2015 July 07 Archive - EXEIdeas – Let's Your Mind Rock

Promoting a blog, website, or business can get a great boost with the help of email marketing services. Good examples of which are GetResponse and Constant Contact. They are two well-known names among online marketers. They can be considered as two good choices. However, you can’t have both of them running your email marketing campaigns. You should choose one you find most suitable for your needs.The following discussion should help you decide which one is the better choice for you. To make the comparison clearer and easier to navigate, the comparison-discussions are divided according to the specific attributes or points common between the two.Active Customers:GetResponse claims to have around 350,000 customers in nearly all countries of the world. Constant Contact, on the other hand, boasts a user base of over 500,000. The number of customers can be one of the deciding factors when choosing an email marketing service because it can indicate reliability. More users mean more people trust or are happy with the service. This can also mean that you have more users to compare your email marketing strategies and results with.Price:Certainly, the price of the service matters. In this regard, Constant Contact and GetResponse offer services at the same base price ($15). If you intend to make use of more features, you will have to pay more. Don’t be misled or confused by the comparison of some review websites that peg the prices at $15-$85 for Constant Contact and $15-$450 for GetResponse. This does not mean that GetResponse costs more. It only means that it offers more features and extra services that you may want consider spending more to avail of them. Be sure to read the details of the rates offered by these companies or ask for clarifications to be aware of what you are paying for.Delivery Methods:Both services in this comparison provide email marketing, monthly newsletters, and social network delivery options. GetResponse, however, has the advantage of offering two additional delivery methods: triggered campaigns and video email marketing. Again, these are services you will be paying for so you will have to spend more to use them.Number Of Subscribers Supported:When it comes to the number of subscribers handled, GetResponse enjoys a comfortable lead by being able to handle 1,000 to 100,000 subscribers. Constant Contact, in its standard service, only handles 500 to 10,000 subscribers. However, if you want to have more than 10,000 subscribers, you can contact Constant Contact so you can go beyond the stated cap.Claimed Delivery Rates:Both GetResponse and ConstantContact promise great delivery rates. The former claims to have 99% while the latter puts it at a very slightly lower 98%. These are good enough and would barely make any difference when it comes to the end results unless you are targeting tens of thousands of recipients.Content Management System Integration:GetResponse and ConstantContact support integration with thee of the most popular content management systems around namely Google Analytics, Joomla, and SalesForce. GetResponse, however, can integrate with more CMS platforms including OScommerce, Zencart, WordPress, and Magento. Being able to integrate with WordPress and Zencart is definitely a big advantage.Customer Support:GetResponse offers 24/7 live support to help customers in addressing issues in the system or in answering inquiries about the services being offered. This 24/7 support is definitely better than Constant Contact’s Mondays-through-Fridays customer support that is only available during specific hours.Both services provide email support, campaign strategy consultation, seminars (in person), live chat support, online trainings, and phone support. GetResponse, however, offers an additional customer support option: specialized training courses.Trial Period:This is a 2:1 win in favor of Constant Contact. GetResponse offers a good enough 30-day trial period but Constant Contact has a notably lengthy 60-day free trial. The length of the trial period, however, should not be considered a major deciding factor. In almost all cases, 30 days should be long enough to decide if the service is worth its price or not. An additional month does not mean much if you realize the service is not good enough for your needs.Differentiating Features:Both email marketing services in this comparison offer unlimited emails, autoresponders, and A/B split testing. They also share the same marketing focus (b2b, b2c, large scale marketing campaigns). They cater to the needs of the same group of users. There are a number of features that make them different, though.Constant Contact differentiates itself from the competition by offering targeted autoresponders that can be scheduled. Multiple targeted autoresponders may be created based on the type of subscriber or based on a specific subscribers list. Also, this email marketing service allows users to get new subscribers through website and Facebook sign-up forms, QR codes, and custom texts. It’s also great that Constant Contact provides the ability to send coupons, event registrations, and promotions.When it comes to GetResponse, the drag-and-drop editor is certainly one of the best features users can look forward to. It enables the creation of distinct and standout email marketing materials. It also provides the option to design custom landing pages as well as the intuitive web form builder that churns out forms for blogs, websites, and Facebook pages. Making things more convenient, GetResponse also features the “Inbox Preview” feature that allows users to see a live view of the emails that are about to be sent out. Moreover, GetResponse comes with advanced email analytic tools that are handy in monitoring campaigns, campaign ROI, and segmentations.Drawbacks:Constant Contact is a great tool for individuals (bloggers and website owners) and small to mid-size businesses. However, many will likely find it irritating that the standard service maxes out at 10,000 subscribers although it’s possible to have more subscribers by calling Constant Contact to have the request accommodated. Also, it’s unacceptable why you still have to contact the customer service number to have your account cancelled. Online account cancellations are not allowed.Getresponse similarly has its share of drawbacks but they tend to be more tolerable. The most notable of these drawbacks is the rather strict anti-spam policy. Well, it’s a well-intentioned policy but there might be some users who will find it too limiting. Some users complain that it imposes too much restriction on the email marketing materials they send. Additionally, the GetResponse interface is not the easiest to use among all popular email marketing services.Verdict:Ultimately, GetResponse would have to be considered as the better option here. It’s a service that works not only for newbies in the field of email marketing but also for experienced ones. It has more pros and cons. The way it is designed infers emphasis on addressing the needs of serious online marketers. It is meant to be used by serious email marketers who want a good balance of form and function. It may not have the simplest or most intuitive interface—some would even describe it as quirky—but it gets the job done. The distinguishing features seem to have not been added just for the sake of becoming distinctive; they serve clear and sensible purposes.Constant Contact is not a bad choice. It also offers features and functions that would make you hesitate to give GetResponse the quick win. However, in almost all aspects, GetResponse is able to offer something more compelling. You don’t have to take our word for it. Both options here offer free trials so consider using them before coming up with a decision.