The Critical Tool That Powers The List - The 13
Questions You Must Ask When Choosing A
Listserver For Your Business
By Paula Morrow
http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com
Without a doubt, being able to market through
email plays a critical role in how successful
you will be on the internet. So, choosing the
right listserver to power it will be one
of your most important decisions.
So, which one to choose?
There are many worth consideration, so here
is a list of 'filter' questions that will
help you make your decision. Remember, no
listserver has ALL of these features -
prioritize their importance based on your
business:
*Do You Want Your Listserver Located In
Your Desktop, Or Hosted By A Third Party?
A Desktop Listserver (as the name implies)
is installed in your own desktop computer.
ASP (Application Service Provider) programs
are hosted on a separate server.
ASP enables a quicker distribution of email,
since outside servers typically have access
to faster internet connections. However,
if you choose to use a desktop listserver,
ask whether it distributes emails using
multi-threaded internet connections (instead
of sending out emails sequentially, one by
one, does it search out different 'threads'
and distribute multiple emails
simultaneously, through your internet
connection)?
*Does the Listserver Support Both Text
and HTML Messages?
Most emails are sent in simple 'text'
format, though sending graphics, banners,
etc., through HTML, is becoming more
popular. Consider your current and
future needs; many listservers offer
both options.
*Does The System Support Multiple
Languages?
Group Mail, for example, currently
supports 30 international character
sets. Remember, the internet is a
GLOBAL medium.
*Does It Have An Autoresponder
Function For Automated Follow-up?
*Does The Listserver Offer An
Automated Subscription and Removal
Support for Newsletters?
At the bottom of newsletter messages,
there MUST be a way for the recipient
to unsubscribe, if they wish.
*Can your listserver process and
remove 'bounces' (returned emails)?
*Can new prospects be added to an
opt-in list automatically?
[NOTE: Make sure these last three
functions can be applied to multiple
mailing lists, email accounts and
newsletters, if you have more than
one site. ]
*Does The Listserver Protect The
Privacy Of Your Customer Data?
Unfortunately, there are some programs
out there that expose client details.
Make sure yours keeps your list detail
confidential.
*Does The Listserver Limit the Size
of Your List?
Some ASP services have a built-in
ceiling of around 10,000 names/email
addresses per account (if you have
multiple lists, all names are included
in this total). Many offer expansion
options, at additional cost. Again, ask.
*Does Your Listserver Allow You To Do
A Personalized/Customized Email Merge?
Some allow you to isolate the first
name for salutations, others personalize
using both first and last.
*Does The Listserver Offer Ways To Filter
Your Mailings?
Can you filter your list to send messages,
for example, to only those in a certain
state or region?
*Can You Easily Import And Export Your
Database?
Does the listserver have restrictions
in the way an exterior database can be
imported? This is important especially
for an offline business coming online,
that may have an existing, computerized
customer list. Some are more flexible
than others.
*Can You Easily Monitor The Status Of
Your List?
Can you monitor list size? Daily
sign-ups? Determine the number of
recently unsubscribed? Determine the
status of an email broadcast?
Here are a few services to start your
research - click on the provided links
to go to their sites and learn more:
Desktop's:
Corey Rudl's Mailloop
http://www.marketingtips.com/mailloop/t.x/655541/
Infacta's GroupMail Plus
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=3937&U=50182&M=1465
MessageMedia MailKing
http://www.mailking.com
Gammadyne Mailer
http://www.gammadyne.com/mmail
ASP's:
AWeber (also has an autoresponder system)
http://www.aweber.com/?67609
Autopilot Riches (also has an autoresponder system)
http://www.autopilotriches.com/app/default.asp?pr=7&id=27041
SparkList's adaption of Lyris
http://www.sparklist.com
MessageMedia's UnityMail
http://www.unitymail.com
Email Factory
http://www.emailfactory.com
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Paula Morrow is president of http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com.
She specializes in public relations, information
marketing and creating cashflow systems, plus coaches
new webpreneurs on innovative ways to promote online.
Her newsletter, IDEALProfits, is read in over 12
countries. Subscribe, and receive the co-brandable
'How To Start Your Own Traffic Virus' and 4 other
ebooks FREE. http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com/subscribe.html
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