Anybody on here use commercial programs, like Constant Contact? We are considering trying it to broaden our client base, preferably in the States. Google shows me many options, but would like some real world advice. Thanks, guys.
Anybody on here use commercial programs, like Constant Contact? We are considering trying it to broaden our client base, preferably in the States. Google shows me many options, but would like some real world advice. Thanks, guys.
Dont do it. Email is not an advertising medium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE
I just noticed you're trying to "broaden" your client base. If you're going to do email marketing, it needs to be to people who have explicitly agreed to receive your message. You could try a newsletter format to your existing customers, if you have their consent, and hope you get some forwards out of it. You need to understand the CAN-SPAM act if you're operating in the US.
Email marketing, if done well, can be very effective. If done badly, it can alienate potential customers.
We use Constant Contact and I've also used MailChimp. Personally, I'm more familiar with the latter. It's easy enough to get started with, and it's free under a certain volume so you can play with it a bit.
If you want suggestions on buying mailing lists, I can't help there.
From the other side of it as a receiver of the constant barrage of marketing emails I can tell you that 100% of unsolicited emails I receive go directly into the the trash and 99.9% of the ones I get from companies I have bought stuff from in the past go directly into the trash.
I really, really dislike Constant Contact. If you go with them, please DO NOT give them my email address. Once they have it, you are screwed. There is no way to stop them from spamming you, regardless of what they say.
So, I'm going with, NO on the email thing.
I'm a HubSpot fan. It's an all in one marketing automation platform. They do some slick things with website, email and social integration. If you are serious about it and have a budget, I would recommend looking into it.
If you are trying to do it on the cheap, use MailChimp.
The issue with Mail Chimp is that they are very aggressive in making sure that you have permission to mail to the list you upload. If they even think your list might be an unsolicited list, they will block it and you are dead in the water. They want you to believe that people trust them more because of this and your campaigns will perform better, but that's BS. People block e-mail regardless of what platform it was sent from, just ask Nick Comstock.
Vertical Response is much better in this regard, they use the honor system and let you do what you want. If you are building a list of unsolicited e-mails through research, you'll actually be able to send it with them. The downside I have found with them is there user interface sucks. Very hard to do what you want unless you use their templates exactly as they come.
Constant Contact is middle of the road between the two, I had trouble using it and their customer support sucked so I moved on pretty quickly.
Also look at how many e-mails you are going to be sending. Most companies charge either a flat monthly rate or a per-e-mail rate (or the option between the two). How often you send and how many messages you send will dictate which plan you want to use. And remember that the average inbox hates attachments and images, so keep it short and simple and include links to some place online for more info.
In reply to Dr. Hess:
In their support section, they have an article on SPF configuration. In it, they document every network address they use to send marketing messages. If you have the ability, blocking these source addresses will block mail from Constant Contact customers.
If I buy something from a company, once, and they take that as permission to email me once a week forever after, I make it a point not to buy anything further from that company, ever.
Count me in the don't do it camp.
pinchvalve wrote: The issue with Mail Chimp is that they are very aggressive in making sure that you have permission to mail to the list you upload. If they even think your list might be an unsolicited list, they will block it and you are dead in the water.
How is that a bad thing?
pinchvalve wrote: Vertical Response is much better in this regard, they use the honor system and let you do what you want. If you are building a list of unsolicited e-mails through research, you'll actually be able to send it with them.
WTF? Am I on bizarro planet? How is this a good thing, unless you actually want to be a lowlife spammer?
Ok, I hate spam emails just like the rest of you guys, but remember, most of marketing is "unsolicited", and it can be of benefit to a consumer.
TV/Radio/Bilboard/Newspaper ads are unsolicited. Direct mail to your house is unsolicited.
You can still pick up a coupon or ad for something you did not know exists through an unsolicited email, commercial, or whatever.
My point is, targeted email campaigns can be successful, and can be a value ad for the recipient, even if the recipient is not a current or prior customer. Sure, it's easy to just blast a spam message to everyone and their mother, but that isn't the only way to leverage an email campaign.
Mike wrote: In reply to Dr. Hess: In their support section, they have an article on SPF configuration. In it, they document every network address they use to send marketing messages. If you have the ability, blocking these source addresses will block mail from Constant Contact customers.
I decided to look it up, since I'm finally at a real computer.
At this moment, it looks like that works out to 208.75.120.0/22. Another way of putting it would be the IP range from 208.75.120.0 to 208.75.123.255 inclusive.
Block that, and you'll block mail from Constant Contact customers.
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