No matter what type of business you have, it is always beneficial for your company to have an email list.

So whether you are choosing a new provider to get started for the very first time, or looking to migrate to something new there are some key questions to ask yourself as you weigh the various provider options out there.

The ease of use of the platform

We know that this is the biggest thing to us – something that doesn’t have a big learning curve when we are getting started. It can be frustrating when you have to Google out every little thing inside of a provider.

The good news is that most are fairly user friendly, but utilizing their free trials so you can get inside and poke around on the backend of the provider will let you know quickly how easy to use it is.

Efficiency and reliability are key and if their features are difficult to even find (ahem…MailChimp – y’all can do better in this department) then that can cause an issue in your overall efficiency and make you want to a) jump ship and find another provider or b) outsource for someone to do the grunt work for you because it winds up taking too much of your own time. 

The next, and probably most important question is:

Will this provider integrate easily with my existing systems?

Zapier is a handy tool to have, but it is ideal if you can avoid zapping together every little thing.

Nothing is more time consuming by having to piece together all the things.

Examples include an online store or cart system, see if the provider you are researching already has the integration set up and ready to go with that system. Trust me, it will make your life so much easier when they all talk to one another with ease. It saves time, too!

What type of reports and analytics does the provider have?

There are some very easy-to-use providers that appear to be all the rage, but if they aren’t providing you with detailed analytics so you can understand all you need to know on how your emails are performing then you may never know of important changes you could be making to your overall marketing strategy. 

What features does the provider have?

This one comes with some additional questions under the feature umbrella:

Are you able to implement various segments, tags, and groups? Are they clear and easy to use?

Can you implement more robust automations as your company grows?

Can you A/B test subject lines (this one will be important as you get more in depth with email marketing and begin to study the test of different subject lines for your audiences.

Knowing what the platform can and can’t do could narrow down your list because you will ultimately find some that are deal breakers for you and your biz.

Are the campaigns/broadcasts (also known as your regular emails) easy to create, design, and update?

This one is a biggie. If the provider doesn’t utilize a user-friendly interface to quickly change out text and images then you might find yourself wanting to pull your hair out when coding is required. Drag and drop features are definitely more efficient when you are running a biz and need to get an email out quickly. 

I know that it can feel overwhelming, but it really does mostly depend upon you and your business needs. Just because your biz bestie or mentor/coach uses one platform, that doesn’t mean it is going to work to meet your needs.

Also remember, even if you start with one and wind up having a poor experience, you can always just swap. There is no rule that says you are stuck forever with one provider if it doesn’t work out.