Best Email Marketing Tools: Independent ESP or All-in-One?

If you ask me whether to choose an ESP that performs only one function or a so-called all-in-one ESP, I would not give you an definitive answer. It is essential to understand their differences and available options.

First, let’s categorize ESP solutions into the following groups:

• Designed exclusively for email marketing
• ESPs that support email and SMS marketing
• ESPs offering email, SMS marketing, and additional features like customer engagement tools, reviews, chatbots, and more

All of these platforms have common characteristics like segmentation, deliverability, tracking revenue, and automations, but they differ in functionality and stored data. Some platforms are built as no-code solutions, while others require more advanced technical knowledge which I would also recommend taking into account when deciding.

With that in mind, let’s explore whether all-in-one ESP solutions provide advantages and which businesses can benefit from them.

Are you interested in email marketing segmentation strategies? Check out our latest post on the trends of 2025.

eCosystem: The Next Step in Email Marketing

We frequently recommend that our clients build an eCosystem, which is the next step after establishing a stable email marketing foundation.

What Is an eCosystem?

I would explain it this way: eCosystem is a combination of tools or features within a marketing platform that enhances customer engagement by expanding communication channels. This increases touchpoints, triggers, and conversion opportunities, ensuring a stronger customer retention strategy.

Developing an eCosystem helps brands establish a continuous presence in their customers’ information space without being overly intrusive. It fosters brand loyalty through engagement, support, exclusive offers, and incentives.

Let’s see the benefits of an eCosystem

• Email marketing as part of business strategy: By integrating email marketing into the broader marketing strategy, businesses can align campaigns with their goals and avoid inconsistencies.
• Increased brand loyalty: A strong email marketing strategy enhances customer retention and reduces competition by encouraging repeat purchases. This, in turn, improves the ROI of email campaigns.
• Consistent communication beyond sales: Engaging with customers beyond promotions helps build a more natural connection.
• Higher LTV (Lifetime Value): A well-developed eCosystem contributes to long-term business growth by increasing the revenue potential of existing customers.
• Fewer negative reviews: Proactive communication helps address concerns before they escalate into negative feedback. This also improves customer engagement and satisfaction.

Case Study: Improving Attribution and ROI with an All-in-One ESP

A skincare brand previously relied on three separate applications for email marketing, SMS marketing, and review requests without direct integration. Over time, attribution data became inaccurate, leading to misleading performance metrics. Additionally, review requests were often ignored.

After analyzing years of data, we identified an opportunity for improvement. We first adjusted attribution settings and then transitioned the business to a single ESP solution. This allowed them to track email and SMS ROI more accurately and integrate review requests within the same platform.

As a result:

• Negative reviews decreased by 10% within a few months
• The business gained real-time insights into its email campaigns
• Customer engagement and satisfaction improved significantly
• ROI on email marketing campaigns increased by 20%

How to Build an eCosystem

Based on our experience, an eCosystem can be developed using separate applications or within a single ESP solution. Let’s compare these two approaches.

Using Multiple Applications

• Integration is possible via API, built-in integrations, or third-party tools like Zapier or Make.
• Costs vary based on pricing models, email volume, and additional fees for third-party integrations.

Within a Single ESP Solution

• More accurate attribution of conversions to specific channels
• Easier cost control with all tools consolidated in one platform
• No need for external integrations, reducing technical complexity

For these reasons, I can confirm, that using an all-in-one ESP makes it easier to manage metrics, track customer journeys, and maintain an efficient marketing strategy.

Pro Tip: remember, having a specific niche or product can sometimes lead only to solutions where only multiple apps can be used. Each case is unique and requires analysis.

Searching for high-impact marketing strategies? Explore our related post here.

Steps to Implement an eCosystem

When creating an eCommerce ecosystem, please consider the following points:

1. Analyze the current setup – Identify existing marketing tools, automation gaps, and areas of improvement.
2. Assess business goals and requirements – Define clear objectives, whether it’s increasing customer retention, improving engagement, or maximizing conversion rates.
3. Identify suitable ESP solutions – Compare ESPs based on features, integrations, pricing, and usability.
4. Develop an implementation plan – Set up a roadmap with milestones, testing phases, and expected outcomes.
5. Design automation workflows for communication – Establish email and SMS automation sequences for different customer touchpoints.
6. Integrate, test, and analyze – Run initial tests, adjust settings, and measure key performance indicators (KPIs).
7. Optimize based on results – Continuously refine the strategy to maximize ROI and customer engagement.

