Creating a successful marketing plan is not an easy task for small businesses. Often, the tools and software programs needed come at too high of a cost, and in addition, the learning curve for using such products may be too steep to master easily. Because companies that are already struggling to manage their budgets while trying to market their business are usually unable to hire specialists that can handle these tasks, marketing plans are often put on the back burner. This action can end up being devastating for the company.
However, thanks to the magic of automation, there are more solutions now than ever before that allow small business owners to design unique marketing plans without the need to hire new staff members.
Popular Marketing and SEO Automation Tools
Developing a marketing plan poses a significant challenge for small businesses, especially when they are relatively new or do not yet have the staff available to handle such demanding tasks. Rather than putting off planning for marketing strategies until a later date, businesses need to be aware of the fact that marketing is one of the most important ways for companies to grow. Fortunately, there is a selection of automation tools available that can help even the smallest companies complete demanding marketing tasks and improve their conversion rates.
Constant Contact
Constant Contact has a lot to offer small businesses when it comes to email marketing. Even for businesses that are not very technologically advanced, the functions of Constant Contact are relatively easy to understand. The platform is designed to suit small businesses that aim to create simple email marketing campaigns, granted the company does not play to expand very quickly.
Pricing for Constant Contact begins at $20/month.
HubSpot
HubSpot handles a little bit of everything in terms of marketing, though the functionality is typically somewhat surface-level. That said, the platform offers a wide variety of marketing tools and software in an all-in-one sort of setting that’s ideal for small businesses.
Unlike Constant Contact, HubSpot handles facets of marketing that go well beyond emailing, and the functionality is perfect for beginners in digital marketing.
Pricing for HubSpot begins at $40/month, as well as a free version.
AdRoll
For small businesses involved in the tech industry, AdRoll is worth checking out. This application is designed to help small businesses create email blasts that are based on events, as well as e-commerce growth tasks. The interface is user-friendly and comparable to Customer.io, though the pricing is less steep.
Pricing for AdRoll begins at $9/month and offers a free trial.
Free Automation Tools
For small companies that are facing very tight budgets, there are also free and low-cost marketing tools that small business professionals can take advantage of. Though they may not be able to handle the full range of tasks available through premium marketing platforms, these free versions of marketing tools can definitely give small businesses the edge they need to keep growing their audiences and increase their revenue.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp offers email services and social media marketing in the free version of the platform. It’s suitable for businesses of all sizes, but it is particularly useful for small businesses thanks to its impressive automation features. The free version includes:
- An A/B testing module
- Audience segmentation based on age, gender, location, and more
- Automated emails for special dates (birthdays, holidays, etc.)
- Facebook and Instagram social media management
- Designing feature for landing pages
Sendinblue
Sendinblue is an excellent tool that small businesses can use to create newsletters, SMS campaigns, and email campaigns. The free version is packed full of useful tools like:
- An editor that allows customization of email campaigns
- Personalization options that allow businesses to change names, titles, and more
- Analytics and tracking tools that trace customer behaviors
- A library of templates.
Zoho Campaigns
Zoho Campaigns is another email marketing product designed to help the sales teams of small and medium-sized businesses. The free version comes with a useful selection of email-based tools:
- Campaign-specific templates
- Segmentation tools
- Delivery schedules (time-zone considerate)
- Social media marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.)
- Campaign performance metrics and analytics (open rates and bounce rates included)
Professional marketing plans are not out of reach for smaller companies. Thanks to the wide variety of different marketing and automation tools available on the market today, even the smallest company can take advantage of the benefits associated with a well-designed marketing strategy.
There is something for every business type, and the array of different services are available at a range of prices. While some of the bigger named platforms may be too pricey for small businesses at a given time, there are more choices than ever before and one is sure to fit the needs and budget of a small to medium-sized company.