When you’ve made the decision to use an email autoresponder system, you’re going to be faced with a tough decision – especially if you’re an entrepreneur on a tight budget with little wriggle room for added expenses.
Email autoresponder systems come in two forms – free and paid versions. There are pros and cons to each, one of which is obviously cost. Free might seem like the most attractive choice, but you have to consider the cost involved that’s not of a financial nature.
With a free email autoresponder set-up, you’ll be limited in what you can do. You might not be able to send out messages about certain topics. You may be limited in how many subscribers you’re allowed to have and then be faced with the harrowing task of moving your list elsewhere.
Still, it’s nice to have a free option to use when there’s just no money yet in the coffers to spend on email communications with your target audience! And these free systems are void of extra bells and whistles, so it helps with the simple learning curve and getting you used to being an email marketer.
Paid email autoresponder systems have their drawbacks and perks as well. Depending on the package and company that you choose, it could wind up costing you a pretty penny if you’re not careful.
Some companies charge per email campaign that gets blasted out. Others charge per subscriber. Some will level you up as your subscriber base increases. For example, the first 10,000 opt ins might cost you $20 a month, but the price increases once you go to the next tier.
The great thing about starting off with a paid email autoresponder system is that you won’t have to switch the list over at a later date. You’ll also be familiar with the system, so you won’t have to go through two learning curves to get the hang of it.
With a paid system, you’re usually allowed to market about topics that you want to email about. Some free systems prevent you from emailing about gambling, marketing, nutrition, credit repair or adult topics.
Both free and paid email autoresponder systems will generally have some starter information for those new to the email marketing scene. They’ll make it easy with opt in web templates you can choose that match the design of your site, and the set-up will guide you through the steps to completion.
Only you can determine if your budget will allow you to start off with a strong foundation rooted in a paid system. No matter what freebie you’re considering with a tool, there will always be some sort of hidden cost that might weigh heavily on you at a later date.