Category: Archive

  • Website Design Proposal: Your ULTIMATE Guide To Close More Sales

    Website Design Proposal: Your ULTIMATE Guide To Close More Sales

    How do you create (if that’s the right team) a great website design proposal?

    As an entrepreneur, I’m always finding for quick ways to make money online, on the side and without leaving my day job.

    Managing a website design company on the side is definitely one of the easiest ways to achieve such. It is also one of the highly recommended tips especially if you are looking for small business ideas under $50 and something that you can start this weekend.

    Without further adieu, let’s dive right into creating a website design proposal.

    What is a website design proposal?

    There are many versions to this and for me, the definition of a website design proposal is simple.

    A web design proposal is your opportunity to sell yourself as well as your work.

    This is the only platform you need to convince your potential client on your skills, expertise and knowledge in this field.

    And your website design proposal will determine whether you make it (or you don’t).

    How to create a website design proposal?

    website design proposal

    These are the steps you need to do before, during and after creating a website design proposal.

    Step 1: Creating a website design proposal template

    Template creation allows you to churn out web design proposals fast and without needing to spend hours creating one from scratch.

    The template should includes information such as:

    • Introduction of yourself (and your team)
    • Advantages/Benefits working with you
    • What you can offer
    • check-circle-oSamples of your work (or mock ups)
    • check-circle-oContacting you for quote

    Step 2: Getting started with the website design proposal

    professional photo

    You should start by introducing yourself. A professional photo of yourself and your team is critical to create the great first impression.

    In this part, avoid selling yourself or the services. Instead, focus to be as human as possible and being real is important.

    Give a short and interesting summary to avoid your potential clients getting bored.

    Step 3: What are the benefits working with you?

    Website development projects are always similar and what makes them different is the experience before, during and after the project.

    If you want to be a successful freelance website developer, you need to wear many hats including being a sales person.

    Always remember that having the best skills is not effective if you are unable to produce sales.

    Here are some of the benefits you can consider:

    • Fast turnover
    • Affordable prices
    • Addons and perks which are free of charge
    • checkMultiple website design revisions without charge
    • checkInclusive of web hosting and domain name
    • checkSSL certificate and other security features
    • checkInstallation of plugins

    Step 4: What are you offer (more than your competitors)?

    You are not the only one in the market and you should know your competitors.

    In this case, your website design proposal should include offers and benefits which are not offered by your competitors.

    unique selling point

    These are your unique selling points (or known as “USP”) which can possibly make your clients say “Yes!”

    Include these USP in your website design proposal to ensure that you stay a higher chance of closing the deal.

    Step 5: Samples of your previous web designing work or provide web design mock ups

    The next step is to show your clients on your previous works. If you are brand new in this industry and struggling to get your first web design client, consider using web design mock ups to portray your skills.

    How to create your web design portfolio?

    • 1Purchase a domain from Namecheap
    • 2Get a web hosting service from BlueHost
    • 3Install WordPress as your website content management system (CMS)
    • 4Install a professional website theme (I recommend Thrive Themes)
    • 5Create a landing page that serves as your portfolio

    Important note: I recommend Thrive Themes because it is easy to use and comes with 9 Thrive plugins that allows you to market your website and help you increase your sales. Read my 2018 Thrive Themes review or click here to see the Thrive Themes demo page.

    Step 6: Make it easy for your clients to contact you

    This is one of the biggest mistakes done by web developers when they are sending their website design proposal. They did not provide a point of contact for the clients!

    I’m a huge believer in making it easy for your clients to contact you. You need to provide these in all your website design proposal:

    • 1-click email (use mailto:email@yourwebsite.com)
    • Direct number
    • WhatsApp or WeChat phone number
    • check-square-oPhysical address (if applicable) for clients to find you

    There are clients who are less ‘techie’ and therefore, you need to make it really easy for them to reach you.

