Choosing a Home for Your Mailing List? What You Should Know Before Moving In
by Merle
If you have a website, you know the importance of
having your own list. Most site guests won't buy from
you on the very first visit. Collecting their email
addresses,and building a relationship with them
through an ezine can lead to converting them to
buyers later.
So how do you manage your lists? You have
two options:
1) In House - Manage your own list, either from your
own server, or desktop. Either way, you will need to
install special software for this purpose.
2) Outsource: Use an outside web-based service
to manage your list. You log in and manage and
send mailing from the Net.
How do you know which solution is best for you?
You must consider all your needs so that no
matter which option you select, it can do what
you need it to do... even as your needs change.
The first thing to consider is the format you'll
be publishing in; text or HTML? Some list management
programs can publish in both formats simultaneously,
(called Multi-Part MIME). If your list management
solution doesn't include that feature, the only way
you can publish in both formats is to maintain two
separate lists.
You also need to consider your technological skill
level. If you're a novice with simple needs, you
don't want to use something overly complicated.
Some vendors offer a 30-day free trial; do take
advantage of these before making your final decision.
Finally, the size of your list will affect your
decision. If your list is very large, the cost of
using a third-party service may be the factor that
determines how your list will be hosted.
So how do you know if the software or service you're
thinking of using is reliable? Look for testimonials
on their site. If people are happy with a product
or service, they won't hesitate to send in a few words
about their great experience. If you have questions,
ask. Send a few emails to customer support for further
clarification. Their response time may be another
indicator of their quality and dedication.
Another thing to consider in this day and age is
"Double Opt In." With more and more states instituting
Sp@m laws, you may want to go this route now if you
haven't in the past. Do make sure that the service
or software you select can handle both single and
double opt in. Requiring your readers to confirm
their subscription requests will slow down the
growth of your list, but will also help to protect
you and give you proper documentation if you ever
find yourself in the middle of a lawsuit or accused
of spamm!ng.
Also helpful for documentation is the ability to
record a subscriber's IP address. Many services and
programs do this automatically.
If you decide to use an outside service make sure
they're trustworthy before handing over your hard
earned list. You wouldn't want some devious person
abusing your subscribers. Your subscribers' privacy
should be as important to you as it is to them.
As an online publisher, you'll also have to deal with
bounces. There are two types, "hard" and "soft." A
hard bounce is a permanent error, meaning the email
address is no longer valid. Soft bounces refer to
temporary problems due to a "full mailbox" or other
server issue. You'll want to know what system is in
place for removing the hard bounces so your list stays
current and clean. I know in my own case the software
I was using didn't provide for this, so I paid my
programmer to write a script that would automatically
delete all hard bounces the very first time they
bounce.
Manually maintaining your list can take up
a lot of your time,
so this is an important issue to consider, especially
as your list grows larger.
Also, if you continue to send to bad email addresses,
some service providers may block your IP address.
The result is that none of your emails will ever get
through again. This leads me to the topic of blacklisting.
If you decide to go with an outside service, you'll
want to make sure they're not being blacklisted. If
they are being blocked by any of the major ISP's like
AOL, none of your email will get through to any of your
subscribers that use that service. This is very important.
You don't want to be found "guilty by association."
Choose wisely. You don't want to move your lists and
then find out that hundreds of copies of your hard
earned ezine are being returned to you as undeliverable.
So now that you know what features to look for, let's
go over some of your options when it comes to software
or service providers.
Software/Inhouse Options:
1) CGI Script- http://CGIScript.net:
With a cost of only $49.00, this script installs on
your server and uses your own hosting provider for
actual mailings. Creates HTML or text ezines.
2) WorldMerge: http://www.Coloradosoft.com
Allows you to quickly and easily generate large numbers
of personalized e-mail messages using your database of
recipients and a "template" e-mail message. A free
evaluation version is available. Purchase for $59.00
3) GroupMail: http://infacta.com/gm.asp
Desk top software that allows you to manage multiple.
Sends in Two Part Mime format so you don't have to
keep two separate lists for text and HTML subscribers.
If the user can't read HTML, he'll automatically get
the text version. You can also schedule messages for
future delivery. Three versions available: free, pro
and plus. Free to $179.00, depending on the version
you select.
4) Subscribe Me: http://www.siteinteractive.com/subpro/
Installs easily on your server and runs on UNIX or
Windows platforms. Allows unlimited mailing lists
and the ability to track your incoming clicks from
links in your newsletter. Offers single or double
opt in.
5) PHP List: http://tincan.co.uk/phplist
Free to download. It is written in PHP and uses an SQL
database for storing the information. Personalized
mailing list manager.
6) Mojo Mail: http://mojo.skazat.com/
Mojo Mail is a web-based e-mail list management system,
which runs on any hosting account that can run custom CGI
scripts. Free to download. Try out the live demo on the
site.
Web Based Services: Outsource
***************************
1) iBuilder: http://VerticalResponse.com
Browser based; upload and manage your own list. Charges
are based on how many emails you need to send out. Full
template system available and a free trial so you can
test it out.
2) Email Works: http://www.Emailworks.co.uk/
Pricing depends on usage: 1 credit = 1 email sent. You
can sign up and try out the service, as you'll be
given 25 free credits for registering. Can send in
plain text or HTML.
3) Constant Contact: http://ConstantContact.com
Free 60-day trial. Create professional HTML personalized
emails and even allows you to schedule delivery times
in advance.
