In a Nutshell
pros
- Free up to 300 contacts
- Easy-to-use reporting tool
cons
- User Interface (UI) is antiquated
- Email templates need customization
Why Choose VerticalResponse
VerticalResponse is an easy-to-learn email marketing platform with competitive pricing and a complete tool set, that offers everything small businesses need for managing efficient email marketing campaigns.
It has won over 15 awards, including Gold in the Stevie Winner American Business Award and the 2014 Best in the Biz Small or Medium Business Service of the Year.
For users without designing or coding experience, it is easy to customize the templates with a drag-and-drop editor, and the upper-price tiers offer personalized email management support directly from the support team.
The addition of an informative reporting tool and a live chat system make VerticalResponse an optimal email marketing platform option for any small business.
Standard Features:
- Mobile-friendly drag-and-drop editors
- Customizable templates
- Reporting tools
- Scheduling
- Web publishing
- Surveys
- Automation
- Contact management
- API integrations
Templates
There are 8 templates offered, as well as the option to build one from scratch or import HTML files. The templates include options for newsletters, promotions, invites and other general uses. The design of the templates feels generic, so we recommend either having someone on the VerticalResponse team design a personalized template or hiring a professional to do so.
All of the templates are mobile, desktop and tablet friendly, and feature an easy drag-and-drop tool as well.
Pricing
VerticalResponse provides an impressive free option, with 4,000 emails and up to 300 contacts per month. It also has packages with features for cost-conscious businesses, and promotes a 15% discount for nonprofits, as well as bulk discounts.
For a mere $11 per month, businesses can send unlimited emails to 1,000 contacts. Add $5 to that, and you get a personalized template and advanced Google Analytics-style reporting that is easy to understand.
*Prices last updated May 2018
Ease of Use
VerticalResponse is best suited for basic email marketing functions like creating and sending emails, reporting on campaigns, scheduling and making simple autoresponders.
Simple is what VerticalResponse does best. It’s easy to figure out how to carry out a task in the dashboard, but it struggles to offer a complete overview of CRM and email marketing like other similar services do.
The drag-and-drop editor is easy to use, but the options for fonts and content modules are limited in scope. That being said, the support system is very responsive and can help make the most of any limitations.
Features
The advanced reporting tool is one of the platform’s best features. With data that covers device, demographic information and funnel optimization, it feels similar to Google Analytics and is impressive in scope.
Where VerticalResponse falls short, however, is its standard templates and dashboard. The standard templates look antiquated, rather than cutting edge. It will take a designer with coding experience to tweak the templates appropriately.
The dashboard can also feel a bit overwhelming, with a somewhat garish color scheme. While it’s immediately clear how the autoresponders fit into the campaigns, and setting up an initial campaign is easy, it takes work to figure out how to use VerticalResponse’s more in-depth features.
That being said, VerticalResponse’s upper price tiers offer personal email marketing support directly from the team and include services such as personalized email templates, social media posts and monthly newsletters. For those who would rather pay out of pocket for email marketing services, this could be a good fit.
Customer Support
VerticalResponse has live chat, a support phone line and email support offered Monday–Friday, 8am–7pm ET, with a guaranteed reply within 24 hours Monday–Friday and within 48 hours on Saturday and Sunday. Support often replies quickly and is eager to help.
There is also a community forum with frequently asked questions and resources to improve email marketing. The support community topics covered include creating new emails, creating lists, pricing questions, using the drag-and-drop editor and much more.
Using the live chat during the week and email support during the weekend will produce the optimal results. Just make sure you check the forum community first. There’s a good chance someone else has already had a similar problem.
VerticalResponse is also active on Twitter and Facebook and consistently offers advice and best practices from its social channels.
Most basic paid plans include phone support and an email system, which is very useful for people just getting started on email marketing. If you upgrade to the pro plan, one of VerticalResponse’s designers will create a custom template for you. The pro plus plans include social media marketing and custom email marketing management, which can be a fitting option for small businesses that can’t afford to hire someone to do their marketing.
Conclusion
VerticalResponse provides a cost-effective option for email marketing—especially for those starting out with a small list or for nonprofits. Depending on the level chosen, VerticalResponse offers drag-and-drop templates, personalized email templates, advanced reporting tools, survey abilities, autoresponders and API integrations.
When it comes to the depth of the tool and quality of the templates, VerticalResponse may leave power users with something to be desired, but it’s an ideal choice for those with a small budget and basic email marketing needs.
About VerticalResponse
Founded in 2001 by Janine Popick, the company secured $1.4 million in funding and turned a profit 4 years after it was founded. It purchased Roost, a social media marketing technology company, in 2011, and was acquired by the Deluxe Corporation in 2013. The Deluxe Corporation is planning on integrating VerticalResponse with its Deluxe Marketing Suite in 2024 to become an all-in-one platform.
