Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

[Shannon Stepp]

This is Prototypesdirect.com. I am getting ready to launch a new web site on Vodahost hoping to increase my sales of my prototyping service. Obviously a email list is gold because of the targeted market and likely to do business 4-5 times a year with the same customer. That calls my site to be well branded to achieve enough sales to stay busy. I have already surpassed last year in sales but still have capacity left. My question is: Do I go with the email by hand to stay in contact and also send out a Prototype Newsletter(takes a lot of time-been there,done that) OR subscribe to a email service to collect the opt-in and let them store my list and use their mail service(monthly service fee that grows with your list) OR look into the future with hopes of success and purchase a email marketing software to do the same as a service and also do additional marketing (large $ output $3-400 that may come back in time). I think the second and third option would help with the all important spam-checks, opt-in forms, bounce backs and keeping a clean list most effectively. Automate is the way but which way. What have you found in your experience as a etreputor?

There is always the marketing strageties that will mentor you with their software. Anyone been there???

Can you help me to make an informed decision???

[Vasili]

Re: Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

The CANN and Ptriot Acts have been a very real technological challenge, although they both protect the consumer and offer greater relief for merchants with the expanded roles and recourse.

If, like me, you have a large validated opted list of clients that you wish to further process, the choices are indeed slim to take advantage of whatever freedoms are still available when it comes to email processing itself. I too, wish to remain both compliant and still as independent as possible when it comes to servicing my clients and my proprietary information.

Constant Contact does it all, but is premium priced. And, there are other providers that do the same thing at whatever comparable values, but they are still outside providers. Thus, the snag: to remain compliant with not only the CANN aned Patriot Acts but also have a modicum of assurance your emails will remain deliverable, you almost are almost forced into using an outside provider who maintains WhiteList status with the likes of Google, AOL, and Yahoo, all of which have implemented a "Certified Email" program (there are a number of threads here in VodaTalk that detail these nefarious programs and the brinkmanship they have contrived to create them).

Honestly, with my more than 220,000 validated client list, I have been patiently awaiting Gen. Navaldesign to announce his completion of a small "utility" to allow such mass distributions from VodaHost, and he has been delayed about 45 days so far.

My only other choices are on both sides of the spectrum: continue talks with Microsoft/RMS developers to morph out the CRM mode, even as a Beta; and the last resort would be to go back to using ACT and adding in the newest "request only" module for enterprise level email abilities (presently available only in the web-based application, but can be CD'ed for a negotiated price).
>> ACT (standard package) allows the complete range of email preparation and formats, and individually addresses each email (so recipients do not see distribution lists in the "To" and "Cc" fields) at much quicker rates than other static utilities (up to 600/hr). AND the ACT partners are capable of maximizing this program for you for rates far less than Constant Contact or the likes!
** Keep in mind the threshold of outgoing emails on VH servers is limited to 200/hour, which may predicate your overall technology!

[Shannon Stepp]

Re: Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

I currently have a small list and only recently have intentions of adding to the list. If the list becomes larger, outside third party mail systems will become more costly, where as an in house programs may pay for itself in a couple of years. I will look into Act. Thanks for the assistance.

[Momus]

Re: Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

Hi Shannon,

I have a review/endorsement of AWeber at http://www.im-101.com/review5.html. It's an extremely popular choice (though Vasili apparently isn't a fan!).

I use it, I love it, and that's why I recommend it. There's a 30-day "test drive" right now, so maybe you can have a look and decide if it's right for you.

Best of luck!

[LadyEye]

Re: Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

Shannon, you do need to pay particular attention to the rules and regulations that Vasili points out in this matter of mailing lists ...

However, I have been quite successful at using my Outlook Express to maintain mailing lists as well as send out mail.

My tips on the matter - set yourself up a mailbox in Horde, view the tutorials for adding your account to send and receive your mail within outlook express.

I added 30 clients only to one mail list and would begin another mail list for client 31, etc., dependent on the number of clients, it depends on the number of lists you have ...

Prepare your work and select yourself as the main recipient and bcc your mail list (this way everyone is not seeing everyone's email address) and you also receive a copy of what you sent out ... the mail actually goes out from your outlook with your domain email address.

Another tip is to be careful of the hours you send out your mail, try and avoid peak times and allow at least 5 minutes in between selecting your next list of 30 clients .. (All of this helps you maintain the fact that you are not spamming).

And all of this is free if outlook is available to you ...

Your material can be prepared on a word document and pasted to the email ...

Hope this helps you decide and saves you money for now at least.

[Vasili]

Re: Email Software, Email Service or the hard way?????

I have a review/endorsement of AWeber at http://www.im-101.com/review5.html. It's an extremely popular choice (though Vasili apparently isn't a fan!).
I use it, I love it, and that's why I recommend it. There's a 30-day "test drive" right now, so maybe you can have a look and decide if it's right for you.
Best of luck!

I have personal experience with Aweber that is completely opposite of the planted testmonials online, and am not so easily impressed......nor is it easy for me to forget the ruses and broken promises that affected my business so negatively!

The key to the "email question" is simply the volume of email you plan to manage, and how important it is to you to maintain a professional image (the design capabilities of the emails themselves are also a core issue, but in almost all utilities remains quite similar).

If you have less than 1000, then LadyEye's suggestion regarding both Outlook and Express above is probably the sound solution you should focus on. You can easily hook it up to your VodaHost email setup to send out many more than 1000, but no more than the allotted 200/hour.

If you are working with a list of greater than 5,000 then you should consider the specific solutions having software yourself or a third-party provider presents, and the differences between the two and how they fit your scheme.
>> That is why I continually suggest using ACT (less than $200), as it handles every aspect of a professionally managed email marketing plan, and can precisely allow you to design in any formats. With the ability to supercede Outlook and send mass distributions effectively and completely customized, with all the details that the outside services offer as well. *ACT even has a preferred list of providers to outsource with, if your ISP cannot handle your loads or if it becomes too much of a project for you alone, and they are far less expensive than a true outsourced provider.

If, like me, you have a very large list or require specific functionality, a 3rd party provider makes sense, especially as they strive to maintain "WhiteList" status to assure deliverability to proprietary communities such as AOL, Google (gmail), and Yahoo -- all of which have successfully enabled a "class email filtering" or Certified Email program since Summer of last year (unless you are on their Preferred list, chances are your email will not be deliverable having been flagged as Spam, despite coming from an "innocent" origin: i.e. yourname@juno.com rather than newsletter@yourdomain.com).

Thus, the cost to purchase a proven software to do the job like ACT is small potatos compared to even the basic cost of using Aweber or any other 3rd party provider (even with a trial period) and should serve you more soundly for far longer.

Bottom Line? Use Outllook/Express (hooked into your VH technologies) as mentioned above until your campaigns outgrow it, and then look to ACT to preserve your independence and financial ROI on a well-managed email program that will represent a better ROI and produce the results you seek. Or, intelligently design your plan to incorporate ACT now, and have the freedom to discover the other features it offers to expand your business development!


AWeber might be just fine for "newbies" but is not a solution I reccommend for anyone who expresses any true awareness or prefers to carefully manage both their finances or their hard-won clients.....ACT will pay for itself in 7 months in contrast to AWeber, and with much less stress and far more reliable independence.