The Iceberg Effect – How to compare ESP pricing
You are in the middle of choosing a new ESP and have narrowed your list down to a few – the ESP shortlist. They all seem to provide great service and good value for money – or do they? When considering the deals on the table do you know what the full costs are? Or have you only seen the tip of the iceberg, with many extra costs lurking beneath the surface?
A fair way to compare ESP pricing
When selecting an ESP it’s important to consider ahead of time what services you may require and whether or not you will have to fork out for them every time. Making a comparison between the different kinds of ESPs is similar to comparing smartphones without knowing the price. They might all have the same basic features (SMS and calls) but with very different extras (cameras, operating systems) and a very different price point.
Services such as basic account set up and competency email marketing training are things which many people would expect to be included in the price that they have been quoted. But often hidden costs turn up, which can leave a sour taste in your mouth having already signed a contract.
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This is a common problem which can see small and large companies alike racking up hundreds, if not thousands of pounds worth of expenses before they have even sent their first email. Thoroughly reading the small print and asking for the prices of extras ahead of time may well save you trouble and surprises later on. Here are some of the common catches to look out for:
Set Up Fees
Some ESPs charge a basic administration fee to have your account set up and ready to send from. Onboarding with your new ESP isn’t scary, but there will always be costs and they could rise more if you plan on using your own dedicated IPs. Paying these fees will be unavoidable if you want to start using the platform, so make sure you are aware of any costs like these before you sign the contract.
Training Fees
Whether you’re new to email marketing or a seasoned pro, most people will need to be shown their way around a new system – but how much will this cost you? Training costs vary depending on many factors, such as how in depth and personalised the session needs to be and whether it will be done over the phone or face to face, although quotes of up to £1,200 are not unheard of. Newer senders should be particularly cautious of this, as they are often the ones who require the most support.
Dedicated Account Management
Account Management can take many forms. This can range from having someone on the end of the phone to answer your questions, to going for full service email marketing and having a team load your campaigns for you and give you a detailed breakdown of the reporting.
Make sure there is clarity about what types of services are included in the price – whilst you might not be able to expect free campaign management, it should be a given that there is someone to help you with your day to day questions free of charge. It might be smart to add a SLA or Service Level agreement to the contract.
Bolt Ons and Extras
If you’ve chosen a new ESP based on the features they provide, such as a powerful segmentation tool or an integrated deliverability suite, be sure to check that they are also included in the contracted rate. You want to compare ESP pricing, but some ESPs offer their more advanced features as bolted on extras which come with an additional monthly charge or a one off payment required to use them. Be sure that all of the features which attracted you to the ESP in the first place are part and parcel of the service and price.
Overage Fees
Most ESPs operate on a cost per mille (CPM) basis or will charge you a fixed rate for you to send a set volume of emails. But what if you go over this amount? Some ESPs have an overage charge which they will impose if you go over your monthly quota instead of charging you on a CPM basis. If you anticipate some months where you will go over, make sure to calculate that in, before you sign.
Expected charges and the rest of the iceberg
Although there are some charges which can be expected when using an ESP, such as a set charge per volume sent, email creative design and build, and charges for damaging IPs allocated to you (for example, if they have been blacklisted due to your poor sending reputation), it’s easy to see how some customers end up paying above and beyond what they bargained for.
As a simple example, if you sign a CPM contract worth £1,000 per month (PM) you could end up paying an extra £300 for a training session to be shown your way around the system, £200 to have your data segmented and a further £500 once your mailing has been sent to have your reporting explained to you. Before you know it the invoice which you expected to see at £1,000 PM has made its way up to £2,000!
Avoid this happening to you by considering what features are a must have, what kind of support you expect to be part of the package and how much flexibility you will need. It is all part of the Requirements stage of choosing a new ESP. Take this information to your prospective ESP and make any final decisions armed with the knowledge of the true cost of using the platform. It will it easier to compare ESP pricing.
