Email Marketing Software
Subscriber management, campaigns, and email automation.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| List Management | Subscribers, segments, tags, cleanup | Smart segmentation |
| Campaign Builder | Drag-drop editor, templates, preview | Content generation |
| Automation | Drip sequences, triggers, branching | Optimization |
| Personalization | Dynamic content, merge tags | Hyper-personalization |
| A/B Testing | Subject lines, content, send time | Multi-variate |
| Deliverability | Reputation, authentication, warmup | Predictive monitoring |
| Analytics | Opens, clicks, conversions, revenue | Predictive analytics |
| Transactional Email | Receipts, notifications, password resets | — |
| Forms/Signup | Embedded forms, landing pages | Smart capture |
| Compliance | Unsubscribe, preferences, GDPR | Auto-compliance |
Data Footprint
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | email, name, custom fields, status, source | High | High |
| Segments | rules, conditions, dynamic membership | Medium | Low |
| Campaigns | content, subject, from, schedule, status | Medium | Low |
| Automations | triggers, steps, conditions, metrics | Medium | Low |
| Events | opens, clicks, bounces, unsubscribes | Very High | Medium |
| Templates | HTML, design, blocks | Low | Low |
| Forms | fields, styling, placement | Low | Low |
| Tags | labels, assignment rules | Low | Low |
| Preferences | categories, frequency, consent | Medium | High |
| Integrations | ecommerce, CRM sync settings | Low | Medium |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | Contacts, activity, deals | Bi-directional |
| Ecommerce | Customers, orders, products | Bi-directional |
| Website | Forms, behavior, signups | Inbound |
| Analytics | Conversions, attribution | Outbound |
| Advertising | Audience sync | Outbound |
| SMS | Multi-channel campaigns | Bi-directional |
| Helpdesk | Support interactions | Inbound |
| Data Warehouse | Full export | Outbound |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriber records | Until unsubscribe/delete | GDPR, CAN-SPAM |
| Consent records | 7+ years | Compliance proof |
| Campaign history | Indefinite | Performance analysis |
| Event data | 1-3 years | Storage costs |
| Email content | Indefinite | Audit/reference |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverability | High | Inbox vs spam |
| Automation depth | High | Behavioral triggers |
| Ecommerce integration | High | For retail |
| Segmentation power | Medium | Targeting precision |
| Template quality | Medium | Design flexibility |
| Pricing model | Medium | Subscriber vs send based |
| Analytics | Medium | Revenue attribution |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Klaviyo | Ecommerce, segmentation | DTC, Shopify |
| ActiveCampaign | Automation, CRM combo | SMB, service |
| Mailchimp | Ease of use, free tier | Small lists, beginners |
| ConvertKit | Creator economy, simplicity | Creators, newsletters |
| Customer.io | Behavioral, developer-friendly | Product-led |
| Brevo (Sendinblue) | Price, transactional | Budget-conscious |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Subject line writing | A/B with suggestions | Auto-optimized |
| Content generation | Templates + manual | Full generation |
| Send time optimization | Basic ML | Individual prediction |
| Segmentation | Rule-based | Behavioral clustering |
| Personalization | Merge fields | Dynamic content per user |
| Churn prediction | Basic scoring | Predictive intervention |
Build vs Buy: Buy. Deliverability infrastructure, compliance maintenance, and integration ecosystem justify SaaS. Building email delivery is a specialized skill set.