An Introduction to ConvertKit

What exactly is it?

Suppose you want to do email marketing in your business effectively. In that case, you must subscribe to an email marketing platform (EMP), also commonly referred to as an Email Service Provider (ESP).

An email marketing platform is entirely different from what you normally use every day to receive and send your regular emails. If you try to run your email marketing from your regular email client, e.g. Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook, then you’ll soon discover that it’s simply not feasible.

There are (apparently) around 400 email marketing platforms on the market today, all varying in what they offer from a functional perspective, and in the pricing of their respective subscription models. Having used many over the last few decades, my platform of choice is ConvertKit.

In my opinion, and even though it’s not perfect (btw, there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ software platform), it’s the best choice for service-based solopreneurs who want to grow their income using effective email marketing strategies.

When did ConvertKit launch?

ConvertKit was founded in 2013 by Nathan Barry, out of a desire to find a better way to reach his audience as a blogger and creator (as he was at that time), to sell books and courses through email. Instead of a generic tool for all small businesses, Nathan decided that he wanted ConvertKit to be focused exclusively on the needs of online creators.

He started out doing freelance web design, before selling iPhone apps, and then growing his own audience and selling books about ‘design’.

When he learned that email marketing was the most reliable way to earn a living as a creator he launched ConvertKit to turn all the best practices he was learning into a repeatable system for other creators.

Where is the company based?

The company is based in Boise, Idaho, USA, where the founder, Barry, himself originates from. Even though it’s a USA-based business, it’s fully compliant with GDPR regulations and users in the UK and Europe regions can relax knowing that all the necessary ‘boxes’ for regulations compliance are ticked by ConvertKit.

How much does it cost to use?

Like most software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses, ConvertKit operate a ‘Freemium’ subscription model. This means they start with their ‘free‘ plan and then offer premium paid-for plans that provide more features.

If you’re just getting started, you can create a free ConvertKit account and get free access to all their premium features for 14-days, giving you a chance to try everything before committing to any financial investment.

Their premium plans, should you decide to subscribe, start at $9/m for an annual subscription for up to 300 subscribers, and from $15/m if you prefer to pay monthly, as you go.

What can I do with ConvertKit?

The ConvertKit platform has a raft of features that allow you to do everything you’ll need to effectively design, build, launch, and support your own email marketing system.

Functionality includes the ability to;

• Create opt-in forms and landing pages.
• Sign up new subscribers.
• Assign ‘tags’ to subscribers, allowing you to personalise their emails.
• Create email broadcasts and sequences.
• Design and build visual automations.
• Implement business rules that can be automatically be applied.
• Sell your digital products directly inside your emails.
• + much more!

The main prerequisite to generating an income from email marketing is having access to a platform (i.e. ConvertKit) that easily allows you to create all the assets you’ll need to share your content with your subscribers and convert them into regular paying clients.

If you haven’t grabbed your free account yet, you can get it using the link below;

​provenflows.com/convertkit

Cheers,

John