Secure the budget early | Schedule a meeting to align on funding for licensing, onboarding, and any needed integrations with your email marketing system. |
Set a realistic monthly budget | Most small teams spend an average of $72 per user/month on their broader marketing software. |
Compare pricing tiers side by side | Check what’s included in each plan. Some features may be locked behind higher tiers. |
Check limits and scalability | Make sure the plan supports your current contact list and monthly campaigns and can grow with you. |
Watch for hidden costs | Ask vendors about training and integration costs. |
Clarify goals and desired outcomes | Define 2–3 measurable outcomes (e.g., improved click-through-rate and open rate) and share them with your selection team. |
Ensure alignment on evaluation criteria | Set a meeting to agree on key criteria like ease of use, reporting, integrations, and scalability. |
Engage a diverse stakeholder group | Include reps from IT (compatibility), finance (cost), operations (process fit), and end users (usability). |
Improve communication around decisions | Create a shared log to track vendor feedback, demo notes, and next actions. |
Perform a security review | Create a checklist of required standards (e.g., GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001) and include it in your RFP. |
Develop a vendor risk assessment | Use a simple matrix to evaluate each vendor’s financial stability, support responsiveness, and compliance. |
Start with a free trial or freemium plan | Test the interface, features, integrations, and usability before signing the contract. |
Update your vendor list | Revisit your shortlist and add at least one new tool. |
Consider reviews from similar companies | Read reviews from businesses of similar size and industry to understand real pros and cons. |