    Take a look at my digital marketing agency website, Marketing Lancers. There’s an automated chat box for them to contact me or my team at any time!

    The whole idea is simple. You need to reduce any barriers or reasons for them NOT to contact you for further discussion.

    Are you ready to send your first website design proposal?

    I hope you find this guide useful especially in creating your own freelance website design business.

    Need help in starting a web design business? Click here to read the guide!

  • How To Build An Email List Without A Website

    How To Build An Email List Without A Website

    An email list is important because it keeps you one step closer to your readers. An email list is regarded as a high value resource that allows you to earn high ROI and sales revenue.

    You can easily built an email list by installing email list building plugins on your website. Here’s one question most beginners and business owners ask.

    How to build an email list without a website?

    I mean, is it even possible to do so? The answer is “yes” and in this post, you will discover effective ways to build an email list without a website.

    Let’s dive in, shall we?

    1. Social Media Platforms To Build An Email List Without A Website

    Who doesn’t have a social media account? As a matter of fact, everyone has a social media account on some platforms.

    How to build an email list without a website and using social media?

    Most email marketing solutions allow you to connect lead in forms with your social media platforms.

    For example, you can use AWeber sign up form and integrate it with your Facebook Page. This allows you to collect emails without having a website.

    2. Collect Emails By Offering A Freebie

    Do you know that you can easily collect emails by offering a freebie?

    Using AWeber for example, you can create a lead generation form which is hosted by AWeber itself.

    This means that you don’t need to have a website to have a landing page — as the landing page can be built and hosted on AWeber itself.

    Here’s one sample of AWeber’s form that you can build and use.

    aweber forms

    It looks pretty cool, isn’t it?

    Data collected from this opt in form will then be added into your mailing list, which you can send out emails and create engagement with your subscribers.

    3. Buying Email Lists From Reputable Sources

    This is controversial but it is really effective.

    Buying email lists from reputable sources is a great way to build a community without a website. On average, these email lists costs around $1 to $5 per email and it worth all the money if you have the right autoresponder and strategy.

    Buying email lists is only effective if you are using an email marketing solution that provides autoresponder system.

    The best thing with email autoresponders?

    They never get tired and they are always working around the clock.

    Important tip: Buying an email list is not an easy way out to building an email list without a website. To make your investment worth, you need to constantly provide quality information and updates to make sure they don’t unsubscribe!

    Are you ready to build an email list without a website?

    I hope you find the three tips above useful and have any thoughts or reservations on this topic?

    Leave a comment below and let’s discuss further!

  • MailChimp vs Drip: Which is the best email marketing tools?

    MailChimp vs Drip: Which is the best email marketing tools?

    MailChimp vs Drip — These are two of the best email marketing solutions but which is the better option?

    I love writing about email marketing solutions. Email marketing is a powerful digital marketing strategy that provides super high return of investment (ROI) for many companies and industries.

    Even if you are a blogger, you should start building an email list because it will come in handy when you are promoting a product, services or even keeping your subscribers engaged with the latest posts.

    In this article, I will give you some quick insights on what MailChimp and Drip does and how they compare to each other.

    Ultimately, I’ll also share my reviews on both the email marketing solutions with the hopes that it will help you in your decision making.

    MailChimp

    • checkFree for life (up to 2,000 email subscribers)
    • checkSend up to 12,000 emails a month for free
    • checkMost intuitive drag and drop visual builder (when creating emails)
    • checkHeavily based on HTML and images
    • checkLow learning curve
    • checkFree account comes with automation and workflow
    • Automation and workflow are limited
    • Advantaged tagging is not user friendly
    • Coding skill is needed to maximize MailChimp features
    • closeIs the worst email marketing solutions for affiliate marketers
    • closeVery basic landing pages
    • closeUgly form to collect emails
    • closeBasic reporting dashboard

    Try MailChimp today!

