer experience but also provides data that can be used to refine email marketing strategies further.

Integration with other technologies: integrating customer relationship management (CRM) systems, data analysis platforms and marketing automation tools can create a powerful synergy that optimises every aspect of email marketing. These integrations let you use existing data to create more targeted email campaigns and measure their impact effectively.

By incorporating these advanced technologies, businesses can turn their email marketing strategies into a powerful way to build lasting relationships with customers, maximising engagement and increasing return on investment.

How to choose an email marketing platform

Choosing the right email marketing platform is crucial to the success of your campaigns. A good platform should offer not only an intuitive user interface and flexibility in email design, but also advanced segmentation, automation and analysis features.

In the analysis below we’ll explore several email marketing platforms, highlighting their strengths, any weaknesses and who they suit best. From MailUp, known for its ease of use, to Klaviyo, ideal for e-commerce, by way of options such as Mailchimp, Brevo and ActiveCampaign, each has something unique to offer. This overview will help you better understand which platforms might be best suited to support your email marketing strategies and maximise your audience’s engagement.

MailUp

MailUp is a versatile, powerful email marketing platform suitable for small, medium-sized and large businesses. Founded in 2003, it serves more than 10,000 customers, including well-known brands such as Xiaomi and Walmart. MailUp is a solid choice for businesses looking for a complete, multifunctional email marketing solution, with a particular focus on personalisation, automation and lead generation.

1. Ease of use: MailUp is known for being easy to learn and for its intuitive drag-and-drop editor. This ease of use extends to creating landing pages, making it simple to send campaigns and build pages.
2. Templates and personalisation: with more than 200 email templates, MailUp offers plenty of options to speed up the design process. The templates are attractive and responsive on mobile devices. The process of creating a newsletter is simple and flexible, with personalisation options through content blocks and the ability to add elements such as titles, paragraphs, images, buttons, dividers, social links, HTML, videos, icons, menus, text, stickers and GIFs.
3. Email and SMS automation: MailUp offers automation tools that let you set up emails and SMS messages based on users’ behaviour or preferences. This includes welcome series, event reminders and personalised content based on profile data.
4. Generating new leads: MailUp makes it easier to acquire new leads through landing pages and opt-in forms. Users can create landing pages by choosing from 42 templates and customise them with useful widgets such as buttons, videos, menus and more.
5. Contact management: the platform offers advanced contact management features, making it easy to import customer data and segment the audience for targeted campaigns.
6. Integrations: MailUp offers more than 20 native integrations and the ability to connect to more than 5,000 third-party apps through Zapier, including e-commerce services, email builders, CRMs and CMSs.
7. Customer support: MailUp’s customer support is quick and responsive, available by email, ticket or phone. The platform also offers a help centre with numerous articles and paid consultancy and training services.
8. Pricing plans: MailUp’s plans start at €43 a month for the Starter plan, with more advanced plans offering more email templates, inbox previews and automation triggers.
9. Pros and cons: MailUp’s pros include its excellent value for money, the ability to run multichannel campaigns with email and SMS, and fast, responsive customer support. However, some users find the platform’s navigation less intuitive and point out the lack of templates for forms.
10. Overall rating: MailUp receives an average overall score of 4 out of 5, thanks to its easy-to-use email and page editors, its many templates and its advanced features.

Having used it for quite some time, we can say it’s certainly solid software; however, several areas need improvement, such as the interface and automation.

Recommended? NO

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a complete email marketing platform designed to help businesses of all sizes reach their customers. It’s packed with useful features that make it easier to create eye-catching campaigns, track results and manage subscribers. Thanks to its intuitive interface, Mailchimp is accessible even to people without specific technical skills.

