The ESP vs. CRM Debate: Which Tool Do Authors Actually Need?
Future-Proof Your Reader Connections with the Right Tool—and the Right Setup
When my youngest daughter was 13, she was a full-fledged theater kid—always rehearsing lines, managing props, and turning chaos into art. One night, she asked her dad to grab something from her purse. He reached in and pulled out a roll of pink sparkly duct tape. He held it up, puzzled, and asked, “What do you need duct tape for?”
Her reply was instant and matter-of-fact: “You never know what the night will bring, Father.”
Duct tape is great for quick fixes, but it’s not a long-term solution. And when it comes to managing your reader connections, many authors treat tools like ESPs (Email Service Providers) the same way—patching things together to get by for now, but eventually finding the system isn’t built to handle bigger challenges.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you need a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) alongside your ESP—or if you could use one tool to handle everything—you’re not alone. Let’s break it down: what ESPs and CRMs actually do, why they’re different, and how to create a system that works smarter—not harder.
What Is an ESP?
An Email Service Provider (ESP) is a tool that helps you send emails to multiple people at once. If you’ve ever sent a newsletter, launch announcement, or pre-order reminder to your readers, you’ve probably used an ESP.
At its core, an ESP is built to:
Collect email addresses through signup forms or landing pages.
Organize your list into segments (like “Romance Fans” or “Mystery Readers”) for targeted messages.
Send newsletters or email campaigns to large groups, whether it’s a one-off announcement or an automated sequence.
Think of an ESP as your communication megaphone. It’s how you broadcast updates, book launches, and announcements to all your readers. Popular ESPs for authors include Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and MailerLite.
Most ESPs also include basic automation (like sending welcome emails when someone subscribes) and analytics to track email performance.
But while ESPs are great for email blasts, they’re not designed for managing deeper, one-on-one relationships or personalizing interactions beyond simple tags. For that, you need a CRM.
What Is a CRM?
A Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) is more than just a tool—it’s your backstage manager (ha!) for building stronger, more personal connections with your readers. Think of it as the supercharged version of an address book. Yes, it stores names and email addresses, but it also tracks interactions, organizes data, and automates tasks that help you focus on what matters most: writing and connecting with your audience.
So, what makes a CRM so powerful? Let’s take a closer look at how it works for authors.
Organizing and Tracking Reader Relationships
At its core, a CRM helps you keep tabs on your readers—not just as a collective group, but as individuals. You can create detailed profiles for everyone who interacts with you, adding notes like “Met at BookCon” or “Loves ARCs in ePub format.” CRMs let you log purchase histories, track preferences (thrillers vs. romance, anyone?), and see who clicked on your latest email.
It’s like having a memory bank for your readers. No more scrolling through emails trying to remember if you thanked Carol for leaving that glowing review last year.
Automating Personalized Interactions
One of the biggest advantages of a CRM is its ability to automate your outreach. And we’re not talking about generic “Thanks for subscribing!” messages. With a CRM, you can create highly specific automations based on real-time actions.
Imagine this: A reader visits your New Release page on your website. Instead of sending them the next email in your general drip sequence, your CRM skips ahead and drops them into a book launch campaign. Or let’s say someone clicks on a link about book bundles in an email—you can automatically send them a follow-up featuring related deals.
These kinds of personalized automations make your emails feel less like marketing and more like tailored recommendations.
Thinking Outside the Inbox
Here’s where CRMs really shine: they can connect with other tools to deliver campaigns based on real-world events.
Weather-Based Campaigns: Let’s say it’s a rainy day in your reader’s area. Your CRM, synced with a weather API, can trigger a cozy “Perfect Weather for Reading” email with tailored book recommendations.
Geolocation Campaigns: Planning a book signing or event? Use location data to let nearby readers know where to find you—or highlight local bookstores that carry your work.
These automations are not only smart but also create moments of delight for your readers.
Integrating with Social Media
CRMs can also connect with your social media channels. Imagine this: Someone shares your post about your latest book launch. Your CRM picks up that interaction and sends them a thank-you email—or tags them as a superfan so you can engage with them more personally down the road.
Advanced Analytics at Your Fingertips
Another game-changing feature of CRMs is the ability to analyze your audience in ways ESPs can’t. You can track which campaigns are driving the most engagement, what genres your readers are responding to, and even which freebie opt-ins lead to purchases.
This kind of insight helps you refine your strategies, making your marketing efforts more effective and your connection with readers stronger.
Why CRMs Outshine ESPs
Here’s the bottom line: ESPs are fantastic for broadcasting messages, but they’re not built to manage deeper relationships or create complex automations. A CRM, on the other hand, thrives on personalizing interactions and delivering the right message at the right time.
Whether you’re dynamically updating drip sequences, syncing campaigns with weather or location data, or connecting with readers through social media, a CRM puts the tools in your hands to create an experience that feels effortless—for both you and your audience.Do You Need Both?
Here’s the short answer: not necessarily.
If you’re just starting out or only need to send newsletters and updates, an ESP like Mailchimp or ConvertKit is a solid option. It’s simple, effective, and handles basic email marketing.
But if you’re ready to scale, a CRM with built-in email marketing features can replace your ESP entirely. Modern CRMs like HubSpot, FluentCRM, and AgileCRM include all the features of an ESP—plus advanced automation and personalization capabilities.
What This Looks Like in Action:
Send newsletters, launch emails, and automated campaigns directly from your CRM.
Automatically tag and segment readers based on their behavior.
Track their full journey, from downloading your freebie to pre-ordering your next book.
This all-in-one approach saves time, reduces tool-juggling, and makes it easier to personalize your interactions at scale.
3 Actionable Tips for This Week
Audit Your Links:
Check your backmatter and social profiles. Are they pointing to ESP-hosted pages? Update them to point to your website, so you’re always in control of your reader connections.Start Tracking Relationships:
If you’re not using a CRM yet, start simple: Add notes to your contacts, tag readers based on their preferences, or track interactions like social media interactions.Automate Your Subscriber Backups:
Change your email subscription form to one that you control—and then use Zapier to keep backups of your subscribers in case of disaster. I call this the “ICIGHBAB” plan: In Case I Get Hit By a Bus. If you’re locked out of your ESP (or CRM), you’ll still have a backup in Google Sheets.Bonus for Paid Subscribers: Download my pre-built Zap as part of your subscription!
Don’t Build a House of Cards
Your reader relationships deserve more than duct-tape solutions. Whether you’re using an ESP, a CRM, or both, the key is setting up a system that works for you—not against you.
What’s your biggest challenge right now—scaling your email strategy or automating your reader connections? Hit reply and let’s make it happen.