    Drip

    • checkBeautiful analytic dashboard and reporting
    • checkFree for first 100 email subscribers
    • checkAdvantaged tagging and workflow
    • checkAbility to segment subscribers based on their activities (clicks, open etc.)
    • checkLess dependent on HTML
    • checkLow to medium learning curve
    • checkOne of the best automation and workflow in the industry
    • checkMultiple widgets and plugins to help you collect emails
    • checkAdvanced ‘smart’ forms to collect leads at the right time
    • checkBest for eCommerce and website owners who are serious in email marketing
    • The lowest pricing is $49 per month and is often considered heavy for many beginners
    • Some users find the Drip’s feature overwhelming (because there are a lot of things you can do with Drip)

    Get started with Drip for free!

    MailChimp vs Drip — Detailed Comparison

    As a disclaimer, I use both MailChimp and Drip, alongside with ConvertKit for that matter.

    MailChimp is my favorite email marketing solution for my personal blog while Drip is used for my creative agency.

    Without further adieu, let’s dive into the MailChimp vs Drip comparison.

    MailChimp

    For me, MailChimp is an affordable email marketing solution for bloggers. It is easy to use and doesn’t cost a dime (for the first 2,000 email subscribers).

    Low learning curve and good delivery rates make MailChimp a no-brainer choice for many (including myself).

    What I love most about MailChimp is the newsletter template builder. MailChimp is heavily based on HTML and the visual builder is one of the best you can find in the market.

    BONUS: The Beginner’s Guide Using MailChimp

    MailChimp’s free account also comes with the ability to use the marketing automation which is pretty awesome.

    This is what it looks like.

    what is mailchimp automation

    Everything on MailChimp is very much into drag and drop — therefore, you can easily start email marketing almost to instantly.

    MailChimp also comes with a ever growing list of ready-made templates to help you get started on the right foot.

    templates on MailChimp

    As you can see, MailChimp is very much into beautiful designs and low learning curve.

    If you are a beginner, you are going to love MailChimp. Try MailChimp now!

    MailChimp is not for you if …

    There is no love from MailChimp if you are an affiliate marketer.

    MailChimp doesn’t allows you to use it for affiliate marketing purposes.

    The only way to solve this is through sharing a link to your blog post (and having great call-to-actions to drive website visitors to your affiliate products — which is of course the biggest hassle.

    Drip

    I first came across Drip because I wanted to better manage my email subscribers and sending emails to a highly targeted audience.

    On the surface, Drip beats MailChimp in every aspect except for the price.

    Drip comes with free account but only for 100 email subscribers.

    Using Drip, you can easily monitor the progress of your email marketing campaign in a beautiful dashboard.

    Plus, Drip comes with super detailed reports even for the free account as you can see below.

    drip dashboard for reporting

    Drip’s automated workflow does wonders and it is one of the best I have seen and experience in the market.

    When I first use Drip workflow, I was blown away … big time!

    This is what I mean.

    drip advanced workflow

    Drip email marketing solution is the best option if you are selling a product/service or serious in understanding how your subscribers react to your email.

    Drip allows you to tag your email subscribers based on the actions they take and therefore, you are able to send super targeted emails to them for a higher conversion.

    Last not least, Drip comes with form widget which is really awesome. If you are not using lead generation plugins such as Thrive Leads or OptinMonster,

    drip form widget

    Drip form widget is easy to configure and can easily integrate to major CMS including WordPress.

    Drip is not right for you if …

    You are concern about money. Drip comes with a forever free account which is applicable up to 100 email subscribers. After that, the pricing starts at $49 per month which can be pretty hefty for beginners.

    MailChimp vs Drip — Summary

    There is no denial that both MailChimp and Drip are two awesome email marketing tools.

    On one hand, MailChimp is a super cost efficient email marketing tool but offers limited features compared to Drip with a slightly higher cost.

    If you are just starting out, I recommend you to go with MailChimp and once you are ready to make email marketing work harder for you, Drip is the best email marketing tool!

  • ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign: Does ActiveCampaign Free Trial Makes The Cut?

    ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign: Does ActiveCampaign Free Trial Makes The Cut?

    ​ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign — ​why I switched from Active Campaign to ConvertKit?

    Months back, I was using ActiveCampaign and it was pretty decent. I mean, for $9 a month for 500 email subscribers is pretty much a damn good deal.

    As a matter of fact, I was happy — Email was sending out on time, and I was able to manage my email list faster and more efficient.

    But something changed. I decided that I need to reduce cost (for 2018) and every bit of technology we use is rechecked to make sure we are getting the best deal.

    I came across a cold and scary fact. I was spending too much on my ActiveCampaign subscription. While I was happy, I know that I’ll be happy if I’m able to save the agency some extra money.

    ​That’s when my hunt for ActiveCampaign alternatives came into play and ultimately, I came across ConvertKit (for business and not as a blogger).

    Before that, let’s get the fact right.

    ​Both ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign are great email marketing software and I hope that this simple comparison between both of these tools will help you make your decision much easier.

    ​Disclaimer

    ​I used ActiveCampaign for my business for over 3 months before moving to ConvertKit. Carry on reading to find the advantages and disadvantages for both ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign.

    ​ConvertKit

    ​ConvertKit is a simple and powerful email marketing solution for serious marketers.

    If I would sum what ConvertKit is all about, here’s what I think:

    ConvertKit is a powerful new email service provider that provides InfusionSoft like automation capabilities without the InfusionSoft price.

    ​Don’t get me wrong — ConvertKit is far from being a full suite email marketing solution. However, it comes with some freaking awesome features helps you manage your email subscribers easily and more effectively.

    ​Creating an account on ConvertKit is simple (here’s the link). Right after that, I move forward to create my first email list and prepare to collect emails.

    This is what it looks like.

    creating email forms using ConvertKit

    ​ConvertKit is pretty sleek and creating forms is really easy. The entire process is well-thought through and seriously, it made my day!

    I was thinking that it will be something really tough to start with, and I was wrong. Thankfully!

    ​I decided to use ConvertKit because it has a drag and drop visual ​automation builder just like ActiveCampaign.

    convertkit visual automation review

    ​here’s where you can build “if this, then that” email marketing campaign.

    ​Advantages using ConvertKit (vs ActiveCampaign)

    • check​ConvertKit is the best for online creators
    • checkInbuilt with landing page and lead in forms
    • check​ConvertKit ​easy-to-embed, customizable opt-in forms help you turn casual readers into repeat customers
    • checkConvertKit homepage dashboard allows you to keep track of your growth ​that displays subscriber data and opt-in conversions
    • checkConvertKit simple workflows with “if this, then that” style automation rules make it easy to create your own custom rules
    • checkInbuilt drag-and-drop sequence builder (visual automation) helps you create personalized automated emails to grow your list while scaling your business
    • checkEasily organize email subscribers from one list with tags and segments (minus the massive costs)
    • checkFriendly and knowledgeable support team

    ​Disadvantages using ConvertKit (vs ActiveCampaign)

    • ​Entry level pricing is a little steep
    • ​No free trial available

    ​ConvertKit is the best if …

    ​As said earlier, ConvertKit is not for everyone. However, if you are serious in tagging and segmenting your audience, ConvertKit is a better option compared to ActiveCampaign.

    Besides that, the single biggest advantage that ConvertKit has over ActiveCampaign is simply because the pricing structure. While ConvertKit is more expensive in the entry level, ActiveCampaign costs more when you have a large email list (or require additional features). ConvertKit doesn’t charge additional for features which extremely favorable when it comes to dollar and cents.

    ActiveCampaign

    ​ActiveCampaign is an unique email marketing solution. Highly affordable, free trial and good entry level pricing makes ActiveCampaign highly sought after tool.

