I’m a hard customer to get – but if I’m happy with your product I’m pretty loyal. Indeed I’ve been an Aweber customer since 2007! But today I cancelled my account with them, and hit “buy” on my new GetResponse account.
Why? Well two things really – price and features.
Price
Aweber pricing is:
- $19 – up to 500 subscribers
- $29 – up to 2500 subscribers
- $49 – up to 5,000 subscribers
- $69 up to 10,000 subscribers (I wish!)
In contrast GetResponse costs:
- $15 – up to 1,000 subscribers
- $25 – up to 2,500 subscribers
- $45 – up to 5,000 subscribers
- $65 – up to 10,000 subscribers
There’s not a lot in it – unless you have between 500 and 1000 subscribers -than it’s very worthwhile moving! Still I probably wouldn’t have bothered because there is a bit of work involved, finding where all the forms are and converting them.
Actually I saved more because GetResponse currently has a 25% Christmas discount on annual plans – but that was just lucky!
It’s About Usability and Features
I’d got used to AWeber -when I started using them I knew nothing about email marketing. I learned using their interface. It’s pretty darn ugly. Over the years it’s improved, but it’s still not pretty. It’s quite confusing. I recently taught someone how to use it – and yes it’s still confusing.
Meanwhile a client asked me to set up an email auto-responder series to support their eBook. They were already using GetResponse – so I agreed to do it using their existing account.
I expected to lose some time learning a new system. But like – wow- seriously easy! Okay I already knew email marketing – but the system was just easy. And nice.
Not only was it easier to use – but it did stuff that AWeber didn’t do (or didn’t do as well)
- all emails had a responsive design as well as a “normal” one. You could also preview in a number of email programs;
- you could automatically send messages not just based on time or after a subscription but also after a user clicked a link, opened a certain message, reached another goal, change their data or had a birthday.
- the control over timezones and when messages are delivered is also better in GetResponse
- you can use Google Analytics with GetResponse
- they have surveys built into the account
- you can import existing contacts into a list without having to do another opt-in – that’s a biggie!
Why Not Use MailChimp – It’s Free?
Good question – indeed I do use Mailchimp for a non-profit that I’m secretary for. It’s not too bad – for sending out newsletters. Unfortunately – for the free version that’s all it does. It doesn’t offer a true autoresponder for free. I use auto-responders all the time – particularly for my lists associated with books. Once you sign up for the paid version it’s the same price as GetResponse – but has fewer features.
MUST I Use An Email Marketing System?
Short answer – yes.
Long answer – there are only two things you totally control on the Internet – your website (assuming you are actually paying for hosting) and your email list. In theory you can just keep a manual list of email addresses and email them from your own email account. But don’t come crying to me when your email provider bans you, or you find your emails go straight to the spam folder!
This week Facebook is full of bloggers crying because Facebook is now only delivering their FB Page’s updates to about 10% of their subscribers.
Of course you can pay (about $5/update) – but still not everyone will see your update. With email deliverabiltiy is pretty darn high well over 98% for both Aweber and Getresponse.
Maybe Twitter then? Well it’s been floated too – so don’t be surprised when they start charging too! The thing is that all these companies need to make money at some point. Social media is not a bad way to drive traffic – but they are a means to an end – not the end itself. The result is having people interacting on your blog and/or signing up for your email list.
Oh yeah those evil affiliate links again? Aweber or GetResponse
What are you using for your email marketing? Are you pushing it up a notch now that Facebook is playing hard-ball.