3 Best Free Email Marketing Tools and Services LookingLion

Many businesses today have incorporated email marketing into their business practices. This is not so far-fetched considering the many benefits it offers. Email marketing can help you build relationships with potential customers effectively. 

It can also drive conversions for your business. With the right tools, you can create professional-looking email campaigns and send them to your mailing lists. This can help track engagement and get valuable insights – all without breaking the bank.

If you are considering starting an email campaign for your business, this article is for you. We will explore the key benefits of email marketing and provide tips for getting started. And, of course, we’ll recommend 3 of the best free email marketing platforms to help grow your business.

Why Email Marketing?

Email marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing channels for businesses. Some key benefits of using email marketing include:

Building relationships and loyalty with customers

Email allows you to engage with your customers. By sending them regular insights about your business, you can stay at the top of your contacts’ minds. If your emails offer valuable and relevant content to your subscribers, you can win their trust and loyalty over time. This helps retain existing customers and get repeat business.

Cost-effectiveness

Email is one of the most affordable marketing channels. Once you build your contact list, the marginal cost of sending more emails is minimal. This allows even small businesses with limited marketing budgets to advertise effectively.  

Measurable results

Email marketing metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates can be easily tracked. This allows you to gauge engagement and optimize your strategies. A/B testing of email content and design is easy to implement as well.

Flexibility

You can tailor emails to different audiences and customer segments. You can send highly targeted and personalized messages to your contacts. You can also personalize emails based on interests, purchase history, location, etc. You can also adapt subject lines and content to increase relevance.

Automation

You can automate email workflows and drip campaigns based on triggers like date, user actions, activity, etc. This can help you save time. For example, you can set automated emails for abandoned shopping carts or new sign-ins.

Timely communication

You can send emails 24/7. This helps you stay in touch with your subscribers. You can also send targeted, real-time messages like order confirmations and event reminders. This keeps customers informed.

Generating sales

Email is very effective at generating sales. Promotional emails with discounts, sales announcements, product launches, and special offers entice purchases. Emails also nurture prospects through sales funnels.

In summary, email marketing allows businesses to engage customers and nurture relationships. With proper segmentation and targeting, email is an indispensable marketing channel.

How to Get Started with LookingLion

LookingLion makes professional email marketing campaigns easy for small businesses and startups. Their platform provides excellent features for free, with upgrade options available. Here’s an overview of how to get started:

1. Sign up for a free Lookinglion account at lookinglion.org. This allows you to create campaigns, build email lists, and access other core features.  

2. Install the Lookinglion tracking code on your website. This lets you track website visitors and convert them into leads via pop-ups and forms.

3. Import your existing contact lists or connect Lookinglion to your CRM. This builds your starting email subscriber list to market to. Then, segment contacts by demographics, interests, purchase history, etc. 

4. Create sign-up forms and pop-ups to capture emails, phone numbers, and other info from website visitors to grow your audience. Use pop-up triggers like time on site and exit intent.

5. Build professional email campaigns that convert with beautiful templates and the drag-and-drop editor. Send welcome emails, promotions, newsletters, and more.

6. Automate workflows with the visual campaign builder.  You can have segments like abandoned cart recovery and lead nurturing. Set up triggers and sequences.

7. Analyze campaign performance with reports on opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes, revenue, etc. Optimize based on insights.

8. Integrate Lookinglion with your shopping cart, affiliate platform, and other tools. This ensures full-funnel visibility.

LookingLion provides excellent tutorials and resources to help you create high-converting emails. Take advantage of their free plan to get started today. 

3 Best Free Email Marketing Tools with Specific Details

If you’re looking for a solid email marketing platform that won’t break the bank, here are three excellent free options to consider:

1. Budget Friendly: AWeber

AWeber is one of the most popular email service providers, trusted by over 250,000 businesses. Their free plan provides excellent core features to help you get started.

Features

• AWeber offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop email editor to create and send newsletters.
• It has over 600 responsive email templates to choose from. Using the Smart Designer, you can also automatically generate templates tailored to your brand.
• AWeber enables subscribers to manually add contacts or import CSV files. 
• You can create segments to target groups based on behavior and interests. 
• AWeber has a campaign builder to set up welcome series and workflows triggered by events like signups. 
• Users can build landing pages and forms with drag and drop using AWeber’s large template library.
• Integrations are available to connect email campaigns with your website and other software.

Pricing Plans

AWeber offers both free and paid plans. The free plan allows up to 500 subscribers and 3,000 emails per month. Paid plans start at $19/month for up to 500 subscribers. Cost scales up based on the number of subscribers. There is a plan for unlimited subscribers. You can save money by paying annually.

Overall, AWeber is easy to use and integrates with many platforms. Their free plan is great for getting started with basic email marketing.

2. Complete Solution: Constant Contact 

Constant Contact is another industry leader trusted by millions of small businesses. They offer a forever-free plan packed with features.

Features

• Constant Contact provides an easy drag-and-drop editor with hundreds of customizable templates. 
• It lets businesses track opens, clicks, and shares to improve email performance.
• Automation features help send timely messages like welcome emails or birthday wishes.
• The platform also integrates with CRM systems and has a mobile app for email access.
• Surveys and polls for gathering customer feedback. 
• Social media tools for managing many accounts and scheduling posts.
• Landing pages with lead capture forms for campaigns.
• A marketing CRM for storing contact information and interactions. Robust reporting provides insights into email metrics, revenue from links, and more.