    My first reason for choosing​ ActiveCampaign is because I used MailChimp for a long time. And I seriously miss their HTML template builder.

    With ActiveCampaign, I have pretty similar feature and I can start creating email templates based on my needs.

    active campaign email template builder

    ​The visual builder is intuitive and fun to use. As a matter of fact, I did not experience a single glitch when using ActiveCampaign!

    So, what did I switched from ActiveCampaign to ConvertKit? More on this below.

    ​Carry on reading the below to find both the advantages and disadvantages using ActiveCampaign.

    ​Advantages using ActiveCampaign (vs ConvertKit)

    • checkDrag and drop builder is slightly more intuitive compared to ConvertKit
    • check​ActiveCampaign can easily be converted into a CRM to understand your customer behavior
    • check​Integration between email marketing, site messaging and SMS under one roof
    • checkComes with Chrome extension
    • checkIntegrated form builder
    • checkActiveCampaign can track page visits and custom events you define, providing real-time behavioral analysis
    • checkActiveCampaign comes with 14 days free trial
    • checkA support team who is available 24/7/365 to help out

    ​Disadvantages using ActiveCampaign (vs ConvertKit)

    • ​Higher pricing structure for larger list
    • ​Entry level pricing provides limited features
    • ​Higher learning curve compared to ConvertKit

    ​ActiveCampaign is best if …

    ​You love creating​ email marketing funnels and you have a small list. This is what I mean.

    ActiveCampaign is best for new bloggers or marketers who aim to make the best out of email marketing. The full email marketing suite is great for business owners if you don’t mind about the price.

    Which Email Marketing Solution Is Better Than MailChimp?​​​​ConvertKit vs ActiveCampaign: Which is better?

    ConvertKit offers a more all-rounder feature and pricing structure, which for me is the best choice available. Plus, it is extremely easy to scale with ConvertKit and there is migration services available (for free) when you are moving from other email providers.

    ​ActiveCampaign works marvelously well in many parts but the downside for me is the pricing structure. To have a full suite of features, it costs way more than ConvertKit and is definitely eating up my profit margin. This is also the reason why I switched from ActiveCampaign to ConvertKit months ago.

  • MailChimp Competitors: 4 Free and Paid Email Marketing Tools For Your Business

    MailChimp Competitors: 4 Free and Paid Email Marketing Tools For Your Business

    ​Looking for the top ​MailChimp competitors?

    In this post, you will discover the top 4 MailChimp competitors in today’s market.

    But before that, what is MailChimp and why only the top 4?

    ​Yes, there are many email marketing softwares today but not many of them are able to compete head on with MailChimp especially with the generous forever free MailChimp account.

    The 2,000 email subscriber limit is one of the biggest and most important factor that helped MailChimp grew to what they are today.

    ​​MailChimp is one of the leading email marketing platforms that offers easy-to-use interface which is perfect for beginners who want to send newsletters and automated emails with little to no learning curve.

    ​While MailChimp is often consider the go-to choice for email marketing, MailChimp has several downsides and may not be the best choice for you.

    For starters, you can ​only truly leverage MailChimp if you have design and coding skills to create beautiful email templates.

    Apart from that, MailChimp isn’t the best option if you are an affiliate marketer or planning to use emails to sell affiliate products. If you do so, your account may be terminated or closed without any notice.

    ​Make no mistake. MailChimp is a good email marketing software but it certainly has some major disadvantages especially with affiliate marketers. You may want to take a look at this article where I highlight some of the biggest disadvantages using MailChimp.

    ​Without further a due, let’s dive into the top MailChimp competitors for 2018.

    ​Top MailChimp Competitors Worth Checking Out

    • ​AWeber
    • ​GetResponse
    • ​ConvertKit
    • Drip

    ​1. AWeber—​Email marketing software for affiliate marketers

    aweber better than mailchimp

    ​If you are an affiliate marketer, you are going to to love what AWeber can do. AWeber is a great MailChimp alternative because provides a lot more email marketing features compared to what MailChimp can offer.