Strengths:

• Intuitive user interface: Mailchimp is known for its easy-to-use interface and drag-and-drop editor, which make it easy to create genuinely attractive emails. The templates are customisable and responsive, ensuring messages are optimised for any device.
• Analysis and reporting: the platform offers in-depth analysis, allowing users to monitor opens, clicks, unsubscribes and much more, providing valuable insight for refining future campaigns.
• Powerful automation: Mailchimp lets you create highly personalised campaigns without advanced technical knowledge, thanks to predefined triggers, customisable conditions and flexible segmentation options. Probably one of the best email marketing automation platforms.
• A wide range of integrations: Mailchimp offers a wide variety of integrations with almost every kind of software, making email marketing campaign management much simpler and smoother.

Limitations:

• Expensive paid plans: the paid plans can quickly become expensive, especially for businesses that rapidly outgrow the limits of the free plan.
• Unfavourable subscriber counting: Mailchimp also charges for unsubscribed and inactive contacts, which can push costs up unnecessarily.
• Limits on the free plan: the free plan has been significantly restricted, including limits on the number of contacts and emails sent, and the removal of email scheduling.

Pricing plans:

• The free plan includes 2,000 contacts with 10,000 emails a month.
• Paid plans start at €11/month for 50,000 contacts with unlimited emails a month, up to €320/month for more than 100K contacts.

Overall rating: Mailchimp is genuinely user-friendly, packed with features and very flexible. However, its paid plans can be expensive for smaller businesses or those just starting out; we also don’t particularly like its subscriber counting policy, which can be a disadvantage. Despite these limits, it remains a popular and powerful email marketing tool, especially suitable for anyone looking for an all-in-one approach to digital marketing.

In conclusion, Mailchimp positions itself as a complete, versatile email marketing solution, ideal for anyone looking for a wide range of features and a user-friendly interface.

Recommended? YES

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue)

Brevo is a complete email marketing platform that goes well beyond simply sending emails and SMS. It’s particularly recognised for its ability to integrate chat and CRM tools, along with advanced marketing automation, personalisation and segmentation features. The platform also offers a good landing page builder that’s quick and easy to use, sign-up forms and the ability to create and publish Facebook ads.

Strengths:

• Advanced automation: it includes advanced automation even in the free plan, letting users send information in real time and track all customer interactions on a single platform.
• Versatile marketing tools: Brevo offers a range of tools including email marketing, SMS marketing, website chat, a shared inbox and a built-in CRM. This makes it a complete solution for a variety of marketing needs.
• Easy creation of landing pages and sign-up forms: users can build professional landing pages and add customised sign-up forms, both with flexible design options.

Limitations:

• Slow support: some users have reported slow customer support, which could be a problem for businesses that need timely assistance.
• Less than optimal deliverability: a lower email delivery rate than other platforms has been noted, which could affect the visibility of email marketing campaigns.
• Limited plans: Brevo’s freemium and Lite plans are limited in terms of features and sending capacity, which may not be enough for every business’s needs.

Complete reporting: the platform offers detailed real-time reporting, with conversion tracking for email marketing, Facebook ads and the performance of transactional emails and SMS.

Pricing plans:

• Brevo offers a free plan that lets users send up to 300 emails a day, with transactional email capability for developers.

Overall rating: Brevo positions itself as a versatile, complete platform for marketing needs, especially for businesses looking for a solution that brings together email marketing, automation, CRM and chat.

It’s currently our favourite platform, so:
Recommended? ABSOLUTELY

Klaviyo

Klaviyo is an email and SMS marketing platform dedicated to e-commerce, known for its ease of use and advanced automation. It’s widely used by businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to large multinational brands.

Strengths:

• Intuitive email builder: Klaviyo offers a drag-and-drop email builder that makes it easy to create responsive, personalised emails, with a large library of templates.
• Advanced email and SMS automation: Klaviyo stands out for its automation capabilities, with a large number of pre-built automation flows and the ability to use detailed customer data to personalise campaigns.
• Integration with e-commerce platforms: Klaviyo integrates easily with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Magento, as well as a variety of third-party applications and services.
• Advanced analysis and reporting: it offers a customisable analytics dashboard for tracking email campaign performance and segmenting the customer database.
• Dynamic content personalisation: it lets you personalise email content based on various customer profile factors, including trending product feeds and Instagram posts.
• SMS campaigns: Klaviyo lets you run integrated SMS campaigns, with a wide range of pre-built automated message flows.

