Those of you just starting out with email marketing 0:00 may be tempted to jump right in with a tool you're already familiar with. 0:03 Perhaps you want to send out a welcome message or information on your new app 0:07 using Gmail, Outlook, or some other web mail platform. 0:11 While it's possible to send out messages related to your business 0:15 through these systems, there are many great email management tools available, 0:18 some paid, some free, that provide features you will discover 0:23 you can't live without. 0:27 Email management systems provide the ability 0:29 to design HTML and plain text messages. 0:32 Users should be given a choice about what kind to subscribe to 0:35 as some have strong preferences. 0:39 Many email platforms also have design templates you can use to get started. 0:42 In most cases, however, you'll want to design your own template 0:46 and use it every time. 0:50 Email systems also provide basic statistics about the messages you send. 0:52 You can see how many people opened the message, how many emails bounced back, 0:57 and how many unsubscribed. 1:01 List management tools allow you to store addresses 1:04 and create segments for targeted emails 1:07 as well as give you tools to create an email opt-in form for your website. 1:10 And finally, some provide campaign management tools 1:15 that track the success of a group of messages over time 1:18 as well as conversion rates based on the links you included in each one. 1:21 So, what are some email platforms you should consider? 1:26 Most offer a number of different plans based on how much you want to manage 1:31 and do on their platform, but MailChimp offers a free plan 1:36 that allows you to manage up to 2,000 subscribers 1:41 and up to 12,000 emails per month. 1:44 While it imposes a few limitations on what you can do 1:47 it's free, and it offers a lot of flexibility for businesses just starting out. 1:50 Limited time free trials are also available on platforms like 1:56 MailerLite, Emma, iContact, Constant Contact, and AWeber. 2:01 Each one offers many of the same options with some differences, 2:08 including the variety of design templates, 2:12 access to social tools, newsletter integration, and mobile-friendly designs. 2:15 Whatever option you go with, do some research 2:21 and figure out which options mean the most for your business. 2:23 Keep in mind that free tools will only take you so far. 2:27 If you're starting out or are a small business with a limited number of subscribers 2:31 perhaps a free tool is all you need. 2:35 But consider the future. 2:38 Do you always want to be small or have a limited number of people 2:40 signed up to receive your updates? 2:44 It's important to keep an eye on how these free tools perform, 2:47 especially as you grow. 2:51 Consider a paid solution if and when you want to move things to the next level. 2:53