    ​Advantages using AWeber

    • ​Split testing ability
    • checkDrag and drop visual editor
    • ​Supports HTML and plain text emails
    • Automation based on ​RSS to Email
    • checkEasy to use (low learning curve)
    • check​Mobile application available
    • checkFast support (respond under 10 minutes)
    • checkHigh delivery ratio
    • checkConstant features upgrade
    • checkIntuitive dashboard and reporting tools
    • check​Mobile responsive templates
    • checkIntegrated popup and lead generation forms
    • checkUsed by top influencers such as Neil Patel (CrazyEgg) and Brian Dean (Backlinko)
    • checkHighly affordable (starts at $19 per month)

    ​Disadvantages using AWeber

    • ​Doesn’t come with a forever free plan

    ​AWeber vs MailChimp

    I am a huge fan for both AWeber and MailChimp. Personally, I hate the fact that AWeber doesn’t come with a forever free plan. In terms of email marketing features, AWeber offers more detailed reporting and more importantly, zero coding skill is required for using AWeber.

    ​Try ​AWeber for 30 days free (no credit card required)

    ​2. GetResponse—Affordable and yet powerful

    is getresponse better than mailchimp

    ​GetResponse is not only one of the top MailChimp competitors, it is also a competitor to many other email marketing solutions including AWeber.

    ​In terms of features, GetResponse offers more than most of the market leaders when comparing side by side with pricing in mind.

    ​Advantages using GetResponse

    • check​Inbuilt landing pages
    • check​Drag and drop visual builder for email automation and funnel building
    • check​Integrated with stock photos from iStock at no extra cost
    • check​Detailed reporting tools
    • checkTagging and segmenting subscribers with ease
    • checkUnlimited mobile preview to ensure that your newsletter looks good all the time
    • checkDynamic content allows you to deliver only the most relevant, highly-personalized emails to your audience
    • checkAutomate your email marketing with autoresponders
    • checkOptimize message delivery using GetResponse ‘Perfect Timing’ feature
    • checkSuper high delivery (99% delivery rate)
    • checkAbility to track and optimize your email marketing campaigns in just a few clicks
    • checkGetResponse is super affordable ($15 per month for 1,000 email subscribers)

    ​Disadvantages using GetResponse

    • ​Pricing is slightly step after the entry level plan

    ​GetResponse vs MailChimp

    ​For me, GetResponse knocks MailChimp out of the park instantly with the drag and drop visual builder.

    getresponse mailchimp competitors

    ​Do you get what I mean now?

    ​Try GetResponse for 30 days free (no credit card required)

    ​3. ConvertKit—Plaintext email, anyone?

    is convertkit better than mailchimp

    ​If you love plaintext email marketing, you are going to love what ConvertKit can offer. Period.

    ​ConvertKit understands what it takes to grow a successful online business and therefore, ConvertKit comes with features tailored to your needs to help you achieve success faster.

    ​ConvertKit?

    ​ConvertKit is as powerful as Infusionsoft but as simple as MailChimp. Plus, ConvertKit is way much cheaper compared to Infusionsoft (and doesn’t cost you a dime to get onboarding too)!

    ​Advantages using ConvertKit

    • check​Easy-to-embed, customized opt-in forms
    • check​Detailed homepage dashboard
    • check​Simple workflows with “if this, then that” style automation rules
    • checkPowerful drag-and-drop sequence builder helps you create personalized automated emails to grow your list
    • checkConvertKit is subscriber-centric (that means you can easily organize your subscribers from one list with tags and segments)
    • checkConvertKit’s plain text emails not only give your marketing efforts a personal feel, they also help you avoid spam filters (that means you’ll start seeing higher open rates that turn into more conversions to help you grow you business)
    • checkExtreme high delivery rates making sure that your emails get delivered to inboxes without fail
    • checkExcellent and reliable support around the clock

    Disadvantages using ConvertKit

    • Not suitable for those who require HTML or image-rich emails
    • close​Slightly more expensive than other MailChimp competitors
    • ​Doesn’t come with a forever free plan

    ​ConvertKit vs MailChimp

    ​ConvertKit is a great email marketing software if you are serious in building an email list and staying engaged with your email subscribers.