Common Challenges When Implementing an eCosystem

While an eCosystem offers multiple advantages, businesses often face challenges when transitioning to an all-in-one ESP. Here are the most common obstacles and how to overcome them:

• Integration Complexity – Some businesses rely on multiple tools, making the transition to a single ESP challenging. Choosing a solution with native integrations can simplify the process.
• Data Migration Issues – Moving data from one platform to another can cause inconsistencies. A well-planned migration strategy helps prevent data loss.
• Learning Curve – Adapting to a new ESP requires training. Selecting a user-friendly platform or providing team training can ease adoption.
• Budget Constraints – Some all-in-one ESPs have higher upfront costs. However, they often provide better long-term ROI by consolidating tools and streamlining workflows.

Pro Tip: Be sure to make a migration correctly, make a backup of it and do initial transitions on a test account.
As an option, you can always create a test account, for instance, in Klaviyo and see how the migration will be completed, and only after that move it to your main account to avoid mixing or duplicating data.

If you’re still unsure about which ESP to choose for your eCommerce business, platforms like GoodFirms offer valuable insights and ratings, allowing you to explore and compare different ESPs to find the best fit for your needs.

Case Study: Uncovering the Real Reason Behind a Reported 50% Revenue Drop

One of our clients from the skincare industry reached us with a serious concern: according to Shopify, their revenue had dropped by 50% within a year.

During our investigation, we discovered that the company had undergone a data migration from WooCommerce to Shopify. However, the migration was not executed correctly. As a result, orders from the pre-migration period were duplicated, significantly skewing the revenue data and creating the illusion of a much larger decline.

To resolve this, we recommended involving Shopify specialists to backup the existing data and correct the migration errors. Once the issue was fixed, the actual revenue decline was revealed to be 18% rather than 50%. This crucial finding allowed us and the client to develop a more accurate strategy moving forward.

This case highlights the importance of data accuracy during migration and how a thorough audit can prevent misleading conclusions that may impact business decisions.

Does the Type of Business Affect the Type of Integrations?

From my experience, the answer is definitely yes.

Before making a decision, I recommend considering your business goals, industry, and niche. For example, if you operate in the healthcare sector, certain platforms may not be suitable due to industry-specific requirements, high levels of personalization, and the possible need for human involvement in communication for better consultation. In our practice, ActiveCampaign has proven to be an excellent platform for efficiently unifying multiple channels.

For eCommerce businesses, the range of available options is much wider. However, it’s crucial to evaluate factors like ROI on software investments and technical solutions to ensure they meet all your business needs.

Our team is always happy to provide expert guidance on the best path forward. Feel free to reach out for a consultation!

Trends in ESP Solutions for 2025

• AI-Driven Personalization: More ESPs are integrating AI to optimize email content and sending times.
• Omnichannel Marketing Growth: Businesses increasingly combine email, SMS, push notifications, WhatsApp and more.
• Stronger Data Privacy Compliance: GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations shape ESP development.
• No-Code Automation Expansion: More ESPs focus on user-friendly automation builders.

For more trends in automations for 2025, explore our blog post.

All-in-One ESP Solutions Examples

All-in-One ESPs I would definitely recommend, depending on your goals and business type:

• Klaviyo – Email, SMS, push, review requests, B2C CRM, AI-based chatbots and even more.
• Yotpo – Email, SMS, loyalty programs, referral systems, and reviews
• Attentive – Email & SMS marketing
• Customer.io – Email, SMS, push notifications
• Sendlane – Email, SMS, and review requests
• Brevo – Email, SMS, and WhatsApp (great for Europe)

I would like to add that these apps, especially Klaviyo do evolve over time and we expect to have even more solutions in there.

Conclusion

By choosing the right ESP solutions, businesses can streamline their email marketing, optimize attribution, improve customer engagement, and increase ROI. Whether you opt for a standalone email marketing platform or an all-in-one ESP, the key is to ensure seamless integration with your business goals.