Pricing Plans

Constant Contact offers three main pricing plans based on the number of contacts and features needed. The Lite plan costs $12/month for up to 500 contacts with basic features. Standard costs $35/month for up to 2,500 contacts and includes automation. Premium starts at $80/month for over 2,500 contacts and includes advanced features like dynamic content and custom reporting. Custom enterprise pricing is also available. The platform offers discounts for nonprofits and prepaid annual plans, allowing businesses to save up to 30%.

For a feature-rich free offering, Constant Contact is hard to beat. It has all the essential tools for creating, sending, and optimizing email campaigns.

3. Industry Pioneer: GetResponse 

GetResponse is an industry pioneer in email marketing software. It helps businesses engage with customers and grow their audience. GetResponse has over 25 years of expertise in providing powerful, easy-to-use email marketing tools.

Features

GetResponse offers a wide range of features beyond basic email marketing. Key features include:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop email editor to create professional, branded emails and newsletters
• 120+ customizable email templates and themes  
• Advanced email automation with lead scoring, triggers, and workflows
• Landing page and website builder to convert website visitors  
• Sales and webinar funnels to generate leads and drive sales
• Robust analytics and reports to optimize performance
• Integrations with e-commerce platforms, CRMs, social media, and more

Pricing Plans

GetResponse offers several pricing plans to meet different business needs:

• Free plan for up to 500 contacts
• Email Marketing starts at $15/month, billed annually for 1,000 contacts 
• Marketing Automation starts at $49/month, billed annually for 1,000 contacts
• E-commerce Marketing starts at $98/month, billed annually for 1,000 contacts  

GetResponse offers discounts for annual and biennial contracts. GetResponse also provides nonprofit discounts and free trials to experience features. You can also learn about the Top 10 Best Free Email Marketing Tools and Services.

How to Choose the Right Tool for You

With these top free platforms, you can kickstart your email marketing without paying a dime. So how do you choose? Here are a few factors to consider: 

• Determine your email marketing goals. Are you focused on growing your list, increasing engagement, driving sales, etc.? Your goals will impact the features you need.
• Consider your list size. Look for a tool to support your current list size and expected growth. Larger lists may need more robust deliverability features.
• Review key features. Some tools may not have the features that fit your campaign. Look for essentials like customizable templates, automation, segmentation, A/B testing, analytics, etc. 
• Evaluate integrations. See what other software the tool integrates with. For instance, does it work with your CRM, e-commerce platform, etc.? Integrations streamline workflows.
• Check deliverability reputation. Research the tool’s sender reputation and deliverability rates. This is to ensure your emails reach the inbox.
• Compare pricing plans. Factor in costs for your list size, desired features, and any extra fees like more contacts or extra automation workflows.
• Check reviews from users. Learn from other users’ real-world experiences with onboarding, usability, features, support etc.
• Sign up for a free trial. Test the tool with your list and workflows. See if it’s easy to use and has the features you need. 
• Evaluate support options. Look for responsive customer support via live chat, phone, email, etc. This is to be sure they will be responsive in case you need help.
• Confirm compliance factors. Ensure the tool complies with data protection like GDPR as needed for your subscribers and industry.
• Check company reputation. Go with an established, reputable provider for a lower-risk choice your business can rely on long-term.

Best Practices for Effective Email Marketing

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for connecting with customers and driving sales, but only if done well. The most effective email marketing strategies follow these best practices:

• Make sign-up easy. Have a clear call to action for people to subscribe to your mailing list on your website and social media. Only ask for essential info like email, name and interests. 
• Segment your list. Divide subscribers into groups based on demographics, interests, purchase history, etc. You can then tailor your emails accordingly. Avoid one-size-fits-all blasts.
• Write compelling subject lines. A subject line should grab attention and encourage subscribers to open. Be clear and specific, highlight benefits, and use personalization. Avoid spam trigger words.
• Focus on value in content. Offer subscribers exclusive deals, truly useful info, or entertaining content. Avoid obvious sales pitches.
• Make it mobile-friendly. Many people open their emails on their mobile phones. Optimize design for small screens and easy tapping on links and buttons.  
• Test and optimize. Try different calls-to-action, content formats, subject lines, and so on. You should also track open and conversion rates to improve over time.
• Manage frequency and timing. Avoid sending too many emails while also staying engaged. Pay attention to the days and times that perform best. This can help you perform better.
• Make unsubscribing easy. Include a visible unsubscribe link in each email to keep your list clean.

Your email marketing performance will improve with consistent testing and optimization. Focus on delivering subscriber value, not making a sale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, email marketing delivers outstanding ROI for small businesses when executed well. The right platform will allow you to create professional campaigns to generate leads. You should be able to segment your list, drive traffic, and turn subscribers into customers using the right tool. 

Evaluate the options covered to determine the best free email marketing tool for your needs. Focus on developing valuable content and optimizing based on data. You can build an email marketing machine to grow your business with a little testing and refinement.

Read more: 3 Best Free Email Marketing Tools and Services LookingLion

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