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As a small business owner, deciding where to spend your marketing budget can be a tough choice. With the highest ROI- $36 for every $1 spent, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective tools to connect with current and potential customers. Constant Contact is an email and digital marketing tool that primarily caters to small businesses.
What is Constant Contact?
Constant Contact is an online digital marketing tool that helps you build deeper relationships with your audience through the tools you already use everyday. Since 1995, Constant Contact has been one of the most used email tools.
The core features of Constant Contact focus on email and digital marketing. Their advanced functions include email automation, in-depth data reporting, and growth tools.
Over the years, Constant Contact has elevated themselves by adding event management, social media coordination, and integration with other softwares to better meet all business needs.
Constant Contact at a glance.
- Easy to use drag and drop editor with more than 200 professionally designed, mobile-friendly templates
- Tiered monthly pricing is based on number of contacts
- Coordinate and schedule your social media posts for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
- Subject line A/B testing and AI content generation
- No free plans, but they do offer a free trial
- There’s room for improvement with integration from 3rd party software
- Site and tools are only available in English; but email sections have 10 languages available.
What tools are included with Constant Contact?
Email Management
All plans include access to Constant Contact’s drag-and-drop editor with more than 200 professionally designed templates. You can also create your own from scratch and auto-generate a template to match your colors and logo.
The Lite plan includes an automated welcome email for new customers, and those with the Standard or Premium plan can send an automated email to customers that haven’t opened previous emails. Premium plan users can also automate emails based on customer interactions or contact triggers. You can send an abandoned cart reminder for your Shopify, a welcome email for new subscribers, and even birthday discounts.
Automated A/B testing for subject lines is also available for the Standard and Premium plans; whichever headline performs better when sent in a smaller group will automatically be sent to the rest of the audience. Premium plans can also customize emails with dynamic information based on user’s specific city, state, and more.
AI Content Recommendations
Constant Contact’s new AI content generator allows you to spend less time crafting the perfect message to send to your customers. Simply enter a few keywords and you’ll receive content options to choose from!
Customer Service
All plans include access to Constant Contact’s award winning live phone and chat support. One personalized new customer kickoff calls is also included with the Standard plan, whereas Premium plan users get two on-boarding calls.
Growth Tools
All plans have the option to create and post on social media with optimized copy and images. The Standard and Premium plans offer social campaign scheduling and social media ad integration as well. The Premium plan has access to lookalike ad targeting on Facebook, Google Ads management, and with a minimum ad spend of $5k USD/month, a dedicated ads manager.
Data Reporting
The analytic dashboard for all plans includes standard view and click reports, as well as spam, bounce, and unsubscribe rates. Premium plan users get access to click heatmaps so you can see who’s opening your emails and optimize content based on what’s getting clicks. The Premium plan also allows revenue reporting when connected with an Etsy or Shopify storefront.
SMS Marketing
All paid plans have the option to add text message marketing starting at $10/month and based on the number of recipients.
How much does Constant Contact cost?
Constant Contact’s has three plans with tiered pricing based on your number of contacts: Lite, Standard, and Premium
Lite
The Lite plan is best for people just dipping their toes in the water of marketing to their audience. It includes email templates, AI content recommendations, an optimized social media dashboard, and basic engagement reporting. The pricing is as follows:
| 0-500 | $12 per month |
| 501-1,000 | $30 per month |
| 1,001-2,500 | $50 per month |
| 2,501-5,000 | $80 per month |
| 5,001-10,000 | $120 per month |
| 10,001-15,000 | $180 per month |
| 15,001-20,000 | $230 per month |
| 20,001-25,000 | $280 per month |
| 25,001-30,000 | $310 per month |
| 30,001-35,000 | $340 per month |
| 34,001-40,000 | $370 per month |
| 40,001-45,000 | $400 per month |
| 45,001-50,000 | $430 per month |
Standard
The Standard plan is worth splurging for those looking to better engage and grow their audience. You get all the features included with the Lite plan plus A/B subject testing, email and social campaign scheduling, social media ad integration, and in-depth drilldown reporting.
| 0-500 | $35 per month |
| 501-1,000 | $55 per month |
| 1,001-2,500 | $75 per month |
| 2,501-5,000 | $110 per month |
| 5,001-10,000 | $160 per month |
| 10,001-15,000 | $210 per month |
| 15,001-20,000 | $260 per month |
| 20,001-25,000 | $310 per month |
| 25,001-30,000 | $340 per month |
| 30,001-35,000 | $370 per month |
| 35,001-40,000 | $400 per month |
| 40,001-45,000 | $430 per month |
| 45,001-50,000 | $460 per month |
Premium
The Premium Plan includes access to an impressive array of email and marketing tools. You get everything included in the Standard plan, plus dynamic and automated email options, search engine optimizations, and ad management with a $5k minimum USD/per month ad spend.
| 0-500 | $80 per month |
| 501-1,000 | $110 per month |
| 1,001-2,500 | $150 per month |
| 2,501-5,000 | $200 per month |
| 5,001-10,000 | $275 per month |
| 10,001-15,000 | $325 per month |
| 15,001-20,000 | $375 per month |
| 20,001-25,000 | $425 per month |
| 25,001-30,000 | $455 per month |
| 30,001-35,000 | $485 per month |
| 35,001-40,000 | $515 per month |
| 40,001-45,000 | $545 per month |
| 45,001-50,000 | $575 per month |
All plans have a monthly send limit based on the total number of contacts, with an average fee of $0.002 per email. The monthly limit for each plan is as follows: 10x the number of contacts for the Lite plan, 12x the number of contacts for the Standard plan, and 24x the contacts for the Premium plan. If you’re just starting out, the Lite plan gives you access to basic email and marketing tools. The Standard and Premium plans give you more insight and reporting, with more tools focused on additional growth.
You can also save 15% when you prepay for 12 months, and even get a special offer if your organization needs 5 or more accounts. Constant Contact also offers a free trial and 30-day guarantee; you can close your account within 30 days of opening for a full refund.
Why is email marketing important?
Email marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your audience- and the insight you get is invaluable. 99% of people check their inbox daily, and sending an email to your customers puts you at the top of their mind. Even better than social media, it’s the best way to inform your audience of new products, sales, or policies.
Bottom line.
Constant Contact is one of the top email marketing tools of 2023, and for good reason. With their easy to use dashboards and editors and widespread suite of tools, it’s a clear winner for any small business owner.
Whether you’re just starting your business or looking to further grow your customer base, email marketing is a valuable tool for any entrepreneur. Using an email marketing tool to create effective email marketing campaigns is the best way to connect and grow your audience and cut unnecessary spend.
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