![\"email](\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/email-marketing-ROI.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nEveryone wants to be in the top performers category and increase their ROI, I\u2019m not talking about A\/B testing or email copywriting (although they, too, matter a lot!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m talking about the one of the first steps of every email marketing strategy<\/a> \u2013 choosing the right ESP. Typically, when a company has to make that choice, they take into account two major factors: price and features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, FOMO can take control \u2013 \u201cwe\u2019ll get this ESP, it has the most features and we might need them in the future\u201d. The same goes for choosing the cheapest option. Small companies or startups are quite familiar with penny-pinching. But choosing an ESP with only price in mind can turn out costlier in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The right kind of ROI calculation doesn\u2019t just rely on costs versus benefits. You won\u2019t be using your ESP only once, so you have to think about your long-term investment, costs and benefits. What sounds like a great deal now may entail thousands of dollars in hidden costs later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the words of Warren Buffet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take a look at how you can avoid paying dearly in the future. If the price or feature scenario sounds like you, keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price and features are important when choosing an ESP. But we should not forget the actual work you have to put in. As in every marketing tactic, the right ROI balance comes from factoring in internal processes and, most importantly, balance with your business goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s see how we can apply this to real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First off, you need to answer the deceitfully easy question: \u201cwhat will you be using your email marketing system for?<\/b>\u201d I know, I know \u2013 it\u2019s an email service provider, so you\u2019ll be using it for email marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But emailing has become so much more than sending a few lines of text. You\u2019ve got hundreds if not thousands of options (graphic design, A\/B testing, audience segmentation, video and many others), so weigh this one out carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example: as a blogger, you could do with simply sending newsletter with the latest blog posts. You may not even need any advanced reporting — it\u2019s enough to see who opened what and who clicked where. However, if you work for an e-commerce business, then you will need to look for features like triggered and transactional email<\/a>s (for instance abandoned carts and order confirmation emails). When your ROI depends on more than the traffic email marketing brings, you need more options and features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another question to answer is \u201chow big is your email marketing team<\/a>?<\/b>\u201d How many people are involved in every stage of your email campaigns, from copywriting to design and technical issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Image via CoSchedule<\/a>![\"warren-buffett-quotes-3\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/warren-buffett-quotes-3.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/span>How to Choose the ESP that Boosts Your ROI<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Questions to Ask Yourself before Making Your Choice<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"email](\"https:\/\/www.emailvendorselection.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/email-marketing-process.png\")
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Answering this question will also tell you how much you have to rely on your ESP\u2019s support and services. How much of all you want to do needs to be outsourced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n