How to Choose the Right Email Marketing Platform for Your Small Business or Nonprofit

Email marketing letter illustrationsIf you’ve dipped your toes into email marketing, you already know there’s no shortage of tools out there. Constant Contact, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign … the list goes on. So, how do you know which one is right for your small business or nonprofit?

Here’s the thing — the best platform isn’t about who has the fanciest dashboard. It’s about which one helps you actually reach your audience and makes your life easier while doing it.

At Tingalls, our go-to recommendation (and what we use ourselves!) is Constant Contact. It’s user-friendly, reliable, and built with small business owners and nonprofit teams in mind.

Let’s break down what email marketing features to look for — and why Constant Contact checks all the boxes.

  1. Drag-and-Drop Email Builder
    Creating an email shouldn’t require a degree in design or coding. Look for a platform with an easy drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates you can customize in minutes.The Constant Contact email builder is as simple as it gets. You can drop in your logo, swap out colors and fonts to match your brand, and reuse past campaigns in a snap.

     

    Constant Contact Screenshot of Tingalls Brand Kit

    They also offer lots of layout templates to choose from, depending on the content you want to include.

    Constant Contact Screenshot of Layout options

  2.  Automation That Actually Works
    Automation sounds fancy, but it just means your emails can send themselves at the right time — like a welcome email when someone joins your list or a offering a birthday discount. In Constant Contact, users can set up simple “if this, then that” rules (no tech jargon required) and nurture leads without lifting a finger.
  3.  Landing Pages & Sign-Up Forms
    Starting fresh with no email list? No problem. Constant Contact makes it easy to collect new contacts from your website, social media, or events.
  4. Personalization & Segmentation
    Your supporters and customers aren’t all the same. Our nonprofit clients like to use the segmentation tool to send separate emails to their volunteers and donors. Sending everyone the same email is a quick way to lose engagement.
  5. Reporting That Makes Sense
    You don’t have to geek out on data to understand their reporting tools. The right platform should give you clear, visual reports on how your emails are performing — opens, clicks, unsubscribes, and more.Constant Contact Screenshot of Tingalls Email Newsletter Reporting
  6. Pricing That Grows With You
    When you’re just starting out, price matters. Look for flexible plans that scale with your growing list, and take advantage of nonprofit discounts when available. Constant Contact offers three tiers starting at $12/month as well as discounts for nonprofits.
  7. Deliverability You Can Trust
    The best email in the world doesn’t do any good if it lands in spam. A strong sending reputation and list-cleaning tools help ensure your messages reach inboxes. Our email deliverability rates are consistently high — and this online tool provides simple ways to manage your list so your sender reputation stays strong.

Whether you’re a local nonprofit staying in touch with donors or a small business sending monthly newsletters, Constant Contact is a fantastic all-in-one option. It’s built for real people — not marketers with hours to spare.

Try it out for yourself!

Use our partner link to sign up for a 30-day free trial:   Tingalls Partner Link >>

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