4) IntelliContact: http://www.Intellicontact.com/
Create and manage unlimited lists. Sends in Multi
Part Mime Format. Pricing is based entirely on the total
number of subscribers that you have in your account. A
list of 5,000 will cost you 25.00 per month, less if
paid annually. Try it for 30 days, and if you don't
like it your money will be refunded.
5) GraphicMail: http://www.GraphicMail.com/
A web-based tool for the design, management and
distribution of graphical e-mails. Use the online
editor to design your own ezine, or use one of the
handy templates. A list of 5,000 subscribers will
run you 19.95 a month. No obligation, 60 day trial.
6) EmailFactory: http://EmailFactory.com/
Create and manage your own lists with this easy online
interface. Offering many levels of service, the cost
of the beginner tier includes a one time set-up fee of
$100.00, then $25.00 a month. Easy to upload an
existing list, and can send in text or HTML with full
personalization.
7) Mailer Mailer http://www.mailermailer.com/
Simple web-based interface that allows you to
upload your existing list or start a new one.
Templates available if you'd like to use them.
Sign up for ability to try then out by sending
up to 200 messages for free.
8) Simple Post: http://simplepost.com/
Easy to import your existing list. Provides you with
statistics about how many people received the message,
how many opened it, and what links in the email were
clicked.Your subscriber base can't go over 50,000 and
a list of 5,000 will cost you 24.99.
As you can see, you have many options when deciding on
a home for your list. It's important that you find one
that does what you need now and has the ability to
grow with you into the future. Inhouse or outsourced,
the choice is yours just make sure you choose wisely.
A good home is hard to find, and once found you wouldn't
want to have to move out unexpectedly.
**********************************************
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com
"Where some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made"
Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction setting!
Publishers sell off your excess inventory and Buyers
pick up some Fantastic bargains. Free E-book on how to
write "glowing" ezine ads.....Download Now at
http://www.ezineadauction.com/ebooks/greatezineads.pdf
************************************************
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
More Newsletter Marketing Articles
More By Developer Shed
 developerWorks - FREE Tools!
|
This demonstration gives you an overview of IBM® Rational® Build Forge Express Edition, a global offering that provides a framework to automate and execute software processes. Rational Build Forge provides a software assembly line that can support all of your tools, technologies, and platforms so you can achieve a repeatable, reliable, and traceable build and release process.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Learn how you can extend modern application lifecycle management to IBM System z through the IBM Rational Software Delivery Platform (SDP). The Did you say mainframe? e-kit includes podcasts, webcasts, tutorials, white and red papers, demos, and articles designed to help ease the challenges of modernizing your enterprise. This complimentary kit for mainframe developers is a practical, how-to guide for making the most of an existing development environment, including the skills and infrastructure already in place at an established enterprise.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
In this tutorial, you can learn how to install and configure the IBM Rational Asset Manager Eclipse client, explore the different views in the Asset Management perspective, learn various search techniques, work with existing assets, and submit a new asset.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Learn how to implement a build management system that uses and extends your existing automation technologies. This tutorial shows, step-by-step, how to install and configure IBM Rational Build Forge to manage builds for Jakarta Tomcat from source code.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Portfolio Management is about effectively managing portfolio value by aligning portfolio investments with business goals. This complimentary e-kit provides a collection of materials that can help you understand how IBM Rational enables and automates best practices for improved governance and clear visibility into portfolio and project performance across the entire IT project lifecycle.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Visit IBM developerWorks to try the IBM SOA Sandbox for connectivity. The SOA Sandbox for connectivity provides a trial environment with the tooling and components to help you explore how to effectively connect your infrastructure and integrate all of the people, processes and information in your company. Use the hosted sandbox to explore SOA techniques that streamline connecting existing IT assets together, as well as learn how to connect them to new business logic.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
In this webcast, IBM Rational will discuss the importance of Web application security and will share techniques and best practices to introduce application security testing into current QA processes including: understanding common security vulnerabilities and techniques to integrate security testing with defect tracking and remediation systems in an effort to safeguard sensitive online information.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
Join this webcast to learn how IBM Rational's Functional Testing solution enables you to implement automation your way, at your pace, with your existing staff. In this webcast, you’ll learn how you can eliminate redundancy of manual test scripts, reduce errors, and increase test coverage through test automation. After this presentation you will understand how IBM Rational Functional Testing solution can streamline your manual testing and make test automation easily attainable.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
The unprecedented scope of a service-oriented architecture (SOA) initiative brings to the forefront a number of management and governance issues that were sidestepped in the past. The key to a successful SOA implementation is managing and governing activities throughout the entire SOA delivery lifecycle by ensuring that services conform to the needs of all of the business’s stakeholders. Learn how service lifecycle management allows the business to ensure that the process by which services are defined, created, tested, deployed, optimized and retired is manageable, repeatable and auditable.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
With IBM Rational Systems Development Solution, you can deliver products faster with higher quality. Within this kit, Read the “Model Driven Systems Development” white paper to see how to improve product quality and communication. Then check out the rest of the e-Kit to learn more about important topics that can affect the success of any software project through customer examples, tutorials, informative Webcasts, and best practices for designing, building and managing systems. From start to finish, at every stage in your projects, Rational Systems Development Solution can help your company reach its full potential.
FREE! Go There Now!
|
|
|
|
All FREE IBM® developerWorks Tools!
|
