It is probably no surprise that email marketers use software to make their jobs both easier and more lucrative. After all, since email marketing is entirely Web based, why not use software to provide more help? Thankfully, experienced email marketers know what they want in an email marketing program are less likely to fall for any old program, hook, line and sinker. If you’re new to email marketing and you’re still figuring out who to go with, here are some important features experienced email marketers consider when they make that important decision:
Database and list management
By a mile, the most critical element of your campaign is your email marketing list. The names and email addresses of people who have opted into your campaigns (thus keeping your email marketing reputation in tact) are the entire foundation of your business, whether it be online or brick & mortar. That’s why you need email marketing software that not only securely stores your list, but lets you segment it and add to it accordingly. Whether you want to merge lists or divide your email lists by geographic location, this is probably the most important element to consider when seeking email marketing software.
Newsletter and email layout tools
Whether you send your campaign to ten customers or thousands, you’ll need software that can tie together all parts of your campaign, from your email list to your layout. Your layout in itself, however, is extremely important. Good email marketing software makes it easy to assemble a good layout through cutting, pasting and other techniques. The best email campaign editors are intuitive ??” designed and tested to follow a logical, self-explanatory course.
Campaign scheduling tools
The more automated the system, the less you have to spend time making it work. After you get your newsletter and your list programmed into your scheduler, all you have to do is sit back and watch your emails go out. Email schedulers and drip marketing campaign software can keep your business running on autopilot while you deal with customer service needs, giving you more time to send more innovative emails to your other clients.
ROI tracking and detailed reports
One of the most important things a person can do to ensure the success and efficiency of their email campaign is to look for the actual return of investment (ROI) each email campaign is producing. Some email marketing software can track your expenses, the number of mails you send and the number of page views, products sold and responses you get. Knowing your ROI will help you maximize a program that is working, and cut the cord on one that is draining money from your system. Good ROI software allows you to simply plug in the numbers and watch the analysis unfold before you.
An all-in-one solution
Thinking about all these different elements can seem confusing, but keep in mind that many email marketing companies offer all these things in a single, Web-based solution. Using a service of this sort, you can create and manage your lists, newsletter layouts and campaign scheduling from one site. Since many of these combination solutions include sophisticated reporting tools, they make it easy to track your campaigns at the click of a mouse.
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November 9th, 2008 at 6:12 am
Benchmark email looks to be pretty good for the email. I’ll check it out.. thanks.