Do you need email marketing software?
Email marketing involves sending email to a list of addresses, right? And my email software can do that. So I could use the same software or webmail service I use for sending ordinary email to do email marketing?
Of course.
It's the same with product distribution. That's about moving things over distances, right? And my bicycle can do that. So I could use my bicycle to distribute my products?
Oh.
Email software and webmail services are designed to send email. They are not designed to send marketing email to large lists of addresses.
Here are just a few things a specialist email marketing software package or web-based service can do that your standard email software or webmail account cannot:
1. Automated management of your email list
People can add and remove themselves from your list without you needing to manually alter any records. Dead addresses that no longer accept email are also removed from the list automatically. This is a big time saver as soon as your list starts to grow beyond a few dozen names.
2. Automated emails
As soon as someone signs up to your list, they get a welcome email message (or series of messages) pre-created by you.
3. Tracking and reporting
You get detailed information on the fate and performance of the emails you send. For example...how many were sent? Which link was most popular? Which people clicked on that link? How many folk removed themselves from the list after getting this email?
4. Optimized campaigns
Specialist software and services offer features, tools and templates that help...
- ensure your emails meet legal requirements
- code and format your emails so they're more likely to appear as desired when read by others. Desktop email software and webmail accounts are not designed to create and send the kind of complex image-rich HTML emails that make good marketing messages
- provide delivery infrastructure and tools that make it more likely that your emails get through to the end recipient
- allow you to easily personalize and customize your emails so each recipient gets their own tailor-made version
5. Support and advice
Nearly all vendors offer resources or support for dealing with email marketing topics and issues you need to consider or resolve.
All this comes at a cost of course: you might have to pay as much as $10 a month for a web-based service or $100 for software.
Yep, basic web-based or desktop email marketing tools that offer all the advantages described above start at that kind of no-brainer pricing. These prices obviously rise as your address list grows or if you require more complex features such as advanced database integration.
Using your desktop email client for email marketing campaigns is like sticking with pen and paper to save on the costs of word processing software. It's just not worth it. At the very least, look for email marketing add-ons or tools that integrate with your email client.
Suitable software and service vendors are listed here and you'll find advice on the selection process here.
Need more email marketing guidance? Try the email newsletter or blog.