Limitations:

• Cost: some users find Klaviyo expensive compared with other platforms, despite its advanced features.

Customer support:

• Effective customer service: Klaviyo offers high-level customer support, with a team of product experts who respond quickly to requests by email or live chat.

Pricing plans:

• Flexible plans: Klaviyo offers pricing plans based on the number of subscribers and emails sent, with a free plan for up to 250 subscribers and options to scale up to millions of subscribers.

Training and education:

• Learning resources: Klaviyo has a dedicated academy, a help centre full of resources and a blog with email marketing tips and news.

Overall rating:

• Positive reviews: Klaviyo has received very positive ratings on platforms such as Capterra and Shopify, with average scores of 4.7 and 4.4 out of 5 respectively.

Klaviyo is recommended for e-commerce businesses of all sizes looking for a complete email and SMS marketing solution, with a strong emphasis on automation and personalisation.

Recommended? Only if you have an e-commerce store

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is an email marketing platform that includes a built-in CRM for managing contacts and customers, optimising the customer experience and increasing conversions.

Strengths:

• Built-in CRM: ActiveCampaign includes a CRM that lets you track interactions, purchase history and more, bringing email marketing and customer relationship management together in a single solution.
• Advanced marketing automation: it offers a relatively easy-to-use interface for marketing automation, with no programming knowledge required. You can set up SMS campaigns based on specific actions and integrate automation with the sales CRM.
• Automation templates: it provides more than 750 automated “recipes” that can be customised to automate specific processes such as sending shipping notifications or discounts to customers.
• SMS automation: available on the Plus plan and above, it lets you send automated SMS messages for reminders, updates or general messages.
• Lead scoring and tagging in the CRM: it includes lead scoring and tagging features in the CRM to organise and manage contacts better.
• Integration with Facebook Ads: ActiveCampaign integrates deeply with Facebook Ads to create target audiences based on actions in email campaigns.
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning: it uses predictive sending and predictive content to personalise campaigns according to user behaviour.
• Multiple integrations: it integrates with a variety of platforms such as WordPress, Shopify, Google Analytics, WooCommerce, Salesforce and many others, making it flexible for different business needs.
• Landing page builder: it offers more than 50 landing page templates with the option of including dynamic content for personalised user experiences.

Customer support:

• Comprehensive customer support: ActiveCampaign provides efficient customer support with live chat, email support and phone numbers for assistance. It also offers a searchable knowledge base and training webinars.

Pricing plans:

• Free trial and affordable pricing plans: it offers a 14-day free trial and several pricing plans starting at $29 a month, depending on the number of contacts.

ActiveCampaign is ideal for businesses looking for a complete email marketing solution with advanced automation, a built-in CRM and a wide range of integrations. It’s particularly suitable for anyone who wants to use automation to make their marketing campaigns more efficient.

Compared with its competitors, the interface is a little dated. For anyone working with the API, the methods aren’t always that clear and accessible.

Recommended? HMM

In conclusion, choosing the right email marketing platform can have a significant impact on the success of your campaigns. Each platform has its strengths and limitations, and the best choice depends on your business’s specific needs. Whether you lean towards an all-in-one solution like Mailchimp, an e-commerce-oriented platform like Klaviyo or a CRM-integrated solution like ActiveCampaign, it’s essential to assess your needs carefully.

If you’d like more advice or need help choosing the platform best suited to your business, ask us for information. Our team is ready to analyse your specific needs and guide you in choosing the email marketing solution that best fits your business. Get in touch and start getting the most out of your email marketing campaigns today!