    ​ConvertKit pricing starts at $29 per month and while it is slightly higher than most of the MailChimp competitors in the market, it is still considered very affordable with the features which ConvertKit offers.

    ​See what ConvertKit has to offer!

    ​4. Drip—Powerful eCommerce email marketing software

    drip is mailchimp competitors

    Drip is another top MailChimp competitor. Unlike ConvertKit which focuses heavily on bloggers, Drip put its focus on businesses (brick and mortar, and eCommerce).

    ​Drip used to be covered with ‘blue’ and now, it had redesigned, making it more interesting and effective for eCommerce.

    ​Advantages using Drip

    • check​Easily integrate your most used marketing tools with Drip
    • check​Drip’s tracking code delivers insights into who your customers are and what they want
    • check​Learn about your subscribers and website visitors, with Drip, and track the data any way you like
    • checkDrip allows you to apply custom tags, fields, or events to your customers in just a few clicks
    • checkIncrease customer engagement with workflows that adapt to your customers’ interests and behavior
    • checkDrip’s email builder makes it easy to customize every detail of your messaging for individual people
    • checkAvailability of custom conversion tracking
    • checkOffers forever free account (up to 100 email subscribers)

    ​Disadvantages using Drip

    • ​Steep pricing structure
    • ​Rather steep pricing structure for beginners

    ​Drip vs MailChimp

    To be honest, ​Drip is a great MailChimp alternative. It is easy to use and setup, Drip offers very professional display and interactive features so that you can spend less time on email.

    Drip stands as one of the top MailChimp competitors because it offers forever free marketing plan (up to 100 subscribers) and $49 per month for the next tier pricing.

    ​Another huge advantage using Drip is that you do not need to spend thousands of dollars on web design or coders. Everything can be done easily through their visual builder and their pre-made templates are best to none.

    ​Create a free account on Drip now!

    ​Which is the best MailChimp competitor/alternative?

    ​This is a tough question. Seriously.

    ​Here’s what I think.

    ​Go for AWeber if you are looking for an all-in-one email marketing solution that is affordable and easy to use.​

    Go for GetResponse if you need landing pages to be included in your email marketing. You can also take a look at this article for the ​best landing page builder for 2018 (that is way better than GetResponse).

    Go for ConvertKit if you are a blogger and love sending plaintext emails. This is by far the best choice for performance and money.

    Go for Drip if you are running an eCommerce business or require an email marketing software to make your email list work harder for you (and generates you more money).

  • Sumome Alternative: Top 3 Plugins To Help You Start An Email List

    Sumome Alternative: Top 3 Plugins To Help You Start An Email List

    ​Sumome tools have long been great assets to bloggers, marketers and website owners because they allow you to build an email list. While Sumome is a free tool to use, many people are looking for other Sumome alternative because as they progress down the email marketing business, Sumome is no longer a liable option — especially with the free plan.

    Sure, Sumome has a paid plan but it is priced at higher end which makes it extremely un-affordable for many.

    ​This is how their pricing plans look like.

    sumome alternative

    ​Here are some reasons why bloggers and marketers (including me) decided to look for alter Sumome alternatives.

    • Sumome free plan comes with only 200 subscribers
    • ​Entry level Sumome plan is $24 per month and caters for 750 subscribers only
    • ​Unlimited email subscribers starts at $59 per month

    ​While I appreciate the fact that Sumome offers discount of 20% for yearly subscription, this is probably the most expensive list building tool that I’ve ever come across!

