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EMAIL MARKETING: Constant Contact

As e-mail campaigns become a fixture in the Online Marketing world, more and more of us find ourselves in charge of crafting and tracking them. Beginning can be overwhelming-- there are so many options for Email Marketing Tools. At Technogizmo, we encourage thorough research before selecting software, so I hope this article is just a stop in your journey through the numerous paid reviews, detailed breakdowns, and free trials.

As far as Email Marketing Tools go, Constant Contact has been just that-- a constant. Since 1995, they have been a reliable service, never rising to the top of the pack for long, but consistently rated between 3.5 & 5 stars. It’s not the cheapest service, nor the most customizable. However, if you plan to send 1-2 emails a week with low effort and maintenance, Constant Contact may be for you.

 

The Downsides

To be fair, a majority of the complaints I found and encountered would only bother a Professional Digital Marketer. If you are looking for an EMS for personal or sparing business use, these issues may not affect you:

  1. Contact Lists: One would think that since it’s in the name, the Contact Lists would be above reproach. Alas, ‘tis not so--- If you were, for example, sending an invitation for a Holiday party and you want to send it to X, Y & Z’s individual contact lists. In Constant Contact, you would need to create three separate email campaigns for each list of contacts, or create a new list of contacts with all of the firms included. Other services like MailChimp provide easy solutions to this relatively minor problem and when you’re on a deadline, time-suckers like this can make a difference to your sanity.
  2. Template Aesthetic: Hear me out-- the templates remind me of a 20-something-year old woman’s 2009 Pinterest Board. While not wildly offensive to my sensibilities, it was rather like accidentally opening the Way Way Back Machine. They were fashionable at one point, but society has since moved onto Helveticas and minimal color schemes. They offer very simple and trimmed down templates for the Youths, but they're nothing to write home about. Thankfully, it is fairly easy to change colors and delete backgrounds, so once again, a minor complaint.Screenshot of Constant Contact TemplatesScreenshot of Constant Contact Templates 2
  3. Email Automation: This was not a part of Constant Contact that I directly had any issues with, so please follow THIS link for a more in-depth review of the Email Automation.

The Upsides

  1. Easy-to-Use: Constant Contact will hold your hand and make sure you find your way to a decent e-mail campaign. They have video tutorials, as well as a very intuitive layout and builder. 
  2. The Builder: If you have never created an email campaign before, I highly recommend Constant Contact's builder. It has a drag and drop function for editing content, as well as easy add-ins like Eventbrite or Shopify. The text editor can be a little finicky, but that may be a problem between my keyboard and the floor.Screenshot of Constant Contact BuilderScreenshot of Constant Contact Builder 2
  3. Events: Many of Constant Contact's loyal customers come from when they integrated Event Management Software, like Eventbrite into their campaigns. You can plan, manage RSVP’s, generate/sell tickets, and more. If event planning is a big part of why you are exploring Email Marketing Software, Constant Contact should be a top contender. However, they are no longer alone, other software companies such as MailChimp have caught onto the trend and now offer event add-ins.
  4. Customer Service: With certain tiers of Constant Contact, you can contact an ACTUAL PERSON for assistance instead of being pushed off to chat functions, YouTube Videos, and FAQ’s. This is a big selling point for many clients, especially if they are managing the campaigns as a minor responsibility.

The Price

This is the big one: Constant Contact is more expensive than most competitors and it’s a large reason why many people don’t use it. Constant Contact offers comparable service to other companies for a lot more money. For example, the most Basic subscription on MailChimp is $10 a month; Constant Contact: $20. Additionally, every Add-On like Shopify or Eventbrite comes with an extra charge.

Screenshot of Constant Contact Pricing Sheet

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for an Email Marketing Software that is low-effort and low-maintenance, and you don’t mind paying more money, Constant Contact should be in the running. While it is decidedly not a favorite amongst digital marketers, for someone who sends campaigns as a small part of their responsibilities, Constant Contact gets the job done right. 

Good luck with your research, here are some links you may find helpful:

  1. PC Mag
  2. Smart Business Trends
  3. Tech Radar

Written by Sydney Grey. Special Thanks to Rhonda Hutchison.

Technogizmo.net and the Author are in no way financially associated with Constant Contact or any other Email Marketing Softwares. The opinions in the articles are the Authors.

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