    And with that, let’s move forward and get down to business. Let’s go through some of the best email list building tools and great Sumome alternatives.

    ​Thrive Leads

    thrive leads

    ​I know you have heard about Thrive Leads and you guessed it right. I love Thrive Leads because it is extremely simple to use and is absolutely more flexible than Sumome.

    ​Why is Thrive Leads is better than Sumome?

    ​Thrive Leads is cheaper than Sumome. Being a Thrive Themes membership costs you $19 per month and you have access to Thrive Leads and 9 other Thrive plugins and themes. Compared to Sumome, you are only able to use ​Sumome to build an email list (and nothing more). You can also purchase Thrive Leads separately at $67 per month (that’s $5.58 per month).

    Thrive Leads offers more features than Sumome. ​Absolutely a no brainer. This is true because Thrive Themes membership comes with 10 WordPress themes and 10 plugins for various blog and email marketing needs. Sumome is created solely for email marketing and therefore, it is definitely an advantage using Thrive Leads over Sumome.

    Thrive Leads ​templates ​are beyond awesome. This is not a one sided opinion. When you use Thrive Leads, you have the opportunity to explore dozens of optin forms compared to Sumome. While the templates on Sumome aren’t completely bad, more templates and demo forms are always welcomed especially when you are a beginner and doing split testing.

    How much does Thrive Leads costs?

    thrive leads pricing​See Thrive Leads in action here

    ​OptinMonster

    optinmonster sumome alternative

    OptinMonster calls themselves as the best WordPress lead generation plugin. How good is OptinMonster?

    More importantly, is OptinMonster a great Sumome alternative?

    OptinMonster is created by the talented WordPress entrepreneur, ​Syed Balkhi of WPBeginner. OptinMonster became famous as it was the first WordPress lead generation plugin that offers Exit Intent technology.

    With this technology, lead generation forms will only be visible when the website visitor is leaving the page. With Exit Intent technology, visitors will not longer receive lead generation forms that are annoying (you know how it feels like when a pop up flashes upon you when you are reading an article).

    ​How much does OptinMonster costs?

    how much is optinmonster

    ​If you are looking for a good Sumome alternative, you should consider using OptinMonster. It is powerful and it is also very user friendly (great for beginners)!

    More OptinMonster features here

    ​Bloom by Elegant Themes

    bloom email list builder plugin

    ​I have used many email opt-in WordPress plugins and I got to say that Bloom is probably the simplest I have ever come across.

    Bloom email list builder plugin is apart of the Elegant Themes (see my complete Elegant Themes review​) and it used by many other bloggers in the industry to grow their email list.

    But why Bloom?

    Bloom is bloody straightforward and everything is created to help beginners start building an email list fast.

    ​After installing Bloom, you are guided to create your first form and this is what you will see.

    Bloom plugin

    Bloom offers several optin forms to collect emails

    ​Once the type of optin is selected, you move forward to create a form to collect leads (you can choose from a wide range of pre-made templates). You will end up with something like this.

    Bloom lead generation plugin

    Sample of email optin form using Bloom

    ​What makes Bloom a great alternative to Sumome is the simplicity.

    ​The Bloom plugin provides advanced customization to ensure that your form is delivered to the right audience and at the right time.

    ​Bloom email list builder plugin is not sold separately and it comes with the Elegant Themes membership which starts at $89 per year (that’s $7.42 per month). Being a paying Elegant Themes member allows you have unlimited access to all premium themes including the famous Divi 3.0 multipurpose theme, and all the plugins as well.

    ​Click for more Bloom features

    ​Sumome Alternative: Which is the best alternative to Sumome?

    ​There is no definite answer to this but there is one thing for sure — Sumome is not worth it especially with the paid pricing structure. The price is just too steep compared to what Thrive Leads, OptinMonster and Bloom are offering.

    Plus, all of these three Sumome alternatives provide more marketing features compared to Sumome.